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Astronomy
Chapter 8
Name: ________________________________
Worksheet 1
Block: ________________________________
Match the definition to the correct word or term
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1. Outer planet
A. One of numerous small, solid bodies that, when gathered
together, form a planet
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2. Asteroid belt
3. Interstellar grains
B. The addition of matter to a body
C. The bending of light from a distant object to form an image,
usually strongly distorted by the gravitation of a mass between
the object and the observer
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4. Solar nebula theory
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5. Kuiper belt
D. A numerical expression for the approximate distances of most
of the planets from the Sun
E. Conversion of free gas atoms or molecules into a liquid or
solid
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6. Terrestrial planets
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7. Oort cloud
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8. Interstellar cloud
9. Comets
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10. Solar nebula
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11. Solar System
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12. Planetesimal
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13. Asteroid
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14. Accretion
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15. Jovian planet
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16. Condensation
17. Bode’s Law
18. Inner planet
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19. Gravitational lensing
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20. Exoplanets
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21. Dwarf planet
F. The hypothesis that the Solar System formed from a rotating
disk of gas and dust
G. A planet orbiting in the inner part of the Solar System
H. A planet not orbiting our Sun
I. The Sun, planets, their moons, and other bodies that orbit the
Sun
J. A cloud of gas and dust in between the stars
K. One of the giant, gaseous planets: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus,
Neptune
L. A small body in orbit around the Sun, consisting of a tiny, icy
core and a tail of gas and dust
M. The rotating disk of gas and dust from which the Sun and
planets formed
N. A region from which some comets come. The region extends
from the orbit of Neptune to beyond Pluto
O. A region between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter in which most
of the Solar System’s asteroids are located
P. A rocky planet similar to the Earth in size and structure
Q. A vast region in which comet nuclei orbit
R. Microscopic solid dust particles in interstellar space
S. An object that orbits the Sun and is massive enough that its
gravity compresses it into an approximately spherical shape.
However, it has not swept its orbital region clear of other
objects of comparable mass
T. A small, generally rocky, solid body orbiting the Sun and
ranging in diameter from a few meters to hundreds of
kilometers
U. A planet whose orbit lies in the outer part of the Solar System
Circle the letter that corresponds to the correct answer
22. Which of the following planets are primarily rocky with iron cores?
a. Venus, Jupiter, and Neptune
b. Mercury, Venus, and Pluto
c. Mercury, Venus, and Earth
d. Jupiter, Saturn and Uranus
e. Mercury, Saturn, and Pluto
23. One explanation of why the planets near the Sun are composed mainly of rock and iron is that
a. The Sun’s magnetic field attracted all the iron in the young Solar System into the region around
the Sun
b. The Sun is made mostly of iron. The gas ejected from its surface is therefore iron, so that when it
cooled and condensed it formed iron-rich planets near the Sun
c. The Sun’s heat made it difficult for other substances such as ices and gases to condense near it
d. The statement is false. The planets nearest the Sun contain large amounts of hydrogen gas and
subsurface water
e. The Sun’s gravitational attraction pulled iron and other heavy material inward and allowed the
lighter material to float outward
24. Which of the following features of the Solar System does the solar nebula hypothesis explain?
a. All the planets orbit the Sun in the same direction
b. All the planets move in orbits that lie in nearly the same plane
c. The planets nearest the Sun contain only small amounts of substances that condense at low
temperatures
d. All the planets and the Sun, to the extent that we know, are the same age
e. All of the above
25. The numerous craters we see on the solid surfaces of so many Solar System bodies are evidence
that
a. They were so hot in their youth that volcanoes were widespread
b. The Sun was so hot that it melted all these bodies and made them boil
c. These bodies were originally a mix of water and rock. As the young Sun heated up, the water
boiled, creating hollow pockets in the rock
d. They were bombarded in their youth by many solid objects
e. All the planets were once part of a single, very large and volcanically active mass that
subsequently broke into many smaller pieces
26. The Doppler-shift method for detecting the presence of exoplanets is best able to detect
a. Massive planets near the star
b. Massive planets far from the star
c. Low-mass planets near the star
d. Low-mass planets far from the star
27. The transit method for detecting exoplanets works best for
a. Very massive planets
b. Solar systems seen face-on
c. Planets very far from their stars
d. Solar systems seen edge-on
e. Planets very close to their stars
Answer the following questions
28. What is an interstellar cloud? What does it have to do with the Solar System?
29. Describe a theory of how planets may have formed their atmospheres.
30. . What is the difference between condensation and accretion?