Our Solar System
Practice Test
1.
The wobble in Earth's axis is called __________.
SC.E.1.4.2
a.
tilt
b.
precession
c.
eccentricity
d.
seasons
2.
What explains why the Sun governs the motion of all planets in our solar system?
SC.E.1.4.1
a.
retrograde motion of planets
b.
telescopic observations of the planets
c.
the law of universal gravitation
d.
Kepler's third law
3.
What causes Uranus' blue appearance?
SC.E.1.4.2
a.
surfuric acid in its atmosphere
b.
the ammonia ice droplets
c.
the methane in its atmosphere
d.
the vast oceans
4.
The eccentricity of a perfect circle is __________ and a very elongated ellipse is __________.
SC.E.1.4.1
a.
one, zero
b.
zero, one
c.
zero, nearly one
d.
nearly zero, one
5.
Why can't astronomers directly observe the surface of Venus without landing probes on the surface?
a.
Venus has a high albedo.
SC.E.1.4.2
b.
The surface is covered by thick clouds.
c.
The surface is covered by thick ice sheets.
d.
Venus has a clockwise spin.
6.
Why is Venus the hottest planet, even though it isn't the closest to the Sun?
SC.E.1.4.2
a.
it's high albedo
b.
it's high atmospheric pressure
c.
it surfuric acid rain
d.
it's greenhouse effect
7.
What is the distance between the Sun and Earth called?
SC.E.1.4.1
a.
1 light year
b.
1 astronomical unit
c.
1 year
d.
1 mile
8.
What is Olympus Mons?
SC.E.1.4.2
a.
a composite volcano on Venus
b.
one of Mars' moons
c.
a scarp on Mercury
d.
a large shield volcano on Mars
9.
Why does Jupiter have a banded appearance?
SC.E.1.4.2
a.
it's rings
b.
due to it's four moons
c.
the Great Red Spot causes the bands
d.
A
10.
Mercury's extremely slow spin causes only __________ days to pass in __________ of Mercury's years.
SC.E.1.4.2
a.
twenty-four, one
b.
one, two hundred
c.
one hundred, one
d.
three, two
11.
When a planet is closest to the Sun it is at __________.
SC.E.1.4.1
a.
perihelion
b.
an epicycle
c.
aphelion
d.
1 AU
12.
Where did Saturn's rings most likely come from?
SC.E.1.4.2
a.
leftover debris from a moon that was destroyed
b.
gravitational attraction of ringlets
c.
the formation of Saturn
d.
solar system formation
13.
What are Jupiter's moons composed of?
SC.E.1.4.2
a.
iron and ice
b.
hydrogen and helium
c.
rock and ice
d.
sulfuric acid
14.
Neptune's atmosphere had a persistent storm called __________.
SC.E.1.4.2
a.
the Spot
b.
the Great Dark Spot
c.
the Big Cloud
d.
the Giant Red Dot
15.
The __________ of a planet is its apparent backwards movement as seen from Earth's sky.
SC.E.1.4.1
a.
epicycle
b.
retrograde motion
c.
perihelion
d.
eccentricity
