Quiz on Differences Between Planet and Satellite

What defines a planet in modern astronomical terms?

• A body orbiting a star that is large enough to be rounded by its gravity but not massive enough to cause thermonuclear reactions

• A body that emits light and heat from nuclear fusion

• A celestial body smaller than a star but larger than an asteroid

• A body that orbits a planet

What are the two types of satellites?

• Natural and artificial

• Orbital and stationary

• Commercial and military

• Inner and outer

Which term describes the gravitational balance that gives planets their shape?

• Atmospheric pressure

• Orbital resonance

• Gravitational pull

• Hydrostatic equilibrium

What is the origin of the word 'planet'?

• From the Latin word 'planta', meaning 'seed'

• From the Greek word 'planetes', meaning 'wanderer'

• From the Latin word 'planum', meaning 'flat'

• From the Greek word 'planitia', meaning 'plain'

What characteristic feature do natural satellites in the Solar System share?

• They are capable of supporting life

• They are tidally locked to their respective planet

• They all have atmospheres

• They orbit the sun directly

What is the primary difference in the mass relationship between planets and satellites?

• The mass of satellites is always smaller than that of the planets they orbit

• Planets and satellites have equal mass

• Satellites are generally more massive than planets

• The mass of satellites is irrelevant to their orbit

What causes the axial tilt of planets?

• The angle to the plane of its star’s equator

• Magnetic field interactions

• The impact of meteorites

• The rotation around the sun

What is the origin of the word 'satellite'?

• From the Greek word 'satalia', meaning 'group'

• From the Latin word 'satis', meaning 'enough'

• From the Latin word 'satelles', meaning 'to follow' or 'to attend to'

• From the Greek word 'satelliti', meaning 'companion'

Which of the following is an example of a natural satellite?

• The International Space Station

• The Hubble Space Telescope

• GPS satellites

• The Moon orbiting Earth

How many planets are there in our solar system?

• Nine planets

• Seven planets

• Eight planets

• Ten planets