The Solar System: past paper questions

Where the questions come from

• Question 38May/June 2026, paper 12Multiple choice1 mark

  The Earth, the Moon and the Sun are objects in the Solar System. Which statement about the Earth, the Moon and the Sun is correct?

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• Question 38Oct/Nov 2025, paper 11Multiple choice1 mark

  The planets in the Solar System orbit the Sun. Which statement is correct?

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• Question 39Oct/Nov 2024, paper 11Multiple choice1 mark

  Which list shows the planets in order of increasing distance from the Sun?

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• Question 9Oct/Nov 2023, paper 21Structured12 marksHas a diagram

  The planet Venus orbits the Sun at a constant speed of $3.5\times {10}^4\text{ m/s}$ and takes a time $T_{\text{V}}$ to complete one orbit.

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• Question 9May/June 2026, paper 21Structured8 marks

  Table 9.1 gives data about some of the planets in the Solar system. Table 9.1 The orbital period is the time taken by a planet to make one orbit around the Sun. The distance between Earth and Venus is not constant.

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• Question 9Oct/Nov 2025, paper 21Structured10 marksHas a diagram

  An object moves through space. It is a large distance from any other object. There are no external forces acting on the object.

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• Question 39May/June 2023, paper 11Multiple choice1 mark

  It takes $27\text{ days}$ for the Moon to orbit the Earth. The average value of the radius of the Moon’s orbit is $3.8\times {10}^8\text{ m}$. What is the average orbital speed of the Moon?

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• Question 9May/June 2026, paper 22Structured9 marksHas a diagram

  Figure 9.1 shows the Sun and the orbits of three planets in the Solar System. Halley’s comet orbits around the Sun. The orbit of Halley’s comet passes through points X and Y and is closest to the Sun between the orbits of Mercury and Venus.

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• Question 39May/June 2025, paper 11Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  The orbital speed of a planet around the Sun is $v$ and its orbital period is $T$. Jupiter is further from the Sun than the Earth. Which planet has the greater value for $v$ and which planet has the greater value for $T$?

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• Question 9Oct/Nov 2024, paper 22Structured11 marksHas a diagram

  The Earth has a radius of $6.4\times {10}^6\text{ m}$ and rotates on its axis once in every 24 hours. Fig. 9.1 shows that as the Earth rotates, objects on the surface of the Earth move in circular paths around the axis of rotation.

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• Question 11May/June 2023, paper 21Structured7 marks

  Table 11.1 shows details about eight planets in the solar system, their average distance from the Sun, their orbital period and their average surface temperature. Complete Table 11.1 by adding the names of the three planets that are not given.

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• Question 40May/June 2025, paper 11Multiple choice1 mark

  What is the Earth’s position in the order of planets from the Sun?

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• Question 40May/June 2024, paper 11Multiple choice1 mark

  Which statement is correct?

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• Question 39May/June 2025, paper 12Multiple choice1 mark

  What is the approximate time taken by light from the Sun to travel to the Earth?

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• Question 40May/June 2025, paper 12Multiple choice1 mark

  Where in the Solar System is the asteroid belt?

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• Question 9May/June 2025, paper 22Structured10 marksHas a diagram

  Fig. 9.1 shows the path of a comet, the orbit of Earth and the orbit of Jupiter around the Sun. The comet is at position 3 when Earth is at position 5. On Fig. 9.1, draw the orbits of Mercury and Mars.

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