Part of GED® Science: Earth & Space Science
GED® Science: The Solar System & Earth in Space (Deep Dive)
A deep dive into our cosmic neighborhood, expanding the single 'Solar System & Earth in Space' lesson from the GED® Earth & Space Science course into a full mini-course. You'll start with the Sun -- a star powered by nuclear fusion -- then tour the eight planets, split into the small rocky worlds and the giant gas-and-ice worlds. You'll learn why gravity keeps planets in orbit, meet the asteroids and comets, and get a feel for the staggering scale of space and how astronomers measure it. Plain language, all-new labeled diagrams, common-misconception warnings, and GED®-style practice with full explanations throughout.
📚 Course Curriculum
At the heart of everything is the Sun. It is not a special object that's different from the points of light you see at night …
Open trial session →Our solar system is the Sun plus everything its gravity holds: eight planets, their moons, and countless asteroids and comets. The planets all orbit the …
Open trial session →Why do the planets circle the Sun forever instead of drifting off or crashing in? The answer is a balance between two things: the planet's …
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The four planets closest to the Sun — Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars — are the terrestrial ('Earth-like') planets. They are small, dense, made mostly …
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Beyond the asteroid belt are the four giant planets — enormous, cold worlds with no solid surface to land on. [[figure:outer_planets The four giant planets: …
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The hardest thing to picture about space is how big it is. Even light — the fastest thing there is — takes time to cross …
Open trial session →Course Syllabus
This self-paced GED® Science course follows a 6-lesson sequence. Work through the modules in order so that each skill supports the next.
Course sequence
Module 1 - Lessons 1-3
- The Sun: Our Star
- The Solar System: Layout & Two Families
- Orbits & Gravity: Why Planets Don't Fly Away
Module 2 - Lessons 4-6
- The Inner, Rocky Planets
- The Outer Giants & the Small Bodies
- The Scale of Space & Reading Astronomy Data
Practice and completion
- Use worked examples and lesson practice to check understanding after each module.
- Review incorrect answers, explain the correction, and repeat weak skills.
- Complete the available mixed or final course practice to demonstrate readiness.
Course Outcomes
By the end of this course, learners will be able to:
- Explain the key scientific ideas and vocabulary in The Sun: Our Star.
- Interpret observations, data, models, or evidence related to The Solar System: Layout & Two Families.
- Apply scientific reasoning to questions involving Orbits & Gravity: Why Planets Don't Fly Away.
- Evaluate explanations and identify common errors about The Outer Giants & the Small Bodies.
- Connect The Scale of Space & Reading Astronomy Data with other course concepts in mixed practice.
- Use feedback and answer explanations to diagnose and correct mistakes.
- Complete mixed, exam-style practice with clearer reasoning and greater independence.
📝 Practice Questions
29 interactive questions with instant feedback and explanations.
Enroll for free to unlock the full practice bank after the trial sessions.