Chapter 12-The Planet Earth

Answer the following questions

Q. 1- Define galaxy.

Ans – A system consisting of gas, dust and millions of stars, each with its own planets, is called a galaxy.
Q. 2 - How is a star different from a planet?
STAR PLANET
Star is a huge ball and has its Planets do not have their own
own heat and light. heat and light, they reflect
light received from stars.
Stars are big in size and Planets are small in size and
numerous in number. eight in number.
Stars are stationary Planets move around the Sun
Stars are mainly made up of Planets are made up of either
hydrogen helium and some solid or liquid or gases or
other light nuclei. combination of all three.
Examples – Sun, Sirius Examples – Jupiter, Saturn

Q.3-Why do we use light year to measure the distance of the celestial bodies?
Ans – It is difficult to measure distance in space by an ordinary unit.
*Therefore, light year is used to measure such a distance.
*A light year is the distance travelled by light in one year, at the speed of 300,000 km/second.
Q. 4-What are comets?
Ans - Comets are objects made up of dust and gas held together by ice particles.
Q. 5-What are meteoroids?
Ans –Chunks of rocky and metal debris hurtling through space and orbiting the Sun are known as
meteoroids.
Q. 6-What is a meteor?
Ans - Some of the meteoroids, smaller pieces of rocky material, burn when they enter the Earth’s
atmosphere from space. These are called meteors.
Q. 7-How was our solar system formed?
Ans-Our solar system was formed 4.5 billion years ago from a dense cloud of gas and dust called nebula.
*Because of gravity, this cloud collapsed, forming the Sun at the centre and the planets.
*The Sun, the planets and other celestial bodies have their own gravity of different strengths.
*This pull on each other, holds them in place in the solar system.
Q. 8-Why is the Earth considered a unique planet?
Ans- The Earth is considered a unique planet because of the following reasons:
*The Earth is at right distance from the Sun to receive the optimal amount of heat and light that can support
life.
*It is the only planet to have sufficient oxygen to enable breathing.
*The Earth has the right proportion of other gases such as nitrogen, carbon dioxide, water vapour and inert
gases.
*The Earth has an atmosphere around it, which is the protective blanket against ultraviolet radiation.
*It has soil and water, which is necessary for survival of life.
Q. 9 - What are satellites? Write a note on India’s Satellite programmes.
Ans-Celestial bodies that revolve around the planets are called Satellites.
India’s Satellite programme:
*India’s first human made satellite, Aryabhata was launched in 1975.
*EDUSAT, India’s first education satellite, was launched in September 2004.
*RISAT-1 is India's first all weather Radar Imaging Satellite, whose images facilitate agriculture and disaster
management.
*India's first interplanetary mission in Nov 2013 was the Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) or Mangalyaan,
whose purpose was to explore and observe Mars. It has completed 4 years in Mars’ orbit.
Q. 10-Explain the waxing and waning period of the Moon.
Ans - The moon has different phases.
*It appears to change its shape during the month.
*When the shape appears to be growing, it is called the waxing period.
*When the shape appears to be reducing, it is called waning period.
Q. 11-What is the difference between meteoroids and meteorites?
Ans - Chunks of rocky and metal debris hurtling through space and orbiting the sun are known as
meteoroids.
Many of these large fragments of rocks complete the journey to the Earth’s surface without getting
destroyed. These are known as meteorites.