Questions on Space

Q1.
(a) Sita made a model of three parts of the solar system, the Sun, Earth and Moon.
She used a marble, a torch and a tennis ball.

Draw a line from each part of the solar system to the object she used.

Draw only three lines.

2 marks

(b) The table below shows the order of some of the planets in our solar system.

Complete the table to show the positions of the Earth, Neptune and the Sun.

Mercury Venus Mars Jupiter Saturn Uranus

2 marks

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 (c) The diagram shows a satellite in orbit around the Earth.

not to scale

(i) Give one use of a satellite.

...................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................

(ii) Which force keeps the satellite in orbit around the Earth?
Tick the correct box.

gravity friction

air resistance magnetism

2 marks
maximum 6 marks

Q2.
The diagram below shows the Hubble telescope in orbit around the Earth.

not to scale

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(a) Which force keeps the telescope in orbit around the Earth?
Tick the correct box.

air resistance friction

gravity magnetism
1 mark

(b) The Hubble telescope is a satellite used for looking at planets and stars.

Give one other use of satellites.

........................................................................................................................
1 mark

(c) Fill each of the gaps in the following sentences with a different word from the box
below.

absorbs produces reflects

You can see the Sun because it .............................................. light.

You can see a satellite because it ........................................... light.

1 mark

(d) The bar chart shows the size of five planets compared to the size of Earth.

The planet Uranus is four times the size of Earth. On the chart above, draw a bar
for the planet Uranus.
1 mark

(e) (i) Arrange the following in order of size, starting with the smallest.

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 Sun Hubble telescope Earth

....................................... ...................................... ......................................

smallest largest
1 mark

(ii) Some stars are bigger than the Sun but they look smaller.
Why do they look smaller than the Sun?
Tick the correct box.

1 mark
maximum 6 marks

Q3.
Pluto was discovered in 1930. It was classified as a planet.
In 2006, scientists agreed that Pluto is not a planet.

(a) The diagram below shows our solar system.

not to scale

(i) From the diagram, what supports the idea that Pluto is a planet?

...............................................................................................................
1 mark

(ii) From the diagram, what supports the idea that Pluto is not a planet?

...............................................................................................................
1 mark

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(b) The table below shows information about planets in our solar system.

planet diameter (km)

Mercury 4800

Venus 12200

Earth 12800

Mars 6800

Jupiter 142600

Saturn 120200

Uranus 49000

Neptune 50000

Pluto has a diameter of 2 300 km.

How does this information suggest to scientists that Pluto is not a planet?

........................................................................................................................
1 mark

(c) An object called Charon orbits Pluto.

How does the presence of Charon support the idea that Pluto is a planet?

........................................................................................................................
1 mark

(d) The table below shows the composition of the atmosphere of some of the objects in
our solar system.

object atmosphere

Mercury none

Venus mainly carbon dioxide

Earth mainly nitrogen and oxygen

Neptune hydrogen, helium and methane

Earth’s moon none

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 Titan (a moon) nitrogen and methane

Pluto nitrogen and methane

Atmosphere is not used to classify objects as moons or planets.

Use the information above to suggest a reason for this.

........................................................................................................................

........................................................................................................................
1 mark

(e) Why do you think scientists found it difficult to decide how Pluto should be
classified?

........................................................................................................................

........................................................................................................................
1 mark
maximum 6 marks

Q4.
The drawings show the mass and weight of four objects on different planets.

(a) On which of the four planets is the object with the largest mass?

.............................................................
1 mark

(b) How can you tell, from the drawings, that gravity is greater on Earth than on
Venus?

.........................................................................................................................

.........................................................................................................................
1 mark

(c) Gravity is less on the Moon than on the Earth.

Complete the sentences below to compare the weight and mass of an astronaut
on the Moon and on the Earth.

The weight of an astronaut on the Moon is ................................. the weight of

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 an astronaut on the Earth.
1 mark

The mass of an astronaut on the Moon is ................................. the mass of the

astronaut on the Earth.
1 mark

(d) The table below gives information about five planets.

planet distance from the time for planet to orbit

Sun (million km) the Sun (Earth-years)
Venus 110 0.6

Earth 150 1.0

Mars 230

Jupiter 780 12.0

Saturn 1400 30.0

(i) Look at the information in the table.

How does the time for a planet to orbit the Sun change with its distance
from the Sun?

...............................................................................................................

...............................................................................................................
1 mark

(ii) Use information in the table to estimate the time for Mars to orbit the Sun.

............. Earth-years
1 mark

(e) The diagram below shows the path of a comet around the Sun.

On the path of the comet below, place a letter X to show the position where
the comet is travelling the fastest.

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 not to scale
1 mark
maximum 7 marks

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