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Science•JHS Space & Earth Science

The solar system

Junior High 6 questions
AI-drafted from platform data — specialist review scheduledBy DigiTransact Mastermind editorial teamLast updated
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What the solar system means

You learn how the Earth, the Sun and the planets fit together in space. This helps you explain why day and night happen and name the main bodies in our solar system.

What you will practise

  • Name the planet closest to the Sun.
  • Identify the Sun as a star.
  • Explain why day and night happen.
  • Match simple facts to the correct space object.

Before you start

You should already know the names of the planets at a basic level. You also need simple ideas about the Earth, the Sun and what rotation means.

Worked example

One question from this skill's own question bank, shown with its full working.

Question

Which planet is closest to the Sun?

  • Earth
  • Mercury
  • Mars
  • Venus
Answer: Mercury

Working: Mercury is the innermost and closest planet to the Sun.

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Mixing up the Sun with a planet. Remember that the Sun is a star.
  • Choosing the wrong planet as the nearest one to the Sun. Mercury is closest.
  • Thinking day and night happen because the Sun moves round the Earth. They happen because the Earth rotates on its axis.
  • Confusing rotation with revolution. Rotation is spinning, while revolution is moving around another body.

Curriculum and exam alignment

Ghana GES Basic 7 to 9 syllabusBECE

This topic normally appears in Junior High School space and Earth science as part of basic astronomy. It supports BECE preparation by building the facts and explanations you need for simple solar system questions.

Curriculum notes are a general guide to where this work normally sits. Always check the syllabus your school or examination body is currently using.

Related skills

Other JHS Space & Earth Science skills in Science, at the same point in the course.

Other Science topics

My WorldLiving Things Around UsSHS SciencesUniversity ScienceBiologyChemistry

Related study guides

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Exams that assess the solar system

Junior High work on this skill feeds directly into these exam papers. Each page lists the Science topics that appear on it.

BECEBECE practice questionsFree BECE practice across the subjects at this stage, with worked answers.GESGES practice questionsFree GES practice across the subjects at this stage, with worked answers.

How this page was produced

This text was drafted with AI assistance from the questions and topics already stored on the platform. A subject-specialist review is scheduled but has not yet been recorded, so we do not claim it here.

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Practise the solar system

6 questions with a worked answer after every attempt, and a SmartScore that tracks how close you are to mastery.

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