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Gravity and Orbits

Total questions: 68

Worksheet time: 55mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

Two factors effecting the strength of gravity between 2 objects are...

a)

weight and mass

b)

distance and weight

c)

mass and matter

d)

mass and distance

2.

A(n) _____ is the curved path of an object around a point/object in space.

a)

orbit

b)

rotation

c)

revolution

d)

phase

3.

What prevents planets from drifting off into space and keeps it in the planets in our Solar System?

a)

Gravity

b)

Weight

c)

Friction

d)

Forward Motion

4.

What prevents planets from pulled into and crash into the Sun?

a)

Gravity

b)

Weight

c)

Friction

d)

Inertia (Forward Motion)

5.

Which of the following is required for planets to stay in orbit around the Sun? (choose all that apply)

a)

Gravity

b)

Weight

c)

Friction

d)

Inertia (Forward Motion)

6.
__________holds all of the planets in orbit around the sun.
a)
Force
b)
Motion
c)
Weight
d)
Gravity
7.
What are three things all planets have in common?
a)
they are spherical, they have at least one moon and they have gravity
b)
Orbit the sun, massive enough that their gravity controls all objects in the area and they are spherical
c)
they have at least one moon, they are spherical and they were made by accretion
d)
they are spherical, they orbit the sun and they have living organisms 
8.

What is true about the distance between a planet and the sun and the planet’s revolution around the Sun?

a)

The closer the planet is to the sun, the slower it orbits.

b)

The farther the planet is to the sun, the faster it orbits.

c)

The farther the planet is to the sun, the brighter the sun is.

d)

The closer the planet is to the sun, the faster it orbits.

9.

A planet with a large orbit has...

a)

a short day

b)

a long day

c)

a long year

d)

a short year

10.

A planet with a short orbit has...

a)

a short day

b)

a long day

c)

a long year

d)

a short year

11.

Which planet will take the least amount of time to revolve around the Sun?

a)

Mercury

b)

Venus

c)

Earth

d)

Mars

12.

Without gravity, the stars, planets and all objects in the universe would _______.

a)

continue to orbit each other

b)

move in a random direction

c)

move in a straight line

d)

stop moving

13.

What would happen to Earth if its forward motion stopped?

a)

Earth would continue to orbit in our Solar System normally.

b)

Earth would sit motionless and not moving.

c)

Earth would drift off in space because nothing would hold it in the Solar System.

d)

Earth would move toward the Sun and eventually crash into it.

14.

What would happen to Earth if the Sun's gravity dissappeared?

a)

Earth would continue to orbit in our Solar System normally.

b)

Earth would sit motionless and not moving.

c)

Earth would drift off in space because nothing would hold it in the Solar System.

d)

Earth would move toward the Sun and eventually crash into it.

15.

Here is a model of the gravitational force of Mars. Objects A and B have the same mass but are different distances from Mars. Which statement explains how the gravitational force affects the two objects?

a)

Object A and B will be affected equally by the gravitational force.

b)

Object B will be more affected by the gravitational force because it is closer to Mars than Object A.

c)

Object A will be more affected by the gravitational force because it is farther from Mars than Object B.

16.

The satellite is orbiting Earth in the direction shown and is pulled toward Earth by gravity. What would happen if Earth's gravity suddenly disappeared?

a)

The satellite would fall to Earth.

b)

The satellite would stop moving.

c)

The satellite would continue to orbit Earth.

d)

The satellite would move into space in a straight line.

17.

The dotted lines in the picture show orbital paths of objects. Which statement is true about all of the orbits shown?

a)

All objects move in circular orbits.

b)

The size of an object determines the size of its orbit.

c)

The force of gravity is what holds each object in its orbit.

d)

The size of both an object and the object it orbits are equal.

18.

Observe the path of Voyager 2 satellite . Why did the route of Voyager 2 change, without firing its thrusters, as it passed Jupiter?

a)

Gravitational force between Jupiter and Voyager 2 pulled it into a new route.

b)

Solar winds pushed Voyager 2 into a new path.

c)

Jupiter blocked the sun’s gravitational pull on Voyager 2.

d)

The gravity of Jupiter caused Voyager 2 to become its satellite.

19.

Which of the following did engineers need to know to plan Voyager 2’s path through the solar system? Choose *ALL* that apply.

a)

the positions of the planets

b)

the masses of the planets

c)

the mass of Voyager 2

d)

Newton's laws of motion and the law of universal gravitation

20.
How does changing the distance of the string in the model represent the orbits of the planets?
a)
the longer the string means the larger the planet
b)
the longer the string, the longer the orbit time of a planet
c)
the shorter the string, the longer the orbit time of the planet
d)
the shorter the string, the smaller the planet
21.

Do planets affect the sun? Why?

a)

No. The Sun pulls on the planets and keep them in orbit.

b)

Yes. Sun pulls on planets; planets pull on Sun.

22.
Which planet would have the longest year?
a)
Mercury
b)
Mars
c)
Jupiter
d)
Neptune
23.
Which planet would have the greatest velocity?
a)
Mercury
b)
Mars
c)
Jupiter
d)
Neptune
24.

Which variables affect gravity?

a)

mass

b)

speed

c)

distance

d)

volume

e)

weight

25.

Which of the following is required for planets to stay in orbit around the Sun? (choose all that apply)

a)

Gravity

b)

Weight

c)

Friction

d)

Inertia (Forward Motion)

26.
Why do we orbit the Sun and not the other way around?
a)
brighter objects tend to orbit duller ones
b)
duller objects tend to orbit brighter ones
c)
lighter objects tend to orbit heavier ones
d)
heavier objects tend to orbit lighter ones
27.
The Earth doesn't totally get sucked into the Sun, because ___
a)
it's moving too slowly around it
b)
it's moving fast enough around it
c)
it's too heavy too pull in
d)
it's too far away
28.
The shape of a planet's orbit around the sun is best described as _________.
a)
circular
b)
elliptical
c)
spiral
d)
conical
29.

The early solar system was made up of mostly what?

a)

hydrogen, helium and dust

b)

hydrogen, oxygen and dust

c)

hydrogen, iron and dust

d)

carbon, hydrogen and dust

30.

Gravitational forces are always

a)

Attractive

b)

Pushing

c)

repulsive

d)

objects

31.

Which of the following best describes the formation of the solar system?

a)

The Sun ejected rocky material which formed the planets due to magnetic attraction forces.

b)

A rotating disk of gas and dust was drawn together by the force of gravity.

c)

One very large planetary body broke apart into several smaller planets.

d)

Several stars of different masses cooled and formed the planets and the Sun.

32.

Why do some planets have moons in our solar system?

a)

They are close to the sun

b)

They have enough gravity to hold a moon in orbit

c)

They are special

d)

All planets have moons

33.

What force played a major role in the formation of the solar system?

a)

Magnetism

b)

Push

c)

Pull

d)

Gravity

34.

Which planet would have the largest gravitational pull?

a)

Venus

b)

Mars

c)

Jupiter

d)

Neptune

35.

How does changing the distance between objects affect the force of gravity?

a)

Decreasing distance increases gravity

b)

Increasing distance increases gravity

c)

Mr. Deem knows, but he's not telling

d)

Distance does not affect gravity

36.

Match the term: The tendency of an object to resist a change in its motion

a)

acceleration

b)

inertia

c)

mass

d)

frame of reference

37.

Suppose that this person left go of the chain. As soon as he releases the chain the balls inertia would....

a)

make the ball immediately stop and fall straight to the ground.

b)

keep the ball moving in a circle around him.

c)

result in the ball flying off in a straight line away from the person.

d)

either a, b, or c -- depending on whether the person continues to push it

38.
Which 2 factors keep a planet in its orbit around the sun?
a)
mass and distance
b)
inertia and gravity
c)
eccentricity and velocity
d)
force and speed
39.

Which of the following best describes the formation of the solar system?

a)

The sun ejected rocky material which later went on to form the planets.

b)

A rotating disk of gas and dust was drawn together by the force of gravity.

c)

One very large planetary body broke apart into several smaller planets.

d)

Several stars of different masses cooled and formed the planets and the sun.

40.

When Sean was riding his bike and braked suddenly, he kept moving forward due to

a)

gravity

b)

friction

c)

inertia

d)

weight

41.
What is the tendency of an object to resist a change in motion?
a)
coffee
b)
motion
c)
inertia
d)
gravity
42.

Which explains why the tablecloth trick works?

a)

The dishes are stuck in place due to air resistance.

b)

The tablecloth is an ilusion.

c)

The dishes have inertia, and therefore stay on the table.

d)

magic

43.

What is the relationship between heavy objects and inertia?

a)

Only heavy objects have inertia.

b)

Heavy objects have more inertia.

c)

Heavy objects have less inertia.

d)

Heavy objects have no inertia.

44.
Because of inertia, a moving object will keep ________.
a)
at rest
b)
moving
c)
in one spot
d)
inertia 
45.
Because of inertia, a resting object will remain at ________.
a)
rest
b)
a constant speed
c)
school
d)
inertia 
46.
Objects with greater _________ also have greater inertia.
a)
speed
b)
mass
c)
temperature
d)
friction
47.

The amount of matter in an object is called ______________.

a)

displacement

b)

mass

c)

friction

d)

friction

48.
What forces cause a planet to orbit?
a)
gravity and orbit
b)
gravity and inertia
c)
gravity and mass
d)
gravity and weight
49.

What two forces affect gravity?

a)

mass and inertia

b)

mass and distance

c)

mass and force

d)

mass and weight

50.

As distance between objects increases, the pull of gravity...

a)

increases

b)

decreases

c)

Stays the same

51.
Which of the following never changes no matter where you are in the universe? 
a)
Pounds 
b)
weight 
c)
Force
d)
Mass
52.

You travel to the Moon. Which of the following is true? (choose ALL that are true)

a)

Your mass stays the same

b)

Your weight stays the same

c)

Your mass is different

d)

Your weight is different

53.
Why do all of the planets orbit the sun rather than Earth?
a)
the sun has more mass
b)
the sun is a star
c)
the Earth is heavier
d)
the sun is in the middle of the milky way
54.

What is weight?

a)

how much fat is on your body

b)

how strong you are

c)

how strongly your body is being pulled down by gravity

d)

when you have to stand in line

55.

Inertia tells us that we need ____________ to get an object moving or to make it stop.

a)

a force

b)

gravity

c)

friction

d)

strength

56.

What would happen to Earth if there were no inertia?

a)

Earth would crash into the sun

b)

Earth would fly out to space

c)

Earth would collapse

d)

Earth would orbit the moon

57.
What can be described as "falling and missing the ground"?
a)
accelerating
b)
free-falling
c)
orbiting
d)
attaining escape velocity
58.
A rock thrown hard enough sideways will orbit the Earth once every _____
a)
9 minutes
b)
90 minutes
c)
9 hours
d)
90 hours
59.
The planets of our solar system have orbits that are _____
a)
circular
b)
ellipses
c)
parabolas
d)
hyperbolas
60.

In order to break free of a planet's gravity, an object must be moving at _____ .

a)
escape velocity
b)
getaway acceleration
c)

a break-away pace

d)

a liberation altitude

61.
What is the escape velocity of the Earth?
a)
about 11 kilometers per second
b)
about 110 kilometers per second
c)
about 11 kilometers per hour
d)
about 110 kilometers per hour
62.
At the height of the space station, gravity, compared to that at Earth's surface, is _____
a)
about 0.9% as strong
b)
about 9% as strong
c)
about 49% as strong
d)
about 90% as strong
63.
What does NASA like to call the free-fall condition while on the space station?
a)
microgravity
b)
microweight
c)
microdensity
d)
micromass
64.
In space you have the same mass as you do on Earth, but no _____
a)
microgravity
b)
weight
c)
density
d)
pressure
65.
An object moving along a path controlled by gravity is said to be _____
a)
in orbit
b)
in constant motion
c)
in uniform motion
d)
massless
66.
Speed is different from velocity because
a)
Velocity has a direction
b)
Speed uses Distance /Time
c)
Velocity doesn't include time
d)
Velocity doesn't include distance
67.
What is speed?
a)
how far you go
b)
how much distance is covered over a period of time
c)
how fast you accelerate
d)
the change in the location of a object
68.

How is revolution related to an orbit?

a)

Revolution is the same as rotation.

b)

It revolves around an object.

c)

An orbit is the path that an object takes during a revolution.