Solar System and Galaxies

A light-year equals the distance light can travel in one year’s time, about 10 trillion kilometers. A parsec is equal to 3.26 light-years. A mega parsec is 1 million parsecs. For which object would it make the MOST sense for scientists to use mega parsecs in describing its distance from Earth?

• distant galaxies

• Neptune, the farthest planet from our Sun

• the Sun, the star at the center of our solar system

• Proxima Centauri, the closest star to our Solar System

When asked for a home address, a person typically answers by starting with the smallest geographic area and working outward to larger areas. As a result, the answer is given in the order of street, city, state, and country. Which list represents our address in the universe?

• Earth, the Milky Way Galaxy, Solar System

• Earth, Solar System, the Milky Way Galaxy

• Solar System, the Milky Way Galaxy, Earth

• the Milky Way Galaxy, Solar System, Earth

Our Galaxy, the Milky Way, is a spiral galaxy containing many millions of stars. Spiral galaxies have rotating arms made up of stars that extend from a central disk of densely packed stars. Which statement describes the other two main types of galaxies?

• Groups are big, round galaxies, and clusters are small, round galaxies.

• Clusters are small, round galaxies, and superclusters are big, round galaxies.

• Elliptical galaxies are oval shaped, and irregular galaxies have no particular shape.

• Irregular galaxies are oval shaped, and elliptical galaxies have no particular shape.

In 1929, Edwin Hubble observed the velocity at which galaxies were moving away from the Milky Way. The graph below shows the relationship between this velocity and the distance those galaxies were from the Milky Way.

What conclusion can be drawn from Hubble’s data?

• Objects that are closer are moving slower, suggesting that the universe is shrinking.

• Objects that are further away are moving faster, suggesting that the universe is shrinking.

• Objects that are closer are moving faster, suggesting that the universe is expanding

• Objects that are further away are moving faster, suggesting that the universe is expanding

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS1-2

Which of the following orders the objects from largest to smallest?

• galaxy, star, universe

• star, galaxy, universe

• universe, galaxy, star

• universe, star, galaxy

Which measurement would BEST be used to describe the distance between Earth and a neighboring galaxy?

• miles

• kilometers

• light years

• astronomical units

Some astronomers study the universe and all the matter in it. They want to find out how big and how old the universe is. Which statement provides the MOST ACCURATE description of the universe?

• The universe is a big collection of stars called the Milky Way.

• The universe is all the stars that can be seen in the sky at night.

• The universe is all the planets and stars that orbit around the Sun.

• The universe is all of space and all the matter and energy that space contains.

The temperature of the surface of planet Mercury can vary from 430˚C when facing the Sun, to -173˚C when facing away from the Sun. Which BEST describes the reason for the drastic changes in surface temperature?

• limited atmosphere

• diameter of the planet

• topographical surface features

• composition of surface minerals

Scientists use the light-year to describe the relationships between objects in space. What does a light-year measure?

• the distance that light can travel in one year

• the brightness of light that travels through space

• the number of years it takes light to travel to Earth

• the time it takes light to travel 1 million km

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-3

The following table displays the average distance from Earth for four objects. Which object is closest to Earth?

• Barnard’s Star

• Planet Neptune

• Andromeda galaxy

• Triangulum galaxy

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-3