Unit 2: Asteroids, Comets, Meteors

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What is an asteroid?

   A) A gas giant

   B) A rocky, metallic object orbiting the sun

   C) A comet

   D) A type of planet

2. Where is the Asteroid Belt located?

   A) Between Earth and Mars

   B) Between Mars and Jupiter

   C) Beyond Neptune

   D) In the Kuiper Belt

3. What is the primary feature of a comet?

   A) It has only a solid core

   B) It has a nucleus, coma, and a tail

   C) It is always bright and visible

   D) It orbits only once every 100 years

4. What are meteoroids?

   A) Pieces of comets

   B) Broken pieces of asteroids

   C) Stars that fall

   D) A type of asteroid

5. What do we call a meteoroid that has entered Earth’s atmosphere?

   A) Meteorite

   B) Comet

   C) Meteor

   D) Asteroid

6. What is Halley’s Comet?

   A) A notable asteroid

   B) A mystery comet that never appears

   C) A comet with a 76-year orbit

   D) The largest comet found

7. What is located beyond Neptune?

   A) The Asteroid Belt

   B) The Kuiper Belt

   C) The Oort Cloud

   D) The Earth’s atmosphere

8. What keeps asteroids in the Asteroid Belt from crashing into the inner planets?

   A) Solar winds

   B) Gravity from Jupiter

   C) The sun’s heat

   D) Their small size

9. Which of the following is a correct progression of terms?

   A) Asteroid -> Meteoroid -> Meteorite

   B) Meteorite -> Meteor -> Meteoroid

   C) Meteoroid -> Meteorite -> Asteroid

   D) Comet -> Asteroid -> Meteor

10. What is often referred to as a 'dirty snowball'?

    A) An asteroid

    B) A comet

    C) A meteoroid

    D) A meteorite

Fill-in-the-Blank Questions

1. An asteroid can be known as a __ or minor planet.

2. _ is a meteoroid that falls to the Earth's surface.

3. The Kuiper Belt is located the sun.

4. Halley’s Comet has an average orbit of __ years.

5. A comet has a nucleus, , and a tail.

Open-Ended Question

1. In your own words, explain the difference between an asteroid, a comet, and a meteor. Be sure to include examples or characteristics that set them apart.

Answer Key

Multiple Choice Questions

1. B

2. B

3. B

4. B

5. C

6. C

7. B

8. A

9. B

10. B

Fill-in-the-Blank Questions

1. planetoid

2. Meteorite

3. beyond

4. 76

5. coma

Open-Ended Question

1. Students should define each term correctly and provide characteristics or examples that distinguish them. For instance, asteroids are rocky and metallic, comets contain ice and dust, and meteors are meteoroids that enter the Earth’s atmosphere.

Notes

    This worksheet is designed to reinforce the concepts learned about asteroids, comets, and meteors by using a variety of question types.

The mix of multiple-choice questions, fill-in-the-blanks, and open-ended questions encourages critical thinking and comprehension of the topic.

Encourage students to discuss their answers in pairs or small groups for collaborative learning.