science quiz practice

According to current theory used to explain the origin of our solar system, the planets in our solar system:

• contain about one-tenth the mass of the Sun

• formed by fusion of hydrogen in their cores

• formed from the same nebular cloud as the Sun

• were captured into orbit by the Sun's gravity

The 4 inner planets are more spread apart than the 4 outer planets.

• True

• False

The orbit of the planets about the Sun are shaped most like a(n):

• perfect circle

• ellipse (a circle that has been squashed or flattened a bit)

• pear

• figure eight

Which factor(s) allow(s) a solar system object to orbit the Sun?

• Inertia and Gravity

• Neither Inertia nor Gravity

• Gravity

• Inertia

Which of the following is in the correct order from closest to farthest from the Sun?

• Saturn, Earth, Jupiter

• Venus, Earth, Neptune

• Mercury, Uranus, Saturn

• Saturn, Jupiter, Mars

Which of the following is in the correct order from smallest to largest?

• Saturn, Earth, Jupiter

• Mercury, Saturn, Uranus

• Saturn, Jupiter, Mars

• Venus, Neptune, Sun

Which of the following statements is true?

• The Sun is twice as big as Jupiter.

• Only the terrestrial planets can fit across the face of the Sun

• Saturn is the largest planet in the Solar System.

• All of the planets can easily fit across the face of the Sun.

Why does Earth orbit the Sun and not Jupiter?

• The Sun is much more massive than Jupiter

• Earth was captured by the Suns gravitational force before Jupiter formed

• The Sun has a much greater magnetic force pulling on Earth

• Earth is bigger than Jupiter

You are asked to make a scale model of two objects that are 50,000,000 km apart. If you used a scale of l m = 10,000,000 km, how far apart will the two objects be on the model?

• 5 m

• 5 km

• 50,000 km

• 50,000 m

Which sequence in the diagrams below correctly represents the relative size of the eight planets and Pluto of our solar system?

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