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Separate Physics · Paper 2 · Foundation + Higher · P8

Our solar system and galaxy

Key ideas1 of 3

One star and its orbiting objects

Our solar system contains one star, the Sun, together with eight planets and dwarf planets orbiting it. The planets in order from the Sun are Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. The Sun is a star because fusion in its interior releases energy. Planets reflect starlight; they are not miniature stars carrying out the same sustained fusion.

The Sun and the eight planets are labelled in orbital order; distances and sizes are not to scale.

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Foundation + Higher · P8. P8 is a complete Physics-only topic.

AQA GCSE Physics 8463 · 4.8.1.1. Original notes, questions and diagrams. Models are simplified; teaching data are illustrative.