Download Inquiry 14.1 Analyzing the Weight on Each Planet

Inquiry 14.1
Analyzing the Weight on Each Planet
Directions: Write down the purpose, background information and answer any question in the inquiry. Purpose: How does the weight of a can of pop compare to the same can of pops weight on all 8 planets? Background Information: Gravity – Gravity is the attraction between the mass of a body and bodies at or near its surface. Mass – The amount of matter (stuff) in an object. Weight – the measure of the force of gravity pulling on a body. Procedure: 1. Do NOT get a can until you have completed step 3 and shown your teacher.
2. In this inquiry every container represents the same full can of soda but on different planets.
The cans are located on the teacher desk. You may only take 1 can at a time, then return the
can and switch it out for a different one. I know that Pluto is not a planet but its still fun to see
how it would be compare. Don’t get a can until you have answered questions A & B.
A - On which planet do you think the container weighs the least?
B - Why do you think that planet’s container would weigh the less or more than another can?
3. Create the data table below on your paper.
4. Find the weight of each of the 8 planets (and Pluto) using a triple-beam-balance. Write in the
data table below the mass of each can.
Planet
Weight of container
Planet’s Surface
Gravity
Mercury
Venus
Earth
Mars
Jupiter
Saturn
Uranus
Neptune
Pluto
Analyzing the Data
5. Rank the planets weights from lightest to heaviest from the data table.
6. Which planet has a similar weight to that of Earth?
7. Find the planet’s surface gravity by taking the planets weight and dividing that weight by
Earths weight.
8. Look at the 5 different categories on the data table below. Ranked are the orders of each of
the columns (top to bottom) in from least to greatest.
Mass
Pluto
Mercury
Mars
Venus
Earth
Uranus
Neptune
Saturn
Jupiter
Average
distance
from Sun
Mercury
Venus
Earth
Mars
Jupiter
Saturn
Uranus
Neptune
Pluto
Length of
Year
Mercury
Venus
Earth
Mars
Jupiter
Saturn
Uranus
Neptune
Pluto
Rotation
Period
Jupiter
Saturn
Neptune
Uranus
Earth
Mars
Pluto
Mercury
Venus
Radius
Pluto
Mercury
Mars
Venus
Earth
Uranus
Neptune
Saturn
Jupiter
9. Which category has a similar pattern to that of Mass? 10.
A second factor in finding surface gravity is radius, why do you think this is so? Reading: Read, Mass & Weight: What’s the Difference found on the teachers website.
Analyzing the Reading:
A. Does your mass stay the same regardless of if you are on Earth, Mars or the Moon?
B. If you are on top of a mountain do you weigh more or less? Why do you think that?
C. The more mass an object has the ______ gravitational force pulling on it than an object with
less mass.
D. In the metric system, what is a tool used to measure weight?
E. What is weights label in the metric system?
F. The strength of an attraction between 2 objects depends on what 2 factors?
G. The force of gravity on an object depends on how much mass the object has, how much
mass the planet has. If the mass of the object is tripled then gravity must pull on the object
how much harder?
H. How does the distance an object is from the center of the planet effect the force that is
excreted on the object?
I. Complete the pattern: If you double the radius of the planet, the weight of the object will be
one-fourth, if you triple the radius of the planet, the weight of the objet will be one-ninth. If
you quadruple (4x) the radius of the planet, the weight of the object will be______?
J. If a person weights 100 pounds on Earth how many pounds would they weigh on the Moon,
if the moon has one-sixth (.16) the gravity of Earth?
K. Why would you not weight 316 times more on Jupiter’s surface than you would on Earth’s
surface?
L. How much would a 100 pound person weigh on Jupiter if Jupiter’s surface gravity factor is
2.36?
Conclusion:
Explain the difference between weight and mass. Use the following questions to guide you as
you write:
1. What is the difference between weight and mass?
2. Does the mass of an object change on different celestial bodies (planets, other space
objects, etc.)?
3. Does the weight of an object change on different celestial bodies (planets, other space
objects, etc.)?
4. What are the two factors that determine your weight on each celestial body bodies (planets,
other space objects, etc.)?
5. What would the weight of a redhead teacher be on Jupiter and on Venus, if the mass of the person was 150 pounds (use your data table you made in this inquiry)? Extension: For an extra gotcha find what your weight would be on each of the 8 planets and Pluto.