Astronomy Study Guide

During a camping trip, Anika and Daniel looked up at the night sky and saw these, sometimes called shooting stars: _______

• interplanetary dust

• comets

• asteroids

• meteors

Answer explanation

The correct answer is meteors, which are the visible streaks of light produced when meteoroids enter the Earth's atmosphere and burn up. They are often referred to as shooting stars.

During a science class, Olivia asked her teacher how a meteorite is DIFFERENT from a comet. The teacher explained that: (a) it has a tail of ice and gas (b) it is found in orbit between Jupiter and Mars (c) it enters the Earth's atmosphere (d) it is made of rock and snow.

• it has a tail of ice and gas

• it is found in orbit between Jupiter and Mars

• it enters the Earth's atmosphere

• it is made of rock and snow

Answer explanation

A meteorite enters the Earth's atmosphere, while a comet has a tail of ice and gas. The other options describe characteristics of comets or asteroids, not meteorites.

During a science class, Henry was asked to identify celestial objects composed mainly of rock and metal:

• comets and stars

• stars and meteors

• asteroid and meteors

• comets and asteroid

Answer explanation

Asteroids and meteors are celestial objects primarily made of rock and metal. Comets are mostly ice and dust, while stars are massive balls of gas. Therefore, the correct answer is asteroids and meteors.

During a science class, Grace learned about a rocky mass up to several hundred kilometers wide that revolves around the sun. What is it?

• comet

• asteroid

• moon

• star

Answer explanation

An asteroid is a rocky mass that orbits the sun, typically several hundred kilometers wide. Comets are icy bodies, moons orbit planets, and stars are massive celestial bodies that produce light. Therefore, the correct answer is asteroid.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-3

Hannah is learning about space. She wants to know which sequence correctly lists the relative sizes from smallest to largest?

• our solar system, universe, Milky Way Galaxy

• our solar system, Milky Way Galaxy, universe

• Milky Way Galaxy, our solar system, universe

• Milky Way Galaxy, universe, our solar system

Answer explanation

The correct sequence from smallest to largest is: our solar system (smallest), Milky Way Galaxy (larger), and universe (largest). Thus, the answer is: our solar system, Milky Way Galaxy, universe.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-3

During a science class, Nora asked, "What is the force that holds the solar system together?"

• magnetism

• gravity

• friction

• electricity

Answer explanation

The force that holds the solar system together is gravity. It is the attractive force between masses, keeping planets in orbit around the sun and maintaining the structure of the solar system.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-2

NGSS.MS-PS2-4

Elijah dropped his ball, and it rolled towards

• the ground

• the largest mass

• the moon

• the sun

Answer explanation

Elijah's ball rolled towards the largest mass due to gravity. Among the options, the largest mass is the Earth, which attracts the ball, making 'the largest mass' the correct answer.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-4

Michael is holding a basketball. Does the basketball have gravity?

• true

• false

Answer explanation

Yes, the basketball has gravity because all objects with mass experience gravitational force. Since the basketball has mass, it is affected by gravity, making the correct answer true.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-4

As Emma and Samuel move further apart while holding magnets, the force of attraction between the magnets

• increases

• decreases

• stays the same

Answer explanation

As Emma and Samuel move further apart, the distance between the magnets increases, which causes the force of attraction to decrease. This is due to the inverse square law of magnetism, where force diminishes with distance.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-4

Elijah is learning about how gravity is affected by distance and _______.

• matter

• weight

• mass

• luminosity

Answer explanation

Gravity is influenced by both mass and matter. Mass refers to the amount of matter in an object, and both concepts are crucial in understanding gravitational attraction, making 'matter' and 'mass' the correct answers.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-4