True or False. The sun has an interior and an atmosphere.
True!
100
True or False. The solar system consists of the sun, the planets, their moons, and a variety of smaller objects.
True!
100
The solid inner core of a comet is called a _________.
a. center
b. nucleus
c. core
d. pit
Nucleus
100
Which planet is the largest in diameter?
a. Mercury
b. Venus
c. Earth
d. Mars
Earth
100
True or False. The outer planets have solid surfaces.
False! The outer planets do NOT have solid surfaces. They are known as the gas giants.
200
Which layer of the Sun's atmosphere looks like a white halo around the sun? (Think of your paper plate models!)
The Corona
200
The solar system distances are measured in:
a. kilometers
b. astronomical units
c. meters
b. astronomical units (au)
FYI: One au equals 150,000,000 kilometers, or the distance between the Earth and the Sun.
200
Rocky objects, most of which are too small and too numerous to be considered planets or dwarf planets, are called what?
asteroids
200
True of False. Mercury has a surface that is covered with water and green prairies.
False! Mercury's surface is mostly flat plains and craters.
200
Based on what we remember about gravity, why do the outer planets exert such a strong gravitational force?
Because they are SO massive. Their gravity keeps gases from escaping, forming thick atmospheres.
300
This sun feature is made up of electrical particles that can spread throughout the solar system.
Solar wind
300
Name a dwarf planet.
a. Pluto
b. Eris
c. Ceres
d. Makemake
e. Haumea
300
Chunks of rock or dust smaller than asteroids are called __________?
Meteoroids
300
What item would you need to bring with you if you were visiting Venus?
a. a winter coat
b. an oxygen tank
c. a scuba mask
An oxygen tank because Venus's atmosphere is mostly carbon dioxide.
300
What is the largest and most massive planet?
a. Jupiter
b. Saturn
c. Uranus
d. Neptune
Jupiter
400
Which layer of the Sun's atmosphere gives off a reddish glow?
The Chromosphere (which means "color sphere")
400
Small objects in the solar system are classified based on these four categories: dwarf planets, comets, asteroids, and ___________.
a. dust particles
b. rocks
c. space bugs
d. meteoroids
Meteoroids
400
What is the streak of light called that a meteoroid produces when it enters Earth's atmosphere?
Meteor
400
Earth is also known as "the ________ planet" due to the fact that 70% of its surface is covered with this.
Water
400
True or False. Saturn has the lowest density of any planet.
True! If you submerged Saturn in water, it would float!
500
The _____________ Zone contains loops of gas caused by hot air rising and cool gas sinking.
Convection
500
The ___________ belt is a region of the solar system between Mars and Jupiter.
Asteroid
500
Meteor showers are often named for the _____________ from which they appear to have come from.
a. galaxy
b.constellation
c. latitude
d. zip code
Constellation
500
Mars is called ___________?
a. The large planet
b. The cold planet
c. The red planet
d. The gas planet
Mars is called the red planet due to the reddish color that is produced by the breakdown of iron-rich rocks.
500
This planet's axis is tilted at an angle of about 90 degrees. It rotates from top to bottom instead of side to side.