Bethel Earth Science 23 Solar System

The geocentric theory was useful because it

He introduced a heliocentric model of the solar system

The planets in order from the sun are: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Saturn, Jupiter, Uranus, Neptune

Of Jupiter, Saturn, and Earth, which planet has the largest mass?

Of Jupiter, Saturn, and Earth, which planet has the smallest mass?

A comet's tail points toward the sun due to the sun's gravity pulling it

Because of its distance from the sun, the fastest-revolving planet is

Most opponents of the Copernican model objected on scientific rather than religious grounds

Which of the following are small solar system bodies?

He proposed deferents and epicycles

Which of the following pair of terms applies to the planet Mars?

Which of the following is NOT a distinctive feature of Saturn?

What early assumption of the heliocentric theory caused inaccuracies in many calculations?

He collected a lot of astronomical data, later used to confirm the heliocentric theory

Jovian planets are sometimes called the "gas giants"

The New Horizons mission is intended to provide evidence for the secular theories of the origin of the solar system

Which of the following is an optical illusion?

In 2006, Pluto changed so dramatically that astronomers could no longer call it a planet.

The main difference between an asteroid and a meteoroid is its size

He discovered that Venus has phases like the moon

Which part of the IAU definition of a planet did Pluto and the other dwarf planets NOT satisfy?

Some Christian philosophers in the Middle Ages argued that the geocentric theory agreed with the Bible because

He formulated three laws of planetary motion

The asteroid belt lies between the orbits of

The most unusual feature of Uranus compared with other planets is its tilt

Which of the following are in the correct order of possible occurrence?

Pluto's orbit comes inside Jupiter's orbit around the sun at certain times of its year

He predicted a comet later named in his honor

The largest planets in the solar system are called the superior planets because of their size

He applied gravity to planetary movement

Which of the following is NOT characteristic of all known planets?

Which of the following contributes to the high surface temperatures on Mercury?

Most meteors burn completely before reaching Earth's surface

An observer on Mercury could possibly observe Earth in a transit of the sun

The collection of small solar system bodies that lie beyond Neptune's orbit are called Baily's Beads