Question

introducing the solar system
understanding main ideas
answer the following questions in the spaces provided.

1. what makes up our solar system?

1. from what did the solar system form?

1. when was the solar system formed?

building vocabulary
match each term with its definition by writing the letter of the correct definition in the right column on the line beside the term in the left column.

1. ___ dwarf planet \ta. small body that combined with like bodies to form all the other objects in our solar system
2. ___ astronomical unit \tb. the sun, the planets, their moons, and a variety of smaller objects
3. ___ solar system \tc. object that orbits the sun, is spherical, but has not cleared the area of its orbit
4. ___ planetesimal \td. used to measure distances within the solar system
5. ___ planet \te. object that orbits the sun, is round, and has cleared the area of its orbit

Explanation:

For question 4 (dwarf planet), the definition is c: object that orbits the sun, is spherical, but has not cleared the area of its orbit. For question 5 (astronomical unit), the definition is d: used to measure distances within the solar system. For question 6 (solar system), the definition is b: the sun, the planets, their moons, and a variety of smaller objects. For question 7 (planetesimal), the definition is a: small body that combined with like bodies to form all the other objects in our solar system. For question 8 (planet), the definition is e: object that orbits the sun, is round, and has cleared the area of its orbit.

Answer:

1. c. object that orbits the sun, is spherical, but has not cleared the area of its orbit
2. d. used to measure distances within the solar system
3. b. the sun, the planets, their moons, and a variety of smaller objects
4. a. small body that combined with like bodies to form all the other objects in our solar system
5. e. object that orbits the sun, is round, and has cleared the area of its orbit