Earth and Space Review

Fill in the blanks: Pluto is a dwarf planet because its ___ is not strong enough to pull other objects into its ___

• gravity; orbit

• mass; path

• size; field

• force; trajectory

Interactive Response: Provide a detailed explanation of why Pluto is no longer considered a planet.

• Because it is too far from the Sun

• Because it does not clear its orbit

• Because it is too small

• Because it is not spherical

What are terrestrial planets composed of?

• rock

• gas

• ice

• plasma

What physical characteristic do the Earth and the Moon share?

• They both are homes to bacteria.

• They both produce light.

• They both experience weather.

• They both have a solid surface.

The Moon is a dry, airless body. Moon rocks brought back by astronauts are about 4.6 billion years old. Many scientists believe that the Moon has always been dry. Which of the following would BEST explain why scientists believe this?

• The Moon is currently dry and airless.

• The Moon does not have an atmosphere.

• The Moon rocks show no traces of water.

• The Moon rocks are about as old as Earth.

Some scientists think that there were once glaciers on the surface of Mars. Which observation BEST supports this idea?

• The surface of Mars is very cold.

• Mars has landforms that look like they were carved from its surface.

• There are many ancient volcanoes on the surface of Mars.

• There is probably water in the ground below the surface on Mars.

A student was designing a model of the solar system and used a golf ball to represent the Earth. Which two objects could the student use to represent Jupiter and the Moon?

• a baseball as Jupiter and a basketball as the Moon

• a grape as Jupiter and a marble as the Moon

• a basketball as Jupiter and a marble as the Moon

• a beach ball as Jupiter and a soccer ball as the Moon

What physical characteristics do the outer planets have in common?

• They have a large number of moons and are the largest of the eight planets.

• They have few to no moons and are the largest of the eight planets.

• They are composed of gas, and they each have rings.

• They are composed of gas, and they do not have rings.

• They are composed of rock, and they each have rings.

The Earth has similar characteristics to other bodies in space. They are both made of rock and both shaped like a sphere. They are both considered natural satellites, one a natural satellite of Earth, and the other a natural satellite of the Sun.

Which body in space is similar to the Earth, as described here?

• The Moon

• Mars

• Venus

• Jupiter

• This object is a star.

• This object is made of gas.

• This object has several natural satellites.

Which object in space is being described?

• The Sun

• The Moon

• Mars

• Jupiter