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Physical Science Projecette 1
Size and Spacing of Our Solar System
Most solar system representations give grossly misleading visualizations about relative sizes of the sun and planets,
along with the distances between them. There is much more emptiness in the solar system than generally realized.
The main goal of this projecette is to give a realistic visualization of the relative sizes of the sun and planets, along
with the distances between them. A second goal is to gain experience working with numbers, including writing
results of calculations to specified precision and using powers-of-ten notation.
We will use the red athletic ball to represent the sun. The red ball is approximately 0.45 m (45 cm) in diameter. We
want to make a model solar system by reducing all sizes and distances in the same proportion as is done in reducing
the sun to the size of the red ball. For each planet, we go from ‘real diameter’ and ‘real distance from the sun’ to
‘model diameter’ and ‘model distance from the sun’, respectively, by multiplying ‘real diameter’ and ‘real distance
from sun’ by appropriate scale factors. The scale factors have already been worked out. You just need to do the
multiplication.
Scale Factors
Diameter: Multiply each ‘Real diameter’ given in km by 3.24×10-5 to get ‘Model diameter’ in cm. (Express
results as decimal numbers to two decimal places)
Distance from sun: Multiply each ‘Real distance from sun’ given in km by 3.24×10-7 to get ‘Model distance from
sun’ in m. (Express results to two significant figures, except for the last one with Alpha Centauri which should be
expressed in standard scientific, i.e., powers-of-ten notation)
Mercury
Real diameter: 4,878 km
Model diameter: _______0.16 ________ cm
Real distance from sun: 5.79×107 km
Model distance from sun: _____19 __________ m
Venus
Real diameter: 12,102 km
Model diameter: ______0.39 ___ _____ cm
Real distance from sun: 1.08×108 km
Model distance from sun: _____35 __________ m
Earth
Real diameter: 12,756 km
Model diameter: ______0.41 ___ _____ cm
Real distance from sun: 1.45×108 km
Model distance from sun: _____47 __________ m
Mars
Real diameter: 6,786 km
Model diameter: ______0.22 ___ _____ cm
Real distance from sun: 2.28×108 km
Model distance from sun: _____74 __________ m
Jupiter
Real diameter: 142,980 km
Model diameter: ______4.63 ___ _____ cm
Real distance from sun: 7.78×108 km
Model distance from sun: _____250 __________ m
Saturn
Real diameter: 120,540 km
Model diameter: ______3.90 ___ _____ cm
Real distance from sun: 1.43×109 km
Model distance from sun: _____460 __________ m
Uranus
Real diameter: 51,118 km
Model diameter: ______1.66 ___ _____ cm
Real distance from sun: 2.87×109 km
Model distance from sun: _____930 __________ m
Neptune
Real diameter: 49,528 km
Model diameter: ______1.60 ___ _____ cm
Real distance from sun: 4.50×109 km
Model distance from sun: _____1500 _________ m
Pluto (former planet)
Real diameter: 2,274 km
Model diameter: ______0.07 ___ _____ cm
Real distance from sun: 5.91×109 km
Model distance from sun: _____1900__________ m
Our sun’s nearest neighboring star – Alpha Centauri
Alpha Centauri
Real distance from sun: 4.01×1013 km
Model distance from sun: 1.3×107 (or 13,000,000) m
(Model distance is to the opposite side of Earth from us)
Picking the Planets
After correctly completing the above table, select ‘planets’ that best fit each model diameter. Arrange them in order
from nearest to closest to sun. When complete, ask your instructor to verify you chose the appropriate ‘planets’ by
signing below.
_______________________________________________
Instructor signature
Constructing the Model Solar System
Your instructor will direct you in making the final scaled model of the solar system. It requires that we go outdoors.
Given your observations during this projecette, circle the number of each statement below which accurately
describes some aspect of the solar system.
(1) The planets of the solar system are all nearly the same size.
(2) The sun has almost all the mass of the solar system. In other words, the sun is much larger than the total of all
the planets of the solar system.
(3) The four planets closest to the sun are all significantly smaller than the next four planets outward from the sun.
(4) The area in the solar system beyond the sun is almost entirely empty space.
(5) The eight planets in the solar system are all bunched together with very little space between them.
(6) The first four planets in the solar system are spread out, while the next four planets are somewhat bunched
together.
(7) The spacing between planets remains constant as one goes from the first to second to third, etc., planet from
the sun.
(8) The spacing between planets consistently increases as one goes from the first to second to third, etc., planet
from the sun.
(9) The spacing between planets consistently decreases as one goes from the first to second to third, etc., planet
from the sun.
(10) If one started at the sun and went ten times the distance from the sun to Neptune, this person could plausibly
reach the star that is the sun’s nearest neighbor.