3.2 Formation of Solar System

What celestial bodies are part of our solar system?

• Only planets and stars

• Planets, dwarf planets, moons, asteroids, and comets

• Stars, galaxies, and black holes

• Nebulae and supernovae

Approximately how long ago did our solar system begin to form?

• 1 billion years ago

• 4.6 billion years ago

• 10 million years ago

• 100 billion years ago

What is the name given to the ring of material left around the Sun after its formation, which served as the nursery for planets?

• A supernova remnant

• A black hole accretion disk

• A protoplanetary disk

• A galactic halo

What are the two main categories of planets in our solar system, based on their composition and location relative to the Sun?

• Hot planets and cold planets

• Large planets and small planets

• Terrestrial planets and Jovian planets

• Inner planets and outer planets

What is believed to have caused the formation of Earth's Moon?

• A collision with a Mars-sized object.

• A large volcanic eruption on Earth.

• The gravitational pull of Jupiter.

• The accumulation of space dust over billions of years.

Why did Mars lose its protective atmosphere?

• It was hit by a large asteroid.

• Its core cooled, causing it to lose its magnetic field.

• Intense solar flares stripped it away.

• Volcanic eruptions released gases that depleted the atmosphere.

Organize these options into the right sequence of planet formation in a Solar System:

Groups:

(a) 1

,

(b) 2

,

(c) 3

,

(d) 4

• Planetesimal

• Protoplanet

• Planet

• Solar Nebula

What are the regions where remaining debris from the early solar system settled?

• The Great Red Spot, the Rings of Saturn, and the Van Allen Belts.

• The Asteroid Belt, the Kuiper Belt, and the Oort Cloud.

• The Milky Way, the Andromeda Galaxy, and the Triangulum Galaxy.

• The Sun's corona, the solar wind, and sunspots.

What event is believed to have caused the extinction of the dinosaurs approximately 65 million years ago?

• A series of massive volcanic eruptions.

• A prolonged ice age.

• An asteroid impact.

• A sudden shift in Earth's magnetic poles.