SOLAR SYSTEM - SCIENCE OLYMPIAD EXAM 2026/27 QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS NEWEST VERSION
4 Vesta
One of the largest objects in the asteroid belt, with a mean diameter
of 525 kilometers.
Tides
The rise and fall of sea levels caused by the combined effects of the
gravitational forces exerted by the Moon and the Sun
Asteroids
Rocky, airless worlds that orbit our sun, but are too small to be called
planets
C-Type Asteroids
Carbonaceous asteroids...they are the most common variety,
forming around 75% of known asteroids.
Volcanism
The phenomenon of eruption of molten rock (magma) onto the
surface of the Earth or a solid-surface planet or moon, where lava,
,pyroclastics and volcanic gases erupt through a break in the surface
called a vent.
Regolith
A layer of loose, heterogeneous superficial deposits covering solid
rock. It includes dust, soil, broken rock, and other related materials
and is present on Earth, the Moon, Mars, some asteroids, and other
terrestrial planets and moons.
S-Type Asteroids
This type of asteroid includes about 17% of the known asteroids in
the solar system. Its surface is composed of nickel-iron with iron-
silicates, and magnesium-silicates. The albedo of this type is lighter,
at around 0.1 - 0.22.
M-Type Asteroids
(metallic asteroids) are reddish in color ,8% of the solar system,and
make up most of the rest of the asteroids, and dwell in the middle
region of the main belt. They seem to be made up of nickel and Iron
Asteroids range greatly in size from less than 33 feet to the largest
asteroid Ceres, with a size of 587 miles
Danilova, Aglaonice and Saskia
,A group of three impact craters on Venus, which are widely well
known.
Trojan Asteroids
Asteroids sharing an orbit with a planet, but which are located at the
leading (L4) and trailing (L5) Lagrangian points
Olympus Mons
Largest known volcano in the solar system, 13.6 miles high.
Maxwell Montes
What feature is 20,000 ft high, the highest point on a planet.
Ishtar Terra
Located on the North Pole of Venus, size of Australia or the U.S.
Aphrodite Terra
Largest of three continent sized highlands, as big as Africa. Located
on Venus.
, Lada Terra
Major landmass near the south pole of Venus. Diameter of 5,353
miles.
Caloris Planita
Very large impact basin, (960 miles in diameter) one of the largest
impact basins in the solar system.
Caloris Montes
A range of mountains around Caloris Planita, system of hills and
valleys that extend for 1000 km. They were thought to have been
created from the impact of Caloris.
Asteroid
Called minor planets, rocky remnants left over from the formation of
the solar system.
The Moon
5th largest moon, only other place other than Earth that humans
have set foot.
AND ANSWERS NEWEST VERSION
4 Vesta
One of the largest objects in the asteroid belt, with a mean diameter
of 525 kilometers.
Tides
The rise and fall of sea levels caused by the combined effects of the
gravitational forces exerted by the Moon and the Sun
Asteroids
Rocky, airless worlds that orbit our sun, but are too small to be called
planets
C-Type Asteroids
Carbonaceous asteroids...they are the most common variety,
forming around 75% of known asteroids.
Volcanism
The phenomenon of eruption of molten rock (magma) onto the
surface of the Earth or a solid-surface planet or moon, where lava,
,pyroclastics and volcanic gases erupt through a break in the surface
called a vent.
Regolith
A layer of loose, heterogeneous superficial deposits covering solid
rock. It includes dust, soil, broken rock, and other related materials
and is present on Earth, the Moon, Mars, some asteroids, and other
terrestrial planets and moons.
S-Type Asteroids
This type of asteroid includes about 17% of the known asteroids in
the solar system. Its surface is composed of nickel-iron with iron-
silicates, and magnesium-silicates. The albedo of this type is lighter,
at around 0.1 - 0.22.
M-Type Asteroids
(metallic asteroids) are reddish in color ,8% of the solar system,and
make up most of the rest of the asteroids, and dwell in the middle
region of the main belt. They seem to be made up of nickel and Iron
Asteroids range greatly in size from less than 33 feet to the largest
asteroid Ceres, with a size of 587 miles
Danilova, Aglaonice and Saskia
,A group of three impact craters on Venus, which are widely well
known.
Trojan Asteroids
Asteroids sharing an orbit with a planet, but which are located at the
leading (L4) and trailing (L5) Lagrangian points
Olympus Mons
Largest known volcano in the solar system, 13.6 miles high.
Maxwell Montes
What feature is 20,000 ft high, the highest point on a planet.
Ishtar Terra
Located on the North Pole of Venus, size of Australia or the U.S.
Aphrodite Terra
Largest of three continent sized highlands, as big as Africa. Located
on Venus.
, Lada Terra
Major landmass near the south pole of Venus. Diameter of 5,353
miles.
Caloris Planita
Very large impact basin, (960 miles in diameter) one of the largest
impact basins in the solar system.
Caloris Montes
A range of mountains around Caloris Planita, system of hills and
valleys that extend for 1000 km. They were thought to have been
created from the impact of Caloris.
Asteroid
Called minor planets, rocky remnants left over from the formation of
the solar system.
The Moon
5th largest moon, only other place other than Earth that humans
have set foot.
