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GCSE level questions on the Earth in Space

Q1.

(a) A student finds data on the Internet for her project on the Solar System. She checks this data on other websites. The table shows the checked data.

Name of planet
Diameter/km
Distance from Sun
/millions of km
Period/days
Mercury
4,840
58
87
Venus
12,390
108
224
Earth
12,760
149
365
Mars
6,800
228
686
Jupiter
142,800
778
4,332
Saturn
119,400
1,428
10,759
Uranus
47,600
2,870
30,685
Neptune
48,400
4,497
60,190

(i) In the table, the period of each planet is given in days. What is meant by the period of a planet? (1 mark)

(ii) Suggest why the student checks the data on other websites. (1 mark)

(iii) What is the relationship, if any, between a planet's distance from the Sun and its period? (1 mark)

(iv) What is the relationship, if any, between a planet's diameter and its period? (1 mark)

(b) What is the force which provides the centripetal force to keep planets in their orbits? (1 mark)

(c) What is the name of the galaxy which contains the Solar System? (1 mark)


(d) Complete the following sentence by choosing the correct word from those listed as A to D below:.

The universe is made up of

A hundreds
B thousands
C millions
D billions

of galaxies. (1 mark)

(Total 7 marks)