Download Activities: Scale drawing of the solar system

Planets and the Solar System
Statistics on the Planet of the Solar System compared to Earth
Planet
Average
distance from
the Sun
(Astronomical
units)
Sun
Mercury
Venus
Earth
(Actual Data)
0.4
0.7
1
150,000,000 km
Mars
Jupiter
Saturn
Uranus
Neptune
1.5
5.2
9.6
19.3
30.2
Diameter Surface Year
Gravity Length
110
0.4
0.9
1
12,800
km
0.5
11
9
4
4
27.4
0.3
0.25
0.9
0.6
1
1
10N/kg 365.25
days
0.4
2.0
2.6
12
1.2
30
0.9
84
1.4
165
Mass
Average
Surface
Temperature
( 0C )
329,400
0.04
0.8
1
6 x 1024
6000
450
500
20
20
0.1
318
95
15
17
-40
-150
-160
-220
-230
N.B. One astronomical unit is the distance from the Earth to the Sun. Pluto is no longer
recognised as a planet As it is too small. Check out www.nasa.org
Activities: Scale drawing of the solar system
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4.
On a piece of A4 paper, mark the position of the centre of the page.
Draw a diagonal line from one corner through the centre to the bottom corner.
Mark the Sun as the top left hand corner
Using a scale of 1cm= the distance from the Earth to the Sun, draw and label the 8
planets.
Planetary Sizes:
Refer to page 1: Planets and the Solar System. In the space provided draw to scale the
actual size of the planets. Use a scale of 2mm for the size of the
Mercury
Venus
Saturn
Uranus
Earth
Mars
Jupiter
Neptune
1: Would the Sun fit on this page? Explain why or why not. Use a calculation to help you
explain.
2. List six conditions for human life that exist on Earth.
The Solar System
The Solar System is comprised of 8 planets which all orbit the Sun in elliptical orbits .
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The planets are bound to the Sun by gravity
The planets vary in size. Jupiter is approximately 12 times larger than the Earth.
They receive different amounts of sunlight because they are different distances from the Sun.
Some have their own moons.
Other celestial bodies are asteroids and comets. An asteroid belt exists between Mars and Jupiter.
Their order is
Matching Terms:
1. Planet
a) Force which acts over a distance between objects
2. Solar System
4. Gravity
b) Path that an object in space takes as it travels around
another object
c) An object which has a tail and nucleus made of rock
and ice that moves through the solar system.
d) Large body which orbits a planet.
5. Sun
e) One of 8 large bodies that orbits the sun
6. Comet
f)
7. Asteroid
8. Ellipse
g) A large object of hot gas and plasma fuelled by nuclear
fusion.
h) A small rocky object which is in orbit around the Sun.
9. Moon/satellite
i)
3. Orbit
System of 1 star, 8 planets and other spatial bodies
The shape of the orbit that a planet takes as it orbits
the Sun.