The Planets of Our Solar System

The solar system is composed of the Sun, planets, moons, asteroids, and comets, and its boundary is generally considered to be the edge of the heliosphere. Which of the following best describes the composition and boundaries of the solar system?

• Only the Sun and planets, with the boundary at Pluto

• The Sun, planets, moons, asteroids, and comets, with the boundary at the edge of the heliosphere

• Only planets and asteroids, with the boundary at the asteroid belt

• The Sun and comets, with the boundary at the Kuiper Belt

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-3

Gravity is responsible for which of the following in the solar system?

• The motion of planets around the Sun

• The production of sunlight

• The formation of asteroids

• The color of planets

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-2

NGSS.MS-PS2-4

Which of the following lists correctly enumerates the planets in the solar system?

• Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune

• Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Pluto, Neptune

• Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Pluto

• Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune, Pluto

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-3

Each planet in the solar system has which of the following?

• Distinct features

• Identical features

• No features

• Same size

Compare and contrast the planets in the solar system.

• All planets are identical in size and composition.

• Planets differ in size, composition, and distance from the Sun.

• All planets have the same number of moons.

• Planets do not orbit the Sun.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-3

Analyze and interpret data from a table to describe the scale of planets in the solar system and the distances among them.

• The planets vary greatly in size and distance from each other.

• All planets are about the same size and equally spaced.

• The planets are arranged randomly with no pattern in size or distance.

• The distances between planets are always smaller than their diameters.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-3

Define: Astronomical Unit.

• An astronomical unit is the average distance from the Earth to the Sun, about 93 million miles or 150 million kilometers.

• An astronomical unit is the distance from the Earth to the Moon, about 238,855 miles or 384,400 kilometers.

• An astronomical unit is the distance from the Sun to Pluto, about 3.67 billion miles or 5.9 billion kilometers.

• An astronomical unit is the average distance between Mars and Jupiter, about 300 million miles or 480 million kilometers.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-3

Define: Gravity.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-4

Define: Orbit.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-2

NGSS.MS-PS2-4

Define: Planet.

• A planet is a large celestial body that orbits a star and does not produce its own light.

• A planet is a small rock that floats in space and produces its own light.

• A planet is a star that emits light and heat.

• A planet is a cloud of gas that forms comets.