Hosted by Mrs. Dempsey

Solar System Sun Inner Planets Outer Planets

Row 1, Col 1 What is the difference between the geocentric vs. heliocentric models of the universe? Who proposed the heliocentric model? Geocentric is Earth-centered/heliocentric is Sun- centered=Copernicus

1,2 Our sun belongs to what Galaxy? Approximately how old is our Sun? Milky Way / 4.6 byo

1,3 Name the terrestrial planets in our solar system. Place them in order from smallest to largest.

1,4 Name three ways the outer planets are different from the inner planets Size, mass, # of moons

2,1 Name the planets in order starting with the one closest to the sun MVEMJSUN

2,2 How does our Sun produce its energy? What two elements are involved? DD Nuclear Fusion/Hydrogen atoms combined to form heavier helium atoms

2,3 Which planet is considered Earth ’ s twin? Name two ways these two planets are alike and two ways they differ Venus

2,4 Each of the gas planets are surrounded by a set of rings. What are these “ rings ” made of? Particles of ice and rock

3,1 How are meteors, meteorites, and meteoroids different? Meteorites=on Earth/Meteoroids in space/meteors=burn up in our atmosphere

3,2 What is the outer most layer of the Sun ’ s atmosphere called? Why is it called this? Corona/it looks like a crown

3,3 Which inner planet has almost no atmosphere? Why? Mercury/ so close to Sun causes gas molecules to move very fast and escape and so small weak gravity

3,4 What is retrograde rotation? Name one planet that rotates this way Backward rotation/Venus

4,1 If an object in space is said to have an elliptical orbit, what does it mean? Name one object in space that has a very elliptical orbit Elongated circle, or narrow oval/Comets

4,2 What causes the auroras in the night sky? What else can this feature of the Sun cause to happen? DD Solar Winds/Solar (magnetic) storms

4,3 Name three reasons Mars would be difficult to colonize? Temperature, thin atmosphere=liquid H2O would turn into gas, Co2 atmosphere,

4,4 What are at least two conditions that a planet must possess in order for it to be considered a planet? Massive enough to have become spherical, orbit the Sun, has too many “ friends ” in its neighborhood that it has not captured….

5,1 Where are most comets found? How are comets different from asteroids? Name the three parts of a comet Kuiper belt and /or Oort cloud Size, orbits, what they are made from Head(coma+nucleus)Tail

5,2 What exactly is a sunspot? Name two features that sunspot regions often create. Describe what they are. Cooler regions on the sun ’ s surface/Prominences, flares

5,3 What causes Mars to have seasons? Why is Mars called the “ red ” planet? Tilted axis and revolution around Sun / iron oxide covers its surface

5,4 Name one feature for each of the gas planets