The Earth and the Solar System: past paper questions

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• Question 39May/June 2026, paper 11Multiple choice1 mark

  Which statement about the Solar System is correct?

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• Question 38Oct/Nov 2025, paper 11Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  The diagram represents three objects, X, Y and Z, in space.

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• Question 38Oct/Nov 2024, paper 11Multiple choice1 mark

  Which list gives the names of the planets in the correct order?

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• Question 38Oct/Nov 2023, paper 11Multiple choice1 mark

  Which planet orbits the Sun between Mars and Saturn?

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• Question 39May/June 2026, paper 21Multiple choice1 mark

  The planet Mercury orbits the Sun at an average distance of $5.8\times {10}^{10}\text{ m}$ from the Sun. Mercury takes 88 days to orbit the Sun. What is Mercury's average orbital speed?

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• Question 38Oct/Nov 2025, paper 12Multiple choice1 mark

  What causes the phases of the Moon?

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• Question 38Oct/Nov 2024, paper 12Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  The diagram shows part of a solar system.

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• Question 38Oct/Nov 2023, paper 12Multiple choice1 mark

  Approximately how long does the Moon take to orbit the Earth?

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• Question 39May/June 2026, paper 22Multiple choice1 mark

  Which expression is correct for the orbital period of the Moon around the Earth?

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• Question 38Oct/Nov 2025, paper 13Multiple choice1 mark

  Four rocky planets orbit the Sun. Which list shows these planets in order of increasing distance from the Sun?

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• Question 38Oct/Nov 2024, paper 13Multiple choice1 mark

  The Solar System contains eight major planets. What is the correct order of three of the major planets, starting with the planet furthest from the Sun?

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• Question 38Oct/Nov 2023, paper 13Multiple choice1 mark

  Which time period is approximately equal to 24 hours?

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• Question 38Oct/Nov 2024, paper 21Multiple choice1 mark

  Which type of object rotates around the Sun with an elliptical orbit?

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• Question 38Oct/Nov 2023, paper 21Multiple choice1 mark

  It is summer in the northern hemisphere of the Earth in June. Which statement explains why?

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• Question 11May/June 2026, paper 31Structured9 marksHas a diagram

  Figure 11.1 represents the Solar System. Four of the planets are labelled. Give the names of the other four planets.

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• Question 39Oct/Nov 2025, paper 21Multiple choice1 mark

  Comets move round the Sun. Which statement describes the orbit of a comet?

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• Question 39Oct/Nov 2024, paper 22Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  The table gives information about some of the planets in our Solar System.

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• Question 38Oct/Nov 2023, paper 22Multiple choice1 mark

  The time taken for the Earth to orbit the Sun is approximately $365\text{ days}$. The average radius of the Earth's orbit around the Sun is $1.5\times {10}^8\text{ km}$. What is the average orbital speed of the Earth?

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• Question 10May/June 2026, paper 32Structured5 marks

  State the approximate time taken for the Moon to orbit the Earth.

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• Question 38Oct/Nov 2024, paper 23Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  The table gives the orbital durations of planets in the Solar System.

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• Question 38Oct/Nov 2023, paper 23Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  The diagram shows a star S and the initial arrangement of three planets, X, Y and Z. Each planet orbits clockwise in a circle about S. The time for one orbit…

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• Question 38Oct/Nov 2025, paper 23Multiple choice1 mark

  An artificial satellite orbits planet X at a distance $r=7.0\times {10}^6\text{ m}$ from the centre of planet X. The average orbital speed $v$ of the satellite is $3500\text{ m/s}$. What is the orbital period?

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• Question 11Oct/Nov 2024, paper 31Structured6 marksHas a diagram

  Fig. 11.1 represents the planets in the Solar System. In Fig. 11.1, there are four labels without the name of the planet.

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• Question 11Oct/Nov 2025, paper 31Structured7 marks

  Mars is one of the four rocky planets nearest the Sun. State why the gravitational field strength at the surface of the Earth is greater than the gravitational field strength at the surface of Mars.

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• Question 11Oct/Nov 2024, paper 32Structured10 marksHas a diagram

  Fig. 11.1 represents part of the Solar System. (i) State the name of planet X and the name of planet Y. planet X .............................................................................................................................

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• Question 11Oct/Nov 2023, paper 31Structured8 marksHas a diagram

  Fig. 11.1 represents the Sun and part of the Solar System. Complete the labels on Fig. 11.1 by writing on the dotted lines.

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• Question 10Oct/Nov 2025, paper 33Structured7 marksHas a diagram

  Each box in the left column shows a description of a unit of time. Each box in the right column shows the name of a unit of time.

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• Question 7Oct/Nov 2024, paper 33Structured8 marksHas a diagram

  Table 7.1 lists three uses of electromagnetic (e.m.) waves. Complete Table 7.1 by adding a suitable type of electromagnetic wave for each use.

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• Question 12Oct/Nov 2023, paper 32Structured6 marks

  There are eight planets in our Solar System. Table 12.1 shows the names of some of the planets in order of distance from the Sun. Complete Table 12.1 by writing the names of the other planets in order of increasing distance from the Sun.

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• Question 10Oct/Nov 2025, paper 41Structured6 marksHas a diagram

  Fig. 10.1 shows the orbit of the Earth and the orbit of a comet around the Sun. State which orbit, A or B, is the orbit of the comet.

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