Changing Solar System ReadWorks

What is gravity according to the passage?

• A force that causes every object with mass to attract every other object

• A large asteroid that bombarded the Earth 50,000 years ago

• Molecules that rushed into the center of the cloud to form the sun

• The two poles of the Earth called the North Pole and the South Pole

What caused the solar system to form 4.6 billion years ago?

• A cloud of molecules caved in on itself, and the molecules in the center formed the sun while the molecules on the sides formed the planets, moons, and asteroids

• Asteroids were pulled together by gravitational forces and hit each other so frequently they formed new planets and moons

• As recently as 50,000 years ago, asteroids began bombarding the planet and the moon, creating craters or holes that led to the creation of new moons

• The Earth's magnetism attracted the moon and the stars that were far away and pulled them closer into its orbit

What conclusion can you draw from the evidence that the solar system continues to shift and change?

• The solar system only experienced changes when it was first formed over 4 billion years ago

• Scientists have strong evidence that asteroids only bombard planets far from Earth's orbit

• Craters or holes on the surface of moons are most likely caused by planets getting too close to each other

• The solar system continues to shift and change, which impacts the Earth, moons, and other planets

How does the structure of the solar system support life on Earth but not on other planets?

• The Earth orbits the sun at the perfect distance, providing the ideal temperature and conditions for life

• Asteroids hit parts of Arizona, creating a giant meteor-made hole 3,900 feet wide and almost 600 feet deep

• The North Pole and South Pole shift due to the nature of the molten iron liquid inside the earth

• Compasses are an important device to show how the solar system shifts and changes over millions of years

What is the main idea of the passage?

• The interplay of gravitational forces and the changes in the solar system over billions of years have made life on Earth possible and continue to shape how planets, moons, stars, and asteroids interact

• In the future, some planets in the solar system may be sucked into the orbits or the center of larger stars like the sun, and some may be spun farther out into space

• Although the gravitational pull between a human and their dog is very small, Earth's gravitational force is big enough to pull a human close to the ground and keep them from flying off into space and out of Earth's orbit

• Scientists calculate that over the next few billion years, the planets in the solar system will be pulled toward passing stars with a higher center of gravity than the sun

What is the role of Earth's magnetism according to the passage?

• Earth's magnetism creates the North and South Poles, which can change places over time due to the shifting nature of the molten iron liquid inside the Earth

• Earth's magnetism attracts asteroids and space rocks, causing craters on its surface

• Earth's magnetism is responsible for the gravitational pull that keeps humans and objects on the ground

• Earth's magnetism is the main reason why the solar system continues to shift and change

What might happen to the solar system in a few billion years according to scientists?

• The planets in our solar system might be pulled toward passing stars with a higher center of gravity than the sun

• The Earth might lose its magnetism, causing the North and South Poles to disappear

• The sun might lose its gravitational pull, causing the planets to drift away

• The moon might collide with the Earth, creating a massive crater