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Our solar system
Recall key facts about planets, moons and our solar system from a verified question bank. Review suitability for your learners before teaching.
Worksheet StudioPractice pack · Ages 10-12
Our solar system
Take your time. Show your thinking.
1. What icy solar-system body develops a glowing coma and tail when its orbit brings it close to the Sun: a comet or a crater?
2. Which planet is closest to the Sun?
3. Which planet is famous for its bright, extensive system of icy rings: Saturn or Mercury?
4. What force keeps the planets in orbit around the Sun: gravity or magnetism?
5. What is the largest planet in our solar system?
6. Where is the main asteroid belt located: between Mars and Jupiter, or between Earth and Venus?
7. Approximately how many days does Earth take to orbit the Sun once: 365 or 30?
8. What is Saturn’s largest moon, which has a dense nitrogen-rich atmosphere: Titan or Phobos?
9. Which four planets closest to the Sun have rocky surfaces (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars): terrestrial planets or gas giants?
10. Which planet is known as the Red Planet?
11. What is Earth’s natural satellite called?
12. What nuclear process in the Sun’s core releases light and heat energy: nuclear fusion of hydrogen into helium, or burning coal?
12 questions · Seed 43 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification
View the answer key
Worksheet StudioAnswer key · Ages 10-12
Our solar system
Answers and reasoning. Review before teaching.
1. What icy solar-system body develops a glowing coma and tail when its orbit brings it close to the Sun: a comet or a crater?
CometSolar heating sublimates a comet’s ices, releasing gas and dust tails.
2. Which planet is closest to the Sun?
MercuryMercury has the smallest orbit of the eight planets.
3. Which planet is famous for its bright, extensive system of icy rings: Saturn or Mercury?
SaturnSaturn is surrounded by prominent rings made of ice and rock particles.
4. What force keeps the planets in orbit around the Sun: gravity or magnetism?
GravityGravitational attraction between the Sun and the planets keeps them in orbit.
5. What is the largest planet in our solar system?
JupiterJupiter is the largest of the eight planets in our solar system.
6. Where is the main asteroid belt located: between Mars and Jupiter, or between Earth and Venus?
Between Mars and JupiterMost rocky asteroids orbit in the belt between Mars and Jupiter.
7. Approximately how many days does Earth take to orbit the Sun once: 365 or 30?
365One Earth year (one full orbit around the Sun) takes about 365.25 days.
8. What is Saturn’s largest moon, which has a dense nitrogen-rich atmosphere: Titan or Phobos?
TitanTitan is Saturn’s largest moon and the second-largest moon in the solar system.
9. Which four planets closest to the Sun have rocky surfaces (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars): terrestrial planets or gas giants?
Terrestrial planetsThe four inner planets are rocky terrestrial worlds.
10. Which planet is known as the Red Planet?
MarsIron oxide minerals on Mars give its surface a reddish appearance.
11. What is Earth’s natural satellite called?
The MoonThe Moon is the natural rocky satellite that orbits Earth.
12. What nuclear process in the Sun’s core releases light and heat energy: nuclear fusion of hydrogen into helium, or burning coal?
Nuclear fusion of hydrogen into heliumThe Sun fuses hydrogen nuclei into helium under extreme core temperature and pressure.
12 questions · Seed 43 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification
Worksheet StudioPractice pack · Ages 10-12
Our solar system
Take your time. Show your thinking.
1. What icy solar-system body develops a glowing coma and tail when its orbit brings it close to the Sun: a comet or a crater?
2. Which planet is closest to the Sun?
3. Which planet is famous for its bright, extensive system of icy rings: Saturn or Mercury?
4. What force keeps the planets in orbit around the Sun: gravity or magnetism?
5. What is the largest planet in our solar system?
6. Where is the main asteroid belt located: between Mars and Jupiter, or between Earth and Venus?
7. Approximately how many days does Earth take to orbit the Sun once: 365 or 30?
8. What is Saturn’s largest moon, which has a dense nitrogen-rich atmosphere: Titan or Phobos?
9. Which four planets closest to the Sun have rocky surfaces (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars): terrestrial planets or gas giants?
10. Which planet is known as the Red Planet?
11. What is Earth’s natural satellite called?
12. What nuclear process in the Sun’s core releases light and heat energy: nuclear fusion of hydrogen into helium, or burning coal?
12 questions · Seed 43 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification
Worksheet StudioAnswer key · Ages 10-12
Our solar system
Answers and reasoning. Review before teaching.
1. What icy solar-system body develops a glowing coma and tail when its orbit brings it close to the Sun: a comet or a crater?
CometSolar heating sublimates a comet’s ices, releasing gas and dust tails.
2. Which planet is closest to the Sun?
MercuryMercury has the smallest orbit of the eight planets.
3. Which planet is famous for its bright, extensive system of icy rings: Saturn or Mercury?
SaturnSaturn is surrounded by prominent rings made of ice and rock particles.
4. What force keeps the planets in orbit around the Sun: gravity or magnetism?
GravityGravitational attraction between the Sun and the planets keeps them in orbit.
5. What is the largest planet in our solar system?
JupiterJupiter is the largest of the eight planets in our solar system.
6. Where is the main asteroid belt located: between Mars and Jupiter, or between Earth and Venus?
Between Mars and JupiterMost rocky asteroids orbit in the belt between Mars and Jupiter.
7. Approximately how many days does Earth take to orbit the Sun once: 365 or 30?
365One Earth year (one full orbit around the Sun) takes about 365.25 days.
8. What is Saturn’s largest moon, which has a dense nitrogen-rich atmosphere: Titan or Phobos?
TitanTitan is Saturn’s largest moon and the second-largest moon in the solar system.
9. Which four planets closest to the Sun have rocky surfaces (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars): terrestrial planets or gas giants?
Terrestrial planetsThe four inner planets are rocky terrestrial worlds.
10. Which planet is known as the Red Planet?
MarsIron oxide minerals on Mars give its surface a reddish appearance.
11. What is Earth’s natural satellite called?
The MoonThe Moon is the natural rocky satellite that orbits Earth.
12. What nuclear process in the Sun’s core releases light and heat energy: nuclear fusion of hydrogen into helium, or burning coal?
Nuclear fusion of hydrogen into heliumThe Sun fuses hydrogen nuclei into helium under extreme core temperature and pressure.
12 questions · Seed 43 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification