Download Analysis of Planet Data

Analysis of Planet Data
(60 points)
To answer the questions a chart that organizes the data about the eight planets must be completed. Please
complete your Planet Data Chart carefully. It is worth 10 points. Use accurate and neatly presented data to
complete the questions and tables. Remember to use like units when comparing data. The data sheets are handed
in
You may use these sheets as worksheets or rough copies, but do NOT hand them in. All your final work should be
typed or written NEATLY in blue or black ink. Please skip a line between each question. You may use the data
chart given or prepare your own. Remember this is a BIG grade. Show your work the respect it deserves. Only
hand in the final copy of the question responses and the data chart.
The due date is ___________________________
Define retrograde, prograde, terrestrial planets, gas giants, orbital velocity, and astronomical unit. Then be sure
to use them correctly.
Data
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polar diameter (km)
equatorial diameter (km)
average distance from Sun (km and AU)
mass (X 1022kg)
density (g/cm3 or kg/m3 but be consistent for all planets)
orbital velocity (km/second)
surface gravity (Earth = 1)
period of rotation - day (Earth hours and Earth days)
period of revolution – year (Earth days and Earth years)
rotation direction – prograde or retrograde
number of moons – use most up to date info
average temperature (oC) you may use a range
axial tilt (degrees (O))
atmosphere – at least three gases
surface features – rocks, storms, active volcanoes, water…
the following pages in your text will be helpful
Planets
Mercury
Venus
Earth
Mars
Jupiter
Saturn
Uranus
Neptune
159
173
288
199
215
241
242
243
other pages of
interest
228 and 209
Probes
Mariner 10
154 - 158
Pioneer 12 and Magellan
170 - 172
Viking 1 and 2
194 - 198
Pathfinder and Global Surveyor
Galileo
210 - 214
Voyagers 1 and 2
230 - 240
Analysis Questions
1. Which planet is the largest and which one is the smallest? (1)
2. Which planet has the most mass and which one the least mass? (1)
3. Which planet’s day is longer than its year? (1)
4. Which planet could float on water and why? (1)
5. Retrograde means moving backward. Which planet(s) has a retrograde rotation? (1)
6. Is there a relationship between planet diameter size and density? Why do you think this is so? (2)
7. On which planet would you weigh the most and which one weigh the least? (1)
8. On Moon and Mars craters are quite evident. Why do you think craters are not evident on Jupiter?
(1)
9a. What is the relationship between the length of year and distance from Sun of the planets? (1)
9b. Describe the relationship between orbital velocity and distance from Sun? (1)
10. The shape of a spherical body changes as it rotates. The poles of a rotating planet are flattened
while the planets equator bulges. For the next three questions, it might be helpful to prepare a table
that compares each planet’s period of rotation to the difference in equatorial and polar
diameters. An example
Planet
Equatorial
Diameter (km)
Polar
Diameter (km)
Diameter
Difference (km)
Period of
Rotation (hr)
10a.
Which planets have little or no difference between their equatorial and polar diameters? List
two. (1)
10b.
Which planets have the greatest difference between their equatorial and polar diameters? List
two. (1)
10c.
What conclusion can be made about the relationship between rotation speed and diameter
difference? (1)
11. Which categories listed on your chart seem to be related? Select two different pairs and explain
why you think they are related. Do not use any which have already been mentioned. (4)
11. Name a category that seems to stand alone with little or no relation to the others? Explain your
thinking. (1)
12. Which planet seems to break a pattern and in which category? Explain your thinking. (do not use
rotation direction) (1)
13. What patterns do you recognize in the planets’ atmosphere? Which categories seem to be related
to whether a planet has an atmosphere? Explain your thinking. (3)
14. What were some interesting facts (that have not been mentioned) you discovered about the
planets? List and explain your thinking about two. (4)
15. Name a planet, other than Earth that has active volcanoes, and one that has storms. (2)
16. Describe seasons on Mercury and Uranus. Use data to support your answers. (4)
Probes – visitors to the planets
For each probe –tell what year it was launched, and answer the question about it.
1. Why did Mariner 10 only take pictures of one half of Mercury? (1)
2. What did Pioneer 12 discover about the atmosphere of Venus? How does this connect with the
temperature there? (2)
3. What did Magellan tell us about Venus? (1)
4. What did Viking 1 and Viking 2 find out about the soil and atmosphere of Mars? (1)
5. What did Surveyor find out about Mars that makes it possible that life was once there? Why is this
feature important to life? (2)
6. What did Galileo find out about the rings and storms of Jupiter? (2)
7. How did Voyager 2 get to Saturn, Uranus and Neptune? Name one finding it made for each planet.
(3)
8. When was New Horizons launched? Where is it going? When will it get there? (1)
Big Think Question
More missions have been attempted to Mars than any other planet. Why do you think this is true? Use
data to back up your thinking. Please remember, ”data” is plural. (4)