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Solar System Test

Total questions: 24

Worksheet time: 2hrs 0mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

A student is swinging a ball on a string in a circle to model the movement of planets in the solar system. If the student lets go of the string holding the ball, which path would the ball take?

a)
b)
c)
d)
2.

Zach makes a model of the solar system using clay spheres. He makes sure the spheres are to scale by size. He lines them up on his desk about 5 cm apart. They are in the correct order starting with the Sun. What change in his model does he need to make it correct?

a)

Make all of the planets the same size

b)

Change the distance between the planets

c)

Shape all the planets like eggs

d)

Place the sun in the center

3.

All planets are kept in orbit in the solar system by the force of gravity from the...

a)

Galilean moons

b)

Other planets

c)

The Sun

d)

Comets

4.

Which of these statements belongs in the section "X" of the Venn diagram?

a)

Held in orbit by the Sun

b)

Solid, rocky surfaces

c)

Little or no atmosphre

d)

Produces heat and light

5.

Which of these statements belongs in section "Z" of the Venn diagram?

a)

Held in orbit by the Sun

b)

Solid, rocky surfaces

c)

Little or no atmosphere

d)

Thick atmosphere

6.

Which of the following best models rotation of a planet?

a)

Plane circling an airport

b)

Spinning top

c)

Bee flying around a flower

d)

Car traveling around a race track

7.

The Galilean Moons revolve around...

a)

Mars

b)

Jupiter

c)

Saturn

d)

Venus

8.

Meteors are known as "Shooting stars" because...

a)

It's a piece of rock that burns up as it passes through Earth's atmosphere

b)

It's a piece of rock that survives falling through the Earth's atmosphere and collides with Earth's surface

c)

It orbits the Sun and is made of ice, dust, and gas

d)

It is a small rock or particle of debris in space

9.

Based on the data, which planet is similar in size to Earth?

a)

Venus

b)

Mars

c)

Jupiter

d)

Neptune

10.

Which planet has the longest year?

a)

Venus

b)

Earth

c)

Mars

d)

Neptune

11.

Which planet has the longest day?

a)

Jupiter

b)

Mars

c)

Venus

d)

Neptune

12.

When comparing Earth to Neptune, Neptune...

a)

is smaller in size than Earth, takes a longer time to travel around the Sun, and is denser

b)

is smaller in size than Earth, takes a shorter time to travel around the Sun, and is less dense

c)

is larger in size than Earth, takes a longer time to travel around the Sun, and is less dense

d)

is larger in size than Earth, takes a shorter time to travel around the Sun, and is denser

13.

The two missing inner planets are...

a)

Saturn and Venus

b)

Earth and Jupiter

c)

Venus and Earth

d)

Jupiter and Saturn

14.

The planetary motion modeled by object "Y" is...

a)

rotation

b)

gravity

c)

revolution

d)

orbit

15.

What type of motion is modeled by "X"?

a)

rotation

b)

gravity

c)

revolution

d)

orbit

16.

Earth's natural satellite that revolves around our planet from west to east is...

a)

orbit

b)

moon

c)

sun

d)

Mercury

17.

An object with mass exerts a force of attraction on other objects with mass. This force that pulls objects together is...

a)

gravity

b)

rotation

c)

revolution

d)

orbit

18.

The Sun exerts a large force of gravity because...

a)

it is so far from each planet

b)

it is so close to each planet

c)

it is so massive

d)

it is so small compared to other stars

19.

Which main force holds the planets and moons of the solar system in orbit?

a)

friction

b)

resistance

c)

gravity

d)

effort

20.

The amount an object weighs depends upon the presence of...

a)

volume

b)

area

c)

density

d)

gravity

21.

The bar graph represents the speed a rocket must reach to escape the gravitational pull of a planet or moon. This speed is called an escape velocity. Which best describes the relationship between the object and the escape velocity?

a)

As the mass of the object increases, the escape velocity increases

b)

As the mass of the object decreases, the escape velocity increases

c)

As the mass of the object increases, the escape velocity decreases

d)

There is no relationship between the object's mass and escape velocity.

22.

Which of the following correctly names the inner planets?

a)

Mercury, Neptune, Earth, Mars

b)

Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune, Uranus

c)

Mars, Earth, Venus, Mercury

d)

Earth, Jupiter, Saturn, Mercury

23.

Which of the following accurately describes the outer planets?

a)

They are solid and rocky

b)

They are planets with very thin atmospheres

c)

They are gaseous and have thick atmospheres

d)

They are gaseous and smaller than the inner planets

24.

The asteroid belt separates the inner and outer planets and lies between...

a)

Jupiter and Mars

b)

Saturn and Mars

c)

Earth and Mars

d)

Jupiter and Earth