Chapter 16 of Class 8 Science from the Oxford Book, titled The Solar System, takes students on a fascinating journey through space. It covers key concepts such as planets, moons, asteroids, comets, and artificial satellites, helping students understand the structure and components of our solar system. These solutions to the textbook exercises are designed to simplify complex topics, provide accurate answers, and support a clearer understanding of celestial bodies and their movements. With these well-structured explanations, students can strengthen their knowledge and prepare confidently for assessments.

Class 8 Science Chapter 16 Solar System Oxford Full Chapter

II. Very short answer type questions

A. Give one example for the following:

  1. A galaxy
    Answer: Milky Way
  2. A solar system body that is not the Sun or a planet
    Answer: Asteroid
  3. A comet
    Answer: Halley’s Comet
  4. A natural satellite
    Answer: Moon
  5. An artificial satellite
    Answer: INSAT-3C
  6. A planet without a natural satellite
    Answer: Mercury
  7. A star bigger than the Sun
    Answer: Betelgeuse
  8. A constellation
    Answer: Orion
  9. A very light planet made up mostly of gases
    Answer: Jupiter
  10. An asterism
    Answer: Big Dipper

III. Short answer type questions

  1. What is a constellation?
    Answer:
    A constellation is a group of stars that form a recognizable pattern in the night sky. These patterns often resemble animals, mythological characters, or objects. For example, Orion and Ursa Major.
  • Name a star in the Orion constellation.
    Answer:
    Betelgeuse is a well-known star in the Orion constellation. It appears reddish in color and is one of the brightest stars in the night sky.
  • Name the Earth’s natural satellite.
    Answer:
    The Earth’s natural satellite is the Moon. It is the only natural satellite of Earth and is responsible for causing tides on our planet.
  • Where is the Asteroid Belt?
    Answer:
    The Asteroid Belt is located between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. It is a region filled with numerous rocky bodies known as asteroids.
  • Which celestial body has a head and a long tail?
    Answer:
    A comet is a celestial body that has a bright head and a long glowing tail. The tail always points away from the Sun due to solar wind.

IV. Long answer type questions

1. Describe the objects that one could see in the night sky.
Answer:
When we look at the night sky, we can see many different objects. These include:

  • Stars – They look like tiny shining dots but are actually huge balls of hot gases. The Sun is also a star.
  • The Moon – It is the Earth’s natural satellite. It appears in different shapes every night.
  • Planets – These look like stars but do not twinkle. Some planets we can see are Venus, Mars, and Jupiter.
  • Constellations – These are groups of stars that form patterns or shapes in the sky, like Orion or Ursa Major.
  • Comets – These are space objects with a glowing head and a long tail.
  • Artificial Satellites – Man-made machines like communication or weather satellites can also be seen moving slowly like stars.

2. Draw a rough diagram and give a short description of any one constellation.
Answer:
Orion Constellation:

  • Orion is one of the most famous constellations. It is also called “The Hunter”.
  • It is clearly visible in the winter sky.
  • It has a line of three bright stars in the center that form Orion’s Belt.
  • Two bright stars in Orion are Betelgeuse (red) and Rigel (blue-white).
Class 8 Science Chapter 16 Solar System Oxford orion constellation

3. Name the planets of the Solar System. List them in the order of their distance from the Sun. Also, name the smallest and biggest planet.
Answer:
The planets of our Solar System in order from the Sun are:

  1. Mercury
  2. Venus
  3. Earth
  4. Mars
  5. Jupiter
  6. Saturn
  7. Uranus
  8. Neptune
Class 8 Science Chapter 16 Solar System Oxford
  • The smallest planet is Mercury.
  • The biggest planet is Jupiter.

4. Distinguish between meteoroids, meteors, and meteorites.
Answer:

TermWhere it is foundWhat it doesExample/Note
MeteoroidIn spaceA small rock or particle that moves through space.May enter Earth’s atmosphere.
MeteorIn Earth’s atmosphereA meteoroid that burns due to friction with air and appears as a streak of light (shooting star).Does not usually reach the ground.
MeteoriteOn Earth’s surfaceA part of a meteor that survives the fall and lands on Earth.Can form craters on impact.

5. What are ‘Phases of the Moon’? Draw a rough diagram of any two phases and name them.
Answer:
The phases of the Moon are the different shapes of the Moon we see from Earth during a month.
They happen because the Moon moves around the Earth, and we see different parts of its lit surface.

Main phases:

  • New Moon – The Moon is not visible.
  • First Quarter – Half of the Moon is visible.
  • Full Moon – The full round Moon is seen.
  • Last Quarter – Again, half is visible but from the opposite side.

[Rough Diagram of Two Phases]

6. List five uses of artificial satellites.
Answer:
Artificial satellites are machines made by humans that orbit the Earth. They are useful in many ways:

  1. Television and Internet – Satellites help send TV and internet signals around the world.
  2. Weather Forecast – They take pictures of clouds and help predict weather.
  3. GPS and Navigation – They help us find directions and locations on maps.
  4. Space Research – Satellites are used to study planets, stars, and outer space.
  5. Military and Defense – Satellites help in spying and protecting a country.

Class-wise Solutions

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Class 8:

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For the official Class 8 Mathematics Solutions, you can visit:

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