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Praxis (7005) - Elem. Ed: Science > 1D2 Solar System and Planets > Flashcards

1D2 Solar System and Planets Flashcards

Investigate the formation and features of planets in our solar system.

1
Q

How many planets are currently in Earth’s solar system?

A

Eight

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2
Q

What is the order of the planets based on their distance from the sun?

A
  • Mercury
  • Venus
  • Earth
  • Mars
  • Jupiter
  • Saturn
  • Uranus
  • Neptune
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3
Q

What is a planet?

A

A celestial body that orbits stars.

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4
Q

What are the three main classifications for identifying a planet?

A
  • Orbits a star.
  • Spherical shape due to gravity.
  • Must be big enough that it’s gravity clears away other objects from its orbit or orbital neighborhood.
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5
Q

What are the rocky planets in our solar system known as?

A

Terrestrial planets.

They are predominantly composed of rocky substances such as rock, water, carbon, and silicate.

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6
Q

What are gas planets primarily composed of?

A
  • Hydrogen
  • Helium
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7
Q

What is the acronym for remembering the planets in our solar system?

A

My Very Excellent Mother Just Served Us Nachos.

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8
Q

Which planet is the hottest in our solar system due to the greenhouse effect?

A

Venus

Venus is the hottest planet in the Solar System due to its thick atmosphere composed primarily of carbon dioxide, with clouds of sulfuric acid, which creates an extreme greenhouse effect.

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9
Q

Which planet is the only one in our solar system with tectonic plates?

A

Earth

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10
Q

Which planet is known as Earth’s ‘red neighbor’?

A

Mars

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11
Q

What are the four gas giants in our solar system?

A
  • Jupiter
  • Saturn
  • Uranus
  • Neptune

Uranus and Neptune are sometimes referred to an ‘ice giants’.

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12
Q

What is the largest planet in our solar system?

A

Jupiter

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13
Q

How many moons does Jupiter have?

A

Jupiter has 80 confirmed moons.

This is according to NASA.

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14
Q

Why is Uranus known as an ice giant?

A

Because it is mostly made of ice and gas on its surface.

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15
Q

What is an example of a dwarf planet?

A

Pluto

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16
Q

What is the Kuiper Belt?

A

A zone beyond Neptune that contains many dwarf planets and exoplanets.

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17
Q

What are exoplanets?

A

Planets that exist outside our solar system and orbit stars other than the Sun.

18
Q

How are exoplanets usually identified?

A

By a wobble-like feature due to the orbit around their parent star.

19
Q

What shape do planets take due to their gravity?

A

Spherical shape.

20
Q

What are the two main types of planets based on their composition?

A
  • Terrestrial (rocky) planets.
  • Jovian (gas) planets.
21
Q

What is the term used for planets that do not fulfill the three main criteria of classifying planets?

A

Dwarf planets

22
Q

What are exoplanets that do not orbit a star called?

A

Rogue planets (also sometimes referred to as free-floating planets or interstellar planets).

These planets wander through space independently, not bound to any star.

23
Q

Why is Pluto not a planet?

A

Pluto is not considered a planet because it has not cleared its orbit of other debris. It is classified as a dwarf planet instead.

24
Q

How many solar systems exist in the galaxy?

A

The Milky Way Galaxy alone contains over 3,200 different solar systems.

25
Q

Which planet is closest to the sun?

A

Mercury

26
Q

What are terrestrial planets?

A
  • Earth-like planets with solid surfaces, comprised mainly of rocks, and have a metal core.
  • In our solar system, they include Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars.
27
Q

Name the four terrestrial planets.

A
  • Mercury
  • Venus
  • Earth
  • Mars
28
Q

What are Jovian planets?

A

Also known as gas giants, these are planets primarily composed of gases without a solid surface.

29
Q

What are moons?

A
  • Celestial bodies that orbit planets, having enough gravitational pull to form a spherical shape.
  • Moons are naturally formed satellites.
30
Q

Define meteoroids.

A

Small rocky or metallic bodies in space that are smaller than asteroids and can range in size from tiny grains to objects up to a meter wide.

31
Q

What is an asteroid?

A
  • A small, rocky body orbiting the sun.
  • They are also known as ‘minor planets’ - objects that are neither true planets nor identified comets.

They primarily orbit within the inner Solar System, especially in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.

32
Q

What are comets made of?

A

Small, icy bodies of frozen gases, rocks, and cosmic dust.

33
Q

What is a meteor?

A

A meteoroid that enters Earth’s atmosphere and heats up due to friction.

34
Q

How many moons does Earth have?

A

One

35
Q

What makes a planet a dwarf planet?

A

A dwarf planet is a celestial body that orbits the sun, has enough mass to assume a nearly round shape, has not cleared the neighborhood around its orbit, and is not a moon

36
Q

What is a protoplanetary disk?

A

A disk of gas and dust surrounding a newborn star, from which planets are formed.

37
Q

What gives Saturn its distinctive appearance?

A

It’s rings, primarily made of ice and rock particles.

38
Q

Which planet is known for its distinct axial tilt, causing it to appear to roll on its side?

A

Uranus

It is known as the “sideways planet” because its axial tilt is so extreme that it appears to roll on its side as it orbits the Sun.

39
Q

Which planet is the farthest from the Sun?

A

Neptune

40
Q

What is the Milky Way?

A

The galaxy in which our solar system is located.

41
Q

Which planet has the Great Red Spot, a giant storm?

A

Jupiter

42
Q

What is the asteroid belt?

A

A region of space between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter where many small rocky bodies called asteroids orbit the Sun.

Praxis (7005) - Elem. Ed: Science (36 decks)

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