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WorksheetsAsteroids, Comets and Meteors
Total questions: 191
Worksheet time: 2hrs 37mins
When was the Dwarf Planet Ceres Discovered?
1801
1821
1798
1811
The asteroid belt is also know as...
The comet belt
The main belt
The string of rocks
The kuiper belt
Which of the following is NOT one of the four biggest objects in the Asteroid Belt?
Vesta
Hygiea
Reela
Ceres
What is Ceres?
Asteroid
Comet
Meteroite
Dwarf Planet
True or False: The asteroid belt is a densely packed area that would be hard to navigate.
True
False
True or False: Most Space movies do NOT portray the asteroid belt correctly.
True
False
True or False: There are 125 dwarf planets in the asteroid belt
True
False
True or False: Ceres is larger than Earth's moon.
False
True
Which of these is within the approximate distance from the Asteroid Belt to the Sun
2.2 AU
3.2 AU
4.5 AU
2.5 AU
Which planets are the asteroid belt in between?
Venus & Earth
Earth & Mars
Mars & Jupiter
Jupiter & Saturn
Saturn & Uranus
Which planet is the closest to the same size as Earth?
Mercury
Venus
Mars
The Sun
Which planet's days last longer than its years?
Mercury
Venus
Earth
Mars
Which planet's red color was the reason it was named for the Roman god of war?
Mercury
Venus
Earth
Mars
Which planet has a year that lasts only 88 days?
Mercury
Venus
Earth
Mars
Which is the only planet with chocolate?
Mercury
Venus
Earth
Mars
Which planet has the tallest mountain in the solar system?
Mercury
Venus
Earth
Mars
Which is the only planet to be named after a female?
Mercury
Venus
Earth
Mars
Which planet is closest in size to the Earth's moon?
Mercury
Venus
Earth
Mars
Which planet is the third from the sun?
Mercury
Venus
Earth
Mars
If people in the future decide to live on another planet, which one will it most likely be?
Mercury
Venus
Mars
The Sun
Which planet is tilted so far that it orbits the sun on its side?
Jupiter
Saturn
Uranus
Neptune
Pluto
Which planet has a giant red spot that is actually a 300 year old hurricane?
Jupiter
Saturn
Uranus
Neptune
Pluto
Which is the only planet that is less dense than water?
Jupiter
Saturn
Uranus
Neptune
Pluto
Which two planets have rings?
Saturn and Jupiter
Neptune and Pluto
Saturn and Uranus
Earth and Mars
Which planet has at least 62 moons?
Jupiter
Saturn
Uranus
Neptune
Pluto
Which planet has a buried, underground ocean?
Jupiter
Saturn
Uranus
Neptune
Pluto
Which was the first planet to be discovered through mathematical equations, back in 1848?
Jupiter
Saturn
Uranus
Neptune
Pluto
Which planet is the 8th from the sun?
Jupiter
Saturn
Uranus
Neptune
Pluto
Which planet has a day that is only 10 hours long?
Jupiter
Saturn
Neptune
Pluto
Should Pluto be considered a planet?
Yes
No
How many asteroids do scientists believe exists in the solar system?
Between 10,000 and 50,000
Between 5000,000 and 750,000
Between 750,000 and 1 million
More than 1 million
If you wanted to find an asteroid with a telescope, where would be the best place to look?
Between Mars and Jupiter
Between Earth and Venus
Between Jupiter and Saturn
Between Mercury and Venus
In the phrase "Most asteroids are irregular in shape," what is the best synonym for "irregular?"
Lopsided
Polygonal
Spherical
Similar
What do asteroids have in common with Earth?
They have oxygen-rich atmosphere
They rotate around a central axis
Many of them contain liquid water
They're made mostly of magnesium
How old are asteroids compared to the rest of the solar system?
They're much older than the rest of the solar system
They're older than the sun, by younger than the planets
They're about the same age as the rest of the solar system
They're much younger than the rest of the solar system
Which of these terms describes the makeup of most asteroids?
Rocky
Gaseous
Liquid
Metallic
What's the main reason that scientists study asteroids?
Because there is a good chance they may destroy the planet
Because they may provide a good source of water in the future
Because they contain rare elements not found on Earth
To better understand of the origins of the solar system
Why do asteroids burn up as they enter Earth's atmosphere?
The oxygen trapped inside them ignites in the presence of nitrogen
Because they are covered in an extremely flammable material
Heat is created by friction between the asteroid and the atmosphere
The sun's UV rays ignite them when they pass through the ozone layer
What is the difference between a meteor and a meteorite?
Meteors burn up in the earth's atmosphere; meteorites strike the earth.
Meteors are found throughout the solar system; meteorites are found only in the asteroids belt.
Meteors are similar to comets; meteorites are similar to dwarf planets.
Meteors are much larger than meteorites.
How is Ceres different from all the other asteroids in the solar system?
It has a satellite revolving around it
It rotates on its axis
It revolves around the sun
It's much larger than all other asteroids
How many asteroids do scientists believe exists in the solar system?
Between 10,000 and 50,000
Between 5000,000 and 750,000
Between 750,000 and 1 million
More than 1 million
If you wanted to find an asteroid with a telescope, where would be the best place to look?
Between Mars and Jupiter
Between Earth and Venus
Between Jupiter and Saturn
Between Mercury and Venus
In the phrase "Most asteroids are irregular in shape," what is the best synonym for "irregular?"
Lopsided
Polygonal
Spherical
Similar
What do asteroids have in common with Earth?
They have oxygen-rich atmosphere
They rotate around a central axis
Many of them contain liquid water
They're made mostly of magnesium
How old are asteroids compared to the rest of the solar system?
They're much older than the rest of the solar system
They're older than the sun, by younger than the planets
They're about the same age as the rest of the solar system
They're much younger than the rest of the solar system
Which of these terms describes the makeup of most asteroids?
Rocky
Gaseous
Liquid
Metallic
What's the main reason that scientists study asteroids?
Because there is a good chance they may destroy the planet
Because they may provide a good source of water in the future
Because they contain rare elements not found on Earth
To better understand of the origins of the solar system
Why do asteroids burn up as they enter Earth's atmosphere?
The oxygen trapped inside them ignites in the presence of nitrogen
Because they are covered in an extremely flammable material
Heat is created by friction between the asteroid and the atmosphere
The sun's UV rays ignite them when they pass through the ozone layer
What is the difference between a meteor and a meteorite?
Meteors burn up in the earth's atmosphere; meteorites strike the earth.
Meteors are found throughout the solar system; meteorites are found only in the asteroids belt.
Meteors are similar to comets; meteorites are similar to dwarf planets.
Meteors are much larger than meteorites.
How is Ceres different from all the other asteroids in the solar system?
It has a satellite revolving around it
It rotates on its axis
It revolves around the sun
It's much larger than all other asteroids
What are the four largest objects in the asteroid belt?
Ceres, hygeia, Pallas, vesta
Vesta, Pallas, Hygiene, eris
Haumea, Pluto, Kuiper, Vesta
Pallas, Ceres, Hygeia, Vesta
The mass of the objects in the asteroid belt would comprise how much of the mass of our moon?
10%
2%
4%
40%
44%
NASA is yet to launch spacecraft into the asteroid belt: True or False
True
False
What is a meteorite?
Petite (very little) bits of asteroids that have exited the atmosphere and landed on Earth.
Large chunks of asteroids that have exited the atmosphere and landed on Earth.
Trails of asteroids that have exited the atmosphere and landed on Earth.
What is the asteroid belt?
A ring of asteroids around the sun
A fictional concept with no scientific basis
A region of space between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter where most of the asteroids in our solar system are found.
A belt worn by astronauts to protect from asteroid impacts
What are the main components of the asteroid belt?
Comets and meteors
Moons and satellites
Gas giants and dwarf planets
Asteroids and minor planets
How did the asteroid belt form?
Leftover material from the early solar system
Remnants of a destroyed planet
Result of a collision between two planets
Debris from a passing comet
What is the role of Jupiter in the formation of the asteroid belt?
Jupiter's gravity attracted the asteroids to form the belt
Jupiter's magnetic field pushed the asteroids into the belt
Jupiter's gravity prevented the formation of a planet in the asteroid belt.
Jupiter's atmosphere caused the asteroids to collide and form the belt
What are the theories about the formation of the asteroid belt?
Alien intervention and manipulation
Gravitational influence of Jupiter and collision of planetesimals
Volcanic eruptions and tectonic activity
Impact of solar winds and radiation
How do scientists believe the asteroid belt was formed?
Result of a collision between two planets
Remnants of a destroyed planet
Leftover material that never formed into a planet
Debris from a passing comet
What are the characteristics of asteroids in the asteroid belt?
Rocky and metallic objects
Icy and gaseous objects
Hollow and porous objects
Liquid and molten objects
What is the size range of asteroids in the asteroid belt?
Tiny grains to a few meters
Small pebbles to hundreds of kilometers
Dozens of kilometers to thousands of kilometers
Millions of kilometers to billions of kilometers
What is the current understanding of the asteroid belt's formation?
Scientists believe that the asteroid belt is the remnant of a failed planet formation process.
The asteroid belt was formed by a collision between two planets
The asteroid belt is a result of a black hole sucking in matter
The asteroid belt is made up of debris from a supernova explosion
What are the implications of studying the asteroid belt for understanding the early solar system?
Insights into the formation and evolution of the early solar system
Predicting the future trajectory of the asteroid belt
Exploring the possibility of life on Mars
Understanding the composition of the outer planets
Select the 3 materials a comet is composed (made) of
Dust
Heat
Small rocky particles
Ice
Asteroids are found in the region called the what?
Earth's atmosphere
Kuiper Belt
Asteroid Belt
Oort Cloud
What do asteroids, meteors, and comets have in common?
They all orbit the sun
They are all made out of metal
They all do not orbit the sun
They are not made out of dust
Planets, asteroids, comets, and meteoroids all stay in orbit around the sun due to the sun's strong force of
(a)
Which object in space is larger?
Comet
Meteor
Asteroid
Meteoroid
This object is a small broken off piece of a asteroid
Meteoroid
Comet
Meteor
Meteorite
Where do comets come from?
The Sun
Kuiper Belt and Oort Cloud
Asteroid belt
Earth's atmosphere
Which object in space is not made of rock and metal?
Comet
Meteor
Asteroid
The asteroid belt is between what 2 planets?
Mars and Jupiter
Saturn and Earth
Mercury and Venus
Earth and Uranus
A comet forms a tail when
It gets close to the sun and it begins to melt
It is deeper in outer space and it begins to melt
A _____ bursts through Earth's atmosphere at fast speeds and appears as a "shooting star"
Meteor
Comet
Asteroid
Which object in space has a long and narrow orbit around the sun?
Asteroid
Meteor
Comet
What is a meteor that does not burn in the Earth's atmosphere called?
Meteoroid
Meteorite
What do we call the path of an object that revolves around another object in space?
(a)
What is the difference between a meteorite and a comet?
A meteorite can enter Earth's atmosphere
A comet can enter Earth's atmosphere
A chunk of rock that enters Earth's atmosphere and produces a streak of light in the sky.
Meteoroid
Meteor
Meteorite
Comet
A chunk of rock that is not burned up by the atmosphere and hits Earth's surface.
Meteoroid
Meteor
Meteorite
Comet
A chunk of rock or dust in space that comes from an asteroid or comet.
Meteoroid
Meteor
Meteorite
Comet
A rocky object that revolves around the sun, but is too small to be considered a planet.
Meteor
Comet
Asteroid
The craters on the moon were caused by the impact of ________________.
Asteroids
Comets
Meteors
Meteorites
A chunk of ice and dust whose orbit is usually a long, narrow ellipse
Meteoroid
Comet
Asteroid
Meteor
The nucleus, coma, and tail are the three parts of a(n) __________________________.
Comet
Asteroid
Meteor
Gas and dust form a fuzzy outer layer around a comet's head, called a ______________________.
Nucleus
Coat
Coma
Tail
Scientists hypothesize that the dinosaurs became extinct as a result of a large _______________ hitting Earth 65 million years ago.
Comet
Asteroid
Meteor
As a comet approaches the sun, the gas and dust heat up and ____________________________.
form a fuzzy coma.
stream outward forming tails.
disappear.
shrink.
Chunks of ice and dust who orbits are usually a long, narrow ellipse.
Meteor
Comet
Asteroid
Which objects are found in the Oort cloud and Kuiper belt?
Comets
Meteors
Asteroids
The asteroid belt passes between the orbits of which two planets?
Earth and Mars
Mars and Jupiter
Jupiter and Saturn
Saturn and Uranus
A doughnut-shaped region of comets that extends from beyond Neptune's orbit to about 100 times Earth's distance from the sun.
Kuiper Belt
Asteroid Belt
Oort Cloud
Milky Way
A spherical region of comets that surrounds the solar system out to more than 1000 times the distance between Pluto and the sun.
Kuiper Belt
Asteroid Belt
Oort Cloud
Milky Way
A streak of light in our atmosphere is a _____________________.
Meteor
Comet
Asteroid
Falling/Shooting Star
Which objects are smallest?
Meteoroids
Asteroids
Comets
Which object is like a "dirty snowball" about the size of a mountain?
Asteroid
Comet
Meteor
Meteoroid
Where do most comets come from?
In the Kuiper Belt & Oort Cloud beyond Neptune's orbit
In the Asteroid Belt between Mars and Jupiter
Near the Sun
Earth's atmosphere
Most meteors entering Earth's atmosphere are how big?
A grain of sand or small pebble
Size of a car
Size of a football field
State of Arizona
One similarity between asteroids & comets is that they all:
are made of rock
come from the Asteroid Belt
come from the Oort Cloud
orbit the sun
I am sometimes called a shooting star.
meteor
asteroid
comet
I am located between Mars and Jupiter.
Comet belt
Asteroid belt
Meteor belt
Stars
T/F: It is thought that we (Earth) will NEVER be struck by another asteroid or comet due to the fact that Earth is a major planet which has "cleared its orbit".
True
False
T/F: Saturn is the only planet which has rings.
True
False, all Jovian planets have rings
What is the current explanation for Earth's large Moon?
It likely formed just like the planets did around the Sun by gravity pulling the dust and gas into a tight solid sphere.
It was likely a large asteroid which drifted too close to Earth & was captured by the Earth's gravity and remained in orbit.
It was likely formed by a Mars-sized object which collided with Earth, while the material blasted out to space collected to form Moon.
When a meteoroid enters Earth's atmosphere, friction causes it to burn up and produce a streak of light called a ____________.
meteor
meteorite
comet
asteroid
A chunk of rock or dust in space that usually comes from a comet or an asteroid is called a __________.
meteoroid
meteorite
comet
asteroid
A _____ is also known as a "shooting star."
asteroid
meteor
meteoroid
meteroite
When a meteoroid gets through the atmosphere, it is then called a _____.
asteroid
meteor
meteorite
shooting star
Comets orbit in a _____ pattern.
elliptical
circular
triangular
random
A _____ lights up as the friction from the rock enters the Earth's atmosphere.
asteroid
meteroid
meteor
meteorite
_____ are made of rock and or metal and are larger than meteoroids that orbit the sun.
Asteroid
Meteor
Adenoid
Meteorite
Halley's comet makes an appearance every _____ years.
67
76
167
176
A comet's _____ can be seen from Earth as it passes in the night sky.
nucleus
tail
coma
Small pieces of rock orbiting alongside asteroids are _____.
adenoids
meteors
meteoroids
meteorites
What is the difference between asteroids and meteoroids?
shape
color
size
spelling
These are small bodies of ice, dust, and gas, that form near Neptune.
Dwarf Planet
Oort Cloud
Kuiper Belt
Comets
Asteroids are in which category?
dwarf planets
metal and rock
dirty snowballs
shooting stars
The Asteroid belt is located between which two planets?
Mars and Jupiter
Venus and Earth
Jupiter and Saturn
Earth and Jupiter
Which theory supports why asteroids did not form into planets?
There was not enough dark matter to matter.
Jupiter's gravity interfered with accretion or planet making process.
The amount of gravity was too little to hold the fragments into a sphere.
There were enough planets already.
Accretion is the process of _____.
forming asteroids.
forming Earth and other planets billions of years ago.
forming comets
forming the Oort Cloud and the Kuiper Belt.
What is the scientific name of a shooting star?
Meteorite
Asteroid
Meteor
Meteoroid
Which is NOT true of about Pluto?
Pluto is the smallest planet.
Pluto is made up of ice and rock.
Pluto has an elliptical orbit.
Pluto shares its space with the asteroid belt.
T or F: Comets are found beyond Pluto.
True
False
Which force is needed to keep planets formed and within their orbit?
friction
electromagnetic energy
gravity
A comet's three main parts are the _____, tail, and a coma.
ice head
rock head
nucleus
dust head
Which is NOT true about the Oort Cloud?
It is extremely large.
It is close to Earth.
Comets exist within the Oort Cloud.
Objects in the Oort Cloud are pulled by gravity and pushed by heat and pressure,
Which of these objects is pictured in the diagram?
a meteoroid
a meteor
an asteroid
a meteorite
Which term defines a small, irregularly shaped body made of icy material that orbits the sun?
comet
meteor
asteroid
meteorite
Thinking about the dwarf planets we discussed, which characteristic does a dwarf planet not meet?
Orbits the sun
Round in shape due to its mass
Cleared its orbital path of other space objects
Meets All
Where is the Oort cloud located?
between the sun and Mercury
within the asteroid belt
between the asteroid belt and the Kuiper Belt
beyond the orbit of Pluto
When an asteroid or comet reaches the Earth’s atmosphere it becomes a _____?
Meteor
Meteorite
Meteoroid
Asteroid
Ceres, Pluto, and Eris are all dwarf planets. In what order would you put them in a list from fastest to slowest in orbiting the sun?
Eris, Pluto, Ceres
Pluto, Ceres, Eris
Ceres, Eris, Pluto
Ceres, Pluto, Eris
People sometimes talk about seeing shooting stars. What do they actually see?
a meteoroid traveling through space
a star that is moving through the galaxy
a meteoroid that burns up in Earth’s atmosphere
a comet that has come close enough to Earth’s atmosphere to be seen
Which dwarf planet we discussed has the most number of moons?
Eris
Pluto
Haumea
Makemake
Where do most all small celestial bodies originate in our solar system?
Asteroid Belt
Kuiper Belt
Oort Cloud
All are correct
Which term defines a small, irregularly shaped body made of rocky material?
Comet
Meteor
Asteroid
None are correct
This part of a comet blows away from it based on the solar wind direction.
Coma
Tail
Trail
Cap
When an object enters the atmosphere and burns up creating light.
Meteor
Meteorite
Meteoroid
Asteroid
What makes up the small bodies of our solar system?
Dwarf Planets and Comets
Asteroids and Meteoroids
None of the above
Both the first two answers
These small celestial bodies contain a large variety of different types of elements.
Comet
Meteor
Asteroid
None
An object enters the atmosphere and makes it to the ground.
Meteor
Meteorite
Meteoroid
Asteroid
What are comets MAINLY made out of - Select ALL that apply
Metal
Dust
Ice
Reindeer
Where are comets found?
The Asteroid Belt
Between The Sun and Earth
Between Mars and Jupiter
Kuiper Belt/Ort Cloud
Structure is like a giant dirty snowball
Comet
Meteor
Asteroid
Is made of dust and rock and burns up in Earth's atmosphere
Comet
Meteor
Asteroid
Made up of rock similar to the rock that formed the planets
Comet
Meteor
Asteroid
Is made up of rock, dust, frozen water, ammonia, and methane
Comet
Meteor
Asteroid
Most of them are located between Mars and Jupiter
Comet
Meteor
Asteroid
Which object in space is NOT made of rock and metal/iron?
Asteroid
Meteor
Meteorite
Comet
The asteroid belt is located between which 2 planets?
Mercury and Venus
Jupiter and Saturn
Uranus and Neptune
Mars and Jupiter
Why does a comet's tail always point AWAY from the sun?
Because the sun gives off a strong solar wind blowing the tail away
The comets tail is being pulled by a gravitational force
A comets tail always points towards the sun
Which object in space looks like a "dirty snowball" because of its composition of ice, gas and dust?
Asteroid
Meteoroid
Comet
Meteor
A _____________ bursts through Earth's atmosphere at amazingly fast speeds and appears as a "shooting star"
Meteorite
Meteor
Meteoroid
A meteor that does not burn up in Earth's atmosphere and reaches Earth's surface
Meteorite
Meteoroid
Meteor
These are composed mainly of rock and metal.
comets and stars
stars and meteors
asteroid and meteors
comets and asteroid
