earth and solar systems: mo
Compared to the Sun, all other stars look like points of light in the night sky because the stars
are much farther away than the Sun.
A(n) __________ is a smaller object in the solar system that orbits around the sun and is made up of rock or metal.
asteroid
The sun is primarily composed of which elements?
hydrogen and helium
What gases is the Sun mostly made of?
hydrogen and helium
What are comets made of?
ice
The moon goes through phases as it revolves around Earth. During which phase of the moon would it be possible for a solar eclipse to occur?
new moon
Galileo made an important contribution to science by
providing evidence for a heliocentric universe.
Inside the sun, when hydrogen atoms fuse together, they do all of the following EXCEPT
reflects heat/light form helium release energy
What are asteroids made of?
rock
What are the inner planets made of?
rocks
Randy studies some objects in the solar system. The Sun is what type of object?
star
What is the sun?
star
Which two words best describe the Sun?
star and gases
What is at the center of our current model of the solar system?
sun
our sun is a sphere of plasma held together by
sun
solar system
sun, planets, and all the other objects that revolve around the sun
how are the planets the same in the solar system?
the all orbit the sun
What object is located at the center of the Solar System?
the sun
Name one of the outer planets
Any of these: Saturn, Uranus, Jupiter, Neptune
How does a comet look different than an asteroid?
Comets have a tail, asteroids do not
What shape are all orbits?
Ellipses
What is the name of the process that happens in the Sun to create all of its light and heat?
Fusion
What is the name of the model of the solar system where the Earth is at the center and the Sun and other planets move around the Earth in circles?
Geocentric
What is the name of the model of the solar system where the Sun is at the center and the planets move around the Sun?
Heliocentric
What is the smallest planet in the solar system?
Mercury
Which planet will have the fastest orbit and why?
Neptune, because it is the farthest from the Sun
What are the outer planets made of?
gas
What force keeps objects in an orbit?
gravity
comet
A ball of frozen dust and rock that orbits the sun and has a tail that glows
star
A massive sphere of plasma held together by gravity.
What is the name of a piece of rock that flies into Earth's atmosphere and burns up
A meteor (also called a shooting star)
Heliocentric
A model of the solar system in which Earth and the other planets revolve around the sun
meteor
A streak of light in the sky produced by the burning of a meteoroid in Earth's atmosphere.
Why did ancient people think the Earth was at the center of the Universe?
Because they saw the other objects moving around the Earth in the sky
Name one of the inner planets
Any of these: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars
Where did ancient people believe the Earth was located in the Universe?
In the center of the universe
Kevin is observing the sky on a clear night. With the unaided eye he is able to see Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. Why would Venus appear to be brighter than the other planets?
It reflects the most sunlight toward Earth.
What is the biggest planet in the solar system?
Jupiter
largest planet in the solar system
Jupiter
Name the planets in order of closest to the Sun to farthest from the Sun
Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune
For a very long time, people believed in a geocentric model of the solar system. This means that they believed
The Earth was at the center of the solar system
In the 1500s, Nicolaus Copernicus proposed a new theory on the heliocentric structure of the solar system. Which of these statements best describes this new theory?
The Sun is at the center of the solar system.
Is the Sun a solid, liquid, or gas?
The Sun is made of gas
Why is the Sun so much brighter than other stars?
The Sun is much closer to the Earth than other stars
Which of the following is a TRUE statement about the solar system?
The orbit planets follow around the Sun is called an ellipse.
What is an orbit?
The path an object takes in space when it goes around another object
Solid planets are closer to the sun. T or F
True
The sun is the center of the solar system T or F
True
Shoemaker-Levy-9 was an object in the Solar System that crashed into the planet Jupiter in July 1994. It was a huge chunk of ice and dust that orbited the sun in a long, flat orbit before Jupiter's gravity attracted it; pulling it apart as it crashed into the surface. Shoemaker-Levy-9 was MOST likely classified as ___________.
a comet
What are the major properties of the Sun?
center of the solar system source of energy for all o life on the earth
Shoemaker-Levy-9 was an object in the Solar System that crashed into the planet Jupiter in July 1994. It was a huge chunk of ice and dust that orbited the sun in a long, flat orbit before Jupiter's gravity attracted it; pulling it apart as it crashed into the surface. Shoemaker-Levy-9 was MOST likely classified as ___________.
comet
Difference between comets and asteroids as they travel through space
comets are icy, asteroids, and rocky
Which of these occurs due to the rotation of Earth?
day and night