Chapter 8: Our Solar System

planet

A large body in space that orbits a star and does not produce light of its own

Comets are probably left over from the time when planets formed. As a result, each comet is a sample of the early solar system.

How can studying comets help us learn about the solar system's history?

Pluto has been reclassified as a dwarf planet.

How did the classification of Pluto change in 2006?

4 inner planets

How many planets are in the inner solar system?

4 outer planets

How many planets are in the outer solar system?

our solar system

Is the sun and all the planets, moons and space objects that revolve around it. There are also two vast bands of drifting rocks called the Asteroid Belt and the Kuiper Belt.

The Great Dark Spot

Neptune had an area called __________________ similar to the Great Red Spot in Jupiter.

terrestrial planets

The four inner planets that their surfaces are small, rocky, and dense

gas giants

The four outer planets that have a deep massive atmosphere, and composed of gases

Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars

What are the four planets of the inner solar system?

Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune

What are the four planets of the outer solar system?

the carbon dioxide in its atmosphere

What causes the high surface temperature on Venus?

the Martian icecaps

What evidence suggests that there was once liquid water on Mars?

Jupiter

What is the largest planet in our solar system?

carbon dioxide and acids

What makes up the air on Venus?

telescope

What scientific instrument first made it possible to study the stars and planets?

The moon's period of rotation is the same as the period of revolution.

Why do we always see the same side of the moon from Earth?

meteor

a bright streak of light that results when a body burns up in the atmosphere

meteorite

a meteoroid that reaches Earth's surface without burning up

meteoroid

a small, rocky body that travels through space

astronomical unit

the average distance between two planets

period of revolution

the time it takes to revolve around the sun

period of rotation

the time it takes to rotate once

speed of light

Another way to measure distances in space is by using what?

meteor shower

occurs when the Earth passes through a wave of meteoroids and a great number of meteors fall to the Earth