Intro to the Solar System

What is Kepler's Second Law?

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-2

NGSS.MS-PS2-4

Define aphelion

The smaller objects in the solar system composed mainly of ices (frozen gases) that usually orbit far from the Sun are called:

• snowroids

• comets

• asteroids

• jovians

Which planet in the solar system has not been examined by spacecraft instruments that have either flown by or orbited them?

• Earth

• Neptune

• Venus

• you can't fool me, spacecraft have visited all the planets in our solar system

• Saturn

In the far future, a visiting tourist from another planetary system asks to see the most massive object in our solar system.  Where would you take him/her/it?

• the Sun

• Jupiter

• the asteroid belt

• Comet Halley

• Neptune

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-3

All the planets (without exception)

• have solid surfaces

• have atmospheres much thicker than Earth’s

• have satellites orbiting around them

• revolve around the Sun in the same direction

• rotate on their axes in the same direction that they revolve around the Sun

The first trans-Neptunian object astronomers found (in 1930) is called

• Uranus

• Pluto

• Eris

• Ceres

Which of the following ways that jovian (giant) planets differ from the terrestrial planets is NOT CORRECT?

• jovians have more mass than the terrestrials

• jovians are further from the Sun than terrestrials

• jovians are made of lighter elements on average than terrestrialsjovians are made of lighter elements on average than terrestrials

• jovians have rings while terrestrials do not

•  jovians (being larger) rotate significantly more slowly than terrestrials

Which of the following characteristics do all four terrestrial planets have in common?

• the all have one or more moons

• all have liquid water on their surfaces

• they all rotate in 24 hours or less

• they all have solid surfaces with signs of geological activity on them

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

Generally, planets and moons in our solar system are named after

• great writers and poets from the past

• gods and goddesses from mythology

• the political leaders of ancient Greece and Rome

• leading scientists from long ago

• whatever astronomers want