WA Solar System

How many moons does Mars have?

2

What are the primary characteristics of the outer planets?

Gas giants

What is the force that causes the planets in our solar system to orbit the sun?

Gravity

Do all meteors become meteorites? Why or why not?

No, all meteors do not become meteorites. Only larger meteors have a chance of surviving the plunge through the Earth's atmosphere.

What does rotation mean?

To spin on its axis

Which planet rotates on its side?

URANUS rotates on its side.

What planet has surface conditions that are most similar to the Earth's?

Mars

Which inner planet has polar caps and volcanoes?

Mars

Which planet is known as the "red planet"?

Mars

Which 2 inner planets have craters?

Mercury and Mars

Which 2 inner planets have no natural satellites (moons) ?

Mercury and Venus

Where would most asteroids be found?

Most asteroids would be found in the ASTEROID BELT.

Describe the characteristics of Neptune

*Blue color due to methane gas *"Great Dark Spot"- a giant storm system *Has rings

Describe the characteristics of comets

*Composed mostly of ice, dust and rock (a dirty snowball) *Travel around the sun in long, elliptical orbits *Consists of a: - nucleus (made of ice and dust) - coma (fuzzy glowing ball) - tail (made of gas and dust; always points away from the sun) *Located in: - Kuiper Belt - Oort Cloud (beyond the orbit of Neptune)

Describe the characteristics of Venus

*Dense atmosphere made of carbon dioxide which traps heat (thick blanket of clouds) *Brightest planet as seen from Earth *Most similar to Earth in size *Mass and density *No natural satellites

The planets in order from the largest to the smallest.

*Jason Sat Under Ninety Eight Vicious Munching Monsters *Jupiter Saturn Uranus Neptune Earth Venus Mars Mecury

Describe the characteristics of an asteroid

*Large space rocks *Most located in the asteroid belt (between Mars and Jupiter)

Describe the characteristics of Jupiter

*Largest and most massive planet in our solar system *Has the Galilean moons; 4 large moons discovered by Galileo *Has the most moons of any planet *Has rings *"Great Red Spot"- a storm *Atmosphere composed mainly of hydrogen and helium

Name the inner planets from smallest to largest

*Mercury *Mars *Venus *Earth

Name the inner planets in order from the sun

*Mercury *Venus *Earth *Mars

Describe the characteristics of meteorites

*Meteors or rocks that hit Earth's surface; only large ones survive the plunge through the atmosphere *Composed (made up) of iron and rock *Cause impact craters that are larger than the meteorites

Describe the characteristics of Saturn

*Most famous for rings composed of pieces of ice and rock that can be seen from Earth *Most like Jupiter in size, composition and color

Name the planets in order from the sun.

*My Very Excellent Mother Just Served Us Nine Pickles. *Mercury Venus Earth Mars Jupiter Saturn Uranus Neptune Pluto (a dwarf planet)

Name the 3 parts of a comet.

*Nucleus *Coma *Tail

Describe the characteristics of meteors

*Occurs when a meteoroid is pulled by gravity into Earth's atmosphere; called a meteor *Friction generates a streak of light or "shooting star" *A meteor shower occurs when Earth passes through the orbit of an old, broken up comet

Describe the characteristics of Earth

*Only known planet to have liquid water on its surface and to have life *Largest of the inner planets

Describe the characteristics of meteoroids

*Piece of rocky debris *Much smaller than an asteroid *Drifts through space (begin as pieces of a comet)

Describe the characteristics of Mars

*Polar caps *Volcanoes *Craters *Has seasons *Red, dusty surface *"Red planet" *Surface conditions most similar to Earth's *2 moons

Describe the characteristics of Uranus

*Rotates on its side *Blue color due to methane gas *Most like Neptune in size and color *Has rings

Describe the primary characteristics of the inner planets

*Small *Rocky *Terrestrial planets *Travel in ellipses around the sun

Describe the characteristics of Mercury

*Thin atmosphere *Covered with craters like Earth's moon *No natural satellites

Who discovered the moons of Jupiter and what are the moons called?

Galileo discovered Jupiter's moons. Jupiter's moons are called Galilean moons.

What is a comet mostly composed of?

A comet is composed mostly of ICE, DUST and ROCK.

Which direction does a comet's tail point?

A comet's tail always points away from the sun.

What is a comet's tail composed of?

A comet's tail is made up of gas and dust.

When does a meteor shower occur?

A meteor shower occurs when Earth passes through the orbit of an old, broken up comet.

What is a meteorite composed of?

A meteorite is composed of IRON and ROCK.

What do you call a piece of rocky debris, that is smaller that an asteroid and that has been pulled into Earth's atmosphere?

A piece of rocky debris that is smaller than an asteroid is called a meteoroid. When a meteoroid has been pulled into Earth's atmosphere it is called a METEOR.

What is a natural satellite?

An object that orbits around planets; usually a moon

How does the distance away from the sun affect a planet's orbit?

As distance from the sun increases, the distance a planet must travel to complete one orbit increases

Why does earth's moon have more craters than earth?

Because it has no atmosphere

Why are old craters on Earth difficult to find?

Because they have been filled in by erosion

Where is an Oort Cloud?

Beyond the orbit of Neptune.

What is Pluto now classified as?

Dwarf planet

What is the largest of the inner planets?

Earth

What is the only known planet to have liquid water on its surface and life?

Earth

Which 2 inner planets have seasons?

Earth and Mars

True of False. A meteor is the name for a meteoroid that has hit the earth's surface.

FALSE. A METEORITE is the name for a meteor that has hit the Earth's surface.

True or False. A meteorite's crater is smaller that the meteorite itself.

FALSE. A meteorite's crater is LARGER than the meteorite itself.

True or False. A meteoroid is larger than an asteroid.

FALSE. A meteoroid is SMALLER than an asteroid.

True or False. Comets and meteoroids travel through space in the same way.

FALSE. Comets travel around the sun in long, elliptical orbits while meteoroids drift through space.

True or False. If a planet is far away from the sun, the distance the planet must travel to complete its orbit decreases.

FALSE. If a planet is far away from the sun, the distance the planet must travel to complete its orbit INCREASES.

True or False. Pluto is not considered a dwarf planet.

FALSE. Pluto IS considered a dwarf planet.

What generates the streak of light that we call a "shooting star"?

FRICTION generates the streak of light that we call a "shooting star"?

True or False Mercury has a dense atmosphere made of carbon dioxide?

False; Mercury has a thin atmosphere. Venus has a dense atmosphere made of carbon dioxide which traps heat inside.

Which planet has the most moons of any other planet?

JUPITER has the most moons of any other planet.

Which planet has an atmosphere that is composed (made up of) mainly of hydrogen and helium?

JUPITER's atmosphere is made up of mainly hydrogen and helium.

Which planet is the largest and most massive planet in our solar system?

Jupiter

How many moons does Jupiter have?

Jupiter has FOUR (4) LARGE MOONS.

Name the outer planets

Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune

What characteristics of a planet depend on the distance from the sun and the length of its orbit?

Length of its year

Which planet is most famous for its rings?

SATURN is most famous for its' rings.

Which planet is most like Jupiter in size, composition and color?

SATURN is most like Jupiter in size, composition and color.

Name the planets that have rings.

SATURN, URANUS and NEPTUNE have rings.

What are Saturn's rings composed of?

Saturn's rings are made up of PIECES OF ICE AND ROCK.

True or False. If a planet is far away from the sun the length of its' year will be greater than a planet that is closer to the sun.

TRUE. A planet that is far away from the sun will have a longer year than a planet that is close to the sun.

True or False Saturn's rings are visible from Earth.

TRUE. Saturn's rings are visible from Earth.

Where is the asteroid belt located?

The asteroid belt is located BETWEEN MARS AND JUPITER.

What part of a comet is referred to as a "dirty snowball"?

The nucleus of a comet is referred to as a "dirty snowball"?

Which 2 planets are blue in color due to the presence of methane gas?

Uranus and Neptune

Which planet is similar to the Earth in size?

Venus

Which planet is the brightest planet as seen from earth?

Venus

Where would we likely find a comet?

We would most likely find a comet in the Kuiper Belt or Oort Cloud.