The solar system

Question 1

Sequence the planets of the solar system in order of distance from the Sun, starting with the closest planet

Answer 1

Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune

Question 2

Recall the non-planetary objects of our solar system

Answer 2

The Sun, moons, asteroids, dwarf planets, comets

Question 3

Recall the definition of ‘orbit’.

Answer 3

An orbit is the path of an object through space.

Question 4

What is the correct name for the plane to which the planetary orbits are closely aligned

Answer 4

ecliptic plane

Question 5

T or F:
The shape of the planetary orbits is perfectly circular.

Answer 5

FALSE

Question 6

T or F:
Uranus is the planet farthest from the Sun.

Answer 6

FALSE

Question 7

T or F:
The four terrestrial planets are Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars.

Answer 7

TRUE

Question 8

T or F:
Jupiter and Saturn are called the ‘gas giants’.

Answer 8

TRUE

Question 9

T or F:
Mars and Earth are approximately the same size.

Answer 9

FALSE

Question 10

T or F:
Jupiter and the Sun are mostly made of the same chemical elements

Answer 10

TRUE

Question 11

T or F:
The Kuiper belt lies between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter.

Answer 11

FALSE

Question 12

Contrast the number of moons for the terrestrial planets and giant planets

Answer 12

The terrestrial planets have many fewer moons than the gas giants

Question 13

Infer the reason for Venus and Uranus having negative values of ‘Time for 1 spin.’

Answer 13

The negative sign indicates that these planets appear to revolve ‘backwards’, that is, in the opposite direction to all of the other planets

Question 14

Identify the trend between a planet’s distance from the Sun and time for one orbit.

Answer 14

As a planet’s distance from the Sun increases, the time for one orbit increases