Name______Core______Date______
Planets of Our Solar System Quiz
Key Concepts
List the planets of our solar system in order of their distance from the Sun:
1. / Inner Planets2.
3.
4.
5. / Outer Planets
6.
7.
8.
Modified True/False
Read each of the following statements. If it is true, write “true” on the line. If it is false, change the underlined word or words to make it true.
9. Saturn is one of the planets in our solar system that has moons. ______
10. Venus, Earth, Mars, and Jupiter are the terrestrial planets. ______
11. Gravity, wind, and water on a planet’s surface cause weathering and erosion. ______
12. Volcanism occurs on planets whose interiors have completely cooled. ______
13. There are few craters on Mercury’s surface because it has no atmosphere to block meteorites. ______
14. All of the inner planets have rings. ______
15. Jupiter is the largest planet in our solar system. ______
Multiple Choice
Choose the letter of the best answer and write it on the line beside each number.
_____16. Which are the main gases found in all of the outer planets?
a) Hydrogen and oxygen
b) Helium and neon
c) Carbon dioxide and fluorine
d) Hydrogen and helium
_____17. Why would your weight change if you went to a different planet?
a) The gravity would be different than on Earth.
b) You would be closer to or farther from the Sun.
c) The scales used on other planets are different.
d) From eating too much on your way there.
_____18. How is Uranus’s rotation different from the other planets?
a) Uranus does not rotate at all.
b) Uranus spins on its side.
c) Uranus only rotates for half of the year.
d) Uranus’s rotation is identical to the Earth’s.
_____19. Why doesn’t Mercury have an atmosphere?
a) It is so cold that it’s atmosphere froze.
b) It has little gravity and is too close to the Sun.
c) It spins so fast the atmosphere blew away.
d) An asteroid hit Mercury and destroyed its atmosphere.
_____20. What are the rings of the gas giant planets made of?
a) Solid metal
b) Ice, rock and dust
c) Liquid water
d) Gas
_____21. What separates the inner planets from the outer planets?
a) The meteor chain
b) The comet alley
c) The asteroid belt
d) The moon lagoon
_____22. Which planet has a rotation that is longer than its revolution?
a) Venus
b) Earth
c) Saturn
d) Neptune
_____23. Which process that affects terrestrial planets would most likely create large round depressions?
a) Volcanism
b) Tectonics
c) Weathering & erosion
d) Impact cratering
Extended Response
Answer the following questions in the spaces provided.
24. Describe the factors that support life on Earth but no other planet in our solar system.
25. Compare/contrast the inner planets and the outer planets of our solar system.