Unit 8: Solar System, Gravity and Space Exploration

Scientists observed a rocky, rotating object orbiting in space. It was 250 km wide. The rocky object was located several times farther away from the Sun than the Earth.

Choose three objects that do NOT match the description above.

• Venus

• the Moon

• Mars

• an asteroid

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-3

A student is making a model of the solar system. They choose a ball with a 14 cm diameter to represent Jupiter. According to the above table, what size ball would be the best choice to represent Earth?

• 0.5 cm

• 1.2 cm

• 12 cm

• 16 cm

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-3

Properties of planets in our solar system are shown below. Why does it take Neptune so long to revolve around the Sun?

• The Sun is applying large amounts of gravity on the planet, slowing it down.

• Neptune has a large diameter causing the planet to be less aerodynamic, slowing it down.

• Neptune is such a long distance away that it has a large orbital path.

• Neptune is rotating fast for its size, and the energy of its orbit is being transferred into rotational speed.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-2

NGSS.MS-PS2-4

Mars is very similar to Earth. Which of the following statements describes a property of Earth, but NOT a property of Mars?

• An abundance of liquid water is located on the planet.

• One or more moons orbit the planet.

• The planet is constantly in motion.

• The orbital path is predictable.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-4

All of the planets in our solar system have about the same —

• mass

• diameter

• shape

• composition

"Made mostly of ice", fits best under which heading in the Venn diagram?

• Asteroid

• Meteor

• Comet

• Section X

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS1-1

Identify the planet on the chart above that would most likely be the coldest.

• Earth

• Mars

• Jupiter

• Uranus

Which of the following represents characteristics of the four planets closest to the Sun?

• Larger planets

• Gas giants

• Rocky (terrestrial) planets

• 4 or more moons

Which statement below accurately describes the movement of objects in our solar system?

• The Sun revolves around the planets, and moons rotate around planets.

• The planets revolve around the Sun, and moons revolve around the planets.

• The planets rotate around the Sun, and moons revolve around the planets.

• The moons rotate around planets, and planets revolve around the Sun.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-2

NGSS.MS-PS2-4

Which of the following best describes meteors?

• Solids with irregular shapes, some of which are larger than Pluto, that mostly orbit the Sun between the orbits of Mars and Venus

• Solids that range in size from dust to small rocks that are scattered throughout the solar system, often due to the breakup of comets, that burn in a brief bright display when they enter Earth’s atmosphere

• Solids made of rock and ice with very elliptical orbits that originate beyond the orbit of Neptune and release gas and dust in a bright display that can last weeks when they pass close to the Sun

• Solids that orbit many planets in our solar system, many of which are asteroids or comets that have been caught by the gravitational pull of the more massive planet they orbit