Gr. 6 - Space - The Solar System

How did our solar system form about 4.5 billion years ago?

• From a giant explosion in space

• From a collapsing cloud of gas and dust forming a swirling solar nebula

• From the collision of two stars

• From pieces of other planets

Where is our solar system located?

• The Milky Way’s Orion Star Cluster

• The Milky Way’s Sagittarius Arm

• The Andromeda Galaxy

• The Kuiper Belt

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of terrestrial planets?

• They have extensive ring systems

• They have few or no moons

• They have solid surfaces

• They are relatively small

What is true about Mercury’s orbit?

• It takes one Earth year

• It is the slowest orbit in the solar system

• It is the shortest orbit at about three Earth months

• It takes the same time as Venus’s orbit

Why is Venus the hottest planet in the solar system?

• It is closest to the sun

• Its thick carbon dioxide atmosphere traps heat

• It has no moons to cool it

• Its surface is covered with volcanoes only

What is special about Earth compared to other planets?

• It is the largest terrestrial planet

• It has the shortest orbit

• Its water systems create the only known environment capable of sustaining life

• Its atmosphere is made entirely of carbon dioxide

Which of these is NOT true about the Jovian planets?

• They all have multiple moons

• They all have ring systems

• They have no solid surface

• They are smaller than the terrestrial planets

What is special about Saturn’s rings?

• They are made of solid rock

• They are thicker than Earth’s atmosphere

• They are wide enough to fit between Earth and the moon but are very thin

• They are invisible without a telescope

Which planet is famous for rotating on its side?

• Neptune

• Saturn

• Jupiter

• Uranus

What marks the edge of our solar system?

• The Kuiper Belt

• The last planet, Neptune

• The Oort Cloud, where the sun’s influence ends

• The asteroid belt