Solar System Study Guide

The assessment on the solar system will be administered on Thursday, March 3rd.  Students should be able to answer the following questions to do well on the test. 

Solar System Study Guide

1. The four inner planets are rocky and small. Write a description of the outer planets.

2. Which two planets are out of order in this list of our solar system? The planets are listed in order of distance from the sun.
Mercury-Earth-Venus-Mars-Jupiter-Saturn-Uranus-Neptune-Pluto
A. Mercury and Earth
B. Earth and Venus
C. Saturn and Jupiter D. Uranus and Neptune

3. What is a special characteristic of Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune and Uranus?
4. How does a telescope help us understand the moon?

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5. A probe landed on Mars and did soil tests. What information did it discover?

A. There are no living organisms in Martian soil.
B. Mars is slightly oval in shape.
C. Mars is about one-fourth the size of Earth. D. The gravity on Mars is much less than on Earth.

6. Pictures from space are sent to Earth. How are they printed?

7. Why is space travel difficult for people?

8. What holds the planets in their orbits around the sun?

9. Which object has the most gravity?

A. Earth
B. moon
C. Jupiter D. sun
10. Without gravity, what would be the shape of the solar system?

A. Planets would revolve in perfect circles.
B. Much different than it is now.
C. Planet’s orbits would cross. D. All planets would be in the same orbit.

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11. What is the difference between an asteroid and a meteor?

12. How do we know about outer space, beyond our solar system?

13. How are the orbits of Earth around the sun and the orbit of the moon around Earth alike?

Remember there is also the opportunity to earn extra credit by making a simplified version of Galileo's telescope.  Telescopes are due by March 14th to earn extra credit.