mi01000971.schoolwires.net€¦ · Web viewTable 1: Solar System Distances: Planet Distance (km)...
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Lab: Scaling the Solar System Name: ________________________ Honors Earth Science Date: ________________ Hr: ____ Background : Currently there are 8 known major planets, plus an estimated thousand other smaller ones called “dwarf planets”. While many people can name the major planets and their order, most don’t know their relative location or distance from each other. Distances in space are tough to comprehend. To make it easier to compare distance, astronomers use the unit “AU” or “astronomical unit”. 1 AU = the average distance from Earth to the Sun = 150,000,000km Question: How are the major and dwarf planets arranged across the solar system? Hypothesis: Procedure: 1) Calculate the distance in AU each planet is from the Sun. 2) Calculate its football field distance from the Sun using the formula: Yards ¿ Goal Line( Sun) =Distance ¿ Sun ( AU) x 2.56 3) Place the planet you are assigned, on the correct yard line away from the Sun. 4) Plot all planets on the football field diagram on the back of this page. Observations: Table 1: Solar System Distances: Planet Distance (km) from Sun Distance (AU) from Sun Football field distance from Sun (yards) Mercury 58,000,000 Venus 108,000,000 Earth 150,000,000 Mars 228,000,000 Ceres 415,500,000 Jupiter 778,500,000 Saturn 1,430,000,000 Uranus 2,880,000,000 Neptune 4,500,000,000 Orcus 5,875,500,000 Pluto 5,922,000,000 Salacia 6,328,335,000
Transcript of mi01000971.schoolwires.net€¦ · Web viewTable 1: Solar System Distances: Planet Distance (km)...
Lab: Scaling the Solar System Name: ________________________Honors Earth Science Date: ________________ Hr: ____
Background: Currently there are 8 known major planets, plus an estimated thousand other smaller ones called “dwarf planets”. While many people can name the major planets and their order, most don’t know their relative location or distance from each other. Distances in space are tough to comprehend. To make it easier to compare distance, astronomers use the unit “AU” or “astronomical unit”.
1 AU = the average distance from Earth to the Sun = 150,000,000km
Question: How are the major and dwarf planets arranged across the solar system?
Hypothesis:
Procedure: 1) Calculate the distance in AU each planet is from the Sun.2) Calculate its football field distance from the Sun using the formula:
Yards¿Goal Line (Sun )=Distance¿ Sun(AU ) x2.563) Place the planet you are assigned, on the correct yard line away from the Sun.4) Plot all planets on the football field diagram on the back of this page.
Observations: Table 1: Solar System Distances:
Planet Distance (km) from Sun
Distance (AU) from Sun
Football field distance from Sun (yards)
Mercury 58,000,000
Venus 108,000,000
Earth 150,000,000
Mars 228,000,000
Ceres 415,500,000
Jupiter 778,500,000
Saturn 1,430,000,000
Uranus 2,880,000,000
Neptune 4,500,000,000
Orcus 5,875,500,000
Pluto 5,922,000,000
Salacia 6,328,335,000
Haumea 6,469,500,000
Quaoar 6,510,750,000
Makemake 6,868,500,000
Eris 10,150,500,000
Sedna 77,700,000,000
Lab: Scaling the Solar System Name: ________________________Honors Earth Science Date: ________________ Hr: ____
Sketch (nearly) all planets on the football field below
Analysis Questions:
1. Describe where:a. the 4 inner planets were found on the football field.
b. the 4 outer planets were found on the football field.
c. most dwarf planets were located
2. Explain why was it impossible to place Sedna on the field?
3. Why do astronomers use the measurement of an AU instead of using km?
4. Describe something NEW that you learned from this activity.
CONCLUSION:
SUN
Lab: Scaling the Solar System Name: ________________________Honors Earth Science Date: ________________ Hr: ____
MERCURY
Lab: Scaling the Solar System Name: ________________________Honors Earth Science Date: ________________ Hr: ____
VENUS
Lab: Scaling the Solar System Name: ________________________Honors Earth Science Date: ________________ Hr: ____
EARTH
Lab: Scaling the Solar System Name: ________________________Honors Earth Science Date: ________________ Hr: ____
MARS
Lab: Scaling the Solar System Name: ________________________Honors Earth Science Date: ________________ Hr: ____
CERES
Lab: Scaling the Solar System Name: ________________________Honors Earth Science Date: ________________ Hr: ____
JUPITER
Lab: Scaling the Solar System Name: ________________________Honors Earth Science Date: ________________ Hr: ____
SATURN
Lab: Scaling the Solar System Name: ________________________Honors Earth Science Date: ________________ Hr: ____
URANUS
Lab: Scaling the Solar System Name: ________________________Honors Earth Science Date: ________________ Hr: ____
NEPTUNE
Lab: Scaling the Solar System Name: ________________________Honors Earth Science Date: ________________ Hr: ____
PLUTO
Lab: Scaling the Solar System Name: ________________________Honors Earth Science Date: ________________ Hr: ____
ERIS
Lab: Scaling the Solar System Name: ________________________Honors Earth Science Date: ________________ Hr: ____
ORCUS
Lab: Scaling the Solar System Name: ________________________Honors Earth Science Date: ________________ Hr: ____
HAUMEA
Lab: Scaling the Solar System Name: ________________________Honors Earth Science Date: ________________ Hr: ____
MAKEMAKE
Lab: Scaling the Solar System Name: ________________________Honors Earth Science Date: ________________ Hr: ____
SALACIA
Lab: Scaling the Solar System Name: ________________________Honors Earth Science Date: ________________ Hr: ____
QUAOAR
Lab: Scaling the Solar System Name: ________________________Honors Earth Science Date: ________________ Hr: ____
SEDNA
