Middle School Earth and Space Science : Understand the relative size and location of objects in the universe

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for Middle School Earth and Space Science

varsity tutors app store varsity tutors android store

All Middle School Earth and Space Science Resources

60 Practice Tests Question of the Day Flashcards Learn by Concept

Example Questions

Example Question #1 : Understand The Relative Size And Location Of Objects In The Universe

What are distances in the universe commonly measured in?

Possible Answers:

miles

light years

light meters

kilometers

Correct answer:

light years

Explanation:

Distances in the universe are so vast that they can be difficult to comprehend. We measure distances in space using light years. A light year is about 6 trillion miles, the distance light travels in one Earth year. 

We live on Earth, a planet in a solar system that orbits our sun. Our solar system is only part of a much larger system of many billions of stars called the Milky Way Galaxy. The Milky Way is shaped like a disk with concentrations of brighter stars and clouds of gas shaped like a whirlpool. The Milky Way is only one galaxy of many billions of galaxies in the universe.

In order from smallest to largest, some important terms to remember are: planets and stars, solar systems, galaxies, the universe. Each term is a component of the next. (Aside from planets and stars which are both different components of solar systems.)

 

Example Question #1 : Understand The Relative Size And Location Of Objects In The Universe

Which of the following lists these objects in the universe from largest to smallest?

Possible Answers:

universe, galaxy, solar system, star, planet

planet, star, solar system, galaxy, universe

galaxy, universe, solar system, planet, star

universe, galaxy, solar system, planet, star

Correct answer:

universe, galaxy, solar system, star, planet

Explanation:

Distances in the universe are so vast that they can be difficult to comprehend. We measure distances in space using light years. A light year is about 6 trillion miles, the distance light travels in one Earth year. 

We live on Earth, a planet in a solar system that orbits our sun. Our solar system is only part of a much larger system of many billions of stars called the Milky Way Galaxy. The Milky Way is shaped like a disk with concentrations of brighter stars and clouds of gas shaped like a whirlpool. The Milky Way is only one galaxy of many billions of galaxies in the universe.

In order from smallest to largest, some important terms to remember are: planets and stars, solar systems, galaxies, the universe. Each term is a component of the next. (Aside from planets and stars which are both different components of solar systems.)

Example Question #1 : Understand The Relative Size And Location Of Objects In The Universe

Which of these would you NOT find within a solar system?

Possible Answers:

planets

none of these

a galaxy

a star

Correct answer:

a galaxy

Explanation:

The answer is "a galaxy."

Distances in the universe are so vast that they can be difficult to comprehend. We measure distances in space using light years. A light year is about 6 trillion miles, the distance light travels in one Earth year. 

We live on Earth, a planet in a solar system that orbits our sun. Our solar system is only part of a much larger system of many billions of stars called the Milky Way Galaxy. The Milky Way is shaped like a disk with concentrations of brighter stars and clouds of gas shaped like a whirlpool. The Milky Way is only one galaxy of many billions of galaxies in the universe.

In order from smallest to largest, some important terms to remember are: planets and stars, solar systems, galaxies, the universe. Each term is a component of the next. (Aside from planets and stars which are both different components of solar systems.)

 

Example Question #1 : Understand The Relative Size And Location Of Objects In The Universe

736107main pia16876b full

What conclusion if any can be made about the size of the universe based on the information in this image?

Possible Answers:

the universe is very large but is not expanding

the universe is shrinking

the universe is expanding

none of these

Correct answer:

the universe is expanding

Explanation:

The answer is, "the universe is expanding."

Distances in the universe are so vast that they can be difficult to comprehend. We measure distances in space using light years. A light year is about 6 trillion miles, the distance light travels in one Earth year. 

We live on Earth, a planet in a solar system that orbits our sun. Our solar system is only part of a much larger system of many billions of stars called the Milky Way Galaxy. The Milky Way is shaped like a disk with concentrations of brighter stars and clouds of gas shaped like a whirlpool. The Milky Way is only one galaxy of many billions of galaxies in the universe.

In order from smallest to largest, some important terms to remember are: planets and stars, solar systems, galaxies, the universe. Each term is a component of the next. (Aside from planets and stars which are both different components of solar systems.)

 

Example Question #5 : Understand The Relative Size And Location Of Objects In The Universe

Screen shot 2020 06 19 at 2.52.14 pm

Which of the following statements about our solar system is true?

Possible Answers:

As distance between the sun and each planet increases, so does the distance between each planet.

There is no relationship between distance from the sun and a planet to the distance between each planet.

As distance between the sun and each planet decreases, so does the distance between each planet.

Correct answer:

As distance between the sun and each planet increases, so does the distance between each planet.

Explanation:

The answer is "As distance between the sun and each planet increases, so does the distance between each planet."
Distances in the universe are so vast that they can be difficult to comprehend. We measure distances in space using light years. A light year is about 6 trillion miles, the distance light travels in one Earth year. 

We live on Earth, a planet in a solar system that orbits our sun. Our solar system is only part of a much larger system of many billions of stars called the Milky Way Galaxy. The Milky Way is shaped like a disk with concentrations of brighter stars and clouds of gas shaped like a whirlpool. The Milky Way is only one galaxy of many billions of galaxies in the universe.

In order from smallest to largest, some important terms to remember are: planets and stars, solar systems, galaxies, the universe. Each term is a component of the next. (Aside from planets and stars which are both different components of solar systems.)

 

Example Question #11 : Earth's Place In The Universe

Which of the following space objects is the largest in size?

Possible Answers:

Jupiter

The Milky Way

an asteroid

The Sun

Correct answer:

The Milky Way

Explanation:

The answer is "The Milky Way." Distances in the universe are so vast that they can be difficult to comprehend. We measure distances in space using light years. A light year is about 6 trillion miles, the distance light travels in one Earth year. 

We live on Earth, a planet in a solar system that orbits our sun. Our solar system is only part of a much larger system of many billions of stars called the Milky Way Galaxy. The Milky Way is shaped like a disk with concentrations of brighter stars and clouds of gas shaped like a whirlpool. The Milky Way is only one galaxy of many billions of galaxies in the universe.

In order from smallest to largest, some important terms to remember are: planets and stars, solar systems, galaxies, the universe. Each term is a component of the next. (Aside from planets and stars which are both different components of solar systems.)

Example Question #12 : Earth's Place In The Universe

In comparison to our solar system, the Milky Way Galaxy is:

Possible Answers:

the same age and larger

older and larger

younger and larger

younger and smaller

Correct answer:

older and larger

Explanation:

The answer is "older and larger."

Distances in the universe are so vast that they can be difficult to comprehend. We measure distances in space using light years. A light year is about 6 trillion miles, the distance light travels in one Earth year. 

We live on Earth, a planet in a solar system that orbits our sun. Our solar system is only part of a much larger system of many billions of stars called the Milky Way Galaxy. The Milky Way is shaped like a disk with concentrations of brighter stars and clouds of gas shaped like a whirlpool. The Milky Way is only one galaxy of many billions of galaxies in the universe.

In order from smallest to largest, some important terms to remember are: planets and stars, solar systems, galaxies, the universe. Each term is a component of the next. (Aside from planets and stars which are both different components of solar systems.)

 

Example Question #2 : Understand The Relative Size And Location Of Objects In The Universe

Which of these scientific tools is most appropriate for measuring electromagnetic energy, distance, and motion of distant space objects?

Possible Answers:

a magnet

a spectrometer

a telescope

a star chart

Correct answer:

a spectrometer

Explanation:

The answer is "a spectrometer."

Distances in the universe are so vast that they can be difficult to comprehend. We measure distances in space using light years. A light year is about 6 trillion miles, the distance light travels in one Earth year. 

We live on Earth, a planet in a solar system that orbits our sun. Our solar system is only part of a much larger system of many billions of stars called the Milky Way Galaxy. The Milky Way is shaped like a disk with concentrations of brighter stars and clouds of gas shaped like a whirlpool. The Milky Way is only one galaxy of many billions of galaxies in the universe.

In order from smallest to largest, some important terms to remember are: planets and stars, solar systems, galaxies, the universe. Each term is a component of the next. (Aside from planets and stars which are both different components of solar systems.)

 

Example Question #13 : Earth's Place In The Universe

Which of these lists has the space objects ordered from GREATEST to LEAST mass?

Possible Answers:

A comet, a black hole, the universe, Earth

the universe, Andromeda Galaxy, Mars, the Moon

the universe, Jupiter, The Milky Way, a black hole

Saturn, The Milky Way Galaxy, the universe, a supermassive black hole

Correct answer:

the universe, Andromeda Galaxy, Mars, the Moon

Explanation:

The answer is "the universe, Andromeda Galaxy, the Moon." Distances in the universe are so vast that they can be difficult to comprehend. We measure distances in space using light years. A light year is about 6 trillion miles, the distance light travels in one Earth year. 

We live on Earth, a planet in a solar system that orbits our sun. Our solar system is only part of a much larger system of many billions of stars called the Milky Way Galaxy. The Milky Way is shaped like a disk with concentrations of brighter stars and clouds of gas shaped like a whirlpool. The Milky Way is only one galaxy of many billions of galaxies in the universe.

In order from smallest to largest, some important terms to remember are: planets and stars, solar systems, galaxies, the universe. Each term is a component of the next. (Aside from planets and stars which are both different components of solar systems.)

 

Example Question #11 : Earth's Place In The Universe

Screen shot 2020 07 30 at 9.55.39 am

As time moved forward after the big bang, the universe expanded, resulting in the collision of particles of matter and the creation of celestial objects. Which of the celestial objects listed in the answer choices were formed last?

Possible Answers:

solar systems

stars

planets

spiral galaxies

Correct answer:

spiral galaxies

Explanation:

The answer is "spiral galaxies" because stars, planets, and solar systems are required for their formation.

Distances in the universe are so vast that they can be difficult to comprehend. We measure distances in space using light years. A light year is about 6 trillion miles, the distance light travels in one Earth year. 

We live on Earth, a planet in a solar system that orbits our sun. Our solar system is only part of a much larger system of many billions of stars called the Milky Way Galaxy. The Milky Way is shaped like a disk with concentrations of brighter stars and clouds of gas shaped like a whirlpool. The Milky Way is only one galaxy of many billions of galaxies in the universe.

In order from smallest to largest, some important terms to remember are: planets and stars, solar systems, galaxies, the universe. Each term is a component of the next. (Aside from planets and stars which are both different components of solar systems.)

 

All Middle School Earth and Space Science Resources

60 Practice Tests Question of the Day Flashcards Learn by Concept
Learning Tools by Varsity Tutors