Multiple choice

Directions: Choose the most correct option out of the following: Which of the following orbits between Mars and Jupiter?

Astronomy: Our solar system is located in the Milky Way Galaxy, a collection of 200 billion stars (together with their solar systems). The Milky Way Galaxy is located in a group of 30+ galaxies we call the Local Group. Our solar system consists of the sun, planets, dwarf planets (or plutoids), moons, an asteroid belt, comets, meteors, and other objects. The sun is the center of our solar system; the planets, over 61 moons, the asteroids, comets, meteoroids and other rocks and gas all orbit the Sun. The Earth is the third planet from the sun in our solar system. The nine planets that orbit the sun are (in order from the Sun): Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter (the biggest planet in our Solar System), Saturn (with large, orbiting rings), Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto (a dwarf planet or plutoid). A belt of asteroids (minor planets made of rock and metal) orbit between Mars and Jupiter. These objects all orbit the sun in roughly circular orbits that lie in the same plane, the ecliptic (Pluto is an exception; this dwarf planet has an elliptical orbit). The inner planets (those planets that orbit close to the Sun) are quite different from the outer planets (those planets that orbit far from the Sun). The inner planets are: Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars. They are relatively small, composed mostly of rock, and have few or no moons. The outer planets include: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. They are mostly huge, mostly gaseous, ringed, and have many moons (plus Pluto, which is a dwarf planet that has one large moon and two small moons). There are other smaller object that orbit the Sun, including asteroids, comets, meteoroids and dwarf planets. Asteroids (also called minor planets) are rocky or metallic objects, most of which orbit the Sun in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. Comets are small, icy bodies that orbit the sun. They have very long tails. Meteoroids are small bodies that travel through space. They are stony and/or metallic and are smaller than asteroids. Most are very tiny. Our solar system is located in the outer reaches of the Milky Way Galaxy, which is a spiral galaxy. The Milky Way Galaxy contains roughly 200 billion stars. Most of these stars are not visible from Earth. Almost everything that we can see in the sky belongs to the Milky Way Galaxy.

  1. Meteoroids

  2. Comets

  3. Asteroids

  4. Planets

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

A belt of asteroids (minor planets made of rock and metal) orbit between Mars and Jupiter.