Name ___________________________________ Chapter 9 Study Guide
1. What tool made possible the discovery of additional planets? telescope
2. What is the most useful unit for measuring distances within the solar system? Astronomical unit
3. Which is the next planet moving outward from the sun after Saturn? Uranus
4. Which planet’s orbit is closest to the sun? Mercury
5. What causes a high surface temperature on Venus? Greenhouse effect of its atmosphere
6. What terrestrial planet has a day that is over two Earth months long? Mercury
7. What is one factor that makes life possible on Earth? Liquid water on its surface
8. Which planets have a retrograde rotation? Venus and Uranus
9. What is the largest planet in our solar system? Jupiter
10. What is the main difference between an asteroid and a meteoroid? The size of the body
11. Why is it important to study smaller bodies such as comets or asteroids? They help us learn the
history of our solar system.
12. What are the three types of meteorites? Stony, stony iron, metallic
13. What contains the four planets farthest from the sun? outer solar system
14. What is the group of very large planets that are composed mainly of gases called? Gas giants
15. What contains the four planets located closest to the sun? inner solar system
16. What is the group of planets whose surfaces are rocky and hard called? Terrestrial planets
17. What is the type of rotation that is counterclockwise called? Prograde rotation
18. What is the time that it takes to revolve once around the sun called? Period of revolution
19. What is the amount of time it takes a planet to rotate once called? Period of rotation
20. What is the kind of rotational spin that causes the sun to appear to rise in the west and set in the
east called? Retrograde rotation
21. What is a bright streak of light caused by small bodies burning up in the atmosphere? meteor
22. What is a rocky body that strikes the Earth’s surface without burning up completely? meteorite
23. What is the region of space between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter? Asteroid belt
24. What are “dirty snowballs” made of ice, rock, and dust called? comet
25. What are small rocky bodies that orbit the sun called? asteroids
26. What is a small rocky body that travels through space called? meteoroid
27. Put the following in the order of their location around the sun. asteroid belt, Kuiper belt, Oort
cloud, Neptune, Mercury, Jupiter, Pluto, Venus, Uranus, Neptune, Mars, Saturn.
Mercury
Venus
Earth
Mars
Asteroid belt
Jupiter
Saturn
Uranus
Neptune
Kuiper Belt
Pluto
Oort Cloud
Name ___________________________________ Chapter 9 Study Guide
1. What tool made possible the discovery of additional planets? _______________________________
2. What is the most useful unit for measuring distances within the solar system? __________________
3. Which is the next planet moving outward from the sun after Saturn? _________________________
4. Which planet’s orbit is closest to the sun? ______________________________
5. What causes a high surface temperature on Venus? _______________________________________
6. What terrestrial planet has a day that is over two Earth months long? ________________________
7. What is one factor that makes life possible on Earth? ______________________________________
8. Which planet have a retrograde rotation? _______________________________________________
9. What is the largest planet in our solar system? ___________________________________
10. What is the main difference between an asteroid and a meteoroid? __________________________
11. Why is it important to study smaller bodies such as comets or asteroids? _____________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
12. What are the three types of meteorites? _______________________________________________
13. What contains the four planets farthest from the sun? ____________________________________
14. What is the group of very large planets that are composed mainly of gases called? ____________
15. What contains the four planets located closest to the sun? _________________________________
16. What is the group of planets whose surfaces are rocky and hard called? ______________________
17. What is the type of rotation that is counterclockwise called? _______________________________
18. What is the time that it takes to revolve once around the sun called? _________________________
19. What is the amount of time it takes a planet to rotate once called? __________________________
20. What is the kind of rotational spin that causes the sun to appear to rise in the west and set in the
east called? ________________________________________________
21. What is a bright streak of light caused by small bodies burning up in the atmosphere? ___________
22. What is a rocky body that strikes the Earth’s surface without burning up completely? ___________
23. What is the region of space between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter? _________________________
24. What are “dirty snowballs” made of ice, rock, and dust called? ____________________________
25. What are small rocky bodies that orbit the sun called? ___________________________________
26. What is a small rocky body that travels through space called? _____________________________
27. Put the following in the order of their location around the sun. asteroid belt, Kuiper belt, Oort
cloud, Neptune, Mercury, Jupiter, Pluto, Venus, Uranus, Neptune, Mars, Saturn.
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