1 What causes the rings around some planets?A) chunks of ice and rock B) asteroids C) comets D) gas giants 2 What protects Earth from ultraviolet radiation?A) the carbon dioxide layer B) the ozone layer C) space between Earth and the Sun D) the asteroid belt 3 What are groups of stars called?A) nebulae B) supernovas C) galaxies D) black holes 4 What is the temperature of a star with a blue color?A) the same as the Sun B) hot C) cool D) medium for a star 5 How many planets are in our solar system?A) hundreds B) three C) eight D) ten 6 How are the inner planets characterized?A) large and wet B) solid and rocky C) small and soupy D) gaseous and large 7 Which star is the closest to Earth?A) Alpha Centauri B) the Sun C) the Moon D) Ursa Major 8 How do stars begin?A) when fusion begins in gas clouds in space B) when white dwarfs start generating light again C) when other stars become supernovae and shoot off smaller stars D) They emerge from black holes. 9 What causes the change in seasons?A) the distance between Earth and the Sun B) the rotation of Earth C) the phases of the Moon D) the tilt of Earth's axis 10 How many seasons occur during one revolution of Earth?A) three B) four C) two D) one 11 What is the order during a lunar eclipse?A) Earth, Sun, Moon B) Moon, Sun, Earth C) Sun, Earth, Moon D) Sun, Moon, Earth 12 What causes a solar eclipse?A) Earth's shadow on the Moon B) the Moon's shadow on Earth C) the Sun's shadow on Earth D) Earth's shadow on the Sun 13 How long does it take for Earth to complete one rotation?A) 24 h B) 1 month C) 365 days D) 1 year 14 How far away is the Oort cloud, where comets possibly originate?A) 1 AU B) 100,000 light-years C) 1 light-year D) 100,000 AUs 15 What will be the final state of the Sun?A) black hole B) supernova C) white dwarf D) black dwarf 16 The lower the apparent magnitude number is, the __________.A) dimmer the star is B) dimmer the star looks from Earth C) brighter the star looks from Earth D) brighter the star is 17 What unit is used to measure distance within our solar system?A) astronomical unit B) miles C) kilometer D) light-year 18 How large are meteorites?A) several miles in diameter B) smaller than pebbles C) 1 AU wide D) They can be as small as a pebble as large as several tons 19 What unit is used to measure distance outside Earth's solar system?A) kilometer B) light-year C) miles D) astronomical unit