Exploration of dwarf planets

High school (ages 12+)
Space & Astronomy

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/exploration-of-dwarf-planets

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. How heavy is Exploration of dwarf planets?More massive than Pluto
2. What is the IAU definition criteria?Orbits Sun, hydrostatic equilibrium, has not cleared orbital neighborhood
3. What is the ceres's notable feature?Bright spots, likely salts from subsurface brine
4. What is a dwarf planet?A dwarf planet is a small, round body that orbits the Sun but hasn't cleared its orbit of other objects. It is big enough to be round but still shares its space with other stuff.
5. Why did Pluto become a dwarf planet?In 2006 the IAU said a planet must clear its orbit. Pluto couldn't, so it was reclassified as a dwarf planet.

Hydrostatic Equilibrium: The balance between gravity pulling inward and internal pressure pushing outward, resulting in a spherical shape.
Protoplanetary Disk: A rotating disk of gas and dust surrounding a young star, from which planets form.
Cryovolcanism: Volcanic activity that erupts volatile substances such as water, ammonia, or methane, instead of molten rock.
Scattered Disk: A region of the outer solar system containing icy bodies with highly eccentric and inclined orbits.