Grade 9 · Science · Earth and Space Science

9th grade Compare the planets, and where liquid water could exist worksheet

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Compare the planets, and where liquid water could exist

Grade 9 Science Worksheet - Building Confidence

NameDate

Circle the best answer.

1.
A planet orbits in its star's habitable zone. What does that tell Bo?
- Liquid water could exist on its surface
- It is the same as Earth
- Life lives there
- It has oceans for sure, covering its surface
2.
The Sun and a red dwarf. Compared with the Sun's habitable zone, where is a dim red dwarf's, by Kira's reading (NASA)?
- Much closer to the star
- Red dwarfs have no habitable zone
- At the same distance as the Sun's
- Much farther from the star
Read this first
Planets (NASA Planetary Fact Sheet)
Planet Distance (million km) Mean temperature (°C) Density (kg/m³)
Mercury 57.9 167 5,429
Venus 108.2 464 5,243
Earth 149.6 15 5,514
Mars 228.0 −65 3,934
Jupiter 778.5 −110 1,326
Saturn 1,432.0 −140 687
3.
Which planet in the table is hottest on average, by Jun's reading (NASA)?
- Mercury, since it is closest
- Earth, at 15 °C
- Jupiter, since it is biggest
- Venus, at 464 °C
4.
Why is Venus hotter than Mercury, though farther from the Sun, by Luz's reading (NASA)?
- Closer planets are cooler
- Venus is closer to the Sun
- Venus's thick atmosphere traps heat
- Venus is made of hotter rock
Planets (NASA Planetary Fact Sheet)
Planet Distance (million km) Mean temperature (°C) Density (kg/m³)
Mercury 57.9 167 5,429
Venus 108.2 464 5,243
Earth 149.6 15 5,514
Mars 228.0 −65 3,934
Jupiter 778.5 −110 1,326
Saturn 1,432.0 −140 687
5.
Which planet in the table is least dense, by Milo's reading?
- Jupiter, the biggest
- Saturn, at 687 kg/m³
- Mercury, the smallest
- Earth, at 5,514 kg/m³
6.
Which planets are terrestrial, with solid rocky surfaces, by Noah's reading (NASA)?
- Earth and Saturn
- Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars
- Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune
- Venus and Uranus
7.
Orbit diagram with Jupiter and Saturn marked. What are Jupiter and Saturn called, by Pia's reading (NASA)?
- Dwarf planets
- Terrestrial planets
- Gas giants
- Ice giants
8.
Cutaway of a gas giant with no hard surface. Why are Jupiter and Saturn unlikely places for liquid-water surfaces, by Ren's reading (NASA)?
- They are inside the Sun's habitable zone
- They have no hard surface for water to pool on
- They have rocky surfaces like Earth
- Life has already been found there
9.
Counter labeled confirmed exoplanets (NASA). About how many exoplanets has NASA confirmed, by Tala's reading?
- Zero so far
- About 8, the planets in our system
- More than 6,000
- About 60
10.
How does a transiting planet show itself, by Esme's reading (NASA)?
- It dims its star's light slightly as it passes
- It glows brightly on its own
- It blocks the starlight completely
- It makes the star brighter

Planet	Distance (million km)	Mean temperature (°C)	Density (kg/m³)
Mercury	57.9	167	5,429
Venus	108.2	464	5,243
Earth	149.6	15	5,514
Mars	228.0	−65	3,934
Jupiter	778.5	−110	1,326
Saturn	1,432.0	−140	687

Planet	Distance (million km)	Mean temperature (°C)	Density (kg/m³)
Mercury	57.9	167	5,429
Venus	108.2	464	5,243
Earth	149.6	15	5,514
Mars	228.0	−65	3,934
Jupiter	778.5	−110	1,326
Saturn	1,432.0	−140	687

9th grade Compare the planets, and where liquid water could exist worksheet – printable — Print: 1 2 3 4 5 6

About this worksheet

Compare the planets, and where liquid water could exist. Every version has 10 questions, and the answer key prints on the second page.

What your child will learn

I can compare planets from NASA data: distance, temperature, density and type.
I can explain the habitable zone as where liquid water could exist, and how it shifts with the star's brightness.
I can use transit dips to compare planet sizes, and say what data would help judge a world.

Standard: none (TX, FL)

Words to know

habitable zone: The distance from a star where liquid water could exist on a planet's surface

exoplanet: A planet beyond our solar system

transit: A planet passing in front of its star, dimming it slightly

greenhouse effect: Air trapping heat, as on Venus

density: Mass per volume, in kg/m³

Common mistakes

Your child read the habitable zone as a place where life is known to exist. NASA: it is where liquid water could exist on a planet's surface; it does not mean life is there.

Your child gave every star the same habitable zone. NASA: it is wider and farther out for hotter, brighter stars and closer in for dim red dwarfs.

Your child assumed closer planets are always hotter. Venus (464 °C) is hotter than Mercury (167 °C) because its thick carbon dioxide air traps heat (NASA).

Questions parents ask

What is the most common mistake with compare the planets, and where liquid water could exist?

Your child read the habitable zone as a place where life is known to exist. NASA: it is where liquid water could exist on a planet's surface; it does not mean life is there.

Are these 9th grade science worksheets free to print?

Yes. All 6 printable versions at each level are free to print, with the answer key, and no account is needed.

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