Gravity and the Solar System

Front

What is mass?

Back

The amount of stuff (matter) an object has.

Front

What is gravity?

Back

A force that pulls objects toward its center.

Front

What is an orbit?

Back

The path an object takes as it moves around another object, such as the Earth around the Sun.

Front

What is the solar system?

Back

Our solar system is made up of the planets and their moons all in orbit around the Sun.

Front

What two factors does gravity depend on?

Back

Mass and distance.

Front

What is the difference between weight and mass?

Back

Weight is the force of gravity on an object, while mass is the amount of matter in the object.

Front

What is the role of the Sun in the solar system?

Back

The Sun is the central star that provides light and heat, and its gravity keeps the planets in orbit.

Front

What are planets?

Back

Celestial bodies that orbit a star, are spherical in shape, and have cleared their orbit of other debris.

Front

What is a moon?

Back

A natural satellite that orbits a planet.

Front

What is the Milky Way?

Back

The galaxy that contains our solar system.