Celestial Bodies
What celestial body rotates, is made of gas, and provides light and energy?
The Sun
What is the main force that governs the movement of planets around the Sun?
Gravity
What is a small rocky object that enters Earth’s atmosphere and burns up?
Meteor
What is the Kuiper Belt?
A region beyond Neptune containing icy objects.
What keeps planets from flying away into space?
The Sun's gravitational pull.
Which celestial objects continuously orbit another celestial body? (Name three)
Moons, Comets, Asteroids
What two main types of planets exist in our solar system?
Terrestrial and Gas Giants
Where are most asteroids located in the solar system?
The Asteroid Belt between Mars and Jupiter
How do objects in the Kuiper Belt move?
They orbit the Sun due to gravity.
What is the path that planets take around the Sun called?
An orbit
What is the name of the large region outside Neptune’s orbit containing millions of frozen objects?
The Kuiper Belt
Which planet is closest to the Sun?
Mercury
What two locations in the solar system contain most comets?
The Kuiper Belt and Oort Cloud
Where is the Oort Cloud located?
Far beyond the Kuiper Belt, at the edge of the solar system.
Why do moons stay in orbit around planets?
The planet's gravity pulls them in.
Describe one way the Moon’s motion differs from Earth’s.
The Moon orbits Earth, while Earth orbits the Sun
Name two gas giants in our solar system.
Jupiter and Saturn
What are comets primarily made of?
Ice, dust, and gas
What makes the Oort Cloud different from the Kuiper Belt?
The Oort Cloud is a spherical shell, while the Kuiper Belt is a disk.
Why do moons stay in orbit around planets?
The planet’s gravity pulls them in.
What force keeps celestial bodies in orbit?
Gravity
Describe the general physical properties of terrestrial and gas giant planets.
Terrestrial planets are rocky and small; gas giants are large and made of gases like hydrogen and helium.
How does a comet develop a tail?
The Sun's heat causes ice to vaporize, creating a tail of dust and gas.
What type of objects are found in the Oort Cloud?
Frozen comets and icy bodies.
How would an asteroid’s path change if the Sun suddenly disappeared?