Download planetary comparisons

Mr. Gord
Astronomy
Planetary Comparison
Assignment/Directions: Read p 576-587. Answer the questions below on a separate sheet of paper.
PART A
1. What, if any, pattern or relationship do you see about the type of the planets (terrestrial or gas giant)
versus their location in the solar system?
2. What, if any, pattern or relationship do you see about the diameter of the planets versus their location in
the solar system?
3. What, if any, pattern or relationship do you see about the mass of the planets versus their location in the
solar system?
4. What, if any, pattern or relationship do you see about the density of the planets versus their location in
the solar system?
5. What, if any, pattern or relationship do you see about the orbit (revolution) period of the planets versus
their location in the solar system?
6. What, if any, pattern or relationship do you see about the rotation period of the planets versus their
location in the solar system?
7. What, if any, pattern or relationship do you see about the tilt of the orbit of the planets versus their
location in the solar system?
8. What, if any, pattern or relationship do you see about the temperature of the planets versus their location
in the solar system?
9. What, if any, pattern or relationship do you see about the number of moons of a planet has versus their
location in the solar system?
PART B
Directions: Use the Planetary Data (Table 21.1 on p 577) to help answer these questions .For this assignment,
include Pluto as a Planet!
10. P 567 – What is the average distance of the earth to the moon? Answer in miles.
11. What is the distance of the earth to the next closest planet, at its closest point? Answer in miles.
12. How times closer is the moon to Earth than the next closest planet is to Earth at its closest point?
13. What does AU stand for?
14. Define an AU.
15. Which planets are less than 1 AU from the sun?
16. How many Miles is Jupiter from the Sun?
17. How many AU’s is Jupiter from the Earth when they are at their closest positions from each other?
18. How many AU’s is Jupiter from the Earth when they are at their furthest positions from each other?
19. Which planet is approximately twice as far from the sun as Saturn is?
20. Compare the Orbital Velocities of the planets? What do you notice about them? Write a sentence that
sums up the pattern/trend as you compare the planet closest to the sun to the furthest planet from the sun.
21. Which “planet” revolves in a plane that is not close to the Ecliptic Plane? What is the value of its
Inclination of Orbit?
22. Which planet is the smallest in diameter? Which planet is the smallest in mass?
Compare the volumes of Earth and Jupiter. How many Earth’s could fit into Jupiter? (Volume of a
4
3 ) Show work.
sphere = /3 r
23. How many “Mercurys” could fit into the Earth? (Compare their volumes). Show work
24. Compare the Terrestrial Planets with the Jovian Planets. Name 4 generalities of each group that makes
them different from each other. Briefly explain each.
25. Which planet theoretically could float on an ocean? How do you know?
PART C
26. There is a picture on P 574. What is it? How did it form? Where is it located?
27. Of our solar system, what percentage of mass does the sun contain?
28. What shape does each planet trace out as it orbits the sun?
29. Which (former) planet does not fit into either category (Terrestrial nor Jovian)?
30. Which two variables of a planet are responsible for retaining an atmosphere?
31. Why doesn’t the moon have an atmosphere?
32. Which planet is our moon most similar?
33. Summarize the nebular hypothesis. This should be a couple of clearly written sentences or more.