Gravity Rules
This invisible force affects the motion of Earth by pulling it toward the Sun, keeping it in orbit.
What is Gravity?
The shape of the path Earth takes around the Sun.
What is an ellipse (or oval)?
The correct order for the first four planets in the Solar System, starting with the planet closest to the Sun.
Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars
This term best describes the physical properties of comets.
What are "dirty snowballs" (made of ice, gas, and dust)?
The star around which the Earth orbits.
What is the Sun?
The gravitational force of attraction between two objects will do this if the masses of the objects increase.
What is increase (or get stronger)?
How Earth’s orbital motion would change if the distance increased but the mass of Earth and the Sun remained the same.
What is "the orbital speed would slow down"?
They are rocky, terrestrial, and dense"?
This statement correctly describes the physical property of the inner planets.
Asteroids and comets orbit the sun, but if their orbital path brings them close to Earth and they enter our atmosphere, they are called this.
What are Meteors?
A celestial body that orbits a planet.
What is a Moon (or Natural Satellite)?
The gravitational force of attraction between two objects will do this if the distance between them increases.
What is decrease (or get weaker)?
How Earth’s orbital motion would be affected if the mass of the Sun and Earth increased, but the distance remained the same.
What is "the orbital speed would increase"?
This statement is NOT true of moons. (Select one: They orbit planets / They produce their own light / They are held by gravity).
"They produce their own light"?
This region is described as a ring of icy bodies located beyond the orbit of Neptune.
What is the Kuiper Belt?
The force responsible for the formation of the solar system and the planets.
What is Gravity?
If there were no longer a gravitational force between Earth and the moon, this is what would happen to the moon’s orbit.
What is "it would fly off into space in a straight line"?
The tendency of an object to resist a change in motion, which works with gravity to keep Earth in orbit
What is Inertia?
The largest planet in our solar system, known for its Great Red Spot.
What is Jupiter?
The region between Mars and Jupiter where most of the solar system's asteroids are found.
What is the Asteroid Belt?
If a meteor survives its passage through the atmosphere and hits the ground, it is called this.
What is a Meteorite?
These are the two specific factors that affect the gravitational pull on an object as it moves closer to Earth.
What are Mass and Distance?
The time it takes for Earth to complete one full revolution around the Sun.
What is 365.25 days (or one year)?
This planet is known for its extensive ring system and is the 6th from the Sun.
What is Saturn?
How asteroids, comets, and meteors are related.
What is "They are all rocky or icy debris left over from the formation of the solar system"?
This physical property of a planet helps determine how much gravity it exerts.
What is Mass?