Download The Solar System and the Universe

ISCI 2001 – Pre-Lesson Questions – The Solar System and Universe
1. All planets travel around the sun in an __________________ orbit.
2. What is an Astronomical Unit? What does it measure?
3. One Astronomical Unit measures approximately ______________ kilometers or the distance from the _____________ to
the _______________.
4. The inner planets are referred to as the _______________ planets and the outer planets are called the ________________
planets.
5. Complete the table of the inner planets below:
Planet
Mean Distance
from the Sun
(AU)
Orbital Period
Characteristics (atmosphere, temperature, etc.)
Mercury
Venus
Mars
6. Complete the table of the outer planets below:
Planet
Jupiter
Saturn
Uranus
Neptune
Mean Distance
from the Sun
(AU)
Orbital Period
Characteristics (atmosphere, temperature, etc.)
7. Why is Pluto no longer considered a planet?
8. Energy is released in the core of the Sun through a process called _____________________. When this process is
accompanied by high temperature within the sun it is referred to as ___________________________.
9. During thermonuclear fusion, four ________________ nuclei fuse together to form one ______________ nucleus.
10. The helium has _______________ % of the original hydrogen mass. The rest is converted to ______________ which
leaves the core as _____________ and ________________ rays. It takes about a ______________ years for this energy to reach
the surface of the sun.
11. Gases that emit energy from the sun’s surface in the form of visible ______________, _________________ light and
_____________ radiation.
12. The outermost atmosphere of the sun is called the ___________________. As it extends out from the surface of the
sun it forms the ________________ winds.
13. What are sunspots and how are they formed?
14. Describe how the moon was formed.
15. Name the phases of the moon beginning with the new moon .
16. Describe how a lunar eclipse is formed.
17. Explain how a solar eclipse occurs.
18. What is an asteroid? Why are they found in the asteroid belt? Where is the belt located?
19. Distinguish between a comet and meteoroid.
20. What is a ‘light year’? What does it measure?
21. The brightness of a star relates to how much ________________ a star produces, and its color indicates its
___________________________.
22. What is the difference between apparent brightness and luminosity?
23. The ________________________ diagram is a plot of luminosity versus ___________________________ of stars.
24. What is the main sequence of stars?
25. What are the characteristics of red giants?
26. What are the characteristics of white dwarfs?