Name _______________________________________________________________________
Planets Test
Objective – Identify properties of the planets.
1. The Sun revolves around the Earth.
a. True
b. False
2. Identify the rocky planets.
a. Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune, Uranus
b. Earth, Jupiter, and Pluto
c. Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars
d. Pluto, Comets, Asteroids, Meteors
Use the table to answer #3-#7.
Planet Data Table
Distance from
Diameter
Sun (miles)
(miles)
36,000,000
3,100
Venus
67,000
7,500
Earth
93,000,000
7,900
Mars
141,000,000
6,800
Jupiter
484,000,000
88,500
Saturn
887,000,000
65,000
Uranus
1,780,000,000
31,000
Neptune
2,870,000,000
30,000
Mercury
Year
Day
Moons
Rings
88 Earth
days
225 Earth
days
365 days
(1 year)
2 Earth
Years
12 Earth
Years
29 Earth
Years
84 Earth
Years
165 Earth
Years
59 Earth
Days
243 Earth
Days
24 Hours
0
No
0
No
1
No
25 Earth
Hours
10 Earth
Hours
11 Earth
Hours
17 Earth
Hours
16 Earth
Hours
2
No
63
Faint
63
Bright
27
Faint
13
Faint
1
3. Help! We have lost a space probe somewhere in the Solar System. Here is what we know.




The probe was more than 400,000,000 miles from the Sun.
The planet has at least 30 moons.
Its diameter is over 35,000 miles.
The planet has bright rings.
Based on the information we have received, the probe is near which planet?
a. Neptune
b. Jupiter
c. Saturn
d. Uranus
4. Oh, no! We have lost another space probe somewhere in the Solar System. Here is what we
know.




It takes the planet longer than 18 months to orbit the Sun.
It has moons.
It is at least 93,000,000 miles from the Sun.
The day is about an hour longer than Earth’s.
Based on the information we have received, the probe is near which planet?
a. Earth
b. Mars
c. Mercury
d. Venus
5. Place the planets in order from the planet with the most moons to the planet with the fewest
moons.
a. Neptune, Mercury, Mars, Uranus
b. Uranus, Neptune, Mars, Mercury
c. Mercury, Mars, Neptune, Uranus
d. Mercury, Uranus, Mars, Neptune
6. Place the planets in order from the smallest to the largest planet.
a. Neptune, Uranus, Saturn, Jupiter
b. Jupiter, Uranus, Saturn, Neptune
c. Jupiter, Neptune, Uranus, Saturn
d. Uranus, Saturn, Jupiter, Neptune
7. All of the planets have at least one moon.
a. True
b. False
2
8. Mercury is the... (There are two or more answers to this question.)
a. smallest planet in the Solar System.
b. hottest place in the Solar System.
c. closest planet to the Sun.
d. All of the above.
9. What is one thing that all the four outer planets have in common? (There are two or more
answers to this question.)
a. They are made of gas.
b. They are the warmest planets.
c. They have few moons.
d. They have rings.
3
Name _______________________________________________________________________
Planets Test – Short Answer
Objective – Identify properties of the planets.
Use the table to answer the complete the two Venn Diagrams.
Planetary Data Table
Diameter (mi)
Length of Day
Moons
Rings
Mercury
3,100
59 days
0
No
Venus
7,500
243 days
0
No
Earth
7,900
24 hours
1
No
Mars
4,300
25 hours
2
No
Jupiter
88,500
10 hours
63
Yes
Saturn
65,000
11 hours
63
Yes
Uranus
31,000
17 hours
27
Yes
Neptune
30,000
16 hours
13
Yes
1. Diagram #1.
Rings Only
Moons Only
Both Rings &
Moons
4
2. Pick a planet (other than Earth) and describe five characteristics that you know about it. Be as
specific as possible.
Planet _________________________________________
a. ______________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
b. ______________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
c. ______________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
d. ______________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
e. ______________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
5
Planets Test – Key
1. The Sun revolves around the Earth.
b. False
2. Identify the rocky planets.
c. Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars
3. Help! We have lost a space probe somewhere in the Solar System. Here is what we know.
c. Saturn
4. Oh, no! We have lost another space probe somewhere in the Solar System. Here is what we
know.
b. Mars
5. Place the planets in order from the planet with the most moons to the planet with the fewest
moon.
b. Uranus, Neptune, Mars, Mercury
6. Place the planet sin order from the smallest to the largest planet.
a. Neptune, Uranus, Saturn, Jupiter
7. All of the planets have at least one moon.
b. False
8. Mercury is the... (There are two or more answers to this question.)
a. smallest planet in the Solar System; c. closest planet to the Sun.
9. What is one thing that all the four outer planets have in common? (There are two or more
answers to this question.)
a. They are made of gas; d. They have rings.
6
Planets Test – Short Answer – Key
1. Diagram #1.
Rings Only
Moons Only
Earth
Mars
Both Rings &
Moons
Jupiter
Saturn
Uranus
Neptune
7
2. Venn Diagram #2
Only larger than
Earth
Only has rings & larger than
Earth
Only has moon(s) & larger
than Earth
Jupiter
Saturn
Uranus
Neptune
Earth
Mars
Has moon(s), rings
& larger than Earth
Only has moon(s)
and rings
Only has moon(s)
Only has rings
3. Pick a planet (other than Earth) and describe five characteristics that you know about it. Be as
specific as possible.
Answers will vary.
8
Planets Test – Scoring Guide
1. b (2 choices)
2. c
3. c
4. b
5. c
6. a
7. b (2 choices)
8. a,c
9. a,d
Scoring Guide
8-9 – 3
7 – 2.5
6–2
5 – 1.5
4–1
1-3 – .5
0–0
9