Unit 8 Vocabulary Quiz

What is the name for the huge group of stars, gas, dust, and planets held together by gravity?

• Solar System

• Galaxy

• Universe

• Milky Way

Which term describes a model where the Sun is at the center of the solar system?

• Geocentric

• Astronomical unit

• Heliocentric

• Gravity

What is the region of space between Mars and Jupiter where many rocky objects orbit the Sun?

• Kuiper Belt

• Oort Cloud

• Asteroid Belt

• Solar System

What is the name for a space rock that burns up in Earth's atmosphere, creating a "shooting star"?

• Meteoroid

• Meteorite

• Meteor

• Asteroid

Which term describes the force that pulls objects toward each other?

• Inertia

• Gravity

• Atmosphere

• Nucleus

What is the name for planets like Jupiter and Saturn that are composed mainly of gas?

• Terrestrial planets

• Rocky planets

• Gaseous planets

• Inner planets

Which feature of a comet is described as a fuzzy cloud of gas and dust around its center?

• Tail

• Nucleus

• Coma

• Atmosphere

What theory suggests that the universe began from a tiny point and has been expanding since?

• Heliocentric Theory

• Big Bang Theory

• Gravity Theory

• Geocentric Theory

Which type of galaxy appears shaped like a pinwheel with spiral arms?

• Irregular Galaxy

• Elliptical Galaxy

• Spiral Galaxy

• Milky Way

What is the term for an object that orbits a planet, either natural or human-made?

• Asteroid

• Comet

• Planet

• Satellite