Practice identifying the planets of the solar system, comparing their features, and understanding their order from the Sun.
Read each problem carefully. Use complete sentences when explaining your thinking. Show your work in the space provided.
Learning about the eight planets and their place in space
Astronomy - Grade 4-5
- 1
List the eight planets in order from closest to the Sun to farthest from the Sun.
- 2
Which planet is closest to the Sun, and what is one reason it has extreme temperatures?
- 3
Earth is the only planet known to support life. Name two features that help make Earth a good place for life.
- 4
Which planet is known as the Red Planet, and what gives it its reddish color?
- 5
Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system. Is Jupiter a rocky planet or a gas giant? Explain your answer.
- 6
Saturn is famous for its rings. What are Saturn's rings mostly made of?
- 7
Compare the inner planets and the outer planets. Name one way they are different.
- 8
Which planet is sometimes called Earth's twin because it is similar in size to Earth, even though it is much hotter?
- 9
Uranus has a very unusual tilt. How does Uranus seem to rotate compared with most other planets?
- 10
Neptune is the farthest planet from the Sun. Why is Neptune very cold?
- 11
A student says, 'The bigger a planet is, the closer it must be to the Sun.' Use Jupiter or Neptune to explain why this idea is not correct.
- 12
Sort these planets into two groups: Mercury, Earth, Jupiter, Saturn. Label the groups as rocky planets and gas giants.