space quiz

Planets

• Mercury

• Venus

• Earth

• Mars

• Jupiter

• Saturn

• Uranus

• Neptune

Properties of Planets

• Inner Planets (Terrestrial): Small, rocky, few or no moons (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars)

• Outer Planets (Gas Giants/Ice Giants): Large, made of gas or ice, many moons, ring systems (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune)

Label the Following Diagram

(Note: Attach or refer to a diagram of the Sun, Moon phases, or Solar System—label parts like core, radiative zone, planets in order, etc.)

What are the two main gases that make up the Sun?

• Hydrogen and Helium

What is happening in the core?

• Nuclear fusion: Hydrogen atoms fuse to form helium, releasing huge amounts of energy.

Why do other stars appear smaller than the Sun?

• Because they are much farther away from Earth.

Radiative Zone vs Convective Zone

• Radiative Zone: Energy moves slowly outward by radiation.

• Convective Zone: Energy moves by convection currents (hot gas rises, cool gas sinks).

Sunspot

• Dark, cooler areas on the Sun’s surface caused by magnetic activity.

Auroras Formation (starting from the Sun)

• Solar wind (charged particles) → hits Earth’s magnetic field → directed to poles → particles collide with gases in the atmosphere → creates northern/southern lights.

Solar Flare

• Sudden explosion of energy on the Sun’s surface due to magnetic activity.

Solar Prominences

• Huge loops of gas that extend from the Sun’s surface, often linking sunspots.

What 3 factors make a planet?

1. Orbits a star

2. Large enough to be rounded by gravity

3. Clears its orbit of other objects

Which factor does a Dwarf Planet not fit?

• Clearing its orbit of other objects.

Asteroid

• Small rocky body orbiting the Sun, mostly found in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.

Meteoroids vs Meteorites vs Meteors

• Meteoroid: In space

• Meteor: In atmosphere (shooting star)

• Meteorite: Lands on Earth

Comets

• Made of ice, dust, and rock; develop tails when near the Sun due to heating.

What causes day and night?

• Earth’s rotation on its axis.

Why do we see moon phases?

• The Moon’s position relative to Earth and the Sun changes how much of the lit side we see.

Waxing vs Waning

• Waxing: Getting brighter (light on the right)

• Waning: Getting dimmer (light on the left)

What causes the seasons? (2 main reasons)

1. Tilt of Earth’s axis

2. Revolution around the Sun

Solstice

• When Earth is tilted the most toward or away from the Sun (longest or shortest day).

Equinox

• Day and night are equal length (Sun directly above the equator).

Gibbous vs Crescent

• Gibbous: More than half lit

• Crescent: Less than half lit

Full vs New Moon

• Full Moon: Entire face lit

• New Moon: No visible lighted face

Solar Eclipse

• Moon blocks the Sun when it's between Earth and Sun (New Moon phase)

Lunar Eclipse

• Earth blocks sunlight from reaching the Moon (Full Moon phase)

H-R Diagram: 4 characteristics of our Sun

1. Main Sequence star

2. Medium temperature

3. Medium brightness

4. Yellow color

Nebula

• Cloud of gas and dust where stars begin to form.

Protostar

• Early stage of a star forming in a nebula.

Main Sequence

• Longest stage of a star’s life, stable nuclear fusion of hydrogen to helium.

Red Giant / Red Supergiant

• Late life stage, outer layers expand and cool; Supergiants are for massive stars.

Supernova

• Massive explosion at the end of a massive star's life.

Do all stars become black holes?

• No. Only the most massive stars do. Medium-sized stars become white dwarfs.

4 Major Types of Space Debris

1. Old satellites

2. Rocket parts

3. Lost tools or objects

4. Broken fragments from collisions

Two Impacts of Space Debris

1. Can damage spacecraft or satellites

2. Increases cost and risk of space missions

One Way to Clean Up Space Debris

• Use nets, robotic arms, or lasers to push or pull debris into Earth’s atmosphere to burn up.

Microgravity

• Condition of very low gravity experienced in orbit.

Prolonged Exposure to Microgravity

• Weak muscles and bones

• Fluid shifts

• Vision problems

Kepler and TESS Telescopes

• Both are optical telescopes.

Two Discoveries of Kepler

1. Thousands of exoplanets

2. Some planets exist in habitable zones

TESS – How it finds planets

• Uses transit method: Watches stars for slight dips in brightness when a planet passes in front.

Purpose of the James Webb Telescope

• Observe the early universe, stars, and galaxies in infrared light with high resolution.

Mars Exploration: Perseverance and Ingenuity

• Perseverance: Rover searching for signs of ancient life.

• Ingenuity: First helicopter to fly on another planet.

Mars Exploration: MOXIE

• Produces oxygen from carbon dioxide in Mars’s atmosphere – future human missions.