Solar System Vocabulary

Question 0

Astrinomical Unit

Answer 0

A unit distance equal to the average distance between Earth and the sun, about 150 million kilometers.

Question 1

Solar System

Answer 1

The system consisting of the sun and the planets and other objects that revolve around it.

Question 2

Planet

Answer 2

Must be round, orbit the sun, and have cleared out the region of the solar system along its orbit. (this means it does not share the area of its orbit with any other objects).

Question 3

Dwarf Planet

Answer 3

An object that orbits the sun and has enough gravity to be spherical, but has not cleared the area of its orbit. (this means other objects also share its orbit).

Question 4

Asteroids

Answer 4

Small, mostly rocky bodies. Many asteroids are found in an area between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter.

Question 5

Comets

Answer 5

Loose balls of ice and rock that usually have very long, narrow orbits.

Question 6

Planetesimal

Answer 6

One of the small asteroid- like bodies that formed the building blocks of the planets.