The Solar System Answers – Flashcards
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From Earth, _____ is a planet visible to the naked eye.
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Mercury
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All planets in the solar system revolve around
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the sun
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Including Earth, there are _____ planets in the solar system
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eight
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The moon orbits
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Earth
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Tides on Earth are caused primarily by
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the moon's gravitational force
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Tides are observed around Earth's
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coastal areas
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Venus is known for its
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thick atmosphere
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_____ is the only planet in the solar system known to sustain life
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earth
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Olympus Mons, a volcano on _____, is the largest volcano in the solar system.
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Mars
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The Great Red Spot, a hurricane-like storm with twice the diameter of Earth, is found on
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Jupiter.
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The inner planets are called terrestrial because they
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are small and highly dense.
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The asteroid belt exists between Mars and
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Jupiter.
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All five outer planets are
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far away from the sun
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Earth's atmosphere protects it from
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high-energy solar particles. ultraviolet radiation. space debris.
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Gas giants are known for their
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ring structures.
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Aristotle first proposed that _____ was at the center of the solar system.
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earth
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Ptolemy proposed that the sun, moon, and planets orbited Earth in
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circles.
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In 1687, _____ explained that gravitational forces hold the solar system together.
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Newton
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Kepler correctly proposed that the planets orbited the sun in _____ orbits.
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elliptical
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The nebular model explains
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why the inner and outer planets differ. why the planets are all widely separated. the presence of comets and asteroids.
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Comets are probably made from leftover matter from the formation of
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the solar system.
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Most comets come from
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the Oort cloud.
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____________________ is the closet star to Earth.
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The sun
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Earth is one of many ____________________ in the solar system.
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planets
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All of the planets in the solar system orbit around ____________________.
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the sun
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The solar system is held together by ____________________.
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gravity
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When Earth is between the sun and the moon, the moon is in its ____________________ phase.
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full moon
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The moon's gravitational field is the primary cause of ____________________.
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Earth's tides
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The moon orbits ____________________ at a distance of 385, 000 km
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Earth
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Saturn is known for having the most extensive ____________________ in the solar system.
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ring system
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____________________ is the only planet tilted on its side.
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Uranus
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Pluto, unlike the other outer planets, is not a ____________________.
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gas giant
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The planets closest to the sun are called ____________________.
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the inner or terrestrial planets
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Earth's atmosphere helps keep out ____________________.
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harmful radiation / space debris
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A gas giant has a ____________________ atmosphere.
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thick; gaseous
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A gas giant often has ____________________ satellites than a terrestrial planet.
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more
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A ____________________ model of the solar system has Earth at the center.
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geo centric
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What is the solar system composed of?
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The solar system is composed of the sun, the planets, their satellites, and many other smaller objects.
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How is the solar system held together?
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The solar system is held together by gravitational forces, balanced by the forward motion of all its components.
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Why does the moon have phases?
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As the moon orbits Earth, varying portions of the moon's illuminated surface are visible from Earth.
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List the planets of the solar system, from closest to farthest from the sun.
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Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto.
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List the planets of the solar system, from smallest to largest.
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Pluto, Mercury, Mars, Venus, Earth, Uranus, Neptune, Saturn, Jupiter
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Where is the asteroid belt located?
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The asteroid belt is located between Mars and Jupiter, and is regarded as the boundary between the inner and outer planets.
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What are the characteristics of gas giants?
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Gas giants have deep, massive atmospheres, low densities, many satellites, and rings.
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How is the age of the solar system estimated?
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The age of the solar system is estimated by the dating of rocks.
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Compare and contrast the inner and outer planets.
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The inner planets are small, dense, and rocky, with few if any satellites, and are closest to the sun. The outer planets are mostly large, with thick gaseous atmospheres, no real surface, extensive ring structures, and many satellites. They are also farthest from the sun.
