Solar System Quiz: Test Your Knowledge
Our solar system is a fascinating collection of planets, moons and stars. How well do you know the bodies around us?
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Frequently asked questions: Solar System
A preview of what awaits you in this solar system quiz: 15 multiple choice questions, each with a detailed explanation so you learn as you play. Here are a few sample questions (and their answers, no peeking before you play!).
How many planets are there in the solar system?
Answer: 8. The solar system has 8 planets: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. Pluto was reclassified as a dwarf planet in 2006.
Which planet is closest to the Sun?
Answer: Mercury. Mercury is the planet closest to the Sun, at an average distance of about 58 million km. It completes one orbit around the Sun in just 88 Earth days.
What is the approximate temperature at the surface of the Sun?
Answer: 5,500 °C. The temperature at the surface of the Sun (the photosphere) is about 5,500 degrees Celsius. At its core, the temperature reaches about 15 million degrees Celsius.
How many natural satellites does Earth have?
Answer: 1. Earth has only one natural satellite: the Moon. With a diameter of about 3,474 km, the Moon is the fifth largest natural satellite in the solar system.
Which phenomenon causes the tides on Earth?
Answer: The gravitational pull of the Moon and the Sun. Tides are mainly caused by the gravitational pull of the Moon (and, to a lesser extent, the Sun) on Earth's bodies of water. The Moon accounts for about two thirds of the tidal effect.
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