The Solar System & Lifecycles of Stars Practice Questions

Complete the table by writing in the names of the three missing planets.

Other than the Sun and the eight planets, name two other types of object found in the Solar System.

Calculate the weight of the equipment on the surface of the Earth.

weight = .............................................................. N

Calculate the weight of the equipment on the surface of the Moon.

weight = .............................................................. N

State the mass of the equipment on the surface of the Moon.

State what is meant by a nebula.

The stages in the life of a star of similar mass to the Sun are listed below in the wrong order.

red giant white dwarf nebula main sequence star

Write the four stages in the correct order.

The Sun is about $4.6$ billion years old. State the stage of its life cycle that the Sun is at now.

A rock on the surface of Mars has a weight of $45$ N.

Calculate the mass of the rock.

mass = .............................................................. kg

The mass of Mercury is only about half the mass of Mars, but the value of $g$ at the surface of each planet is the same.

Explain how this is possible.

Jupiter has $318$ times the mass of the Earth, but the value of $g$ at its surface is only about $2.5$ times the value of $g$ at the surface of the Earth.

Suggest why.

State the direction of the force of gravity acting on the planet.

Explain why the planet travels at a constant speed but its velocity is constantly changing.

Comets also orbit the Sun. Describe two ways in which the orbit of a comet is different from the orbit of a planet.

One of these satellites is in a geostationary orbit.

State which satellite it is and give a reason for your answer.

Use the data in the table to describe the relationship between the orbital radius of a satellite and its orbital period.

A new satellite is to be placed in a stable orbit in which its orbital speed is greater than the orbital speed of satellite A.

State and explain how the radius of this new orbit must compare with the radius of the orbit of satellite A.

Describe the geocentric model of the Solar System.

In 1610 Galileo used a telescope to observe four moons moving around Jupiter.

Explain how this observation provided evidence against the geocentric model.

The heliocentric model was not accepted by most people for many years after Galileo's observations.

Give one reason why.

The Sun formed when a nebula collapsed. Name the force that caused the nebula to collapse.

Explain, in terms of gravity and thermal expansion, why the Sun will swell to become a red giant when the hydrogen in its core starts to run out.

Describe what will happen to the Sun after the red giant stage.

Betelgeuse is a star with a mass about $15$ times the mass of the Sun.

Compare the changes that Betelgeuse will go through at the end of its main sequence life with the changes that the Sun will go through at the end of its main sequence life.

Calculate the orbital speed of Ganymede.

orbital speed = .............................................................. m/s

Callisto orbits Jupiter in a stable orbit of larger radius than Ganymede's orbit.

State and explain how the orbital speed of Callisto compares with the orbital speed of Ganymede.

The Moon orbits the Earth at a radius of $3.8 \times 10^8$ m with an orbital speed of about $1.0 \times 10^3$ m/s.

Ganymede orbits at a much greater radius than this, yet its orbital speed is about ten times greater.

Suggest why.