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WorksheetsNon-Planetary Objects in Space
Total questions: 25
Worksheet time: 13mins
Meteorites are particles of dust or rock that pass through Earth's atmosphere. Which reason best explains why meteorites are seen as brief streaks of light?
They are produced by the Sun and are made up of flaming gases.
They reflect the Sun's light as they enter Earth's atmosphere.
They give off cool vapors as they enter Earth's atmosphere
They burn up due to friction as they enter Earth's atmosphere.
The photograph is of Mariner 10 which helped explore the planet Mercury. How is Mariner 10 classified?
satellite
space probe
spectrscope
telescope
Examine the data in the table. Based on the table, what generalization can be made about characteristics of the planets?
The diameter increases as distance from the Sun increases.
The rotation period increases as diameter increases.
The period of revolution increases as period of rotation increases.
The period of revolution increases as distance from the Sun increases.
Study the diagram showing several orbits. Which path most closely illustrates the orbit of a comet?
W
X
Y
Z
Astronomers use telescopes that measure the radiation from objects in space to detect the object's size and distance. The Chandra X-ray telescope is designed to get information from some of the hottest objects that emit X-rays. Where are telescopes like Chandra located to capture the sharpest images?
on mountain tops
on satellites
in deserts
in rural observatories
What technology do astronomers use to identify the elements that compose a star?
satellite
space probe
spectroscope
telescope
How are meteoroids and asteroids similar?
Both meteoroids and asteroids have predictable orbits around the Sun.
Both meteoroids and asteroids are typically made of rock.
Neither meteoroids nor asteroids have paths that cross Earth's orbit.
Neither meteoroids nor asteroids are larger than a few meters in diameter
Scientists are interested in studying the geology of Uranus by collecting mineral samples from its rings. Which technology would be best for collecting samples?
radio telescope
satellite
space probe
spectroscope
Which planet orbits the Sun in the shortest amount of time?
Earth
Jupiter
Saturn
Venus
Which technology would be most useful in the search for life on other planets?
orbital satellites
space probes
spectroscopes
telescopes
"Resolving power" is the ability of a telescope to see small details and produce sharper images. Which answer bestexplains why radio telescopes have poor resolving power?
Telescopes with large diameters have lower resolving power.
Radio telescopes have a glass lens instead of a collecting dish.
Telescopes that gather longer wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation produce lower resolutions than telescopes that gather shorter wavelengths.
Telescopes that gather longer wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation produce higher resolutions than telescopes that gather shorter wavelengths.
Astronomers want to know which elements are found in a star. Which tool would be the most helpful to find out the answer?
a satellite
a space probe
a spectroscope
a telescope
Which planet would have the shortest revolution around the Sun?
Jupiter
Mars
Neptune
Saturn
Which statement is true about comets?
Comets do not contain ice and rock particles.
A comet's tail always points toward the Sun.
The tail of the comet begins to emerge as it moves away from the Sun.
Comets have a unique long, narrow elliptical orbit
What classification would a scientist most likely assign to an object that hit the Earth's surface?
asteroid
meteor
meteorite
planet
The orbits of Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, and object X are shown in the diagram. How would scientists most likely identify object X?
asteroid
comet
meteor
meteoroid
A scientist observes an object approximately 11 km in length with an elliptical orbit around the Sun. The object is made of dust, ice, and rocky materials and passes Earth every 75 years. How is the object most likely classified?
comet
moon
planet
star
The image shows two objects in Earth’s atmosphere, labeled X and Y. Which best classifies objects X and Y?
X=meteor; Y=meteorite
X=meteorite; Y=meteor
X=asteroid; Y=meteorite
X=meteor; Y=asteroid
Millions of large, irregularly shaped rocks revolve around the Sun. These rocks are present between two planets in the solar system. What are these described components of the universe?
asteroids
comets
meteorites
meteors
A space scientist observed a large chunk of rock moving in the solar system. He observed that the rocky chunk burned up in the atmosphere of Earth. What was the object the scientist likely identified?
asteroid
comet
meteor
meteorite
A student observes an object in the night sky that has a bright central region and a tail. What can be another characteristic of the object the student observes?
It orbits Earth.
It contains only rock.
It has a unique long, narrow elliptical orbit.
It is found in the solar system between Mars and Jupiter.
What is a meteor?
a piece of rock that burns up in a planet’s atmosphere
a piece of rock that strikes the surface of a planet or moon
an icy body made of water, methane and ammonia, and dust
a rocky body that orbits in a region between Mars and Jupiter
The solar system is filled with a variety of different types of objects as shown in the diagram. What objects are represented by the letter X?
asteroids
comets
meteorites
meteors
A student makes a clay model to show the positions of planets in the solar system. What safety equipment is required for this activity?
boots
gloves
hellmet
mask
An astronomer is studying a set of rocky objects that orbit the Sun between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. Which objects is the astronomer studying?
asteroids
comets
meteorites
meteors
