Planets
Which planet is known as Earth's "sister planet"?
Venus
What force pulls planets toward the Sun?
Gravity
Where is the asteroid belt located?
Between Mars and Jupiter
In which galaxy is our solar system located?
The Milky Way
Which planet is closest to the Sun?
Mercury
Which four planets are terrestrial planets?
Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars
What two factors work together to keep planets in orbit?
Gravity and Inertia
What do we call a meteoroid when it enters Earth's atmosphere and produces a streak of light?
Meteor
What model places Earth at the center?
Geocentric
Put these in order from the Sun: Earth, Mercury, Mars, Venus.
Mercury, Venus, Earth & Mars
Which planet has the longest year?
Neptune
If the distance between two objects increases while mass stays the same, what happens to the gravitational force?
It decreases
I am made of ice, dust, and rock and may form a tail when I get close to the Sun. What am I?
Comet
What model says Earth and the other planets revolve around the Sun?
Heliocentric
Why does Neptune have a much longer year than Mercury?
Neptune is much farther from the Sun and takes longer to complete its orbit.
Which planet is the hottest?
Venus
If mass increases while distance stays the same, what happens to gravitational force?
It increases
What is the main difference between an asteroid and a comet?
Asteroids are mainly rock/metal; comets contain ice, dust, and rock.
Why did early astronomers believe Earth was at the center of the solar system?
The Sun and stars appeared to move across the sky around Earth.
If you traveled from Earth toward the Sun, which TWO planets would you pass?
Venus and Mercury
What is one major difference between the inner and outer planets?
Inner=Rocky
Outer= Gaseous
Why do planets closer to the Sun generally move faster in their orbits?
They experience a stronger gravitational attraction to the Sun when they are closer to it.
Where would you travel in the solar system to find many icy objects and comets?
The Kuiper Belt, beyond Neptune.
Put these in order from smallest to largest: Milky Way Galaxy, Earth, Universe, Solar System.
Earth → Solar System → Milky Way → Universe
As you move farther from the Sun, what generally happens to the length of a planet’s year?
It gets longer.