The Solar System - Chapter 6 Test - 8th grade

The heliocentric system gained support when Galileo observed that

• one side of the moon always faces Earth.

• most of the smaller planets are closer to the sun.

• Venus goes through phases similar to those of Earth’s moon.

• the orbit of each planet is an ellipse.

In a heliocentric system, Earth revolves around

• Mars.

• the stars.

• the moon.

• the sun.

The fact that each planet’s orbit is an ellipse was discovered by

• Copernicus.

• Galileo.

• Kepler.

• Brahe.

The solar system formed from

• an expanding galaxy.

• a giant cloud of gas and dust.

• an enormous explosion.

• a black hole.

Small asteroid-like bodies that became the building blocks for the planets are called

• planetesimals.

• comets.

• meteoroids.

• open clusters.

The sun produces energy by

• attracting it with the force of gravity.

• nuclear fission.

• burning fuels such as oil.

• nuclear fusion.

What layer are you looking at when you look at an image of the sun?

• photosphere

• chromosphere

• corona

• prominence

The solar wind is a stream of electrically charged particles that extend outward from the sun’s

• chromosphere.

• photosphere.

• corona.

• core.

What do the four outer planets have in common?

• They are much larger than Earth and are made mainly of hydrogen and helium.

• They are about the same size as Earth and are made mainly of hydrogen and helium.

• They are much larger than Earth and are made mainly of iron.

• They are about the same size as Earth and are made mainly of iron.

What do all of the inner planets have in common?

• They all have rings.

• They all have abundant liquid water.

• They all have many moons.

• They all are small and have rocky surfaces.