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Twenty Questions About Pluto Trivia Quiz

This twenty question quiz is on the farthest known planet in our Solar System. What do you know about mysterious Pluto? Note- this quiz was written prior to the 2006 change in Pluto's status.

A multiple-choice quiz by almach. Estimated time: 5 mins.

Author
almach

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
91,011

Updated
Aug 22 22

# Qns
20

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
11 / 20

Plays
2325

Awards
Top 35% Quiz

Last 3 plays: NewBestFriend (9/20), Guest 100 (11/20), Guest 166 (0/20).

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 20

1. How far is Pluto from the Sun? Hint

8.3 billion kilometers

4.5 billion kilometers

5.9 billion kilometers

6.7 billion kilometers

NEXT>

Question 2 of 20

2. What is Pluto's mass? Hint

.0022 times that of Earth

.01 times that of Earth

.5 times that of Earth

.34 times that of Earth

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Question 3 of 20

3. What is Pluto's density? Hint

5.4 that of water

8.9 that of water

6.7 that of water

2.03 that of water

NEXT>

Question 4 of 20

4. Pluto is never closer to the Sun than Neptune.

True

False

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Question 5 of 20

5. What is the rotation of Pluto? Hint

1 Earth day

6.3 Earth days

365 Earth days

28 Earth days

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Question 6 of 20

6. How many satellites of Pluto were discovered in the 20th century? Hint

None

Four

Two

One

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Question 7 of 20

7. At which observatory was Pluto discovered? Hint

Lowell observatory in Arizona

Kitt Peak observatory in Arizona

Mt. Palomar in California

Mauna Kea in Hawaii

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Question 8 of 20

8. Who discovered Pluto? Hint

Gerard Kuiper

Clyde Tombaugh

Percival Lowell

James Flamsteed

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Question 9 of 20

9. In what year will Pluto complete one orbit since its discovery? Hint

2010

1930

2426

2178

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Question 10 of 20

10. Pluto was named for the God of which area? Hint

Rivers

Dogs

Underworld

Ferries

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Question 11 of 20

11. What is the axial tilt of Pluto? Hint

45 degrees

10 degrees

122 degrees

75 degrees

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Question 12 of 20

12. Before its reclassification, Pluto was regarded as the smallest planet.

True

False

NEXT>

Question 13 of 20

13. Pluto actually resides in the Kuiper belt.

True

False

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Question 14 of 20

14. What is the average distance between Pluto and Charon? Hint

1,650 kilometers

19,640 kilometers

28,500 kilometers

45,400 kilometers

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Question 15 of 20

15. The center of gravity between Pluto and Charon is below the surface of Pluto.

True

False

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Question 16 of 20

16. Pluto is the outermost boundary of the Solar System.

True

False

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Question 17 of 20

17. Who discovered Charon? Hint

Clyde Tombaugh

Edwin Hubble

Hubble Space Telescope

James Christy

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Question 18 of 20

18. Eclipsing Charon from Pluto would require a ___________ held at arm's length. Hint

billiard ball

basket ball

tennis ball

small marble

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Question 19 of 20

19. Pluto reflects ____________ percent of the light it receives from the Sun. Hint

NEXT>

Question 20 of 20

20. Has the Hubble Space Telescope ever been able to photograph both Pluto and Charon?

Yes

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. How far is Pluto from the Sun?

Answer: 5.9 billion kilometers

Pluto is 39.5 Astronomical Units from the Sun. At this distance, the Sun appears as a fairly bright star.

2. What is Pluto's mass?

Answer: .0022 times that of Earth

You would weigh very little on the smallest planet in the Solar System.

3. What is Pluto's density?

Answer: 2.03 that of water

Although Pluto's composition is unknown, its density indicates that it is probably a mixture of 30 percent water ice and about 70 percent rock. The ice on Pluto is as hard as rock.

4. Pluto is never closer to the Sun than Neptune.

Answer: False

If you did the twenty questions on Neptune quiz, you should have gotten this one correct. Pluto was closer to the Sun between 1979 and 1999.

5. What is the rotation of Pluto?

Answer: 6.3 Earth days

An interesting fact about Pluto is that only one other world in the Solar System has more contrast in its surface coloration and that is Saturn's satellite Iapetus.

6. How many satellites of Pluto were discovered in the 20th century?

Answer: One

Only Charon was discovered in the twentieth century, in 1978. It was named for the boatman of myth who ferried the dead to the underworld. Two additional satellites - Nix and Hydra - were confirmed on 2/24/06 with a fourth one was found in 2011. In 2012, a fifth moon, Styx, was identified.

7. At which observatory was Pluto discovered?

Answer: Lowell observatory in Arizona

Pluto was discovered in 1930. Pluto is so far away, that no spacecraft has visited at the time of writing this quiz, in 2002. A Pluto mission, named New Horizons, is due to fly past Pluto in 2015.

8. Who discovered Pluto?

Answer: Clyde Tombaugh

Clyde Tombaugh was hired at Lowell Observatory in 1929, he found Pluto the year later. Clyde Tombaugh passed away on January 17, 1997, he was 90 years old.

9. In what year will Pluto complete one orbit since its discovery?

Answer: 2178

It takes Pluto 248.5 years to revolve around the Sun. 2010 is when Neptune will complete its first orbit since discovery. 2426 is when Pluto will complete its second orbit since discovery. 1930 is the year Pluto was discovered.

10. Pluto was named for the God of which area?

Answer: Underworld

For the Roman god of the Underworld. The first two letters of Pluto are also the initials of Percival Lowell. Mr. Lowell built the Lowell Observatory where Pluto was discovered.

11. What is the axial tilt of Pluto?

Answer: 122 degrees

Pluto rotates on its side, similar to Uranus.

12. Before its reclassification, Pluto was regarded as the smallest planet.

Answer: True

Not only is it the smallest planet, it is smaller than seven satellites of the Solar System. They are; the Moon, Io, Europa, Callisto, Ganymede, Triton and Titan.

13. Pluto actually resides in the Kuiper belt.

Answer: True

The Kuiper belt, which is beyond the planet Neptune, is similar to the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. Pluto is the largest known Kuiper belt object at this time.

14. What is the average distance between Pluto and Charon?

Answer: 19,640 kilometers

This is only 17 Pluto diameters. The diameter of the Earth is 12,700 kilometers, so the distance between Pluto and Charon is just half again the diameter of the Earth!

15. The center of gravity between Pluto and Charon is below the surface of Pluto.

Answer: False

The center of gravity between these two worlds is actually between them, making Pluto and Charon more of a double planet.

16. Pluto is the outermost boundary of the Solar System.

Answer: False

There are some Kuiper belt objects known beyond Pluto, and the theoritical Oort Cloud is also beyond Pluto. Most long period comets are believed to be coming from the Oort Cloud. Comets will be the subject of my next twenty questions quiz on the Solar System.

17. Who discovered Charon?

Answer: James Christy

James Christy discovered Charon in 1978.

18. Eclipsing Charon from Pluto would require a ___________ held at arm's length.

Answer: billiard ball

Earth's Moon can be eclipsed by a pea held at arm's length.

19. Pluto reflects ____________ percent of the light it receives from the Sun.

Answer: 47

Pluto's average surface temperature is about a negative 220 degrees C.

20. Has the Hubble Space Telescope ever been able to photograph both Pluto and Charon?

Answer: Yes

In 1990 the Hubble Space Telescope was able to photograph the pair.

Source: Author almach

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor crisw before going online.
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Twenty Questions About Pluto Trivia Quiz

This twenty question quiz is on the farthest known planet in our Solar System. What do you know about mysterious Pluto? Note- this quiz was written *prior* to the 2006 change in Pluto's status.

This twenty question quiz is on the farthest known planet in our Solar System. What do you know about mysterious Pluto? Note- this quiz was written prior to the 2006 change in Pluto's status.