Introducing the Solar System Flashcards

0
Q

Astronomical Unit (AU)

A

A unit of distance equal to the average distance between Earth and the sun, about 150 million kilometers.

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1
Q

Solar System

A

The system consisting of the sun and the planets and other objects that revolve around it.

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2
Q

Planet

A

Must be round, orbit the sun, and have cleared out the region of the solar system along it orbit (this means it does not share that area of its orbit with any other objects)

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3
Q

Dwarf Planet

A

An object that orbits the sun and has enough gravity to be spherical, but has not cleared the area of its orbit (this means other objects share its orbit)

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4
Q

Asteroids

A

Small, mostly rocky bodies that orbit the sun

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5
Q

Comets

A

Loose balls of ice and rock that usually have very long, narrow orbits

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6
Q

Planetesimal

A

One of the small asteroid-like bodies that formed the building blocks of the planets

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