The Solar System

Pieces of space rock that are too small to be planets or dwarf planets but still revolve around the sun

• Comets
• Asteroids
• Meteoroid
• Meteor

Most asteroids in our solar system revolve around a zone called the asteroid belt. Where is the asteroid belt located?

• Between the orbits of Earth and Mars
• Between the orbits of Jupiter and Saturn
• Between the orbits of Uranus and Neptune
• Between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter

Large clump of ice, dust, and small rock particles that has a tail and orbits the sun on a long path

• asteroids
• meteor
• comet
• planet

The tail of a comet if made of

• gases
• pieces of rock

Pieces of rock or dust in space that come from asteroids or comets

• meteoroid
• moon
• comet
• star

While looking at the sky one night, Bevan saw a streak of light like the one below. Bevan’s father told him that the light was produced by a small chunk of rock passing through Earth’s atmosphere. Which of these terms best describes what Bevan saw?

• Asteroid
• Comet
• Meteor
• Meteorite

Skylab was the first American space station. It was in orbit around Earth from 1973 to 1979. Which of these objects was Skylab most similar to?

• Comet
• Moon
• Planet
• Star

A meteoroid is a chunk of rock traveling through the solar system. How is a meteorite related to a meteoroid?

• A meteorite is a meteoroid that enters Earth’s atmosphere.
• A meteorite is a meteoroid that has broken into smaller pieces.
• A meteorite is a meteoroid that is larger in size than an asteroid.
• A meteorite is a meteoroid that reaches the surface of Earth.

Until 2006, Pluto was considered the solar system’s ninth planet.  Pluto is now classified as a dwarf planet. Which of these properties of Pluto explains why it is classified as a dwarf planet?

• It does not orbit the sun.
• It is too far from Earth.
• It has other bodies in its orbit.
• It is not part of the solar system

The diagram below shows the orbit of Earth and the orbit of Borrelly. Which of these types of space objects is Borrelly most likely to be?

• Asteroid
• Comet
• Moon
• Planet

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-3