Solar System
The planets in our Solar System are different in many ways. They are different sizes, their composition is different, and they are different distances from the Sun. Tom and his friends were talking about what it would be like if they could go live on Mars someday. Mandy said it would be much colder there than on Earth, even in summer. Jose said there would be periods on Mars like there are on Earth.
Which of the following is a characteristic that all the planets have in common?
a. They all have rings.
b. They all have moons.
c. They all orbit the Sun.
d. They all support human life.
c. They all orbit the Sun.
Bryce and Brianna are building a model of the Solar System that shows the position of all the planets. Between which two planets should they put the representation of Earth?
a. Venus and Mars
b. Mars and Jupiter
c. Jupiter and Saturn
d. Mercury and Venus
a. Venus and Mars
Which of the following motions defines the length of Earth's day?
a. Earth's rotation on its axis
b. Earth's revolution around the Sun
c. the Moon's revolution around Earth
d. The Sun's' rotation on its axis
a. Earth's rotation on its axis
Which of these objects of the Solar System is rocky, irregularly shaped, and can usually be found in a vast belt located between the orbits on Mars and Jupiter?
a. an asteroid
b. a comet
c. a moon
d. a planet
a. an asteroid
What two properties of stars can affect how bright they appear?
a. color and age
b. mass and revolution
c. distance from Earth and size
d. rotation speed and composition
c. distance from Earth and size
Anita and Princess are trying to write a description of a planet that could apply to any planet in our Solar System. So far, their list looks like this:
What else can they add to their list?
a. Spins on its axis
b. Has at least one moon
c. Has water on its surface
d. Is always the same distance from the Sun
a. Spins on its axis
Which of the following statements can be supported by the diagram?
a. The inner planets are too hot to maintain life.
b. Only some planets of the Solar System rotate.
c. The outer planets are found in the region farthest from the Sun.
d. Moons orbit the Sun in the area between the inner and outer planets.
c. The outer planets are found in the region farthest from the Sun.
Which of these actions occurs once every 365 days?
a. Earth makes one full rotation on its axis.
b. The Sun makes one full rotation on its axis.
c. Earth makes one full revolution around the Sun.
d. The Sun makes one full revolution around Earth.
c. Earth makes one full revolution around the Sun.
While watching a comet cross the sky, Xavier wondered what makes comets different from asteroids. How are comets different from asteroids?
a. Comets orbit the Sun; asteroids do not orbit the Sun.
b. Comets pass near Earth; asteroids stay far away from Earth.
c. Comets are made of dust and ice; asteroids are make of rock or metal.
d. Comets are found everywhere; asteroids are found only in the asteroid belt.
c. Comets are made of dust and ice; asteroids are make of rock or metal.
Gina looks at the stars in the clear night sky. She notices that some stars are brighter than others. Which of the following characteristics do the brighter stars have compared to the other stars?
a. The brighter stars reflect more light from the Sun.
b. The brighter stars give off less energy.
c. The brighter stars are closer to Earth.
d. The brighter stars have planets.
c. The brighter stars are closer to Earth.
The planets in our Solar System are different in many ways. They are different sizes, their composition is different, and they are different distances from the Sun. Tom and his friends were talking about what it would be like if they could go live on Mars someday. Mandy said it would be much colder there than on Earth, even in summer. Jose said there would be periods on Mars like there are on Earth.
What else might they experience if they ever went to live on Mars?
a. A year on Mars would last almost as long as two Earth years.
b. Water would run in the canals on Mars on the warmest days.
c. They would see four big moons and several smaller ones at night on Mars.
d. They could breathe the air since Mars and Earth have similar atmospheres.
a. A year on Mars would last almost as long as two Earth years.
Use the data table to answer the question.
Which claim is best supported by the data?
a. Planets farther from the Sun have longer years.
b. Saturn is closer to the Sun and has longer years than Jupiter.
c. Venus is farther from the Sun and has longer years than Mars.
a. Planets farther from the Sun have longer years.
A fifth grade class has been learning about how the rotation of Earth and the apparent movements of the Sun, the Moon, and stars are connected. Which of these statements about their connection is true?
a. Earth's rotation and revolution around the Sun take about the same time.
b. The Moon's rotation and revolution around Earth take about the same time.
c. The Sun appears to move from east to west because Earth is rotating from east to west.
d. The apparent motions of the Moon and the Sun are similar because both rise toward the west and set toward the east.
b. The Moon's rotation and revolution around Earth take about the same time.
Where does the asteroid belt orbit?
a. Between Uranus and Neptune
b. Between the inner planets and outer planets
c. Between Earth and Mars
b. Between the inner planets and outer planets
Which statement accurately compares our galaxy to our Solar System?
a. Our galaxy is very small compared to our Solar System.
b. Our Solar System includes the Moon, but our galaxy does not.
c. Our galaxy has more stars than our Solar System has planets.
c. Our galaxy has more stars than our Solar System has planets.
Earth is one of the four inner planets in our Solar System. What characteristics does Earth share with the other inner planets that make it different from the outer planets?
a. Earth, like other inner planets, has an icy core.
b. Earth, like other inner planets, has few moons.
c. Earth, like other inner planets, is made up mainly of hydrogen.
d. Earth, like other inner planets, has a moon larger than some planets.
b. Earth, like other inner planets, has few moons.
What conclusion can be drawn from the data in the chart?
a. A planet’s size increases as the distance from the Sun increases.
b. A planet’s shape changes as the distance from the Sun decreases.
c. A planet’s revolution increases as the distance from the Sun increases.
d. A planet’s rotation period increases as the distance from the Sun increases.
c. A planet’s revolution increases as the distance from the Sun increases.
Sergio and Paola use a computer model to study Earth's movements, as shown in the illustration (Jeopardy Graphs)
Which of these statements best explains a relationship between Earth's movement and the appearance of the Sun as seen from Earth?
a. The Sun appears in the sky for longer periods during the summer because Earth rotates on it axis.
b. The Sun appears to become larger during the evening because Earth revolves around the Sun.
c. The Sun appears to travel across the sky during the day because Earth rotates on its axis.
d. The Sun appears to rise and set in the sky because the Earth revolves around the Sun.
c. The Sun appears to travel across the sky during the day because Earth rotates on its axis.
A teacher gave her class the chart below, which describes an object in the Solar System.
- distance from the Sun: beyond the inner planets
- surface temperature: cold relative to Earth
- primary orbit: around the Sun
- size: smaller than Earth
- made of: rock, dust, minerals with no visible gas
A student states that he thinks that the object must be a moon. Based on the information provided in the chart, which of these statements explains why the student is most likely incorrect?
a. Most moons have a visible gas tail.
b. Most moons are larger than Earth.
c. Most moons have a primary orbit around planets.
d. Most moons are found in areas of space that are closest to the Sun.
c. Most moons have a primary orbit around planets.
Our solar system lies within the Milky Way Galaxy.
Which of the following best describes what makes up a galaxy?
a. A star and planets
b. Gas, dust, and many solar systems
c. One planet and a moon orbiting a star
d. Hundreds of stars that make a shape in the sky
b. Gas, dust, and many solar systems
A group of students is gathering information about our Solar System. Using this information, the students constructed a model.
Which of the following would occur if Earth's position were changed from its current position to the position of object 4 in the students' model?
a. A year on Earth would be longer.
b. It would take Earth less time to revolve around the Sun.
c. The length of a year on Earth would increase and result in a slower rotation.
d. The rotation speed of Earth would increase and make the length of a day longer.
a. A year on Earth would be longer.
Look at the data table below listing several different characteristics of planets. Which characteristics change as distance increases?
A. Diameter and number of moons
B. Distance from Sun and diameter
C. Surface temperature and length of year
C. Surface temperature and length of year
Refer to the table on your Jeopardy Graphs sheet. The first image shows Earth's orbital path around the Sun.
Which diagram shows Earth six months later?
B.
Which of the following is a list of moons in our Solar System?
a. Luna, Phobos, Triton, Europa
b. Luna, Hermione, Severus, Minerva
c. Triton, Sebastian, Ariel, Eric
d. Europa, Asia, America, Africa
a. Luna, Phobos, Triton, Pluto
Betelgeuse is larger than the Sun. Why does it appear so much smaller in the sky?
a. Yellow is an easier color to see in the sky than the color red.
b. Jupiter lies between Betelgeuse and Earth, which makes Betelgeuse seem more minor.
c. The Sun is closer to Earth than Betelgeuse is, and therefore the Sun appears larger and brighter.
d. Betelgeuse is near a black hole, which absorbs the light of the star and causes it to be less visible from Earth.
c. The Sun is closer to Earth than Betelgeuse is, and therefore the Sun appears larger and brighter.