Asteroids, Comets & Dwarf Planets

Question 1

Last night a bright flash streaked across the sky. The next morning, Mia found a small rock from that flash in her garden. Before it fell, the rock was traveling around the Sun. Which three words correctly name the rock while it was (1) traveling around the Sun, (2) making the bright streak in the sky, and (3) lying on the ground?

Accepted Answer

meteoroid, meteor, meteorite

Answer

meteor, meteoroid, meteorite

Answer

meteorite, meteor, meteoroid

Answer

meteoroid, meteorite, meteor

Question 2

An astronomer spots three objects near the Sun. One shines brightly and, when it gets close to the Sun, a glowing tail appears that points away from the Sun. Another is a small gray rock that never shows a tail. The third is a quick streak of light that flashes across the sky when a space rock burns up in Earth’s atmosphere. Which description correctly identifies the comet?

Accepted Answer

A bright object that develops a glowing tail pointing away from the Sun when it gets close; it is made mostly of ice.

Answer

A small, rocky body that stays in a belt between Mars and Jupiter and never shows a tail.

Answer

A fast streak of light that appears in the night sky when a space rock burns up in Earth’s atmosphere.

Answer

A bright object that always has a long tail, even when it is far from the Sun.

Question 3

Which sentence correctly describes an asteroid?

Accepted Answer

An asteroid is a rocky object that is mostly found in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.

Answer

An asteroid is a ball of ice that makes a bright tail when it gets close to the Sun.

Answer

An asteroid is a small rock that falls to Earth and makes a flash of light in the sky.

Answer

An asteroid is a huge planet that orbits the Sun farther than Neptune.

Try three questions

Which sentence correctly describes an asteroid?

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