Name Denny Abragan Date March 24, 2014 Class 8

LESSON 1
The Structure of the Solar System
Directions: On each line, write the term from the word bank that correctly replaces the underlined words in each
sentence. Use each term only once. NOTE: You may need to change a term to its plural form.
asteroid astronomical unit comet orbit
period of revolution period of rotation star
Orbit 1. Many objects, including planets, travel around the Sun.
Comets 2. Orbiting objects made of gas, dust, and ice come from the
outer parts of the solar system.
Star 3. The Sun is a(n) structure in space made of gases in which
nuclear fusion reactions occur.
Period o re!ol"tion 4. n !"# days, $arth completes a(n) full journey around
the Sun.
Period o rotation 5. n %& hours $arth completes a(n) full turn, also called a
complete spin.
Asteroids 6. Millions of small, roc'y objects orbit the Sun between the
orbits of Mars and (upiter.
Astronomical "nit 7. )(n) distance e*ual of about +#, million 'm is the average
distance from $arth to the Sun.
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Content Vocabulary
Name Date Class
LESSON 1
The Structure of the Solar System
A. -hat is the solar system.
1. The planets, comets, dwarf planets, and asteroids in the solar system orbit the Sun.
2. The Sun and the objects that orbit it ma'e up the solar system .
B. Objects in the Solar System
1. The largest object in the solar system is the sun .
a. The Sun is a star made up mostly of hydrogen gas.
b. N"clear "sion produces enormous amounts of energy in the Sun.
c. Objects orbit the Sun because it applies gravitational forces on
them.
2. Objects that orbit the Sun include planets, dwarf planets, asteroids, and
comets . These objects reflect the Sun/s
light.
3. ) planet has a nearly spherical shape.
a. The mass of a planet is much larger than the mass of
nearby objects.
b. There are 01eight planets in the solar system.
c. The four planets closest to the Sun are called the inner
planets.
d. nner planets are made mainly from solid roc'y materials.
e. The four planets farthest from the Sun are called the outer
planets.
f. Outer planets are made mostly of ice and gases .
. 2ecause the outer planets are much larger than the inner planets, they are
sometimes called gas giants .
4. )(n) dwarf planet is a spherical object that orbits the Sun, is not the
moon of another planet, and has less mass than any of the eight planets.
5. Millions of small, roc'y objects called asteroids orbit the Sun in
a belt between Mars and (upiter.
6. )(n) comet orbits the Sun in an oval3shaped orbit and is made
of dust, gas, and ice.
%
Le!!on Outl"ne
Name Date Class
Le!!on Outl"ne cont"nued
7. The astronomical unit is used to measure long distances in the solar
system.
#. One astronomical unit ()4) is the average distance from $arth to
the Sun .
C. The Motion of the 5lanets
1. One way an object in the solar system moves is by orbiting, or
revolving , around another object.
2. The amount of time it ta'es an object to revolve once around the Sun is
its period of revolution .
3. Objects in the solar system also spin, or rotate .
4. The time it ta'es an object to rotate once is its period of rotation .
5. The shape of a planet/s orbit is a(n) ellipse , which is a
stretched3out circle.
a. The Sun is at one of the foci of the ellipse, so the distance
between a planet and the Sun changes as the planet moves.
b. ) planet moves faster when it is closer to the Sun than
when it is farther away.
!
Name Date Class
LESSON 1
The Structure of the Solar System
$ey Conce%t 6ow are the inner planets different from the outer planets.
Directions: On the line before each description, write the letter of the term that matches it correctly. ome terms
will be used more than once.
# 1. four planets closest to the Sun
C 2. nonspherical roc'y objects
A 3. the largest object in the solar system
D 4. (upiter, Saturn, 4ranus, and 7eptune
$ 5. one trillion of them might orbit the Sun
A 6. a source of light energy
# 7. planets made of mostly solid roc'y materials
% #. 8eres, 5luto, $ris, and Ma'ema'e
D &. planets made mainly of ice and gases
# 1'. Mercury, 9enus, $arth, and Mars
D 11. sometimes called gas giants
A 12. where nuclear fusion reactions occur
D 13. planets much larger than $arth
A. Sun
B. inner planets
C. asteroids
(. outer planets
E. dwarf planets
). comets
&
$ey Conce%t Bu"lder
Name Date Class
LESSON 1
The Structure of the Solar System
$ey Conce%t -hat is an astronomical unit, and why is it used.
*+e A!trono,"cal -n"t .A-/
0lanet A1erae ("!tance .2,/ A1erae ("!tance .A-/
Merc"ry &',(10,000 0)*(
+en"s 108,210,000 0)'2
%arth 14(,,00,000 1)00
Mars 22',(20,000 1)&2
-".iter ''8,&'0,000 &)20
Sat"rn 1,4**,&*0,000 ()&8
/ran"s 2,8'2,4,0,000 1()20
Ne.t"ne 4,4(&,0,0,000 *0)0&
Directions: Use the table to complete each statement.
1. )stronomical units are used for measuring in space because the distances from one planet to the sun in
'ilometers is too long. f they use the astronomical unit ()4), then it is shorter in terms of numbers .
.
2. The closest inner planet to the Sun is Mercury . n astronomical
units, this planet is ,.!: )4 from the Sun.
3. The closest outer planet to the Sun is (upiter . n astronomical
units, this planet is #.%, )4 from the Sun.
4. n astronomical units, $arth is +.,, )4 from the Sun.
5. )n astronomical unit is given as the average distance from the Sun because orbits are
not perfect circles; they are ellipse .
6. 7eptune is about "1si< times farther from the Sun than (upiter,
and (upiter is about #1five times farther from the Sun than $arth.
$ey Conce%t Bu"lder