Solar System Structure
This type of planet is found closer to the Sun and is made mostly of rock.
Terrestrial (rocky) planets
Where is the asteroid belt located?
Between Mars and Jupiter
What is it called when the illuminated portion of the Moon is increasing?
Waxing
What shape are planetary orbits according to Kepler’s First Law?
Ellipses
What is the accepted theory for how the Moon formed?
Giant Impact Theory
Gas giants are typically located in this part of the solar system.
The Outer solar system
What type of object forms a glowing tail when it approaches the Sun?
A comet
What is the name of a Moon phase that is more than half illuminated?
Gibbous
Where is the Sun located in an elliptical orbit?
At one focus
What primarily causes tides on Earth?
Gravity from the Moon and the Sun
Scale models of the solar system are used for this main reason.
To show size and distance in a way we can understand
What feature helps distinguish a comet from an asteroid?
A tail or coma
Why don’t solar eclipses happen every month?
The Moon’s orbit is tilted
When does a planet move fastest in its orbit?
When it is closest to the Sun
What would happen to tides if the Moon disappeared?
They would become much weaker
Why are most solar system models still inaccurate even if they show size or distance?
They cannot accurately represent both size and distance at the same time
Why didn’t the asteroid belt form into a planet?
Jupiter’s gravity disrupted its formation
Why does the Moon appear red during a lunar eclipse?
Earth’s atmosphere bends red light onto the Moon
What is the shape of Earth’s orbit?
Slightly elliptical (almost circular)
Why do coastal areas experience tides more than inland areas?
Water can move freely in oceans but not on land
Evaluate this claim: “Jupiter should be closer to the Sun because it is larger.”
Size does not determine orbital distance; formation and gravity do
What does studying the asteroid belt help scientists understand?
How the solar system formed
What would happen if the Moon orbited Earth in the exact same plane as Earth orbits the Sun?
Eclipses would occur every month
Why is it incorrect to say planets move in perfect circles?
Their orbits are elliptical, not perfect circles
What evidence supports the Giant Impact Theory?
Similar rock composition between Earth and Moon and debris patterns