Unit 1 The Solar System and Universe Vocabulary PART 2

Front

What is a terrestrial planet?

Back

A planet with a solid rocky surface.

Front

What is gravity?

Back

A force that attracts objects towards each other.

Front

What is a comet?

Back

A celestial object with a nucleus of ice and dust, having a tail when near the sun.

Front

What is the Oort Cloud?

Back

A region of space containing icy bodies and comets surrounding the solar system.

Front

What does revolution mean in astronomy?

Back

The movement of one object around another, such as a planet orbiting a star.

Front

What is a gas giant?

Back

A large planet that is made mostly of gases, such as Jupiter and Saturn.

Front

What is the difference between a planet and a star?

Back

A planet orbits a star and does not produce its own light, while a star generates light and heat through nuclear fusion.

Front

What is an asteroid?

Back

A small rocky body that orbits the sun, primarily found in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.

Front

What is a satellite?

Back

An object that orbits a planet, such as the Moon orbiting Earth.

Front

What is the Milky Way?

Back

The galaxy that contains our solar system, composed of billions of stars.