Objects in the Solar System

This is a diagram of the inner solar system (not to scale) including the four inner planets, the asteroid belt, and the sun.  The orbital paths of the planets have been added.

The pattern of motion of objects in the solar system indicates that which of these planets will be revolving the fastest around the sun?

• Mercury

• Venus

• Earth

• Mars

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Consider the data table. On which planet would you weigh less than you would weigh on Earth? (Table 1)

• Jupiter

• Neptune

• Saturn

• Uranus

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How does the distance between Earth and the Sun compare to the distance between Saturn and the Sun?

• Earth is much closer to the sun than Saturn.

• Earth is much farther from the sun than Saturn.

• Earth and Saturn are about the same distance from the sun.

• Earth is located within the solar system with the sun, and Saturn is located outside the solar system.

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How many planets are there in the solar system?

• 6

• 8

• 9

• 14

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The outer planets are ____  than the inner planets, 

• smallest

• larger

• slower

• rocky

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The four inner planets are:

• Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune

• Mercury, Venus, Earth and Pluto

• Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars

• Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune and Pluto

The four outer  planets are:

• Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune

• Mercury, Venus, Earth and Pluto

• Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars

• Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune and Pluto

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Which of the following provides the best reasoning for a planet being able to form and maintain its spherical shape while also remaining in orbit around the Sun?

• The gravitational pull originating from the center of the planets allows them to retain their

  shape and the gravitational pull of the Sun keeps them in orbit.

• The gravitational attraction of planets towards neighboring planets allows them to retain

  their shape and the gravitational pull of the Sun keeps them in orbit.

• The gravitational pull originating from the center of the planets allows the planets to retain

  their shape and the magnetic force exerted on the planets by the Sun keeps them in orbit.

• The gravitational attraction of the planets towards neighboring planets allows them to

  retain their shape and the magnetic force exerted on the planets by the Sun keeps them

  in orbit.

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Which statement below best describes how scientists explain gravity’s role in the formation of our Solar System?

• The combined gravitational attraction between our planets was so large that it pulled the

  Sun away from a nearby star cluster into the center of our Solar System.

• The eight planets in our Solar System were originally orbiting a nearby star, and the Sun’s

  gravity was large enough to pull those planets into orbit around the Sun.

• Due to the expansion of neighboring solar systems, the gravitational attraction of our

  planets to those solar systems forced the formation of the planets around our Sun.

• As the Sun was forming, the force of gravity caused surrounding dust grains to collide and

  stick together, forming dust granules into increasingly larger bodies that became planets.

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Throughout history different models of the solar system have been used to describe where the sun and planets are in relation to each other. Which statement below best compares the heliocentric model to the geocentric model?

• The heliocentric model has the Sun at the center of the solar system, while the geocentric

  model does not.

• The geocentric model has the Sun at the center of the solar system, while the heliocentric

  model does not.

• The heliocentric model has the elliptical orbits of the solar system, while the geocentric

  model shows circular orbits.

• The geocentric model has the elliptical orbits of the solar system, while the heliocentric

  model shows circular orbits.

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