Practice identifying Earth's place in the solar system, including its order from the Sun, motion, moon, and nearby planets.
Read each problem carefully. Use complete sentences when explaining your thinking. Show your work in the space provided.
Understanding Earth's position, motion, and neighbors
Astronomy - Grade 4-5
- 1
List the first four planets in order from the Sun.
- 2
What number planet is Earth from the Sun?
- 3
Explain why the Sun is important to Earth.
- 4
Earth spins once on its axis about every 24 hours. What does this spinning cause?
- 5
Earth travels around the Sun once in about 365 days. What do we call this length of time?
- 6
Choose the correct word to complete the sentence: Earth orbits the Sun in a path called an orbit, which is shaped like a nearly round oval called an ____.
- 7
Name Earth's natural satellite.
- 8
How are Earth and the Moon different?
- 9
Which two planets are Earth's closest neighbors in order from the Sun?
- 10
Explain why Earth is called a rocky planet.
- 11
Write one reason Earth can support life.
- 12
Look at this list: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune. Which planets are closer to the Sun than Earth?
- 13
Look at this list: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune. Which planets are farther from the Sun than Earth?
- 14
A model shows the Sun as a basketball and Earth as a small bead placed far away. What does this model help show about the solar system?
- 15
A student says, "The Sun goes around Earth once each day." Explain what is wrong with this idea.