Download es1 solar system computer lab

Solar System WebQuest
Name:
Date:
spaceplace.nasa.gov spaceplace.nasa.gov All web site links are available on the class website under “Solar System and Earth Formation”.
Open Google Chrome. Go to each site and use the information to answer the questions.
Solar System Formation and Characteristics of Planets
http://www.nationalstemcentre.org.uk/elibrary/resource/1922/birth-of-the-solar-system
If you have headphones, use them to listen to the narration of this 3-minute video.
1. Explain why the inner planets are different from the outer.
http://nineplanets.org/tour/
“Click the screen to run the model.” Click on the reddish brown button on the top left to be sure
the heliocentric view is selected. Click the arrow at the bottom of the screen that looks like a
“play” button. The planets will start to move around the Sun.
2. In what direction do the planets revolve around the Sun?
Circle: clockwise
counterclockwise
3. Which planet moves the fastest around the sun? (Use the zoom bar on the right side to zoom
in or out on your view.)
4. Click the button on the left that looks like a wheel. Under “sizes” click “realistic”. How
does this change the view of the planets?
Click back to “large”.
5. Click “dwarf planets” and click “show”. Click the arrow button and turn on the view of the
dwarf planets. Name three dwarf planets:
In what way do their orbits appear different from those of the major planets?
Click on the name of each body in the solar system listed below. A box will pop up on the right
side of the screen with information about each body. If no box appears, click the “i” on the right
side of the screen. Use the information to answer the questions.
The Sun
6. How much of the Solar System’s mass is in the Sun?
made of?
about the Nebular Theory? Explain.
What is it mostly
Does this fit in with what we learned
How long does it take light from the Sun to reach Earth?
How far is the Sun from the center of the Milky Way Galaxy?
Mercury
7. Why does Mercury experience such great temperature variations?
Venus
8. What is the atmosphere like on Venus?
How does the atmospheric pressure on Venus compare to Earth’s?
Venus is the _________ brightest object in our night sky.
Mars
9. What causes the red surface color of Mars?
What are some similarities between Earth and Mars?
There is evidence to suggest that what important substance may be present on Mars?
What might be the origin of Mars’ two moons, Phobos &
Deimos?
Jupiter
10. How much greater is the mass of Jupiter than all the other planets combined?
Jupiter’s composition is described as “star-like” – this suggests it is made mostly of what
gas?
Does this make sense in consideration of the Nebular
Theory?
How much more massive would Jupiter need to be to be a
star?
What causes the strong winds and storms on Jupiter?
What is the current count of moons of Jupiter?
moon; what is significant about its size?
Saturn
11. What is the composition of Saturn’s rings?
What is the name of its largest
Uranus
12. What is unusual about its tilt?
Neptune
13. Neptune is the
of the gas giant planets. The only planet with
stronger surface gravity than Neptune is
What was unique
about the discovery of Neptune?
Now look at Pluto, everyone’s favorite non-planet!
14. Where in the solar system is Pluto located?
How does Pluto’s axial tilt affect its seasons?
Planet Size Comparison
http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/menu/solar-system/
Scroll all the way down the page to the box that says “Compare the sizes of the planets”. Click
that box.
Look at Earth compared to Mercury.
15. What is the ratio of diameters of Earth to Mercury?
Choose Venus from the drop down menu under Mercury. Click on the word “compare” between
the two planets.
16. How does Venus compare to Earth in size?
Compare the sizes of the other 5 major planets to Earth. Each time you select a different planet
from the drop down menu, click “compare”.
17. Which terrestrial planet is smallest?
18. Which 2 planets are largest compared to Earth?
19. Which planet is most similar in size to Neptune?
Choose “Moon” and compare its size to Earth.
20. How do the sizes of the Earth and Moon compare?
Change Earth to “Pluto” and compare Pluto to the Moon.
21. How does Pluto compare in size to Earth’s Moon?
Change Earth to “Sun” and compare the size of the Sun to Jupiter.
22. How does the Sun compare in size to Jupiter?
http://amazing-space.stsci.edu/resources/explorations
Select “Planet Impact”. Run through all the different options – what’s your angle?, step on it!,
pick a comet – to see how different variables affect the comet’s path.
23. How does angle influence the comet’s ability to hit or miss the planet?
24. How does speed affect the comet’s path?
25. How does the comet’s mass affect its path? (use the pick a comet any comet link to figure this
out)?
Now select Target Practice. Make several attempts and see how fast/slow the comet can go and
still hit the planet. See how much the angle can change and still hit it.
26. List the settings you used that allowed you to hit the planet.
Speed (describe the picture) Angle
Hit? (Yes or No)
http://www.marsquestonline.org/tour/welcome/flytomars/index.html
Follow the instructions to launch a probe to Mars. Try it a few times. If you keep missing Mars
use the hint button for assistance but you should try first without this tool.
Describe the challenge in deciding on a launch date.
How long did it take for your shuttle to reach Mars?
Quit out of the browser.
At the top of the screen, go to “file” and open a “new finder window.”
Click on “applications”
Scroll down until you find Google Earth (it’s alphabetical)
Open Google Earth. Select the icon along the top that looks like Saturn and choose “Mars”
Rotate around Mars.
How does the Southern Hemisphere appear vs. the Northern? Which has more craters?
On the left side under layers find “rovers” Click on the arrow next to this to see a list of all
rover missions. Choose Curiosity. Click on the blue info.
What evidence of water has Curiosity found so far? List three of the features
Do a search for Hellas Planitia and go to this feature. Click on the green hikers to read about it.
What is this feature?
Do a search for Vastitas Borealis and go to this feature.
What is this feature hypothesized to be?
Why are we so interested to find evidence of liquid water on Mars?