Rocks That Join in Orbit

In the picture

1. 1A small rocky fragment drifting in the ring
2. 2Two fragments touching at one contact point
3. 3A larger irregular body made of joined pieces
4. 4A separate smaller fragment nearby

Examples

• Crumbs pressing together when you squeeze a ball of dough
• Dust bunnies growing as lint and hair clump together

Quiz: Rocks That Join in Orbit (Age 12)

1. 1

   What can collisions do to small orbiting rocks?

   • They make them fall onto the planet.
   • They always break them into dust.
   • They can join them into larger bodies.
2. 2

   What does the larger body made of joined pieces do?

   • It stops moving and stays in one place.
   • It leaves the ring and flies away.
   • It keeps orbiting with the remaining debris.
3. 3

   According to the card, how do small rocky pieces in orbit become larger bodies?

   • They stick together when they collide slowly.
   • They melt together because of the planet’s heat.
   • They are pulled together by the planet’s gravity.

The answers, each with its explanation, are in the app. This lesson has left the free week, so its quiz is part of the subscription.