The Univers

Question 1

What is meant by a day, in terms of our solar system?

Answer 1

Time taken for a planet to spin once on its axis.

Question 2

What is meant by a year, in terms of our solar system?

Answer 2

Time taken for a planet to go round the Sun once

Question 3

In the summer, is the northern hemisphere tilted towards the Sun or away from the Sun?

Answer 3

Towards

Question 4

Why is it colder in the winter?

Answer 4

Our side of the planet is tilted AWAY from the Sun

Question 5

What is a solar system?

Answer 5

a star and all its orbiting bodies

Question 6

Name the planets in our Solar System starting with the one nearest the Sun.

Answer 6

Mercury venus earth mars jupiter saturn uranus neptune

Question 7

The Moon does not give out light so why do we often see it at night?

Answer 7

The Sun’s light is being reflected off the moon

Question 8

Which planet in our Solar system should be hottest and why?

Answer 8

Mercury - it is nearest to the Sun

Question 9

what is an Exoplanet

Answer 9

a planet outwith our solar system

Question 10

What is the Sun

Answer 10

our nearest star

Question 11

What is a Star

Answer 11

a ball of burning gas which radiates energy from nuclear fusion

Question 12

what is the universe

Answer 12

all observable space

Question 13

What is a comet

Answer 13

ball of ice and dust orbiting the Sun - has a tail

Question 14

What is a galaxy

Answer 14

a group of stars and solar systems - we are in the Milky Way galaxy

Question 15

what is a planet

Answer 15

a body which revolves around a central star

Question 16

List the following in order of increasing size: galaxy, planet, solar system, universe

Answer 16

Planet , solar system, galaxy, universe

Question 17

What is a light year and why do we need to use them?

Answer 17

Distance travelled by light in one year, it helps us to measure long distances

Question 18

How long does it take light to reach us from the Sun?

Answer 18

8 minutes

Question 19

How is the weight of an object calculated?

Answer 19

Weight = mass x gravity

Question 20

What is the unit of weight? (What is weight measured in?)

Answer 20

Newtons (N)

Question 21

What is meant by the ‘habitable zone’ and what is it sometimes called?

Answer 21

An area that has the right temperature, not too hot and not too cold, for water to exist.

Question 22

What conditions are required for life on a planet?

Answer 22

Food, warmth, liquid water and oxygen

Question 23

Why is it difficult for us to travel to Mars?

Answer 23

Takes many months so we would need to take food, have an oxygen supply and water
on the spaceship, wear space suits, make sure the space ship had protection against
dangerous radiation from the Sun