Science 8 Quiz #5 2nd Quarter

What is the origin of most asteroids in the solar system?

• Oort Cloud
• Kuiper Belt
• Asteroid Belt
• Mars' orbit

What makes comet Halley a short-period comet?

• It orbits the Sun every 200 years
• It originates from the Oort Cloud
• It takes 75-76 years to orbit the Sun
• It has an irregular orbit around Mars

Which of the following substances is commonly found in both comets and asteroids?

• Frozen gases
• Silicates
• Ammonia
• Nickel

What phenomenon results in the appearance of a meteor shower?

• Earth passing through debris left by comets
• Asteroids colliding with each other in space
• Meteorites landing on Earth
• Fragments of planets moving through Earth's orbit

Which of the following correctly describes the chemical composition of an asteroid?

• Rocks, metals like iron and nickel
• Dust, rock, metals, ice
• Organic compounds, ammonia, methane
• Hydrogen, nitrogen, and methane gases

Why do astronomers believe the Kuiper Belt is important in understanding the origin of short-period comets?

• The Kuiper Belt is beyond Mars' orbit
• It contains icy objects that become short-period comets
• The Kuiper Belt forms part of the Asteroid Belt
• It is the birthplace of long-period comets

Which theory explains why the Asteroid Belt was unable to form a planet?

• Jupiter's gravitational pull prevented asteroid formation
• Collisions between Mars and Jupiter created asteroids
• The Asteroid Belt was initially empty
• The Sun's gravitational forces broke apart asteroids

What differentiates the orbit of a comet from that of an asteroid?

• Comet orbits are more circular
• Asteroid orbits are more elliptical
• Comet orbits are highly elliptical
• Asteroid orbits extend beyond the Kuiper Belt

What causes the 'coma' around a comet?

• Gravitational forces near the Sun
• The evaporation of ice and gases as the comet nears the Sun
• The collision of asteroids with the comet
• The buildup of silicates around the nucleus

What distinguishes a meteor from a meteoroid?

• A meteor is still in space, while a meteoroid has landed on Earth
• A meteor is inside Earth's atmosphere, while a meteoroid is in space
• A meteoroid creates a streak of light, while a meteor crashes into the Earth
• A meteoroid is larger than a meteor