1
2
3
4
100
A _______, such as the one shown above, is a small body that orbits the Sun and has a tail.
A. comet
B. meteor
C. asteroid
D. planet
A. comet
100
While observing a planet through a telescope, a scientist observes a natural satellite orbiting the planet. What is the best classification for this satellite?
A. planet
B. asteroid
C. comet
D. moon
D. Moon
100
Jahmya is looking through a telescope at an object in space. The object looks like a very small planet, and it does not have a tail.
If the object is orbiting the Sun and not the Earth, what is she most likely looking at?
A. a comet
B. a galaxy
C. an asteroid
D. a moon
C. an asteroid
100
Which of the following statements about comets is true?
A. Comets have very elliptical orbits that usually take them far beyond the orbit of Pluto, but also take them closer to the Sun than Earth.
B. Most comets have a circular orbit that keeps them in the space between Mars and Jupiter.
C. Comets have very elliptical orbits that usually take them closer to the Sun than Earth, but rarely do they get further away than Pluto.
D. Comets rarely fall into an orbit around the Sun. They usually enter the inner solar system only once and then are gone forever.
A. Comets have very elliptical orbits that usually take them far beyond the orbit of Pluto, but also take them closer to the Sun than Earth.
200
An astronomer is using a telescope to observe several objects in the Solar System. She records her observations in the chart below.
Object Description
W object that has a "tail" made of frozen gas and liquid
X rocky object that orbits a planet
Y small and rocky object that orbits the Sun and is located between Mars and Jupiter
Z large object that orbits the Sun and has several moons
Which of the objects described in the chart is a planet?
A. W
B. Y
C. Z
D. X
C. Z
200
Which of the following statements about asteroids is true?
A. The asteroids in the Solar System are spread out uniformly and are not grouped in any particular orbit.
B. The majority of the asteroids in the Solar System are found in the space between Earth and Mars.
C. The majority of the asteroids in the Solar System are found in the space between Mars and Jupiter.
D. The majority of the asteroids in the Solar System are found in the space between Jupiter and Saturn.
C. The majority of the asteroids in the Solar System are found in the space between Mars and Jupiter.
200
While looking at the night sky, Kamauri saw something that looked like a star with a long tail. His science teacher explained that what he saw was a small body of ice, rock, and dust that orbited the Sun.
When the body neared the Sun, the Sun's heat caused the body to give off gases. These gases formed the tail.
How should Kamauri classify the body he saw?
A. an asteroid
B. a comet
C. a planet
D. a star
B. a comet
200
In 1801, the Italian astronomer Giusseppe Piazzi discovered a large, rocky body orbiting the Sun. The body was surrounded by other similar rocky bodies that traveled in the same orbit.
What did Piazzi most likely discover?
A. a comet
B. an asteroid
C. a moon
D. a planet
B. an asteroid
300
The celestial body at the center of the solar system is a large ball of gases, mostly made up of helium and hydrogen. The hydrogen in this celestial body undergoes nuclear fusion, thus producing helium.
What is the name of this celestial body?
A. Jupiter
B. Earth
C. the Sun
D. the Moon
C. The Sun
300
Which of the following objects is usually the smallest?
A. an asteroid
B. a comet
C. a moon
D. a planet
B. a comet
300
How are most meteoroids formed?
A. They are small pieces that are left over from the formation of the Solar System.
B. As the Sun burns, it throws off small, solid particles at a regular rate which are launched into the Solar System.
C. They are small pieces of debris that are the result of collisions of asteroids, comets, moons, and even planets within the Solar System.
D. They are created in the explosions that occur when stars die and eventually reach the Solar System
C. They are small pieces of debris that are the result of collisions of asteroids, comets, moons, and even planets within the Solar System.
300
Which of the following statements about asteroids is true?
A. The asteroids in the Solar System are spread out uniformly and are not grouped in any particular orbit.
B. The majority of the asteroids in the Solar System are found in the space between Earth and Mars.
C. The majority of the asteroids in the Solar System are found in the space between Mars and Jupiter.
D. The majority of the asteroids in the Solar System are found in the space between Jupiter and Saturn.
C. The majority of the asteroids in the Solar System are found in the space between Mars and Jupiter.
400
Jamai is writing a paper about objects in the Solar System. He included the chart below in his paper.
Object Description
W object that has a "tail" made of frozen gas and liquid
X rocky object that orbits a planet
Y small and rocky object that orbits the Sun and is located between Mars and Jupiter
Z large object that orbits the Sun and has several moons
Which of the objects described in the chart is an asteroid?
A. X
B.Y
C.W
D.Z
B. Y
400
Asteroids are larger than
A. stars.
B. the Sun.
C. planets.
D. meteoroids.
D. meteoroids.
400
Sometimes, small pieces of rock or dust enter the Earth's atmosphere. When this material heats up and burns, it glows and becomes visible from the Earth's surface.
These burning pieces of material are called _______.
A. moons
B. comets
C. planetoids
D. meteors
D. meteors
400
A meteor is what is seen when _______ enters Earth's atmosphere and becomes visibly bright.
A. a star
B. a meteoroid
C. an artificial satellite
D. a moon
B. a meteoroid
500
Examine the picture below.
Except for the Sun, all of the bodies shown in this picture should be classified as _______.
A. comets
B. moons
C. asteroids
D. planets
D. Planets
500
Suppose an astronomer discovers a large, spherical-shaped body orbiting the Sun. The body is composed mostly of rock, and there are no other bodies sharing its orbit.
What is the best way to categorize this body?
A. comet
B. planet
C. asteroid
D. moon
B. planet
500
Quay is writing a paper about objects in the Solar System. He included the chart below in his paper.
Object Description
W object that has a "tail" made of frozen gas and liquid
X rocky object that orbits a planet
Y small and rocky object that orbits the Sun and is located between Mars and Jupiter
Z large object that orbits the Sun and has several moons
Which of the objects described in the chart is an asteroid?
A. X
B. Y
C. W
D. Z
B. Y
500
How many planets are there in our Solar System?
8