The solar system - SS1 Geography Past Questions and Answers - page 2

The shape of the Earth is an oblate spheroid, which means it is mostly spherical but slightly flattened at the poles and bulging at the equator. This shape is due to the Earth's rotation.

The primary components of the solar system include the Sun, planets, moons, asteroids, comets, and dwarf planets. The Sun is a massive star at the center, and planets are celestial bodies that orbit it. Moons are natural satellites of planets, asteroids are small rocky objects, comets are icy bodies with tails, and dwarf planets are similar to planets but don't meet all the criteria.

Earth is unique in the solar system because it has the right conditions to support life, including a stable climate, liquid water, and a protective atmosphere.

Comets are icy bodies that develop tails when they approach the Sun due to the Sun's heat. The heat causes the ice in the comet to vaporize and create a glowing tail that points away from the Sun.

Planets are larger celestial bodies that orbit the Sun, while dwarf planets are similar but don't meet all the criteria to be considered full-fledged planets. An example of a dwarf planet is Pluto.