WorksheetsThe Solar System and The Universe Test
Total questions: 16
Worksheet time: 4hrs 0mins
Together, a star and all the planets and other objects orbiting it form a(n)
asteroid
comet
galaxy
solar system
star
A chunk of rock or iron that is less than 1,000 km (621 mi) in diameter and that orbits the sun is called a(n)
asteroid
comet
galaxy
solar system
star
A huge ball of very hot, glowing gases in space that can produce its own heat and light is called a(n)
asteroid
comet
galaxy
solar system
star
A group of solar systems that are held together by gravity and classified by shape is called a(n)
asteroid
comet
galaxy
solar system
star
The picture shows an example of a(n)
asteroid
comet
galaxy
solar system
star
Scientists use models to represent or explain things in the natural world. Why are models useful for the study of the solar system?
because models cannot be proved wrong
because models are always accepted by all scientists
because models describe the way things actually are
because models can be used to describe how things work
On a clear night, Ram correctly identified some clouds among the stars as the Milky Way. What part of the Milky Way was most visible to Ram?
asteroids
dust
planets
stars
Astronomers use the term brightness to describe the amount of light a star produces, not how bright a star appears from Earth. The diagram below compares the color, temperature, and brightness of some stars that can be seen from Earth.
Which of these stars produces the most light?
Betelgeuse
Proxima Centauri
our sun
Vega
During a school field trip to an observatory, Smita used a telescope to observe stars of different colors. Based on the diagram, which factor determines a star’s color?
its size
its brightness
its temperature
its distance from Earth
Ming is doing a project on planets in other solar systems. She learns about a planet called Planet Z. Planet Z is very large and has a thick atmosphere and a low density. Which planet is Planet Z most similar to?
Earth
Mars
Mercury
Saturn
The diagram below shows planets orbiting a star.
What type of group is the diagram illustrating?
a constellation
a solar system
the Milky Way
a universe
Some elliptical galaxies appear to be perfect spheres. How are the stars distributed within this kind of galaxy?
The stars are evenly distributed throughout the galaxy.
The center is very dense with many stars, and density decreases farther out.
Most of the stars are near the outside of the sphere with dust clouds in the center.
The stars are spread throughout the sphere in bands that look like the arms of spiral galaxies.
There are many types of stars. Each picture below shows two stars of the same color. Which picture and statement is true?
A
B
C
D
All the planets in the solar system orbit the sun. What is the main difference between the orbits of the inner and outer planets?
The inner planets and outer planets orbit in different directions.
The inner planets travel a greater distance than the outer planets do.
The outer planets take longer to orbit the sun than the inner planets do.
The outer planets rotate as they orbit the sun, and the inner planets do not.
The diagram below shows the orbit of Earth and the orbit of Borrelly.
Which of these types of space objects is Borrelly most likely to be?
an asteroid
a comet
a moon
a planet
When Galileo observed Jupiter, he saw four objects in line with the planet. These four objects moved from night to night and sometimes disappeared in front of or behind the planet. What kind of space object was Galileo observing?
dwarf planets
solar systems
meteoroids
moons
