Which statement best describes a solar system?

Which statement best describes a solar system?

• A. A solar system is a star and its planets.
• B. A galaxy is a star and its planets.
• C. A solar system contains billions of stars.
• D. A galaxy is just a single star.

Answer: (A)

Solar systems are defined by a central star whose gravity organizes orbiting bodies. The best description is that a solar system is a star and its planets because the planets orbit the star and stay bound to it, forming one cohesive system. Our solar system centers on the Sun and includes eight planets along with many moons and smaller objects. In contrast, a galaxy is a vast collection of billions of stars, gas, and dust, not just a single star. A solar system does not contain billions of stars, and describing a galaxy as a single star is incorrect. So the accurate idea is: a star with its orbiting planets constitutes a solar system.

Solar systems are defined by a central star whose gravity organizes orbiting bodies. The best description is that a solar system is a star and its planets because the planets orbit the star and stay bound to it, forming one cohesive system. Our solar system centers on the Sun and includes eight planets along with many moons and smaller objects. In contrast, a galaxy is a vast collection of billions of stars, gas, and dust, not just a single star. A solar system does not contain billions of stars, and describing a galaxy as a single star is incorrect. So the accurate idea is: a star with its orbiting planets constitutes a solar system.