Investigating Characteristics of the Solar System

The entire mass of air that surrounds Earth, made up of 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, and trace amounts of other gases.

• Ozone Layer

• Solar Winds

• Atmosphere

• Magnetosphere

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-5

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

Gas in Earth’s atmosphere that absorbs most of the damaging high-energy ultraviolet radiation from the Sun.

• Atmosphere

• Magnetosphere

• Solar Winds

• Ozone Layer

A portion of the electromagnetic spectrum emitted by the Sun; can cause tanning, sun burning, and skin cancers.

• Ultraviolet Radiation

• Light

• Magnetosphere

• Microwaves

A continuous stream of charged particles from the Sun, with variations in the stream causing beautiful aurorae displays (northern lights), as well as geomagnetic storms that knock out power grids on Earth.

• Ozone Layer

• Atmosphere

• Solar Winds

• Sunlight

Magnetic lines of force from Earth’s polar north and south, acting like a giant magnet.

• Magnetosphere

• Atmosphere

• Ozone Layer

• Earth's Magnetic Field

An area that deflects and traps harmful particles; resulting from an interaction of Earth's magnetic field with solar "wind" (charged plasma) streaming from the Sun.

• Earth's Magnetic Field

• Magnetosphere

• Atmosphere

• Ozone Layer

Which of the following characteristics of Jupiter best explains why Jupiter does not support life, while Earth does? Jupiter -

• has four moons that orbit the planet.

• has virtually no water on the surface.

• rotates on its axis once every 10 hours.

• orbits the Sun once every 12 years.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-4

Which of the following characteristics of a planet will have the greatest influence on determining whether or not its temperature will be suitable to support life?

• The amount of its gravitational force.

• The number and size of active volcanoes.

• The tilt of the axis of rotation of the planet.

• The distance from the Sun of its orbit.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

Which of the following data could be collected about a planet in a distant planetary system, which might give scientists information about whether or not life exists on that planet?

• The number of other planets in the system.

• How long the planet takes to rotate.

• The orbit length of the planet.

• The presence of an atmospheric ozone layer.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-4

If Earth were much smaller than it is now, it would not support life because it would not have enough mass to -

• collect needed radiant energy from the Sun.

• maintain a gravitational pull on the Moon.

• have sufficient gravity to hold an atmosphere.

• rotate on its axis once per day.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-4