The Cosmic Snowballs: Comets
Questions:
5
Grade:
4
Words:
114
Imagine a big snowball flying through space. That's a comet for you! A comet is like a cosmic snowball made of ice, rock, and dust. When it comes close to the Sun, the ice starts to melt and leaves a glowing trail that we can see from Earth. A comet has a heart called the nucleus, a cloud around it called the coma, and two tails. Unlike a cat or a dog, this cosmic snowball has one tail of dust and another of gas! One of the most famous comets is Halley's Comet. It visits close to Earth every 75 years. People have been watching and recording it for thousands of years. Isn't that amazing?
Question 1
What is a comet made of?
A
Ice, rock, and dust
Explanation. A comet is like a cosmic snowball made of ice, rock, and dust.
B
Water and gas
C
Metal and rock
D
Dust and gas
E
Fire and smoke
Question 2
What happens when a comet comes close to the Sun?
A
Its ice starts to melt and leaves a glowing trail
Explanation. When a comet comes close to the Sun, the ice starts to melt and leaves a glowing trail that we can see from Earth.
B
It disappears
C
It becomes a star
D
It explodes
E
It turns into a meteor
Question 3
What is the nucleus in a comet?
A
It's the heart of the comet
Explanation. In a comet, the nucleus is referred to as its 'heart'.
B
It's the tail of the comet
C
It's the outer layer of the comet
D
It's the gas in the comet
E
It's the dust in the comet
Question 4
How often does Halley's Comet visit close to Earth?
A
Every 75 years
Explanation. Halley's Comet visits close to Earth every 75 years.
B
Every 50 years
C
Every 100 years
D
Every 200 years
E
Every 25 years
Question 5
Is it true or false that a comet has two tails?
A
True
Explanation. A comet has two tails: one of dust and another of gas.
B
False
C
It depends on the comet
D
All comets have three tails
E
Some comets have no tails
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