Universe and Solar System Test Study Guide KEY
In this unit you will explore current scientific views of the universe and how those views evolved.
#1 Relate the Nature of Science to the progression of basic historical scientific models (geocentric, heliocentric) as they describe our solar system, and the Big Bang as it describes the formation of the universe.
#2 Describe the position of the solar system in the Milky Way galaxy and the universe.
#3 Compare and contrast the planets in terms of
Size relative to the earth
Surface and atmospheric features
Relative distance from the sun
Ability to support life
#4 Explain that gravity is the force that governs the motion in the solar system.
#5 Describe the characteristics of comets, asteroids, and meteors.
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As some point during this unit you will be asked to answer the following questions:
#1 How does the current model of the solar system differ from past models?
#2 How does the Earth differ from the other planets?
#3 Why does a star look different if you move from place to place?
#4 How could you tell a planet from a star if you look at the same constellations over several nights?
#5 How are asteroids and comets different?
#6 Why don't you float off in space when you are on the Earth?
#7 Why do planets never leave the solar system or fall into the Sun?
#8 Can we see our own galaxy in the night sky? Explain
1. Cosmology is the study of the formation of the universe.
2. What makes up the solar system? (3 things) the sun, planets and moons, asteroids and comets.
3. What items in the solar system orbit the Sun? planets, comets, and asteroids.
4. Definition of AU: Astronomical Unit is distance between Earth and Sun (93 million miles / 150 million kilometers).
5. What shape are most of the orbits of planets in the solar system? elliptical
6. The spinning of an object on its axis is rotation and the movement of an object around another object is revolution.
7. One planetary year is one planetary revolution around the sun and one planetary day is one planet’s complete rotation on its axis.
8. The speed of light is 186,000 milesper second. It is a very accurate way to measure distance because the speed of light does not change in space.
9. Gravity is the force that keeps planets in orbit around the sun and governs the rest of the motion in the solar system.
10. The motion of an object is always judged with respect to some other object or point, so the idea of absolute motion or rest is misleading.
11. Inertia and gravity combine to keep the planets in orbit. The mass of an object and the distance between objects determine the force of gravity.
Theories
12. Scientific theories change when scientists discover new information.
13. Observational evidence caused the model of the solar system to be changed from one in which the sun and planets orbit the Earth to one in which the Earth and planets orbit the sun.
14. Prior to the 1500's it was believed that the earth was the center of the planets. This was known as the geocentric model.
15. Copernicus first suggested the heliocentric system, where the sun is at the center of the planets.
16. With the use of telescopes, Galileo confirmed the heliocentric system.
17. Heliocentric Theory is sun centered and Geocentric Theory is Earth centered.
18. Who was Galileo? Invented the first telescope and proved the geocentric model of the solar system was not possible.
19. The “Big Bang” is a theory of how the universe began.
20. List four things that support the big bang theory are
background radiation in the universe,
expanding universe,
wavelengths of light from stars consistent with age of universe,
energy can turn into matter.
21. The Big Bang Theory states that the universe formed about 10-15 billion years ago through a huge explosion.
22. The universe continues to expand rapidly.
Solar System
23. The planets of our solar system differ in size, composition (rock or gas), surface and atmospheric features, and distance from the sun.
24. Planets move around the sun in nearly elliptical (circular type) orbits.
25. The sun is a medium-sizedstar located near the edge of the Milky Way Galaxy.
26. The planets are divided into two groups. The inner planets are smaller, closer to the sun, and have rocky surfaces, while the outer planets are larger, farther from the sun and do not have solid surfaces.
27. Our solar system is a single star system, located in the Milky Way Galaxy.
28. The Big Bang Theory states the solar system is about 4.6 billion years old.
Inner Solar System
29. List the Inner Planets in order by their distance from the sun. Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars.
30. Name the terrestrial planets. Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars
31. Why do terrestrial planets have atmospheres? gravity
32. What planet is closest to Earth in size and mass? Venus
33. The coldest terrestrial planet is Mars and the warmest terrestrial planet is Venus.
34. The smallest planet is Mercury.
35. Venusis the terrestrial planet with the densest atmosphere.
36. Mercurydoes not have any atmosphere.
37. Venus’ atmosphere is very dense and causes the planet to be much hotter than all of the other planets.
38. The Earth is the only body in the solar system that appears to be able to support life.
Outer Solar System
39. List the Outer Planets in order by their distance from the sun. Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune
40. List the planets that have rings? Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune
41. List the gas giants in our solar system? Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune
42. What is in the rings that surround many of the planets? Frozen ice, dust, small rocks, and gas.
43. This planet’s axis is tilted so severely it looks like it must have once been hit by another planet sized object? Uranus
44. The largest planet is Jupiter
Comets, Asteroids, Meteoroids
45. Comets and asteroids are objects smaller than planets that orbit the sun and vary in size, composition, and characteristics.
46. What is a comet? A frozen ball of gases and liquids with small amounts of rock.
47. Comets are chunks of ice and dust that revolve around the sun with very elliptical orbits.
48. A comet is often called a dirty snowball.
49. The tails of comets always point away from the sun because the sun’s radiation slowly burns away some of the comet as it orbits the sun.
50. Asteroids are smaller than planets and can be found orbiting the Sun.
51. Many asteroids are found in the Asteroid Belt that is between Jupiter and Mars.
52. The three locations in our solar system where asteroids are found are Asteroid Belt, Kuiper Belt, and Oort Cloud.
53. Scientists suggest that the last massive asteroid that hit Earth landed approximately 65 million years ago.
54. Based on past asteroid activity, when is the next massive asteroid due to hit Earth? The next major asteroid should have hit Earth approximately 15 million years ago. We are overdue.
55. Meteoroids are a chuck of rock or dust found in space, and usually come from a comet or asteroid.
56. A meteor is small rock flying through Earth’s atmosphere, a meteoroid is a small rock flying through space, and a meteorite is a small rock that landed on Earth from outer space.
57. Why does a meteor glow? The small rock burns as it flies through the atmosphere.
Galaxy and beyond
58. The three types of galaxies are spiral, elliptical, and irregular.
59. What type of galaxy is the Milky Way? Spiral
60. Our Solar System is located in Orion’s Arm of the Milky Way Galaxy.
61. An exploding star is known as a supernova.
62. A large cloud of dust and gas in space is called a nebula.
63. A large star that implodes because of gravity is a black hole.
64. Constellations change because the Earth orbits around the sun.
65. All the constellations are located within the Milky Way Galaxy.
66. Place in correct size order (planet, galaxy, star, nebula, universe, asteroid, meteor, black hole, globular cluster, and solar system) meteor, asteroid, planet, star, solar system, constellation, galaxy, and universe.
67. The Milky Way Galaxy contains star systems with single stars, double stars.
68. The Milky Way Galaxy contains dust and gas.
Vocabulary
1. supernova - an exploding star
2. nebula - a large cloud of dust and gas in space
3. black hole - a large star that implodes because of gravity - No light can escape this
4. light year – the distance light travels in one year
5. geocentric – Earth centered
6. inner planets – Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars (terrestrial planets)
7. outer planets – Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune(gas giants)
8. comet - a frozen ball of gases and liquids with small amounts of rock in space
9. asteroid – large boulder-type objects in space, these are smaller than planets and can be found orbiting the Sun
10. Copernicus first suggested the heliocentric system, where the sun is at the center of the planets
11. Galileo confirmed the heliocentric system and was first to use a telescope
12. heliocentric sun centered
13. Big Bang Theory is a theory of how the universe began
14. relative distance – the approximate measurement of the physical space between two places.
15. gravity – the natural force that tends to cause physical things to move toward each other - the force that caused things to fall toward Earth
16. rotation - the spinning of an object on its axis
17. revolution - the movement of an object around another object
18. AU - Astronomical Unit is the average distance between Earth and Sun
19. cosmology - is the study of the formation of the universe
20. orbit - the curved path of a celestial object or spacecraft around a star, planet, or moon