Download The Solar System - Solon City Schools

The Solar System
Astronomy Unit
1
Motion of the Earth

Rotation is the spinning of the
earth on its axis.


This movement
determines the length
of a day, 24 hours.
Revolution is the movement
of one object around another
object.


This movement
determines the length
of a year, 365.25 days.
Every four years is a
leap year.
2
Seasons





Seasons are caused by the
tilt of the earth’s axis as the
earth revolves around the
sun.
Vernal equinox is the
beginning of Spring.
Summer solstice is the
beginning of Summer.
Autumnal equinox is the
beginning of Autumn.
Winter Solstice is the
beginning of Winter.
3
What causes Earth to experience
different seasons?
1.
2.
3.
4.
It rotates on its axis while it
revolves around the sun.
It revolves on its axis while
it rotates around the sun.
It is tilted while it rotates
around the sun.
It is tilted while it revolves
around the sun.
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During which season is the axis of
the Earth pointed towards the sun?
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Autumn
Spring
Summer
Winter
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5
How does the length of day compare to the
length of night during the Vernal Equinox?
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2.
Day is longer than night.
Night is longer than day.
The day and night are
equal in length.
The day and night are
not equal in length.
D
1.
6
Phases of the Moon





The moon is illuminated by
the sun.
The moon reflects sunlight to
the earth.
The different phases of the
moon is affected by the moon
revolving around the earth as
the earth revolves around the
sun.
The complete cycle of phases
takes 29.5 days, this is
known as a synodic month.
Each phase takes about 3.5
days.
7
Phases of moon


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




New Moon
Waxing Crescent
First Quarter
Waxing Gibbous
Full Moon
Waning Gibbous
Last Quarter
Waning Crescent
8
Our Moon



Orbits the earth.
Has 1/6 the gravity as
earth.
Causes the tides on
Earth.



High tides are 12.5
hours apart
Spring tide is the
highest high tide (Full &
New moon).
Neap tide is the lowest
high tide (First & Last
Quarter moon).
9
Other Facts About Our Moon




The length of rotation is the
same as the length of
revolution, 27.3 days.
We only ever see one side of
the moon.
The side facing away from
the earth is more heavily
cratered.
The Apollo mission sent
seven manned missions to
land on the moon.
10
Which phase occurs when the moon is in between
the Earth and the sun?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Full moon
New moon
1st Quarter moon
3rd quarter moon
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Solar Eclipses




In a solar eclipse, the moon is
in between the sun and the
earth.
The complete shadow is the
umbra.
The partial shadow is the
penumbra.
Only occur during a new
moon.
12
Lunar Eclipse



In a lunar eclipse, the earth is
between the sun and the
moon.
Only occur during a full
moon.
Eclipses don’t happen every
month because there is a tilt
in the orbit of the moon
around the earth and the
moon, sun & earth don’t line
up in a straight line.
13
When studying a solar eclipse, which is the
proper method for viewing the sun?
Wear sunglasses
B. Use a refracting
telescope
C. Use a pinhole
camera
D. Use a magnifying
glass
A.
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14
Forces that Hold Earth in Orbit
around the Sun



Gravity is the attraction
between any two
objects.
Inertia is the tendency of
an object to resist
change in motion.
The balance between
gravity and inertia keeps
earth in orbit around the
sun.
15
Members of the Solar system

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Sun (closest star to
earth)
Planets
Moons
Asteroids
Meteoroids
Comets
16
Inner Planets: Mercury

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0.4 AU from the sun.
Rotational period 59 Earth
days.
Revolution period of 88 Earth
days.
No moon.
Average temperature range is
670 K to 103 K.
Almost no atmosphere and
no water.
17
Inner Planets: Venus

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0.7 AU from the sun.
Retrograde rotational period
243 Earth days.
Revolution period of 225
Earth days.
The day on Venus is longer
than a year.
No moon.
Average temperature range is
700 K.
Atmospheric pressure 90
times that of Earth.
Atmosphere of sulfuric acid.
Large amount of CO2 causing
the Greenhouse Effect.
18
Inner Planets: Earth

1.0 AU from the sun.
 Rotational period 24
hours.
 Revolution period of
365.25 days.
 One moon.
 Atmosphere 78%
nitrogen, 21% oxygen &
1 % carbon dioxide.
 71 % of Earth’s surface
is covered by water.
19
Inner Planets: Mars

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1.5 AU from the sun.
Rotational period 23.9 Earth
hours.
Revolution period of 687
Earth days.
Two moons: Phobos &
Deimos.
Average temperature range is
144 K to 300 K.
Thin atmosphere of carbon
dioxide and some water.
Largest volcano is Olympus
Mons.
Polar caps of dry ice.
20
Asteroid Belt


Found between the orbits of
Mars & Jupiter.
Trojan refers to asteroids or
moons that share the same
orbit as a larger planet or
moon, but does not collide
because it orbits.
21
Outer Planets: Jupiter
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5.0 AU from the sun.
Rotational period 9.9 hours.
Revolution period of 11.9
earth years.
63 moons including Io,
Europa, Ganymede &
Callisto.
Has rings.
The Great Red Spot is a
major storm on the surface of
the planet.
Average temperature of
163 K.
22
What keeps planets revolving
around the sun?
1
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The sun’s
gravitational pull.
The Planet’s
mass.
The planet’s
magnetic field.
The Sun’s inertia.
Th
A.
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An icy object that has an elongated
orbit around the sun is referred to as
a(n)….
Asteroid
Comet
Meteor
Meteorite
A.
B.
C.
D.
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Why does a meteoroid or asteroid create a streak of light
when entering the Earth’s atmosphere?
Light from the sun is
reflected of the surface
of each
B. Energy is released form
the objects
C. Lightning is produced
form these objects
D. Light is a result of
friction from the gasses
in the atmosphere
A.
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One of the greatest advancements in astronomy was
the telescope. Which is the correct order of
advancements?
D.
1
2
3
4
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Outer Planets: Saturn

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9.6 AU from the sun.
Rotational period 10.7 Earth
hours.
Revolution period of 29 Earth
years.
Has 47 moons including
Titan.
Has a ring system.
Density is less than water.
Average temperature of
133 K.
27
Outer Planets: Uranus
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19 AU from the sun.
Retrograde rotational period
17.2 Earth hours.
Revolution period of 83.7
Earth years.
27 moons.
Has rings.
Discovered by William
Herschel in 1781.
Average temperature is 78 K.
28
Outer Planets: Neptune
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30 AU from the sun.
Rotational period 17 Earth
hours.
Revolution period of 164
Earth years.
13 moons.
Has rings.
Discovered by John Galle in
1846.
Average temperature is 73 K.
29
Planet diameters

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Mercury - 4879 km
Venus – 12,104 km
Earth – 12,756 km
Mars – 6794 km
Jupiter – 142,982 km
Saturn – 120,536 km
Uranus – 51,118 km
Neptune – 49,528 km
30
Oort Cloud

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

The Oort Cloud is the area
surrounding the solar system
where the comets are found.
Comets are dirty snow balls.
Comets have a head
(nucleus & coma) and a tail.
Halley’s comet appears every
76 years.
31
Meteors



Meteoroids are pieces of rock
from object such as asteroids
that fly through space.
Meteors are meteoroids that
are burning up in the earth’s
atmosphere (shooting stars).
Meteorites are meteoroids
that have landed on the
earth’s surface.
32
Models of the Solar System




Models of the solar system:
Geocentric model placed the
earth in the center of the
solar system (Aristotle &
Ptolemy).
Heliocentric model placed the
sun in the center of the solar
system and that all the
planets orbited the sun
(Copernicus).
Newton stated that gravity
kept the planets in orbit
around the sun.
33
Theories of the Formation of the
Solar System

Nebular Theory states that
the sun formed from a cloud
of gas and dust and that
collapsed because of the
gravity.
 As the cloud collapsed, it
formed into a flat, rotating
disk.
 Planetesimals formed
when small particles
collide and stick together
(accretion).
 The radiation from the
sun burned off most of the
gases of the inner planets
34
Formation of the Moon



Earth collided with a large
body.
The debris began to clump
together to form the moon.
The moon began to orbit the
earth, being pulled in by the
earth’s gravity.
35
Kepler’s Laws of Planetary Motion

LAW 1: The orbit of
a planet/comet about
the Sun is an ellipse
with the Sun's center
of mass at one
focus.
36
Kepler’s Laws of Planetary Motion

LAW 2: A line joining
a planet/comet and
the Sun sweeps out
equal areas in equal
intervals of time.
37
Kepler’s Laws of Planetary Motion

LAW 3: The squares
of the periods of the
planets are
proportional to the
cubes of their semi
major axes.
 This means, the
longer the orbital
period, the farther
the distance from the
sun.
38
Chapter 19 Test – The Solar System

November 20th or
21st.
39
Review Questions:
Which forces are responsible for keeping
the planets in orbit around the sun?
 (gravity & inertia)
 What causes the phases of the moon?
 (the relative positions of the Earth, moon
& sun)
 Which planet has the Great Red Spot?
 (Jupiter)

40
Review Questions:






Which planet has a longer day than its year?
(Venus)
Which planet lies on its side as it rotates?
(Uranus)
What happens when the moon goes between
the sun and the earth, casting a shadow on
the earth?
(solar eclipse)
41
Review Questions:






Which planet is the largest in our solar
system?
(Jupiter)
Where do you find all of the comets in our
solar system?
(Oort cloud)
What is located between Mars and Jupiter?
(Asteroid Belt)
42
Review Questions:






What do you call a piece of rock that is burning
up as it goes through the Earth’s atmosphere?
(meteor)
Which planet has the most moons?
(Jupiter)
Which planet has the Greenhouse Effect?
(Venus)
43
Review Questions:






What is the shape of planetary orbits
according to Kepler’s First Law of Motion?
(ellipse)
What causes the seasons on Earth?
(tilt of the Earth’s axis)
Which theory explains the creation of the solar
system?
(Nebular theory)
44
Review Questions:
Why do we only ever see one side of the
moon?
 (the length of rotation & revolution are
the same)
 Nate Hoff weighs 240 pounds on Earth.
What is his weight on the moon?
 (40 pounds-1/6 the gravity)

45
Review Questions:
Which model of the solar system states
that the sun is in the center of the solar
system and everything revolves around
it?
 (Heliocentric)
 What do we call the highest, high tide?
 (Spring Tide)

46