Size
Relation to Sun
Composition
Gravity
Fun Facts
100
How small are some of asteroids?
Some of the asteroids are smaller than 1 kilometer.
100
How far away is the asteroid belt from the sun?
300 million-600 million miles
100
What is the atmosphere made up of in the asteroid belt?
It is just asteroids so there is no atmosphere.
100
What is the gravity of the asteroid belt?
It depends on each individual asteroid. There virtually is no gravity except the pull from the near by planets and the sun.
100
Why is the asteroid belt located between Mars and Jupiter.
Nobody knows for sure but one theory is that the asteroids were supposed to be a planet but Jupiter's gravity kept all the separate pieces moving around so they couldn't form.
200
How big is the biggest asteroid?
The largest asteroid is over 300 kilometers
200
How long does it take the asteroid belt to rotate?
Trick Question: it does not rotate
200
Asteroids cannot have points on their exterior. They can only be rounded. True or False?
False asteroids can be any shape and size that they were knocked or formed from.
200
How many moons does the asteroid belt have?
No moons
200
Asteroids and planets share a common birth place true or false?
True, the process that helped form the planets is called accretion. During the beginning of the universe when two bodies would collide they would stick together forming a larger body. The planets and asteroids were formed in this manner. Obviously the planets accrued more mass than most of the asteroids. But, as seen by the asteroid Ceres being a dwarf planet, some asteroids came very close to garnering enough mass and generate gravity just enough to possible become planets in their own right.
300
How many known asteroids are in the asteroid belt?
There are over 300,000 known asteroids in the asteroid belt
300
How long does it take for the asteroids to revolve around the sun?
It takes most of the asteroids in the asteroid belt 3-6 Earth years to revolve around the sun
300
What are asteroids composed of?
Asteroids are made of rock, metals and other elements. Astronomers say some even contain water. Asteroids that are mostly stone sometimes are more like loose piles of rubble. Asteroids that are mostly iron are more.
300
How many exploration missions have been sent to the Asteroid Belt?
Over 12 satellites have made it through the asteroid belt.
300
Do collisions happen in the asteroids?
Yes but not that frequent to us. Asteroids around the size of 10 km collide about once every 10 million years. At high speeds the collisions can break the two asteroids into many new pieces. At low speed they can come together to create one bigger asteroid. The collisions create fine bands of dust that create zodiacal light. This light can sometimes be seen at night.
400
True or false: Most of the asteroids are smaller than 1 kilmeter
True
400
Can an asteroid turn into a star?
No, because asteroids are mainly solids and stars are balls of burning fire and gas.
400
Why is it possible for one asteroid to run into another asteroid or another object in space?
Because of gravity
400
What is the gravity of Ceres in the asteroid belt?
The gravity of Ceres, the largest asteroid, is 0.27 m/s2. Compared to Earth which is 9.8 m/s2.
400
What is Ceres?
Ceres is a dwarf planet that is found within the asteroid belt. IT is the largest asteroid in the asteroid belt, about 950 km across. It is a ball of rock of ice and has been proved to be spherical.
500
True or False: around 40 asteroids are over 300 kilometers
False: only about 3-4 asteroids are over 300 kilometers
500
What is the average temperature of an asteroid in the asteroid belt?
-100 degrees F
500
What is the composition of the asteroid belt?
Of course the asteroid belt is made up of rock and stone, but within that some asteroids contain iron and nickel metals. Others also contain carbon-rich materials. There has also been some with ice one them which mean there is evidence of water on the asteroid belt.
500
What 2 objects have the greatest gravitational pull which keeps the Asteroid Belt in its revolution?
The Sun and Jupiter
500
Name 1 of the 3 types of asteroids.
- carbonaceous (C-type) - siliceous (S-type) - metallic (M-type)
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