Student Name: _______________________________
Mrs. Lee – 8th Grade Physical Science
Period #: ______
Page 1
Chapter 14 Practice Test – Answer Key
______ c
1) What is the sun and where is it within the solar system?
a) a planet; at the center of the system
b) a planet; at the outer edge of the system
c) a star; at the center of the system
d) a star; at the outer edge of the system
______ a
2) Which four planets are closest to the sun?
a) Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars
b) Mercury, Earth, Pluto, Neptune
c) Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune d) Mercury, Earth, Mars, Jupiter
______ b
3) What are some general characteristics of Jupiter and Saturn?
a) small, rocky, many moons
b) large, ringed, many moons
c) large, rocky, no atmospheres
d) small, thick atmospheres
______ d
4) What makes life as we know it possible on Earth?
a) rocky surface, one moon, water vapor
b) ice, suitable temperatures, thick air
c) rocky surface, water in three states, thin air
d) liquid water, suitable temperatures and atmosphere
______ a
5) The scientist who first used a telescope to make discoveries that supported the
heliocentric model was ______.
a) Galileo
b) Ptolemy
c) Copernicus
d) Brahe
______ d
6) The flash of light produced when a meteoroid passes through Earth’s atmosphere is
a(n) ______.
a) meteorite b) comet
c) asteroid
d) meteor
______ b
7) The four terrestrial planets all have ______.
a) hot temperatures b) rocky surfaces
c) deep atmospheres
d) large size
______ d
8) A stream of particles that extends outward from the sun’s corona is called ______.
a) a sunspot b) chromosphere
c)prominence
d) solar wind
______ d
9) The planet Venus is similar to Earth in its ______.
a) rotation
b) atmosphere c) surface temperature
d) density & internal structure
______ c
10) Which of the following is not included in scientists’ “Goldilocks conditions” for
supporting life?
a) liquid water
b) appropriate temperature range
c) ice
d) favorable atmosphere
______ b
11) The ______ is between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter.
a) Oort cloud
b) asteroid belt
c) Kuiper belt
Ch 14 Practice Test Answer Key
d) photosphere
1
Student Name: _______________________________
Mrs. Lee – 8th Grade Physical Science
Period #: ______
Page 2
Chapter 14 Practice Test – Answer Key
______ d
12) A(n) ______ is a loose collection of ice, dust, and small rocky particles that
typically has a long, narrow orbit.
a) asteroid
b) planet
c) meteoroid d) comet
______ a
13) ______ are loops of gas on the sun that link different parts of sunspot regions
together.
a) Prominences
b) Solar Flares
c) Solar winds
d) Auroras
______ b (convection)
14) In the sun’s radiation zone, hot gases rise and move energy toward
the sun’s surface.
a) True
b) False
______ b (heliocentric)
a) True
15) A geocentric model of the planets is sun-centered.
b) False
______ a
16) Solar flares are eruptions that occur when gas on the surface of the sun becomes
extremely hot.
a) True
b) False
______ a
17) Asteroids are rocky objects in orbit that are too small and too numerous to be
considered planets.
a) True
b) False
______ b (fusion)
18) The sun’s energy comes from nuclear fission.
a) True
b) False
______ c
19) What are loops of gas on the sun that link different parts of sunspot regions
together?
a) solar flares
b) solar winds
c) prominences
______ b
20) What process provides the sun with energy?
a) solar winds b) nuclear fusion
c) greenhouse effect
______ c
21) The “red planet” is ______.
a) Venus
b) Uranus
c) Mars.
______ a
22) Which planet is the smallest terrestrial planet?
a) Mercury
b) Earth
c) Pluto
______ b
23) The planet with the most spectacular rings of any planet is ______.
a) Neptune
b) Saturn
c) Jupiter
______ c
24) A loose collection of ice, dust, and small rocky particles that orbits the sun is a(n)
______.
a) asteroid
b) meteoroid
c) comet
Ch 14 Practice Test Answer Key
2
Student Name: _______________________________
Mrs. Lee – 8th Grade Physical Science
Period #: ______
Page 3
Chapter 14 Practice Test – Answer Key
______ a
25) A flash of light in the night sky is a(n) ______.
a) meteor
b) asteroid
c) meteorite
______ a
26) An ellipse is an oval shape.
a) True
b) False
______ a
27) Areas of gas on the sun that are cooler than the gases around them are called
sunspots.
a) True
b) False
______ b (terrestrial)
a) True
28) The inner planets are often called the ring planets.
b) False
______ b (ring)
29) A thin disk of small particles of ice and rock around a planet is a meteor.
a) True
b) False
______ a
30) A meteoroid that passes through the atmosphere and hits Earth’s surface is a
meteorite.
a) True
b) False
______ a
31) A heliocentric model of the solar system is sun-centered.
a) True
b) False
______ b
32) When you look at an image of the sun, you are looking at the chromosphere.
a) True
b) False
______ a
33) The first four outer planets are often called gas giants.
a) True
b) False
______ b
34) A comet is a rocky object in the solar system that is too small to be a planet.
a) True
b) False
______ a
35) Life other than that on Earth would be called extraterrestrial life.
a) True
b) False
The picture shows a star and 3 planets that are orbiting the star. Use the picture to answer the
following 3 questions:
Ch 14 Practice Test Answer Key
3
Student Name: _______________________________
Mrs. Lee – 8th Grade Physical Science
Period #: ______
Page 4
Chapter 14 Practice Test – Answer Key
______ a
36) Interpreting Diagrams: Which planet is closest to the star?
a) Planet A
b) Planet B
c) Planet C
______ c
37) Inferring: Which planet will take the longest time to revolve around the star?
a) Planet A
b) Planet B
c) Planet C
______ c
38) Applying Concepts: Suppose the star is our sun and Planet B is Earth. In a
heliocentric system, which would be true?
a) Planet B would revolve around Planet C
b) The star would revolve around Planet B
c) Planet B would revolve around the star
The table below shows 3 characteristics of Jupiter’s 4 largest moons. Use the table to answer
the following 2 questions:
Jupiter’s Largest Moons
Moon
Diameter
(km)
Average Distance
from Jupiter (km)
Io
Europa
Ganymede
Callisto
3,642
3,120
5,268
4,800
421,600
670,900
1,070,000
1,883,000
Length of Revolution
Around Jupiter
(Earth days)
1.8
3.5
7.2
16.7
______ b
39) Interpreting Tables: Which of the four large moons of Jupiter is the largest?
a) Europa
b) Ganymede
c) Callisto
______ c
40) Inferring: Why does Callisto take the longest to revolve around Jupiter?
a) Callisto has the greatest diameter of the four moons
b) Callisto is the closest of the four moons to Jupiter
c) Callisto is the farthest of the four moons away from Jupiter
Ch 14 Practice Test Answer Key
4