Solar System Flashcards
List the solid, rocky type, inner planets,, in our solar system.
Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars.
List the planets that are the gas giant, outer planets, in our solar system.
Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.
What group of planets revolve faster around the sun - outer or inner?
Inner
Which group of planets has shorter years, inner or outer?
Inner
Which group of planets has the most moons - inner or outer?
Outer
Which group of planets has rings - inner or outer?
Outer
Which of these planets is an outer planet?
A) Mercury B) Venus C) Mars D) Uranus
Uranus
Which planet has been demoted to a dwarf planet or a minor planet?
Pluto
Which 2 planets have a retrograde rotation? (clockwise)
Venus and maybe Uranus
What is a nebula?
Birthplace of stars
Approximately when did the solar system form?
4.6 million years ago
What does “planet” mean?
Wanderer
What are changes in the apparent shape of a planet or moon called?
Phases
What happens to the average temperature of the planets as we move outward away from the sun?
Temperatures decline/drop
What are asteroids?
A large piece of rock or metal
Which object is more likely to have more craters, the moon or venus? Why is this true?
The moon, no protective atmosphere.
Which of these planets has the most eccentric orbit?
A) Venus B) Mercury C) Pluto D) Earth
Pluto
What does “eccentric” mean?
Elliptical
Which Earth motion contributes to seasons besides tilt/inclination?
Revolution around the sun
Is Earths orbital velocity greatest in January or July?
January
Which planets orbital velocity is greatest, Venus or Mars?
Venus
Which planet should be visible in the sky the shortest period of time, Venus or Jupiter?
Venus, it’s orbital velocity.
Which planets day is longer than its year?
Venus
Which planet is known as the ringed planet?
Saturn
Which planet takes the longest time to complete one orbit around the sun?
Saturn
Why does Mars not appear to stay in one position in the night sky?
It revolves around the sun
Which planet is known as Earth’s twin or Earth’s sister planet?
Venus
Which planet is known as the “morning star” and the “evening star?”
Venus
Which planet has a great red spot?
Jupiter
What is the great red spot on Jupiter??
A giant hurricane like storm
Which planet has rovers roaming its surface?
Mars
What are large objects with a glowing tail, which revolve around the sun in very elliptical orbits, called?
Comets
Which two solar system planets do not have moons?
Mercury and Venus
In what year did the Apollo astronauts land on the moon?
1969 (Apollo)
Which solar system bodies orbit takes it inside the orbit of Neptune?
Pluto
Who discovered the four largest moons on Jupiter?
Galileo
Which planet is tilted over on its side?
Uranus
Which planet is known as the red planet?
Mars
Is pluto at the very edge of the solar system? Explain.
No, there are still several other moons. This means more planets too.
Which of the two main models of the solar system is closest to being the correct model?
Heliocentric
Was Ptolemy’s model correct?
No
How many known planets are there?
8
List the planets in order:
- Mercury
- Venus
- Earth
- Mars
- Jupiter
- Saturn
- Uranus
- Neptune
Which planets are terrestrial?
Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars
Why are the called terrestrial planets?
They are rocky and solid
List the gas giant planets?
Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune
Why are they called gas giants?
They are mostly made of gas, they are much less dense.
Which planet has the most moons/natural satellites?
Jupiter
How many moons does this planet have?
63+
Which planet is known as the red planet?
Mars
Which planet is named after the messenger of the gods?
Mercury
What former planet is now categorized as a dwarf-planet?
Pluto
Why was Pluto named this?
It’s too small to be considered a planet
Which planet has vast oceans and is known to possess life?
Mars
What is on Mars that makes life possible?
Water & 4 Seasons
Which two planets (as far as we know) do not have moons/natural satellites?
Mercury & Venus
Which planet has such a low density that it could float on water?
Saturn
Which planet’s day is longer than its year?
Venus
What solar system objects are known as shooting stars or falling stars?
Comets
What is rotation?
The spinning of earth on its axis
One rotation results in what?
Day and night
How much is Earth inclined?
23.5
How long does it take the Earth to rotate once?
24 hours
What does this rotation motion cause?
Day and night (sun to move across sky)
What is a revolution?
Earth’s yearly orbit
Revolution results in what?
A year
Around what object does the earth revolve
sun
