Vocabulary and the Basics
Solar System
Distance
Planets
Earth
100
List the four inner planets in order
Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars
100
List all the planets in order from the sun.
Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune.
100
What is the average distance between the Earth and sun?
An Astronomical Unit
100
Define rotation.
The time it takes for a celestial body to complete one full spin on its axis.
100
How long does it take Earth to rotate?
23 hours and 56 minutes.
200
The inner planets are also called __________.
Terrestrial Planets
200
How is our solar system divided?
The inner planets and the outer planets.
200
True or false: Light-years are a measurement of time.
False.
200
Which planet is very windy with red dust that creates dust storms like tornadoes ?
Mars
200
How long does it take Earth to completely revolve around the sun?
365 days and 6 hours (1/4)
300
What is the counterclockwise spin of a planet?
Prograde Rotation
300
Describe the surface of the inner planets.
Their surfaces are dense and rocky.
300
Define light minute.
The distance light travels in one minute.
300
True or false: Water has existed on Mars.
True
300
Is Earth's rotation prograde or retrograde?
Prograde Rotation
400
What is the clockwise spin of a planet?
Retrograde Rotation
400
In the 17th century ___________ used the telescope to study planets and stars.
Galileo
400
Why do we use different units to measure distances in space?
Distances in space are too large to use inches, feet, or miles.
400
What characteristics make Earth suitable for life?
Earth is warm enough to keep most of its water from freezing and cool enough to keep it from boiling away.
400
Earth's surface is mostly _________.
Water.
500
If light travels 18,000,000 (18 million) kms per minute, how far will light travel in 1 second?
300,000 kms.
500
What is the distance from Earth to the sun in light-minutes?
8.3 light-minutes.
500
Explain why Venus is hotter than Mercury.
Venus has a dense atmosphere that traps in the heat from the sun. Mercury is closer to the sun but does not have an atmosphere to trap heat.
500
NASA's Earth Science Enterprise studies atmospheres, land, ____________, _________, and _________.
Ice, oceans, and life.
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