May 8, 2012Warm Up

1. Take out journal

2. Study notes over space

3. Take out half sheet of paper for daily quiz

Daily Quiz 5-8-12• 1. Our solar system is made up of 8

_____.

• 2. The only planet in our solar system that can support life is ______________.

• 3. Life on Earth would not exist without the Earth’s a_____________________.

• 4. The Earth’s atmosphere is a mixture of g___________.

• 5. The ________ layer filters and reduces the sun’s harmful rays.

In the story “Goldilocks and the three bears” Goldilock talks about things being just right. How does

this relate to life in space? Explain.• Discussion:• http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/

2003/02oct_goldilocks/

ExplorationExplorationA.A. Consider the information given in the Consider the information given in the

table below and answer the following table below and answer the following questions.questions.

Bowl Bowl Name:Name:

PAPA PAPA BEARBEAR

MAMA MAMA BEARBEAR

BABY BABY BEARBEAR

Bowl Bowl Temp:Temp:

85ºC85ºC 20ºC20ºC 52ºC52ºC

Bowl Bowl Diameter:Diameter:

20 cm20 cm 13 cm13 cm 4 cm4 cm

Bowl Bowl Color:Color:

Electric Electric BlueBlue

RedRed YellowYellow

i. Whose bowl of porridge did Goldilocks choose?

ii. What characteristic about the porridge did Goldilocks use to decide which bowl was “just right”?

ExplorationExplorationB. Consider the information given in the B. Consider the information given in the

table below and answer the following table below and answer the following questions.questions.

Chair Name:

PAPA BEAR

MAMA BEAR

BABY BEAR

Chair Temp:

22ºC 22ºC 22ºC

Chair Height:

40 cm 33 cm 20 cm

Chair Material:

Metal Wood Plastic

i. Which chair did Goldilocks choose?

ii. What characteristic about the chair did Goldilocks use to decide which bowl was “just right”?

ExplorationExplorationC. Consider the information given in the C. Consider the information given in the

table below and answer the following table below and answer the following questions.questions.

Bed Name: PAPA BEAR

MAMA BEAR

BABY BEAR

Bed Temp: 22ºC 22ºC 22ºC

Bed Height;

15 cm 15 cm 15 cm

Bed Stiffness:

Hard Soft Medium

i. Which bed did Goldilocks choose?

ii. What characteristic about the beds did Goldilocks use to decide which bowl was “just right”?

Why is lots of life on Earth?• Name _________________________________________ Date __________________ Period ________• Activity #2 Why Is There Abundant Life On Earth?• Examine the information provided in the table below and answer the following questions.• Planet Name: VenusEarthMarsPlanet Mass (MEarth):0.8 MEarth1 MEarth0.1 MEarthPlanet Radius(REarth)0.95

REarth1 REarth0.5 REarthDistance from Sun(DEarth) .7 DEarth1 DEarth1.5 DEarthAverage surface Temperature:456oc10oc-95ocAtmosphere

• Thick• Medium• Very Thin• Note: 0.8MEarth means that the planet has a mass that is 80% the mass of Earth.

• A. Which of the characteristics listed in the table allow life to flourish on Earth but not Venus and Mars? Explain your reasoning.

• ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

• B. Describe how the characteristics identified in part A would change if the following changes were made.• The Earth was moved closer to the Sun.• _________________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

• The Earth was moved farther from the Sun.• _________________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

• The Sun’s temperature was much hotter and it was much larger.• _________________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

• The Sun’s temperature was much cooler and it was much smaller.• _________________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Defining the Habitable ZoneDefining the Habitable Zone

The planets in our Solar System orbit the Sun at The planets in our Solar System orbit the Sun at very different distances. Scientists have very different distances. Scientists have developed a system for describing distances in developed a system for describing distances in our Solar System based on the average distance our Solar System based on the average distance between the Earth and the Sun. The between the Earth and the Sun. The Astronomical Unit (AU) is approximately Astronomical Unit (AU) is approximately 149,570,000 kilometers (the average Sun-Earth 149,570,000 kilometers (the average Sun-Earth distance). The distances between objects in our distance). The distances between objects in our Solar System are measured using the AU as the Solar System are measured using the AU as the common unit of distance. The table below common unit of distance. The table below provides the planet’s name and average orbital provides the planet’s name and average orbital distance to the Sun. distance to the Sun.

Convert the Convert the distances from distances from km to AU for km to AU for each of the each of the planets in our planets in our Solar System.Solar System.

Planet Name Dist. To Sun in km

Dist. To Sun in AU

Mercury 57,950,000 km

Venus 108,110,000 km

Earth 149,570,000 km

Mars 227,840,000 km

Jupiter 778,140,000 km

Saturn 1,427,000,000 km

Uranus 2,870,300,000 km

Neptune 4,499,900,000 km

Pluto 5,913,000,000 km

0.39 AU0.72 AU1 AU

1.5 AU

5.2 AU

9.5 AU

19.1 AU30 AU

39.5 AU

Defining the Habitable ZoneDefining the Habitable Zone

The presence of liquid water at the surface of a The presence of liquid water at the surface of a planet appears to be one of the central planet appears to be one of the central characteristic that distinguishes whether or not a characteristic that distinguishes whether or not a planet can harbor life. This requires that the planet can harbor life. This requires that the planet be at a distance from the central star planet be at a distance from the central star where the temperature is not too low to cause all where the temperature is not too low to cause all water to freeze nor too high to cause all water to water to freeze nor too high to cause all water to boil. The region around a star where the boil. The region around a star where the temperature is “just right” is known as the “zone temperature is “just right” is known as the “zone of habitability.” For a star like our Sun the zone of habitability.” For a star like our Sun the zone of habitability has been identified as between .84 of habitability has been identified as between .84 AU and 1.7 AU. The next slides show you AU and 1.7 AU. The next slides show you where the zone of habitability is in the Solar where the zone of habitability is in the Solar System.System.

Zone of Habitability

Defining the Habitable ZoneDefining the Habitable Zone Discussion QuestionsDiscussion Questions

1)1) Which of the planets in our Solar System Which of the planets in our Solar System may have the potential for liquid water on may have the potential for liquid water on the surface. Explain how you can tell.the surface. Explain how you can tell.

2)2) Is the Moon in the zone of habitability? Is the Moon in the zone of habitability? Does the Moon have liquid water on the Does the Moon have liquid water on the surface? Why, or why not?surface? Why, or why not?

3)3) Describe how the location of the zone of Describe how the location of the zone of habitability would change it the central habitability would change it the central star’s temperature was to increase.star’s temperature was to increase.

• Activity #4 The Sun Is A Star?• Obtain a set of “Star Cards” from your teacher. Examine each star card and using the information provided sort, the stars by

their distance from the Earth, from largest to smallest. • Does the star’s temperature appear to depend on the distance from the Earth?• _____________________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

• Compare the color of the star to its temperature. Compare the spectral class of the star to its temperature. Do the color or spectral class of the star appear to be related to the star's temperature?

• ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

• Sort your star cards by temperature, from coolest to hottest.• _____________________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

• E. Consider the four characteristics (1) Temperature, (2) color, (3) distance, and (4) class or spectral type. Which characteristics most strongly influence the size and location of the habitable zone? Explain your reasoning for each.

• ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

• F. If we are looking for Earth-like life elsewhere in the universe, which of the stars described on the star cards would you explore first? What spectral classes did you choose? Explain the reasoning behind your choices.

• ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

• Scientists believe that life as we know it is most likely to exist around stars most like our Sun, in the F, G and K classes. Size, temperature and light appear to be important factors in identifying these stars.

• How would the zone of habitability be different around an "F" star, or a "K" star as compared to the Sun? Explain your reasoning.

• ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Exit Questions to Ponder…

• 1)  What are some characteristics of our solar system which allow life to exist?

• 2)  Which planets can support life?  Why?