Chapter 12: Beyond Earth – Very Short Answer Type Questions
Class 6
Science
Chapter 12
Beyond Earth — 50 Very Short Questions & Answers
Prepared strictly as per NCERT, these topic-wise very short Q&A are ideal for quick revision and CBSE Class 6 exam practice.
CBSE Board Exam Tip: Practice these short Q&A for quick recall; memorise key facts and the order of planets.
General Concepts
Q1: What is the Universe? A: The Universe is everything that exists — space, matter, energy, planets, stars and galaxies.
Q2: What is astronomy? A: Astronomy is the scientific study of celestial objects and the Universe.
Q3: What is the Solar System? A: The Solar System is the Sun and all objects bound to it by gravity — planets, moons, asteroids and comets.
Q4: What is a celestial body? A: Any natural object in space, like a star, planet, moon, asteroid or comet.
Q5: What is a telescope? A: An instrument used to observe distant objects in space, such as stars and galaxies.
The Sun
Q6: What type of star is the Sun? A: The Sun is a medium-sized star made mainly of hydrogen and helium.
Q7: Why is the Sun important for Earth? A: It provides light and heat, driving weather, climate and photosynthesis.
Q8: What is a sunspot? A: A sunspot is a cooler, darker area on the Sun’s surface caused by magnetic activity.
Q9: What are solar flares? A: Sudden bursts of energy from the Sun that can affect satellites and communications.
Q10: What process produces energy in the Sun? A: Nuclear fusion — hydrogen atoms fuse to form helium, releasing energy.
The Moon
Q11: What is the Moon? A: The Moon is Earth’s natural satellite that orbits our planet.
Q12: How long does the Moon take to orbit Earth? A: About 27.3 days (sidereal month); phases repeat roughly every 29.5 days (synodic month).
Q13: Name two surface features of the Moon. A: Craters and maria (dark plains).
Q14: Why do we see phases of the Moon? A: Because we see varying portions of the Moon’s sunlit side as it orbits Earth.
Q15: Does the Moon have an atmosphere? A: No — the Moon has a very thin exosphere, not a substantial atmosphere.
Planets
Q16: How many planets are in the Solar System? A: Eight planets: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune.
Q17: Which planet is closest to the Sun? A: Mercury.
Q18: Which planet is known as the Red Planet? A: Mars, due to iron oxide (rust) on its surface.
Q19: Which planet has prominent rings? A: Saturn.
Q20: Which is the largest planet? A: Jupiter.
Q21: What is a dwarf planet? A: A celestial body that orbits the Sun but has not cleared its orbit, e.g., Pluto.
Stars & Constellations
Q22: What is a star? A: A star is a luminous ball of gas that produces light and heat, like the Sun.
Q23: Why do stars appear to twinkle? A: Twinkling is due to Earth’s atmosphere causing starlight to bend (refraction).
Q24: What is a constellation? A: A recognized pattern of stars forming a shape, used for navigation and identification.
Q25: Name one famous constellation. A: Ursa Major (contains the Big Dipper).
Q26: How do star colours vary? A: Colour depends on temperature — blue stars are hotter, red stars are cooler.
Galaxies
Q27: What is a galaxy? A: A galaxy is a huge system of stars, gas and dust held together by gravity.
Q28: What is the name of our galaxy? A: The Milky Way.
Q29: Name a type of galaxy. A: Spiral galaxy (also elliptical and irregular).
Q30: Do galaxies contain planets? A: Yes — galaxies contain many star systems, some of which have planets.
Space Exploration
Q31: What is a satellite? A: Any object that orbits another object; can be natural (Moon) or artificial (communication satellite).
Q32: What is a rocket? A: A vehicle that launches spacecraft into space using thrust from burning fuel.
Q33: Name one use of satellites. A: Communication, weather forecasting, GPS, and Earth observation.
Q34: What is a space probe? A: An unmanned spacecraft sent to study planets and other celestial bodies.
Q35: Who was the first person to walk on the Moon? A: Neil Armstrong (Apollo 11 mission, 1969).
Telescopes & Observatories
Q36: What does a telescope do? A: It collects and magnifies light to help observe distant objects in space.
Q37: Name one famous space telescope. A: The Hubble Space Telescope.
Q38: What is an observatory? A: A facility with telescopes and instruments used to study the sky.
Q39: What is a radio telescope? A: A telescope that observes radio waves from space instead of visible light.
Q40: Why are observatories built on high mountains? A: To reduce atmospheric interference and get clearer views of the sky.
Miscellaneous & Revision
Q41: What is an orbit? A: The curved path of an object around another due to gravity.
Q42: Define gravity in one line. A: Gravity is a force that pulls objects toward each other, keeping planets in orbit around the Sun.
Q43: What is an asteroid? A: A small rocky body orbiting the Sun, mostly found in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.
Q44: What is a comet? A: A frozen body of ice, dust and rock that forms a glowing head and tail when near the Sun.
Q45: What do we call a system of a star and its planets? A: A planetary system (or star system).
Q46: What is a light-year? A: The distance light travels in one year (~9.46 trillion kilometres).
Q47: Why do we study space? A: To understand the Universe, improve technology, and benefit life on Earth through satellites and research.
Q48: What is the main difference between stars and planets? A: Stars produce their own light; planets only reflect light from stars.
Q49: Give one example of an artificial satellite. A: A communication satellite like INSAT or a GPS satellite.
Q50: How can students explore astronomy at home? A: By observing the night sky, using simple telescopes/binoculars, tracking Moon phases, and reading about space missions.