Basics of Orbits Quiz

Most orbit shapes are an ________.

• circle

• ellipse

• square

• triangle

How fast one object orbits another depends on the ________ of the objects and the ________ between the objects.

• mass, distance

• speed, gravity

• size, shape

• color, texture

Match the following statements with the correct gravitational effect.

• Gravity causes objects to move away from each other.

• A) pushes

• Gravity halts the motion of objects.

• D) stops

• Gravity attracts objects towards each other.

• C) rotates

• Gravity causes objects to spin around an axis.

• B) pulls

An object can stay in orbit around another object when there is a balance between the ________ pulling the smaller object orbiting toward the larger object and the ________ the smaller object is trying to move away from the larger object.

• A) gravity, speed

• B) distance, mass

• C) speed, gravity

• D) mass, distance

If the smaller object travels too ________, it will move away from the larger object.

• fast

• slow

• close

• far

If the smaller object travels too ________, it will move toward the larger object and crash to the surface.

• fast

• slow

• close

• far

Planets in our solar system (a)   to the sun must travel or orbit faster than planets (b)   from the sun.

• A) closer, farther
• B) farther, closer
• C) larger, smaller
• D) smaller, larger

Planets in our solar system farther from the sun take ________ to make one orbit of the sun.

• longer

• shorter

• faster

• slower

Most orbit paths are in the shape of an (a)  

• A) Circle
• B) Ellipse
• C) Square
• D) Rectangle

Which factor does NOT affect how fast one object orbits another?

• A) Mass

• B) Distance

• C) Color

• D) Gravity