What kind of astronomical object is the Sun?
- A moon
- A comet
- A star
- A rocky planet
Answer and explanation
A star
The Sun is the star of the solar system.
Subjects
Solar system
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Sample exercises
What does a light-year measure?
- Brightness
- A telescope's exposure time
- A star's age by definition
- Distance
Answer and explanation
Distance
It is the distance light travels in a year under the defined convention.
In a model where 1 AU is 2 cm, how far is an object at 5 AU from the origin?
Answer and explanation
10 cm
Apply the stated scale: 5×2.
Two model orbit radii are 3 AU and 9 AU. Find the larger-to-smaller radius ratio.
Answer and explanation
3
9/3=3.
Which statement is correct about a moon?
- It must orbit Earth
- It must make its own visible light
- It can orbit a planet
- It must be larger than its planet
Answer and explanation
It can orbit a planet
Moon is a natural-satellite category, not a synonym for Earth's satellite alone.
Why can a solar-system poster be misleading if sizes and distances use different scales without labels?
Answer and explanation
Viewers may infer false size-to-separation relationships. Explicit scale labels and exaggeration notices prevent that confusion.
Credit the two scales and the misleading inference.
Study notes
Solar-system structure and scale
The Sun is a star at the centre of the planetary system. Planets, moons, small bodies, gas and dust form a gravitationally interacting system.
Grades 5–9Solar-system structure and scale · revision notes
The Sun is a star at the centre of the planetary system. Planets, moons, small bodies, gas and dust form a gravitationally interacting system.
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