Solar System - Science Olympiad Exam 2026
Questions and Answers
How did the terrestrial planets form? - Answer--In the proto-Solar-Sytem, after the sun
formed, the rest of the materials orbiting close around it began to clump together too.
However, closer to the sun, lighter materials like gases blew away and only rocky
material was left, causing the four terrestrial planets, and some of their moons, to form.
What are the characteristics of Terrestrial Planets? - Answer--Solid bodies with a core
surrounded by a mantle and crust. Comprised mostly of heavier materials, like rocks,
stones, and heavy metals like nickel and iron. They are smaller in size than the gas
giants and very dense in comparison.
How old is the Solar System? - Answer--4.6 billion years.
How did Mercury form? - Answer--Like the rest of the terrestrial planets, Mercury was
formed 4.55 billion years ago and is primarily rocky. After the sun's formation, the rocks
and metals very close it it began to come together to form Mercury. However, all of
Mercury's gases and atmosphere were blown away, leading to it being small, but even
more rocky than the other planets.
How did Venus form? - Answer--Venus, like Mercury, was formed by rocks and metals
coming together to form a large planet. However, solar winds are too weak to blow away
,Venus' atmosphere, and the heat has led to a greenhouse gas effect, causing the planet
to be especially hot, even more so than Mercury, though being further away.
How did Earth form? - Answer--Earth formed in the same way as the rest of the
terrestrial planets. However, another large body slammed into Earth (which used to be
larger) and the material from that body and the chunk of Earth blown off formed the
moon, which is why is has such a large size in comparison to Earth.
How did Mars form? - Answer--Mars was most likely very similar to Earth, and it had
formed the same way as well. It possibly even had large oceans. However, for unknown
reasons, they have dried up, leading to Mars' nickname as "The Red Planet."
How did the Moon form? - Answer--Long ago, when the Earth was younger, and larger,
another body slammed into it. This body blew into pieces that began to orbit the Earth,
along with chunks of Earth blown off from the impact. Together, these formed the Moon,
being responsible for its relatively large size.
What are the surface features of Mercury? - Answer--Mercury's surface is made of
volcanic basalt (a hint towards prior geologic activity) and is very smooth. However,
Mercury has a no real atmosphere, allowing almost any incoming asteroids to impact,
though they are stopped by it's thick mantle. As a result, Mercury looks like a smooth,
dark grey planet peppered with large and small round imprints. Mercury also has ridges
all across it's surface. As the magma on Mercury cools, it shrinks, since solids are more
compact than liquids. Mercury's surface is also made up of intercrater plains, accounting
for almost half of the planet's surface area. Intercrater plains are made up of flatter
lands containing older more shallow craters, while smooth plains are made up of newer
land and more recent deeper craters. Smooth plains make up around 15% of mercury's
surface
What are the internal features of Mercury? - Answer--Mercury has an extremely large
core relative to its size. The core is mostly iron and iron compounds and is about 1800
km in diameter. The mantle and crust are only 600 km in Diameter, and are mostly
silicates. This is because the temperature of the early son evaporated and destroyed a
large portion of the rocky material, causing the core to be larger than it normally would
be, as it is the size of a core in what would be a much larger planet. The core seems to
have a liquid outer core and superdense solid liquid core.
Features to look for in identifying Mercury? - Answer--Dark Grey surface, round, shallow
imprints into the surface, a relatively smooth surface, a relatively large core of iron and
iron compounds, and a planet about 2500 km in diameter.
, Surface features of Venus? - Answer--Venus' surface appears red due to the carbon
dioxide in the atmosphere, but its surface is covered in lava from volcanic activity,
basaltic rocks, and sulfuric acid. It has very few craters, since the extremely heavy
atmosphere destroys any craters that would impact. Only strong asteroids can survive,
of which there are very few. There are two "continents"- Ishtar Terra and Aphrodite
Terra. These are the few parts of Venus with solid land, and are made of mostly rough,
patchy rocks with valleys and canyons. The rest of the surface is mostly melted rock-
lava and magma.
Internal features of Venus'? - Answer--Venus' internal surface is mostly normal, with a
metallic core, rocky mantle and crust. However, about 300-500 million years ago, there
seems to have been a "resurfacing" in which large amounts of magma rose from the
mantle to the surface, causing "lava oceans" along the surface.
Features to look for to identify Venus? - Answer--Bright orange or red surface, lava
oceans, a pinkish, tan, atmosphere, few craters due to an atmosphere, about 38,000 km
in circumference. There are two continents on the planet, made of rough, patchy soil. A
large belt of lava surrounding the planet.
Surface feature of Mars? - Answer--Grainy, rocky surface whittled away into most
pebbles and boulders. Large dust storms cover the planet. Lots of craters and
mountains, including both the tallest mountain, Olympus Mons, and the deepest
canyon, the Maris Vallerinis, in the entire solar system. It also has polar caps.
Interior of Mars? - Answer--Mars has a core relatively larger than Earths- about 1/2 of its
total radius. It is metallic, like all the planets. Mars' mantle is made of rocky peridotite, a
rock made of silicon, oxygen, iron, and magnesium. Not much is known about it.
Features to look for to identify Mars? - Answer--A red surface, covered in dust and small
rocks, like a giant, rocky plain. Extremely large mountains and canyons fill the
landscape, along with a few craters. Two polar ice caps and large, dark waves across
the planet.
Surface Features of the Moon? - Answer--Relatively large, very reflective and a lightish
grey color. Covered in craters, but aside from that relatively smooth. The craters also
seem to bulge out of the surface, making it seem like parts of the surface were pushed
out like putty. The dividing line between day and night on the moon is called the
"Terminator"
Questions and Answers
How did the terrestrial planets form? - Answer--In the proto-Solar-Sytem, after the sun
formed, the rest of the materials orbiting close around it began to clump together too.
However, closer to the sun, lighter materials like gases blew away and only rocky
material was left, causing the four terrestrial planets, and some of their moons, to form.
What are the characteristics of Terrestrial Planets? - Answer--Solid bodies with a core
surrounded by a mantle and crust. Comprised mostly of heavier materials, like rocks,
stones, and heavy metals like nickel and iron. They are smaller in size than the gas
giants and very dense in comparison.
How old is the Solar System? - Answer--4.6 billion years.
How did Mercury form? - Answer--Like the rest of the terrestrial planets, Mercury was
formed 4.55 billion years ago and is primarily rocky. After the sun's formation, the rocks
and metals very close it it began to come together to form Mercury. However, all of
Mercury's gases and atmosphere were blown away, leading to it being small, but even
more rocky than the other planets.
How did Venus form? - Answer--Venus, like Mercury, was formed by rocks and metals
coming together to form a large planet. However, solar winds are too weak to blow away
,Venus' atmosphere, and the heat has led to a greenhouse gas effect, causing the planet
to be especially hot, even more so than Mercury, though being further away.
How did Earth form? - Answer--Earth formed in the same way as the rest of the
terrestrial planets. However, another large body slammed into Earth (which used to be
larger) and the material from that body and the chunk of Earth blown off formed the
moon, which is why is has such a large size in comparison to Earth.
How did Mars form? - Answer--Mars was most likely very similar to Earth, and it had
formed the same way as well. It possibly even had large oceans. However, for unknown
reasons, they have dried up, leading to Mars' nickname as "The Red Planet."
How did the Moon form? - Answer--Long ago, when the Earth was younger, and larger,
another body slammed into it. This body blew into pieces that began to orbit the Earth,
along with chunks of Earth blown off from the impact. Together, these formed the Moon,
being responsible for its relatively large size.
What are the surface features of Mercury? - Answer--Mercury's surface is made of
volcanic basalt (a hint towards prior geologic activity) and is very smooth. However,
Mercury has a no real atmosphere, allowing almost any incoming asteroids to impact,
though they are stopped by it's thick mantle. As a result, Mercury looks like a smooth,
dark grey planet peppered with large and small round imprints. Mercury also has ridges
all across it's surface. As the magma on Mercury cools, it shrinks, since solids are more
compact than liquids. Mercury's surface is also made up of intercrater plains, accounting
for almost half of the planet's surface area. Intercrater plains are made up of flatter
lands containing older more shallow craters, while smooth plains are made up of newer
land and more recent deeper craters. Smooth plains make up around 15% of mercury's
surface
What are the internal features of Mercury? - Answer--Mercury has an extremely large
core relative to its size. The core is mostly iron and iron compounds and is about 1800
km in diameter. The mantle and crust are only 600 km in Diameter, and are mostly
silicates. This is because the temperature of the early son evaporated and destroyed a
large portion of the rocky material, causing the core to be larger than it normally would
be, as it is the size of a core in what would be a much larger planet. The core seems to
have a liquid outer core and superdense solid liquid core.
Features to look for in identifying Mercury? - Answer--Dark Grey surface, round, shallow
imprints into the surface, a relatively smooth surface, a relatively large core of iron and
iron compounds, and a planet about 2500 km in diameter.
, Surface features of Venus? - Answer--Venus' surface appears red due to the carbon
dioxide in the atmosphere, but its surface is covered in lava from volcanic activity,
basaltic rocks, and sulfuric acid. It has very few craters, since the extremely heavy
atmosphere destroys any craters that would impact. Only strong asteroids can survive,
of which there are very few. There are two "continents"- Ishtar Terra and Aphrodite
Terra. These are the few parts of Venus with solid land, and are made of mostly rough,
patchy rocks with valleys and canyons. The rest of the surface is mostly melted rock-
lava and magma.
Internal features of Venus'? - Answer--Venus' internal surface is mostly normal, with a
metallic core, rocky mantle and crust. However, about 300-500 million years ago, there
seems to have been a "resurfacing" in which large amounts of magma rose from the
mantle to the surface, causing "lava oceans" along the surface.
Features to look for to identify Venus? - Answer--Bright orange or red surface, lava
oceans, a pinkish, tan, atmosphere, few craters due to an atmosphere, about 38,000 km
in circumference. There are two continents on the planet, made of rough, patchy soil. A
large belt of lava surrounding the planet.
Surface feature of Mars? - Answer--Grainy, rocky surface whittled away into most
pebbles and boulders. Large dust storms cover the planet. Lots of craters and
mountains, including both the tallest mountain, Olympus Mons, and the deepest
canyon, the Maris Vallerinis, in the entire solar system. It also has polar caps.
Interior of Mars? - Answer--Mars has a core relatively larger than Earths- about 1/2 of its
total radius. It is metallic, like all the planets. Mars' mantle is made of rocky peridotite, a
rock made of silicon, oxygen, iron, and magnesium. Not much is known about it.
Features to look for to identify Mars? - Answer--A red surface, covered in dust and small
rocks, like a giant, rocky plain. Extremely large mountains and canyons fill the
landscape, along with a few craters. Two polar ice caps and large, dark waves across
the planet.
Surface Features of the Moon? - Answer--Relatively large, very reflective and a lightish
grey color. Covered in craters, but aside from that relatively smooth. The craters also
seem to bulge out of the surface, making it seem like parts of the surface were pushed
out like putty. The dividing line between day and night on the moon is called the
"Terminator"
