Solar System - Science Olympiad Exam Questions
and Answers| Latest Update
How did the terrestrial planets form?
In the proto-Solar-System, after the sun formed, the rest of the materials orbiting
close around it began to clump together too. However, closer to the sun, lighter
materials like gases blew away and only rocky material was left, causing the four
terrestrial planets, and some of their moons, to form.
What are the characteristics of Terrestrial Planets?
Solid bodies with a core surrounded by a mantle and crust. Comprised mostly of
heavier materials, like rocks, stones, and heavy metals like nickel and iron. They
are smaller in size than the gas giants and very dense in comparison.
How old is the Solar System?
4.6 billion years.
How did Venus form?
Venus, like Mercury, was formed by rocks and metals coming together to form a
large planet. However, solar winds are too weak to blow away Venus' atmosphere,
and the heat has led to a greenhouse gas effect, causing the planet to be
especially hot, even more so than Mercury, though being further away.
How did Earth form?
,Earth formed in the same way as the rest of the terrestrial planets. However,
another large body slammed into Earth (which used to be larger) and the material
from that body and the chunk of Earth blown off formed the moon, which is why
is has such a large size in comparison to Earth.
How did Mars form?
Mars was most likely very similar to Earth, and it had formed the same way as well.
It possibly even had large oceans. However, for unknown reasons, they have dried
up, leading to Mars' nickname as "The Red Planet."
How did the Moon form?
Long ago, when the Earth was younger, and larger, another body slammed into it.
This body blew into pieces that began to orbit the Earth, along with chunks of
Earth blown off from the impact. Together, these formed the Moon, being
responsible for its relatively large size.
What are the surface features of Mercury?
Mercury's surface is made of volcanic basalt (a hint towards prior geologic activity)
and is very smooth. However, Mercury has a no real atmosphere, allowing almost
any incoming asteroids to impact, though they are stopped by it's thick mantle. As
a result, Mercury looks like a smooth, dark grey planet peppered with large and
small round imprints. Mercury also has ridges all across it's surface. As the magma
on Mercury cools, it shrinks, since solids are more compact than liquids. Mercury's
surface is also made up of intercrater plains, accounting for almost half of the
planet's surface area. Intercrater plains are made up of flatter lands containing
older more shallow craters, while smooth plains are made up of newer land and
more recent deeper craters. Smooth plains make up around 15% of mercury's
surface
,What are the internal features of Mercury?
Mercury has an extremely large core relative to its size. The core is mostly iron
and iron compounds and is about 1800 km in diameter. The mantle and crust are
only 600 km in Diameter, and are mostly silicates. This is because the temperature
of the early son evaporated and destroyed a large portion of the rocky material,
causing the core to be larger than it normally would be, as it is the size of a core in
what would be a much larger planet. The core seems to have a liquid outer core
and superdense solid liquid core.
Features to look for in identifying Mercury?
Dark Grey surface, round, shallow imprints into the surface, a relatively smooth
surface, a relatively large core of iron and iron compounds, and a planet about
2500 km in diameter.
Surface features of Venus?
Venus' surface appears red due to the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, but its
surface is covered in lava from volcanic activity, basaltic rocks, and sulfuric acid. It
has very few craters, since the extremely heavy atmosphere destroys any craters
that would impact. Only strong asteroids can survive, of which there are very few.
There are two "continents"- Ishtar Terra and Aphrodite Terra. These are the few
parts of Venus with solid land, and are made of mostly rough, patchy rocks with
valleys and canyons. The rest of the surface is mostly melted rock- lava and
magma.
Internal features of Venus'?
, Venus' internal surface is mostly normal, with a metallic core, rocky mantle and
crust. However, about 300-500 million years ago, there seems to have been a
"resurfacing" in which large amounts of magma rose from the mantle to the
surface, causing "lava oceans" along the surface.
Features to look for to identify Venus?
Bright orange or red surface, lava oceans, a pinkish, tan, atmosphere, few craters
due to an atmosphere, about 38,000 km in circumference. There are two
continents on the planet, made of rough, patchy soil. A large belt of lava
surrounding the planet.
Surface feature of Mars?
Grainy, rocky surface whittled away into most pebbles and boulders. Large dust
storms cover the planet. Lots of craters and mountains, including both the tallest
mountain, Olympus Mons, and the deepest canyon, the Maris Vallerinis, in the
entire solar system. It also has polar caps.
Interior of Mars?
Mars has a core relatively larger than Earths- about 1/2 of its total radius. It is
metallic, like all the planets. Mars' mantle is made of rocky peridotite, a rock made
of silicon, oxygen, iron, and magnesium. Not much is known about it.
Features to look for to identify Mars?
A red surface, covered in dust and small rocks, like a giant, rocky plain. Extremely
large mountains and canyons fill the landscape, along with a few craters. Two
polar ice caps and large, dark waves across the planet.
and Answers| Latest Update
How did the terrestrial planets form?
In the proto-Solar-System, after the sun formed, the rest of the materials orbiting
close around it began to clump together too. However, closer to the sun, lighter
materials like gases blew away and only rocky material was left, causing the four
terrestrial planets, and some of their moons, to form.
What are the characteristics of Terrestrial Planets?
Solid bodies with a core surrounded by a mantle and crust. Comprised mostly of
heavier materials, like rocks, stones, and heavy metals like nickel and iron. They
are smaller in size than the gas giants and very dense in comparison.
How old is the Solar System?
4.6 billion years.
How did Venus form?
Venus, like Mercury, was formed by rocks and metals coming together to form a
large planet. However, solar winds are too weak to blow away Venus' atmosphere,
and the heat has led to a greenhouse gas effect, causing the planet to be
especially hot, even more so than Mercury, though being further away.
How did Earth form?
,Earth formed in the same way as the rest of the terrestrial planets. However,
another large body slammed into Earth (which used to be larger) and the material
from that body and the chunk of Earth blown off formed the moon, which is why
is has such a large size in comparison to Earth.
How did Mars form?
Mars was most likely very similar to Earth, and it had formed the same way as well.
It possibly even had large oceans. However, for unknown reasons, they have dried
up, leading to Mars' nickname as "The Red Planet."
How did the Moon form?
Long ago, when the Earth was younger, and larger, another body slammed into it.
This body blew into pieces that began to orbit the Earth, along with chunks of
Earth blown off from the impact. Together, these formed the Moon, being
responsible for its relatively large size.
What are the surface features of Mercury?
Mercury's surface is made of volcanic basalt (a hint towards prior geologic activity)
and is very smooth. However, Mercury has a no real atmosphere, allowing almost
any incoming asteroids to impact, though they are stopped by it's thick mantle. As
a result, Mercury looks like a smooth, dark grey planet peppered with large and
small round imprints. Mercury also has ridges all across it's surface. As the magma
on Mercury cools, it shrinks, since solids are more compact than liquids. Mercury's
surface is also made up of intercrater plains, accounting for almost half of the
planet's surface area. Intercrater plains are made up of flatter lands containing
older more shallow craters, while smooth plains are made up of newer land and
more recent deeper craters. Smooth plains make up around 15% of mercury's
surface
,What are the internal features of Mercury?
Mercury has an extremely large core relative to its size. The core is mostly iron
and iron compounds and is about 1800 km in diameter. The mantle and crust are
only 600 km in Diameter, and are mostly silicates. This is because the temperature
of the early son evaporated and destroyed a large portion of the rocky material,
causing the core to be larger than it normally would be, as it is the size of a core in
what would be a much larger planet. The core seems to have a liquid outer core
and superdense solid liquid core.
Features to look for in identifying Mercury?
Dark Grey surface, round, shallow imprints into the surface, a relatively smooth
surface, a relatively large core of iron and iron compounds, and a planet about
2500 km in diameter.
Surface features of Venus?
Venus' surface appears red due to the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, but its
surface is covered in lava from volcanic activity, basaltic rocks, and sulfuric acid. It
has very few craters, since the extremely heavy atmosphere destroys any craters
that would impact. Only strong asteroids can survive, of which there are very few.
There are two "continents"- Ishtar Terra and Aphrodite Terra. These are the few
parts of Venus with solid land, and are made of mostly rough, patchy rocks with
valleys and canyons. The rest of the surface is mostly melted rock- lava and
magma.
Internal features of Venus'?
, Venus' internal surface is mostly normal, with a metallic core, rocky mantle and
crust. However, about 300-500 million years ago, there seems to have been a
"resurfacing" in which large amounts of magma rose from the mantle to the
surface, causing "lava oceans" along the surface.
Features to look for to identify Venus?
Bright orange or red surface, lava oceans, a pinkish, tan, atmosphere, few craters
due to an atmosphere, about 38,000 km in circumference. There are two
continents on the planet, made of rough, patchy soil. A large belt of lava
surrounding the planet.
Surface feature of Mars?
Grainy, rocky surface whittled away into most pebbles and boulders. Large dust
storms cover the planet. Lots of craters and mountains, including both the tallest
mountain, Olympus Mons, and the deepest canyon, the Maris Vallerinis, in the
entire solar system. It also has polar caps.
Interior of Mars?
Mars has a core relatively larger than Earths- about 1/2 of its total radius. It is
metallic, like all the planets. Mars' mantle is made of rocky peridotite, a rock made
of silicon, oxygen, iron, and magnesium. Not much is known about it.
Features to look for to identify Mars?
A red surface, covered in dust and small rocks, like a giant, rocky plain. Extremely
large mountains and canyons fill the landscape, along with a few craters. Two
polar ice caps and large, dark waves across the planet.
