planets
the sun
Stars
Space Vocabulary
Think Like a Scientist
100
This is the planet that is closest to the sun.
What is Mercury?
100
The sun is the center of this system.
What is the solar system?
100

What is the closest star to Earth?

The sun


100

What force keeps planets orbiting the Sun?

gravity


100

Is the Sun a planet or a star?

Star

200
This is the 3rd planet from the sun.
What is earth?
200
The sun is a type of this gas sphere that gives off light and heat.
What is a star?
200

What color are the hottest stars?

Blue

200

What is the path an object follows around another object called?

orbit

200

Which is hotter: a red star or a blue star?

Blue Star


300
This is what all the planets have in common?
What is "they revolve around the sun?"
300
It takes the earth 365 days to do this.
What is revolve (orbit) around the sun?
300

What two elements make up most stars?

Hydrogen and helium

300

What is a galaxy?

A large collection of stars, gas, and dust held together by gravity

300

Why does the Sun appear larger than other stars in our sky?

It is much closer to Earth.

400
These are the rocky planets.
What is Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars?
400
This is how long it takes earth to complete one rotation.
What is 24 hours --or one day?
400

What does a star's color tell scientists about it?

Its surface temperature

400

What is the name of the galaxy containing our solar system?

Milky Way

400

Two stars have the same luminosity, but one looks dimmer from Earth. What is one possible reason?

The dimmer star is farther away.

500
These are the gas giants.
What are Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune?
500
The sun is responsible for this first step of the water cycle.
What is evaporation?
500

What is the main difference between apparent brightness and absolute brightness?

Apparent is how bright it looks from Earth; absolute is its intrinsic brightness measured at a standard distance.

500

What is a light-year used to measure?

Distance

500

A scientist studies an H-R diagram. What two properties are primarily compared?

Luminosity and surface temperature