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Solar System
Key terms & Study material for solar system quiz
Term | Definition |
---|---|
The model of the solar system that places the sun and planets revolving around the Earth | Geocentric |
The model of the solar system that places the planets orbiting around the sun | Heliocentric |
Another name for the four inner planets, that all have solid, rocky surfaces | Terrestrial Planets |
An oval pattern | Ellipse |
The trapping of heat by certain gasses in the atmosphere | Greenhouse Effect |
Another name for the four outer planets, which are composed of different gasses | Gas Giants |
A collection of ice, gas, & dust, in a long, elliptical orbit around the sun | Comet |
A doughnut shaped region from Pluto to about 100 times Earth’s distance from the sun | Kuiper Belt |
Rocky objects orbiting the sun, that are too small & numerous to be called planets | Asteroids |
A chunk of rock & dust in space | Meteoroid |
A streak of light caused by a meteoroid burning up in the Earth’s atmosphere | Meteor |
The piece of a meteoroid that hits the Earth’s surface | Meteorite |
The astronomer who developed the Heliocentric model and determined the order of the planets | Copernicus |
Which two discoveries did Galileo make with his telescope, that he used to support the Heliocentric model of the solar system? | Moons around Jupiter and the Phases of Venus |
What two gasses make up most of the sun and the Gas Giants? | Hydrogen & Helium |
The largest planet in the solar system | Jupiter |
Which planet was discovered by a mathematical calculation | Neptune |
The Red Planet | Mars |
The only planet to have liquid water | Earth |
This planet spins backwards | Venus |
What is the Great Red Spot on Jupiter? | A giant storm the size of the Earth |
Which planet is tilted almost on its side? | Uranus |
The most interesting feature that Saturn is know for | It’s rings |
Which planet has the greatest range in temperature? | Mercury |
The hottest planet in the solar system | Venus |
Which two planets are tilted on their axis and have different seasons? | Earth & Mars |
The smallest planet in the solar system | Mercury |
Which planet was “demoted” to the status of a dwarf planet? | Pluto |
Why was the stats of Pluto changed? | Pluto is part of the Kuiper Belt, and there are many nearby objects in its path |
What are the characteristics of a Planet? | Round; Orbits the sun, but not a satellite; has cleared its path of other objects |
Where is the asteroid belt located? | Between Mars & Jupiter |
Name the two major parts of a comet | Head & Tail |