Unit 8: Solar System, Gravity and Space Exploration

Which motion does Earth make once every 24 hours?

• Revolves once around the sun

• Rotates once on its axis

• Makes one orbit of the sun

• Passes by Mars in its path

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NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

Millions of pieces of rocky material of various sizes orbit the Sun between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. These objects are known as -

• Meteors

• Asteroids

• Planets

• Comets

What would happen if the Sun's gravity suddenly stopped?

• The celestial objects with masses less than the planets would begin orbiting the Sun instead.

• The planets would crash into the Sun.

• The planets would move away in a straight line away from the sun.

• The planets would no longer follow circular orbital paths, but would follow elliptical orbital paths.

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NGSS.MS-ESS1-2

NGSS.MS-PS2-4

The force of attraction that pulls objects toward each other; the force that controls the motion of our solar system

• Gravitational attraction

• Gravity

• Space exploration

• International Space Station

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NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

NGSS.MS-ESS1-2

NGSS.MS-PS2-4

Planets A, B, C, and D have the same mass in the same solar system. They are listed in order of closest to furthest from the Sun. Which will experience the gravitational pull of the Sun the strongest?

• Planet A

• Planet B

• Planet C

• Planet D

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NGSS.MS-ESS1-2

NGSS.MS-PS2-4

What can scientists assume about the gravitational pull on a small planet located a great distance from the Sun?

• The pull will be the same as on Earth.

• The pull will be strong.

• The pull will be weak.

• More information is needed to answer the question.

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NGSS.MS-ESS1-2

NGSS.MS-PS2-4

Which answer choice best describes the orbit of the planets around the Sun?

• They orbit in a straight line.

• They orbit in a nearly circular path.

• They orbit in reverse every million years.

• They orbit with the same amount of forward motion.

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NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

NGSS.MS-ESS1-2

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What competes to keep celestial bodies in orbit?

• the force of gravity and forward motion

• the force of gravity and mass

• the force of Newton's law and the force of momentum

• The force of gravity and distance

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NGSS.MS-ESS1-2

NGSS.MS-PS2-4

The four planets that orbit closest to the Sun are best described as -

• mostly made up of gases.

• have rings similar to Saturn's.

• having a rocky and terrestrial surface.

• being composed entirely of water.

Planets vary as they get farther from the Sun. As a rule, the farther a planet's orbit from the sun, -

• the greater the planet's diameter.

• the longer it takes to orbit the Sun.

• the rockier the surface of the planet.

• the greater the planet's surface temperature.