The Sun
What star is at the center of our solar system?
What is the Sun
How many planets are in our Solar System?
Eight
What object orbits Earth?
The Moon
What is a large rock that orbits the Sun called?
An asteroid
What force keeps planets moving around the Sun?
Gravity
What does the Sun give Earth that helps plants grow?
Light and heat
How many planets are in our solar system?
Eight
What causes day and night on Earth?
Earth's rotation
What icy objects form long glowing tails when near the Sun?
Comets
Why does Mercury have very hot days and very cold nights?
It has no atmosphere to hold in heat.
Why is the Sun important for life on Earth?
It provides light and heat needed for life
Which planet is known as the Red Planet?
Mars
What causes the phases of the Moon?
The way the Moon moves around Earth and how sunlight hits it.
What do we call the path and object takes around the Sun?
An orbit
Why can't humans breathe in space without special equipment?
There is no oxygen (air) to breathe in space.
What would happen to Earth if the Sun disappeared?
Earth would become very cold and life could not survive.
Which is the largest planet in our solar system?
Jupiter
Why do we always see the same side of the Moon from Earth?
Because the Moon roatates at the same speed it orbits Earth
What is the difference between an astroid and a comet?
Asteroids are rocky, comets are icy and form tails
Why do astronauts float inside a spacecraft?
Because they are in microgravity.
Why is the Sun considered a star and not a planet?
Because it makes its own light and energy, like other stars
Why is Pluto no longer considered a planet?
Because it does not meet all the rules scientists use to define a planet.
How does the Moon affect Earth's oceans?
It causes tides in Earth's oceans
Can you name a dwarf planet?
Pluto or Ceres
How are the inner planets different from the outer planets?
Inner planets are rocky, outer planets are gas or ice giants.