Gravity and Scale Properties Major 1

Which planet would most likely have the highest average surface temperature?

• A. Saturn

• B. Mars

• C. Earth

• D. Jupiter

Which planet has a day that is longer than its year?

• A) Mercury

• B) Venus

• C) Earth

• D) Mars

What is the sequence of the objects shown below from the smallest to the largest?

• A) 1-2-3-4

• B) 2-1-4-3

• C) 3-4-2-1

• D) 4-1-2-3

Students were learning about the difference between weight and mass. They had a table that showed the force of gravity on some of the planets compared to Earth. Once the students fill in the table, which statement would be correct?

• An object would weigh more on Saturn than on Earth.

• An object would be less massive on Mars than on Earth.

• An object would be more massive on Neptune than on Earth.

• An object would be exactly the same weight on Venus as on Earth.

Both Earth and Jupiter follow elliptical orbits around the Sun. The orbit of Jupiter is farther from the Sun than the orbit of Earth. How does this orbit affect the motion of Jupiter compared to Earth?

• Jupiter rotates more slowly on its axis.

• Jupiter revolves more slowly in its orbit.

• The plane of the orbit of Jupiter varies more over time.

• The tilt of the axis of Jupiter is more perpendicular to the plane of orbit.

A student learns that one year on Mercury is about 88 Earth days. This means it takes 88 Earth days for Mercury to

• travel in orbit around its moon.

• complete one rotation on its axis.

• switch orbits with the nearest planet.

• make one complete orbit around the Sun.

The gravitational force of the Sun is strong enough to hold all the planets of the solar system in orbit many millions of miles away. Which best describes why objects having far less mass on the surface of these planets are not pulled off and into the Sun?

• The objects have too little mass to be affected by the Sun.

• The objects have more mass on the planets than on the Sun.

• The objects are held by the greater combined gravity of all the planets.

• The objects are more strongly affected by the gravity of the planet on which they are found.

Earth travels on an elliptical orbit around the Sun. When Earth is at the point labeled on the diagram, it moves most quickly in its orbit. Which best explains this more rapid motion of Earth?

• The amount of solar heat reaching Earth is greatest at this point.

• The Sun’s gravitational pull on Earth is strongest at this point.

• Earth is closest to the Sun’s magnetic field at this point.

• Earth is closest to the Sun’s radioactivity at this point.

How do gas giants compare to the terrestrial planets?

• terrestrial planets are much larger

• terrestrial planets are much smaller

• gas giants are slightly larger

• gas giants are slightly smaller

The diagram represents four planets in the solar system. Earth is labeled as Number 1. Based on the relationships of the relative sizes of the planets, which planet is most likely represented by Number 2?

• Mars

• Venus

• Jupiter

• Mercury