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Stucture of the Universe

Total questions: 9

Worksheet time: 11mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

It would be appropriate to use Astronomical Units (AU) to measure the distance between which of the following?

a)

Countries

b)

Galaxies

c)

Stars

d)

Planets

2.

What is the primary difference between a moon and a planet?

a)

Planets are always larger than moons.

b)

Moons orbit planets and planets orbit the Sun.

c)

Moons have a greater mass than the planets that they revolves around.

d)

Planets are spherical, and moons are more irregularly shaped.

3.

Which statement is true regarding measuring distances in space?

a)

An astronomical unit (AU) is larger than a light year.

b)

The time taken for light to travel through our Solar System is longer than that for light to travel through the Milky Way.

c)

The Earth is one astronomical unit (AU) from the Sun.

d)

All of the terrestrial planets are more than one astronomical unit (AU) from the Sun.

4.

Jill is creating a scale model of the Solar System. She uses a basketball to represent the Sun. Which of the following should she use to most accurately represent the size of Earth?

a)

tennis ball

b)

ping pong ball

c)

marble

d)

grain of sand

5.

Which of the following has the hierarchy of the universe listed, in order, from least complex to most complex.

a)

planet, moon, star, galaxy, universe

b)

Universe, galaxy, star, solar system, planet, moon

c)

moon, planet, solar system, galaxy, star, universe

d)

moon, planet, solar system, star, universe, galaxy

6.
Explain why the sun and moon appear to be the same size even though the sun is much larger.
a)
The sun appears smaller next to the larger moon.
b)
The moon is closer to the Earth than the sun.
c)
The moon revolves faster than the earth.
d)
The sun and the moon are the same distance from Earth.
7.

Scientists use the light-year to describe the relationships between objects in space. What does a light-year measure?

a)

the distance that light can travel in one year

b)

the brightness of light that travels through space

c)

the number of years it takes light to travel to Earth

d)

the time it takes light to travel 1 million km

8.

Why do we use light years and astronomical units to measure distances in space?

a)

Space is too fast to use normal measurement so we use light year.

b)

Hubble discovered these units and scientists continue to use them

c)

Space is too small to use km, it wouldn't make sense.

d)

Space is too big to use traditional units like kilometers.

9.
Proxima Centauri is the closest star to Earth after the Sun and is located 4.3 light years away from Earth. How long does it take light from Proxima Centauri to reach Earth?
a)
1 year
b)
4.3 years
c)
43 years
d)
10 trillion years