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The Solar System

Total questions: 68

Worksheet time: 34mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

A large rotating cloud of interstellar dust and gas from which the Sun and planets formed.

a)

Solar nebula

b)

Planetesimals

c)

Protoplanets

d)

Terrestrial planets

e)

Jovian planets

2.

Asteroid-sized objects that formed with the solar system. Matter gradually clumps as material collides, sticks together,, and grows.

a)

Solar nebula

b)

Planetesimals

c)

Protoplanets

d)

Terrestrial planets

e)

Jovian planets

3.

Form from the collision and accretion of planetesimals during the formation of a solar system.

a)

Solar nebula

b)

Planetesimals

c)

Protoplanets

d)

Terrestrial planets

e)

Jovian planets

4.

Planets made mostly of rock and metallic minerals.

a)

Solar nebula

b)

Planetesimals

c)

Protoplanets

d)

Terrestrial planets

e)

Jovian planets

5.

Planets made mostly of gas and ice.

a)

Solar nebula

b)

Planetesimals

c)

Protoplanets

d)

Terrestrial planets

e)

Jovian planets

6.

The dark regions on the Moon that were once thought to be seas.

a)

Escape velocity

b)

Maria

c)

Lunar highlands

d)

Impact craters

e)

Lunar regolith

7.

Light-colored regions on the moon, elevated several kilometers above the maria.

a)

Escape velocity

b)

Maria

c)

Lunar highlands

d)

Impact craters

e)

Lunar regolith

8.

Produced by the impact of rapidly moving debris (meteoroids, asteroids, and comets) on the Moon's surface.

a)

Escape velocity

b)

Maria

c)

Lunar highlands

d)

Impact craters

e)

Lunar regolith

9.

99.85% of the mass in the solar system is contained within the:

(a)  

10.

How did the solar system form?

a)

Gravity caused gas and dust to contract. The majority collected in the center of the solar system creating the Sun, while smaller leftovers became the planets, moons, and other objects.

b)

The Sun’s gravity captured passing objects that grew into the planets, moons, and other objects

c)

A giant star slowly began to shed its outer layers which turned into the planets, moons, and other objects. The core was left behind to become our Sun.

d)

Two giant stars collided and blew apart. The largest star’s core remained to become our Sun, while the rest of the material formed into the planets, moons, and other objects.

11.

What is the most widely accepted model for the origin of the Moon?

a)

A planet like object smashed into the molten Earth. Parts of the Earth and the remaining bits of the small planet reformed into the Moon.

b)

The Moon was thrown toward the center of the solar system by the outer planets. It was then captured by Earth’s gravity on the way by.

c)

It formed as a small planet between Earth and Mars. Mars collided with it and knocked it into Earth’s orbit where it was captured by Earth’s gravity.

d)

Both the Earth and Moon formed at the same time as a dual planet system. The Earth’s gravity pulled off the Moon’s atmosphere and water leaving it barren and dead.

12.

Which of the following descriptions does not belong? (All are descriptions of a celestial object, but one does not fit)

a)

small size

b)

made of rock

c)

very thick atmosphere

d)

very dense

13.

Which of the following descriptions does not belong? (All are descriptions of a celestial object, but one does not fit)

a)

large size

b)

made of gas

c)

very cold

d)

very dense

14.

Which of the following descriptions does not belong? (All are descriptions of a celestial object, but one does not fit)

a)

low escape velocity

b)

large numbers of moons

c)

fast rotation rates

d)

slow revolution rates

15.

It is believed that the sun, planets, moons, and asteroids all formed around the same time, _______ billion years ago, from a nebula.

a)

4.5

b)

13.7

c)

500

d)

1

16.

A (a)   is an interstellar cloud of gas and dust.

17.

The main gases in a nebula are:

a)

Hydrogen

b)

Helium

c)

Nitrogen

d)

Oxygen

e)

Carbon

18.

This process must occur before a star can form:

a)

Nuclear fusion

b)

Nuclear fission

c)

Electrical current

d)

Hydrodynamic Flow

19.

What planets are considered terrestrial (Earth-like)?

a)

Mercury

b)

Jupiter

c)

Mars

d)

Venus

e)

Saturn

20.

What planets are considered gas giants (Jovian)?

a)

Jupiter

b)

Neptune

c)

Uranus

d)

Pluto

e)

Saturn

21.

Planet formation is much like:

a)

Snowman formation

b)

The baking of cookies

c)

Cutting down a tree

d)

Lifting something heavy

22.

Other than maria and highlands, what other feature dominates the lunar landscape?

a)

Craters

b)

Oceans

c)

Waterfalls

d)

Trenches

23.

The innermost planet:

a)

Mercury

b)

Venus

c)

Earth

d)

Mars

24.

The brightest planet in the sky:

a)

Mercury

b)

Venus

c)

Earth

d)

Mars

25.

The hottest planet:

a)

Mercury

b)

Venus

c)

Earth

d)

Mars

26.

The planet with the largest temperature extremes:

a)

Mercury

b)

Venus

c)

Earth

d)

Mars

27.

The smallest planet:

a)

Mercury

b)

Venus

c)

Earth

d)

Mars

28.

The planet is ~71% covered in liquid water:

a)

Mercury

b)

Venus

c)

Earth

d)

Mars

29.

Planet that has large dust storms:

a)

Mercury

b)

Venus

c)

Earth

d)

Mars

30.

Planet has an atmosphere that is 97% carbon dioxide (CO₂):

a)

Mercury

b)

Venus

c)

Earth

d)

Mars

31.

Planet's surface is mostly covered in volcanoes and volcanic flows:

a)

Mercury

b)

Venus

c)

Earth

d)

Mars

32.

Known as Earth's twin:

a)

Mercury

b)

Venus

c)

Earth

d)

Mars

33.

Planet shows evidence that water once flowed on the surface:

a)

Mercury

b)

Venus

c)

Earth

d)

Mars

34.

Planet has two (2) moons, Phobos and Deimos:

a)

Mercury

b)

Venus

c)

Earth

d)

Mars

35.

Planet's surface looks much like our Moon's surface:

a)

Mercury

b)

Venus

c)

Earth

d)

Mars

36.

Planet has an air pressure 90 times that of the Earth:

a)

Mercury

b)

Venus

c)

Earth

d)

Mars

37.

The only planet known to contain life:

a)

Mercury

b)

Venus

c)

Earth

d)

Mars

38.

Which of the following planets is Jupiter?

a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
39.

Which of the following planets is Saturn?

a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
40.

Which of the following planets is Neptune?

a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
41.

Which of the following planets is Uranus?

a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
42.

Most spectacular ring system:

a)

Jupiter

b)

Saturn

c)

Neptune

d)

Uranus

43.

The windiest planet:

a)

Jupiter

b)

Saturn

c)

Neptune

d)

Uranus

44.

Largest planet:

a)

Jupiter

b)

Saturn

c)

Neptune

d)

Uranus

45.

Known as the “sideways” planet (because is rotates on its side):

a)

Jupiter

b)

Saturn

c)

Neptune

d)

Uranus

46.

Has the Great Red Spot:

a)

Jupiter

b)

Saturn

c)

Neptune

d)

Uranus

47.

Has the Galilean satellites; Callisto, Ganymede, Europa, and Io:

a)

Jupiter

b)

Saturn

c)

Neptune

d)

Uranus

48.

Surrounded by “moonlets”:

a)

Jupiter

b)

Saturn

c)

Neptune

d)

Uranus

49.

Has the Great Dark Spot:

a)

Jupiter

b)

Saturn

c)

Neptune

d)

Uranus

50.

Longest period of revolution around the Sun:

a)

Jupiter

b)

Saturn

c)

Neptune

d)

Uranus

51.

Jupiter's red spot is:

a)

a large gyre in an endless ocean of methane

b)

a huge storm that has been rapidly rotating for at least 300 years

c)

a large volcano spewing lava in every direction

d)

a valley six times deeper and ten times wider than the grand canyon

52.

Which of the following best describes the composition of Saturn's rings:

a)

ice and rock particles

b)

shards of glass

c)

hydrogen gas

d)

carbon fiber

e)

diamond

53.

Which of the following is an identifying characteristic of Uranus:

a)

its extensive ring system

b)

its striking red color

c)

it rotates on its side

d)

the largest valley in the solar system

e)

the largest volcano in the solar system

54.

Small fragments of rocky metallic objects held together by gravity. Mostly found in a belt that lies between Mars and Jupiter.

a)

Asteroids

b)

Asteroid belt

c)

Comets

d)

Meteoroids

e)

Meteor

55.

“Dirty snowballs” left over from the formation of the solar system that are composed of ice, rock, and metallic minerals.

a)

Asteroids

b)

Asteroid belt

c)

Comets

d)

Meteoroids

e)

Meteor

56.

“Dirty snowballs” left over from the formation of the solar system that are composed of ice, rock, and metallic minerals.

a)

Asteroids

b)

Asteroid belt

c)

Comets

d)

Meteoroids

e)

Meteor

57.

An object that enters Earth’s atmosphere and burns up. Often called a “shooting star”.

a)

Asteroids

b)

Asteroid belt

c)

Comets

d)

Meteoroids

e)

Meteor

58.

Small solid particles that have orbits in the solar system.

a)

Asteroids

b)

Asteroid belt

c)

Comets

d)

Meteoroids

e)

Meteor

59.

The glowing head of a comet produced by solar energy vaporizing ices.

a)

Coma

b)

Oort cloud

c)

Kuiper belt

d)

Meteor showers

e)

Dwarf planets

60.

A new class of planets to which Pluto now belongs.

a)

Coma

b)

Oort cloud

c)

Kuiper belt

d)

Meteor showers

e)

Dwarf planets

61.

Long-period comets form a spherical shell around the solar system in this region.

a)

Coma

b)

Oort cloud

c)

Kuiper belt

d)

Meteor showers

e)

Dwarf planets

62.

Short period comets are thought to orbit beyond Neptune in this region.

a)

Coma

b)

Oort cloud

c)

Kuiper belt

d)

Meteor showers

e)

Dwarf planets

63.

The remains of meteoroids, when found on Earth.

a)

Coma

b)

Oort cloud

c)

Meteorites

d)

Meteor showers

e)

Dwarf planets

64.

The outer edge of the solar system is the:

a)

The celestial sphere

b)

Oort cloud

c)

Asteroid belt

d)

Solar sphere

65.

Most meteoroids are usually the size of a:

a)

always larger than comets and asteroids

b)

larger than a grain of dust but smaller than an asteroid

c)

always smaller than 5 meters in diameter

d)

always larger than our Moon

66.

Which of the following planets is Mars?

a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
67.

Which of the following planets is Venus?

a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
68.

Which of the following planets is Mercury?

a)
b)
c)
d)
e)

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