Gravity and Scale Properties Universe Practice

The Moon is a natural satellite of Earth and revolves around it in a fixed orbit. Which phenomenon is responsible for the Moon revolving around Earth?

• magnetic field of Earth

• magnetic field of the Sun

• gravitational pull of Earth

• gravitational pull of the Sun

A student wants to position the Sun in a diagram of the Milky Way. What would be the correct way to accomplish this goal?

• Draw a spiral galaxy, and position the Sun at the center of the galaxy.

• Draw an elliptical galaxy, and position the Sun at the center of the galaxy.

• Draw a spiral galaxy, and position the Sun on the spiral arm two-thirds of the way from the center of the galaxy.

• Draw an elliptical galaxy, and position the Sun on the spherical disk two-thirds of the way from the center of the galaxy.

A student collected data on the masses of different planets in the solar system. The data is graphed as shown. What can be concluded from the data?

• A. An object orbiting Saturn will move slower than an object orbiting Neptune.

• B. An object orbiting Mars would move with the least velocity.

• C. An object orbiting Venus will move faster than an object orbiting Earth.

• D. An object orbiting Jupiter would move with the greatest velocity.

Millions of large, irregularly shaped rocks revolve around the Sun. These rocks are present between two planets in the solar system. What are these described components of the universe?

• asteroids

• comets

• meteorites

• meteors

A student observes a graph that shows the orbital velocity of each planet as it orbits the Sun. The student concludes that the closer the planet is to the Sun, the faster it revolves around the Sun. Which reason best supports the student’s conclusion?

• The planets closer to the Sun are more dense than the planets farther from the Sun.

• The planets closer to the Sun are smaller than the planets farther from the Sun.

• The planets closer to the Sun have higher temperatures than the planets farther from the Sun.

• The planets closer to the Sun experience greater gravitational attractions to the Sun than the planets farther from the Sun.

A student reads that the force of gravity between two objects depends on the size of each object and the distance between them. What can the student infer about the movement of planets in the solar system based on the reading?

• The size of planets does not influence their orbits.
• Planets move in straight lines away from the sun.
• Gravity has no effect on the movement of planets.
• Planets move in orbits due to the gravitational forces between them and the sun, influenced by their sizes and distances.

Which factor is most responsible for keeping the planets in their own fixed orbits?

• sizes of the planets

• compositions of the atmospheres on the planets

• surface terrains of the planets

• forces of gravity from the Sun on the planets

The photograph represents the shape of the Milky Way Galaxy. Which shape best describes the Milky Way Galaxy?

• circular

• elliptical

• irregular

• spiral

Which planet would have the shortest revolution around the Sun?

• Jupiter

• Mars

• Neptune

• Saturn

As the distance between the Earth and a satellite increases, what will happen to the gravitational attraction between them?

• It will increase.

• It will decrease.

• It will remain the same.

• It will initially increase then decrease.