Physical Properties of the Solar System

Earth, Mars, Venus, and Mercury all have mountains. Many of these mountains are volcanoes. What is unusual about the volcano on Mars called Olympus Mons?

• It is an active volcano that erupts often.

• It is two-thirds the height of Mount Everest.

• It is the tallest mountain in the solar system.

• It puts carbon dioxide into the atmosphere of Mars.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-3

Satellite photos of Neptune and Uranus show that both planets have a bluish color. Which gas in their atmospheres gives them this color?

• helium

• hydrogen

• methane

• water

Which objects make up the belt between Mars and Jupiter?

• asteroids

• comets

• Kuiper Belt objects

• meteorites

Which of these choices describes the density of Mercury?

• denser than Earth

• less dense than Venus

• equal to the density of Mars

• second-densest terrestrial planet

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-3

How does the distance of Earth from the sun compare to the distance of the gas giants from the sun?

• Earth is much closer to the sun than the gas giants are.

• Earth is much farther from the sun than the gas giants are.

• Earth and the gas giants are about the same distance from the sun.

• Earth is located within the solar system with the sun, and the gas giants are located outside the solar system.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-3

Which statement is true about gas giants?

• Gas giants formed close to the sun and contain deep, gaseous atmospheres.

• Gas giants have gaseous cores and rocky surfaces because the planets are far from the sun.

• Gas giants contain no rock or metals because the planets are too cold for these materials to condense.

• Gas giants contain ices because these planets formed far enough from the sun that these materials could condense.

What is the order of the distances of the terrestrial planets from the Sun, from farthest to closest?

• Mars, Venus, Earth, Mercury

• Mars, Earth, Venus, Mercury

• Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars

• Venus, Earth, Mars, Mercury

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-3

Which of the terrestrial planets has the densest atmosphere?

• Earth

• Mars

• Mercury

• Venus

Which terrestrial planets have diameters that are nearly equal in size?

• Earth and Mars

• Mars and Venus

• Earth and Venus

• Mars and Mercury

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-3

Which of these statements is true of Venus?

• Venus has two moons.

• On Venus, a day is longer than a year.

• Venus is the fourth planet from the sun.

• The atmosphere of Venus is capable of supporting life.