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Physics/Unit 4 Astrophysics_H
Date:______________
Name:_________________________ Seat: ______
Teacher:______________________ Per:________
The Solar System Lab
INTRODUCTION:
Mercury is the planet nearest the sun. Pluto is more than 100 times as far away. To measure distances in
the solar systems, astronomers use the astronomical unit (A.U.). One A.U. equals the distance between Earth and
the Sun. This is approximately 150 million kilometers or 93 million miles. The planets range in size from tiny Pluto
(which has been re-classified) to the gigantic gaseous Jupiter. The volume of Jupiter is about 200,000 times that of
Pluto and 25,000 times that of Mercury, the smallest inner (terrestrial) plant.
Since the distances between planets are so much greater than the diameters, it is necessary to use two
different scales when plotting the planets on a single diagram.
OBJECTIVE:
Using planetary data and scale conversion, you will construct diagrams that show the relative sizes and
distances of the planets. The relative distances within the solar system will be shown by plotting the locations of
the planets from the Sun on a string.
VOCABULARY:
Planet –
Astronomical Unit –
Terrestrial Planet –
Diameter –
Gas Planet –
Radius –
PROCEDURE A: SIZE COMPARISONS
1. Complete Data Table 1 on the Report Sheet.
a) Use a scale of 1cm = 600 km
b) Round your answers to the tenths place.
c) Convert the scale diameters from Kilometers to centimeters.
2. Using the scale diameters in Data Table 1, construct circles representing the planets on a piece of paper.
a) If the diameter is large enough, use a drawing compass. (But remember to use the radius, which is 1/2
the diameter.)
b) If the diameter is too small for the drawing compass, draw freehand.
3. Label each circle with the name of the planet it represents in the center.
4. Answer Discussion Questions 1 through 6 using this information.
Planet
Diameter of
Planet (km)
Sun
1,400,000
Mercury
4,800
Venus
12,105
Earth
13,000
Mars
6,900
Jupiter
140,000
Scaled Diameter
4000 km = 1mm
(4000 km is the distance between
Chicago & Venezuela)
Scaled Radius
(Radius = ½
Diameter)
Physics/Unit 4 Astrophysics_H
Date:______________
Name:_________________________ Seat: ______
Teacher:______________________ Per:________
Saturn
120,000
Neptune
53,000
Uranus
50,000
Pluto
2,274
PROCEDURE B: RELATIVE DISTANCES BETWEEN THE PLANETS
1. Complete Data Table 2 on the Report Sheet.
a) Using Earth’s distance from the Sun as a conversion factor, convert all distances from kilometers to AU.
b) Use a scale of 10 cm = 1 AU.
c) For answers less than 100 cm, round to the tenths place. Do not convert them to meters.
d) Convert answers greater than 100 cm to meters.
2. Obtain a length of string that is 10 centimeters greater than your scale distance to Pluto. Spread it out and
tape it to the floor.
3. Measure a distance 2 cm from one end of the tape. Draw a line across the tape and label it SUN. This will
represent the Sun’s surface and you will measure all distances from this reference line.
4. Use a meter stick, measure, mark, and label the distance of each planet from the Sun’s reference line on the
tape.
5. Complete the Discussion Questions and the Conclusions.
Planet
Distance to Sun
(km)
Mercury
5.97 х 107
Venus
1.08 x 108
Earth
1.50 x 108
Mars
2.27 x 108
Asteroid Belt
(This is where the
Dwarf Planet Ceres is
located)
4.14 x 108
Jupiter
7.78 x 108
Saturn
1.43 x 109
Uranus
2.87 x 109
Neptune
4.50 x 109
Pluto
Closest: 4.46 x 109
Average: 5.91 x 109
Farthest: 7.40 x 109
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: (Answer in Complete Sentences.)
Distance to Sun
(AU)
1.00
Scale Distance
(1 AU = 10 cm)
Physics/Unit 4 Astrophysics_H
Date:______________
1. Which are the largest two planets?
Name:_________________________ Seat: ______
Teacher:______________________ Per:________
2. Which planet is closest in size to Earth?
3. How do the sizes of the inner planets compare to the sizes of the gas giants planets?
4. How does Pluto differ from the outer planets?
5. Jupiter’s diameter is how many times greater than Earth’s diameter?
6. The Sun has a diameter of 1,394,000 km. On the scale used for Procedure A (1 mm = 600 km), what would
be the scale diameter for the circle representing the Sun?
7. How do the distances between inner planets compare to distances between the outer planets?
8. Which two planets are closest to Earth?
9. How far away from the sun would Pluto be, using the scale from procedure A? Why are there THREE
different measurements for Pluto in procedure B?
10. The next nearest star in our Milky Way galaxy (after the sun) is Alpha Centauri. It is 4.3 light years or
41,000,000,000,000 km (4.1 x 1013 km) away from Earth. Using the scale from Procedure B, calculate the
scale distance in meters Alpha Centauri is from Earth.
11. The Large Magellanic Cloud, a nearby galaxy, is 160,000 light years (1.5 x 1018 km) away from Earth. Using
the scale from Procedure B, calculate how far away in meters the large Magellanic Cloud is from Earth.
CONCLUSION:
Physics/Unit 4 Astrophysics_H
Date:______________
Name:_________________________ Seat: ______
Teacher:______________________ Per:________
a) Compare the relative sizes of the planets to the sun’s diameter.
b) How does the distance between Earth and the sun compare to the distance between Earth and
nearby stars and galaxies?
Solar System Lab RUBRIC
Regents Physical Setting: Earth Science
Vocabulary
0-1 Missing, or mostly
incomplete.
Data Table
1
0-1-2 Incomplete, or
missing entirely.
2 Most words present and
defined. May be insufficient
definitions, or missing
definitions.
3-4-5 Mostly complete and
accurate. A few mistakes made.
Data Table
2
0-1-2 Incomplete, or
missing entirely.
3-4-5 Mostly complete and
accurate. A few mistakes made.
Model
0-1 Missing, or mostly
incomplete/inaccurate.
0-1-2-3-4 Incomplete,
or missing entirely. No
attempt at sentences.
2 Partially completed, or
somewhat inaccurate.
5-6-7-8 Mostly complete and
accurate. Effort could have been
better. Incomplete sentences.
0-1-2 Incomplete, or
missing entirely.
3-4-5 Mostly complete and
accurate. Includes only one or
two good sentences.
Discussion
Questions
Conclusion
3 All words present and
clearly defined
6-7-8 Complete and
thorough. All scaling and
conversions are correct.
6-7-8 Complete and
thorough. All scaling and
conversions are correct.
Meters used when needed.
3 Complete and accurate
9-10-11-12 Complete and
thorough. Clear presence of
effort. Uses complete
sentences.
6-7-8 Complete and
thorough. Both questions
answered. Uses complete
sentences.
= _______ / 42