NEW
Font size
S
M
L
XL
WorksheetsChapter 3 Solar System
Total questions: 50
Worksheet time: 25mins
Name
Class
Date
1.
The ancient Greeks knew of all of the following planets EXCEPT...
a)
Earth
b)
Saturn
c)
Uranus
d)
Venus
2.
The heliocentric system gained support when Galileo observed that
a)
one side of the moon always faces Earth
b)
most of the smaller planets are closer to the sun
c)
Venus goes through phases similar to those of Earth's moon
d)
the orbit of each planet is an ellipse
3.
The sun produces energy by...
a)
attracting it with the force of gravity
b)
nuclear fission
c)
burning fuels such as oil
d)
nuclear fusion
4.
What layer are you looking at when you look at an image of the sun?
a)
photosphere
b)
chromosphere
c)
corona
d)
prominence
5.
The solar wind is a stream of electrically charged particles that extend outward from the sun's..
a)
photosphere
b)
chromosphere
c)
corona
d)
prominence
6.
In a heliocentric system, Earth revolves around...
a)
Mars
b)
the stars
c)
the moon
d)
the sun
7.
What do all of the inner planets have in common?
a)
they all have rings
b)
they all have abundant liquid water
c)
they all have many moons
d)
they all are small and have rocky surfaces
8.
Aside from Earth, which inner planet once had liquid water on its surface?
a)
Mercury
b)
Europa
c)
Venus
d)
Mars
9.
The atmospheres of the gas giant planets cannot escape into space because....
a)
the gases are too heavy
b)
the gases solidify at higher elevations
c)
the planets have very strong gravitational pulls
d)
although they are big, the planets have little mass
10.
What do the first four outer planets have in common?
a)
They are much larger than Earth and are made mainly of hydrogen and helium.
b)
They are about the same size as Earth and are made mainly of hydrogen and helium.
c)
They are much larger than Earth and are made mainly of iron.
d)
They are about the same size as Earth and are made mainly of iron.
11.
Astronomers predicted the existence and orbit of Neptune based on...
a)
one scientist's dream
b)
Neptune's effect on the rings of Saturn
c)
the great gap between Uranus and the next planet
d)
Neptune's gravitational effect on the orbit of Uranus
12.
The fact that each planet's orbit is an ellipse was discovered by...
a)
Copernicus
b)
Galileo
c)
Kepler
d)
Brahe
13.
What shape are the orbit's of most comets?
a)
long, narrow ellipses
b)
circles
c)
nearly circular ellipses
d)
spherical
14.
The asteroid belt is located...
a)
between Earth and Mars
b)
between Mars and Jupiter
c)
between Jupiter and Saturn
d)
between Saturn and Uranus
15.
Meteoroids usually come from
a)
debris from other planets
b)
the solar wind
c)
meteorites
d)
comets or asteroids
16.
When a meteoroid enters Earth's atmosphere, it produces a streak of light called a(n)...
a)
meteor
b)
asteroid
c)
meteorite
d)
comet
17.
Europa is considered a good place to look for life because..
a)
there may be liquid water under its icy crust
b)
it is about the same distance from the sun as Earth
c)
volcanic activity keeps it warm
d)
it is about teh same size as Earth
18.
Copernicus explained that ....
a)
the sun is at the center of the system of planets
b)
the sun and the planets revolve around Earth
c)
the geocentric system is correct
d)
there are only six planets
19.
Which parts of the sun's atmosphere become visible during an eclipse?
a)
photosphere and corona
b)
chromosphere and corona
c)
photosphere and chromosphere
d)
prominences and flares
20.
Which of the inner planets does NOT show evidence of volcanic activity?
a)
Mars
b)
Mercury
c)
Venus
d)
All of the inner planets have volcanoes
21.
Venus and Earth are much alike in terms of.....
a)
their size and density
b)
their rates of rotation
c)
their atmospheres
d)
their direction of rotation
22.
Saturn's rings are made up mostly of...
a)
nitrogen and helium
b)
ice and water vapor
c)
volcanic dust particles
d)
chunks of ice and rock
23.
Uranus is different from most of other planets because it...
a)
is the farthest from the sun
b)
is mostly nitrogen and helium
c)
rotates on its side
d)
has the most moons
24.
The solar system consists of the sun, several kinds of smaller objects such as comets and asteroids, and
a)
nine planets and their moons
b)
the star Proxima Centauri
c)
six planets and their moons
d)
more than 100 planets
25.
What is distinctive about Jupiter?
a)
Its axis of rotation is tilted 90 degrees
b)
It is smaller and denser than the outer planets
c)
It is the planet with the most spectacular rings
d)
It is the largest and most massive planet
26.
Neptune is very similar in size and color to..
a)
Jupiter
b)
Saturn
c)
Uranus
d)
Earth
27.
Which is the smallest terrestrial planet?
a)
Mars
b)
Mercury
c)
Venus
d)
Earth
28.
Earth is thought to be at the center of the solar system in the geocentric model. True or False
a)
True
b)
False
29.
All of the terrestrial planets have many moons. True or False
a)
True
b)
False
30.
The sun's surface layer is the photosphere. True or False
a)
True
b)
False
31.
Europa's surface is made of liquid water. True or False
a)
True
b)
False
32.
The number of sunspots on the sun varies over a period of about 11 years. True or False
a)
True
b)
False
33.
The first four inner planets are gas giants. True or False
a)
True
b)
False
34.
The gas giants are small, dense, and have rocky surfaces. True or False
a)
True
b)
False
35.
The Great Red Spot is a huge storm on Saturn. True or False
a)
True
b)
False
36.
Most comets are found in either the Oort cloud or the asteroid belt. True or False
a)
True
b)
False
37.
A comet or asteroid can break up to form a chunk of rock called a meteoroid. True or False
a)
True
b)
False
38.
Most ancient astronomers thought that all celestial objects revolved around....
a)
Earth
b)
Mars
c)
Stars
d)
Comets
39.
Nuclear fusion occurs in the _______, of the sun.
a)
core
b)
photosphere
c)
chromosphere
d)
corona
40.
The planets that are closer to the sun than Earth are Venus and ....
a)
Mercury
b)
Mars
c)
Jupiter
d)
Saturn
41.
A comet's head consists of a nucleus and a fuzzy outer layer called the .....
a)
coma
b)
tail
c)
skull
d)
core
42.
A meteoroid that hits Earth's surface is called a(n)...
a)
meteorite
b)
big bang
c)
comet
d)
asteroid
43.
Energy is transferred from the sun's core toward the convection zone mainly in the form of electromagnetic radiation. True or False
a)
True
b)
False
44.
The sun's corona can usually be seen only during a __________.
a)
solar eclipse
b)
lunar eclipse
c)
waxing crescent moon
d)
waning crescent moon
45.
Magnetic storms are a result of an increase in solar wind caused by eruptions on the sun called.....
a)
solar flares
b)
prominences
c)
solar magnets
d)
flares
46.
The gas giants are composed mainly of _________ and helium.
a)
hydrogen
b)
hot air
c)
holmium
d)
hassium
47.
An Earth-centered model of the universe is called a _________
a)
geocentric model
b)
heliocentric model
c)
Galileo model
48.
Who discovered Jupiter's four largest moons?
a)
Galileo
b)
Brahe
c)
Copernicus
d)
Bill Nye
49.
Mar's atmosphere is mostly made of?
a)
carbon dioxide
b)
helium
c)
hydrogen
d)
carbon
50.
What is the only planet that has a lower density than water?
a)
Saturn
b)
Jupiter
c)
Venus
d)
Mars
Reset
