Our Solar System
Practice Test
1.
The __________ of a planet is its apparent backwards movement as seen from Earth's sky.
SC.E.1.4.1
a.
retrograde motion
b.
epicycle
c.
perihelion
d.
eccentricity
2.
What is the distance between the Sun and Earth called?
SC.E.1.4.1
a.
1 light year
b.
1 year
c.
1 astronomical unit
d.
1 mile
3.
When a planet is closest to the Sun it is at __________.
SC.E.1.4.1
a.
aphelion
b.
perihelion
c.
an epicycle
d.
1 AU
4.
Mercury's extremely slow spin causes only __________ days to pass in __________ of Mercury's years.
SC.E.1.4.2
a.
three, two
b.
one hundred, one
c.
twenty-four, one
d.
one, two hundred
5.
Why is Venus the hottest planet, even though it isn't the closest to the Sun?
SC.E.1.4.2
a.
it's greenhouse effect
b.
it's high atmospheric pressure
c.
it's high albedo
d.
it surfuric acid rain
6.
The eccentricity of a perfect circle is __________ and a very elongated ellipse is __________.
SC.E.1.4.1
a.
nearly zero, one
b.
zero, nearly one
c.
one, zero
d.
zero, one
7.
What is Olympus Mons?
SC.E.1.4.2
a.
a scarp on Mercury
b.
one of Mars' moons
c.
a large shield volcano on Mars
d.
a composite volcano on Venus
8.
What are Jupiter's moons composed of?
SC.E.1.4.2
a.
hydrogen and helium
b.
iron and ice
c.
sulfuric acid
d.
rock and ice
9.
What causes Uranus' blue appearance?
SC.E.1.4.2
a.
surfuric acid in its atmosphere
b.
the vast oceans
c.
the ammonia ice droplets
d.
the methane in its atmosphere
10.
The wobble in Earth's axis is called __________.
SC.E.1.4.2
a.
seasons
b.
eccentricity
c.
tilt
d.
precession
11.
Neptune's atmosphere had a persistent storm called __________.
SC.E.1.4.2
a.
the Big Cloud
b.
the Giant Red Dot
c.
the Great Dark Spot
d.
the Spot
12.
What is the Sun-centered model of our solar system called?
SC.E.1.4.1
a.
epicycle
b.
heliocentric
c.
geocentric
d.
eccentric
13.
The inner four planets of our solar system are called the __________ planets and the next four are called the __________ planets.
SC.E.1.4.2
a.
gas giant, terrestrial
b.
hard, soft
c.
terrestrial, gas giant
d.
rocky, gas-like
14.
Why does Jupiter have a banded appearance?
SC.E.1.4.2
a.
it's rings
b.
due to it's four moons
c.
A
d.
the Great Red Spot causes the bands
15.
Pluto and Charon are __________.
SC.E.1.4.2
a.
in different equatorial planes
b.
satellites of gas giant planets
c.
in synchronous rotation
d.
extremely different in mass
