Lesson T7.2.1

T7.2.1 Our Sun and other stars Quiz: KS3 Physics, Unit 7

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

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Lesson T7.2.1, Our Sun and other stars: 20 multiple choice questions for the KS3 Physics (National Curriculum), Unit 7: Space physics, written with Revision Ninja.

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The 20 questions

  1. What type of object is our Sun?

    • A planet
    • A comet
    • A moon
    • A star

  2. Which is the closest star to Earth?

    • Polaris
    • The Sun
    • Sirius
    • Proxima Centauri

  3. Which galaxy contains our Sun and the other stars we can see with the naked eye?

    • Andromeda
    • The Great Red Spot
    • The Magellanic Clouds
    • The Milky Way

  4. What is a galaxy?

    • A cloud of gas and dust that is found only near planets like Earth
    • A single very bright star that burns for millions of years in space
    • A huge group of stars, gas and dust held together by gravity
    • A planet that orbits a star and reflects its light back to Earth

  5. Roughly how long does sunlight take to reach Earth?

    • About 8 seconds
    • About 8 hours
    • About 8 minutes
    • About 8 days

  6. What makes stars shine?

    • Electric currents flowing out from the Moon into the stars
    • Reflected light from nearby planets that bounce off their surfaces
    • Nuclear fusion in their cores releases energy as light
    • Burning oxygen on their outer surfaces, like a fire on a hearth

  7. Which statement describes other galaxies?

    • They are planets that orbit the Sun in a ring beyond Pluto's path
    • They lie far beyond the Milky Way, each containing many billions of stars
    • They are made of solid rock with no stars or gas inside them at all
    • They are all inside the Milky Way, packed close together in its arms

  8. What is the Sun's main role in our solar system?

    • It pushes the planets apart
    • It makes the Moon's gravity
    • Its gravity holds the planets in orbit
    • It supplies all of the Moon's light only

  9. Why do stars appear to be small points of light from Earth?

    • They are very small in size
    • They are made of cold rock
    • They are extremely far away
    • They reflect light from the Moon

  10. Which object is the Sun most like in terms of type?

    • The Moon
    • The planets Venus and Mars
    • Other stars in the Milky Way
    • Comets

  11. Which statement about the Sun is correct?

    • It is a star that gives out light and heat
    • It is a moon that orbits Earth and reflects sunlight from the surface
    • It is cold and gives no light, but holds the planets in place
    • It is a planet with a very hot surface that glows red in the sky

  12. Which of these is the best description of the Milky Way?

    • A small group of two stars that orbit each other in one place
    • A galaxy containing our Sun and billions of other stars
    • A planet with rings that orbits a bright star far from the Sun
    • A cloud of gas found on the Moon that glows at night in the sky

  13. Why does the Sun appear much brighter than other stars?

    • It is made of different materials
    • It is always the largest star
    • It is much closer to Earth
    • It has no atmosphere

  14. How many galaxies are there in the universe, roughly?

    • Only one, the Milky Way
    • Billions
    • About one hundred
    • Exactly ten thousand

  15. What do stars and galaxies have in common?

    • Both are held together by gravity
    • Both are made of solid rock
    • Both are cold and dark
    • Both are planets

  16. Which statement about stars is correct?

    • Stars are hot balls of gas that produce their own light
    • Stars are cold rocks reflecting sunlight
    • Stars orbit around planets
    • Stars are only found inside the solar system

  17. What is the approximate number of stars in the Milky Way?

    • Exactly one thousand
    • Hundreds of billions
    • A few hundred
    • Only the Sun

  18. Which of these is a planet, not a star?

    • Jupiter
    • Sirius
    • The Sun
    • Betelgeuse

  19. Why do planets appear to shine in the night sky?

    • They are very close to Earth and glow
    • They make their own light through fusion
    • They reflect light from the Sun
    • They are heated by the Moon

  20. The Sun is much larger than the Earth. Which statement follows from this?

    • The Sun contains far more mass than the Earth
    • The Sun has no mass
    • The Sun is the same mass as the Earth
    • The Sun contains less mass than the Earth

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