The Solar System (T)

• What are the main parts of the solar system?

  Sun, eight main planets, dwarf planets, moons, asteroids, and comets
• Why is it important to note that the solar system diagram is not to scale?

  Because the sizes and distances of the sun and planets are very different
• How many main planets are there in the solar system?

  Eight
• What are the names of the rocky planets in the solar system?

  • Mercury
  • Venus
  • Earth
  • Mars
• What are the names of the larger planets in the solar system?

  • Jupiter
  • Saturn
  • Uranus
  • Neptune
• What is a dwarf planet mentioned in the solar system?

  Pluto
• What is the Milky Way galaxy?

  A massive group of stars containing hundreds of billions of stars
• How many galaxies are estimated to be in the universe?

  Hundreds of billions
• What are moons in the context of the solar system?

  Natural satellites that orbit planets
• What is a nebula?

  A cloud of dust and gas where stars form
• What initiates the formation of a star from a nebula?

  Gravity causes the nebula to collapse
• What is a protostar?

  A collapsing cloud of hot gas and dust during star formation
• What process occurs when the temperature of a protostar gets high enough?

  Nuclear fusion occurs
• What is released during nuclear fusion in a star?

  A huge amount of energy
• What are the two opposing forces acting within a star?

  • Force of gravity (acting inwards)
  • Energy from nuclear fusion (acting outwards)
• What does it mean when scientists say a star is in equilibrium?

  The forces of gravity and fusion energy are balanced