Comets Quiz (5th Grade)

What are the two main parts that make up a comet's tail?

• Gas and dust
• Ice and rocks
• Fire and smoke
• Water and air

Where do most comets come from in our solar system?

• Between Earth and Mars
• The Kuiper Belt and Oort Cloud
• Near Jupiter and Saturn
• Inside Mercury's orbit

What happens to a comet as it gets closer to the Sun?

• It gets smaller and disappears
• It turns into a star
• Its ice melts and creates a tail
• It changes color to bright red

How is a comet different from an asteroid?

• Comets are bigger than asteroids
• Asteroids move faster than comets
• Asteroids are made of metal and rock
• Comets only appear at night

What makes up the nucleus of a comet?

• Pure gold and silver
• Hot gases and flames
• Only frozen water
• Ice, dust, and rocky material

What causes a comet's tail to point away from the Sun?

• Solar wind and radiation
• Earth's gravity
• The comet's speed
• Magnetic forces

How do scientists mainly study comets today?

• By catching them in nets
• Using special telescopes
• With hot air balloons
• Through sound waves

Why are comets important to study?

• They control Earth's weather
• They help predict earthquakes
• They tell us about our solar system's history
• They generate electricity

What happens to the ice in a comet when it nears the Sun?

• It explodes violently
• It turns into steam
• It becomes harder
• It changes directly to gas

How often do most comets we see return to our inner solar system?

• Every month
• Every few decades
• Every day
• Every hundred years