1. The force that keeps all these planets from flying off into different directions is from .

2.
A classmate asks, “What would happen to an outside object that got near to our solar system?” (See picture, above). The teacher says that the answer would depend on gravity and how close the object got to the sun. Explain what your teacher probably means by their statement. Refer to the picture and the gif in your answer.

3. The Suns is what allows all other planets to orbit it.

4. In what ways is this model helpful and in what ways is it inaccurate?

• This model shows us the way that the solar system moves through the universe, but it's inaccurate in how it shows the distance between the planets.
• This model shows us the direction the planets move around the Sun, but it's inaccurate in the way that gravity holds the planets together.
• This model shows us how the planets move around the Sun, but it's inaccurate in the way the solar system moves through space.
• This model is accurate in the way it shows the relative sizes of the planets, but it's inaccurate in the way it shows the solar system moving through space.

5. What force keep all the particles in the Sun together?

• Velocity
• Gravity
• Heat
• Friction

6. In the background of the gif, there are other dots of light. Draw a model in the space below to show how gravity might work to keep a system of one star and 4 planets together.

7. Explain how your model demonstrates the way gravity might work to keep a system of one star and 4 planets together.

8. Draw a model showing 3 systems (of a star with planets) and how they move around in the Milky Way.

9. Explain how the force of gravity affects the movement of the systems you drew in your model.

10. What is the difference between the force of gravity on a system that's close to the center of the Milky Way and the force of gravity on a system near the outside of the Milky Way's disk?