Download Planetary Systems Unit Part 3: The Solar System

Planetary Systems Unit
Part 3: The Solar System
Name________________________
Period____
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Key Learning:
Objects in our Solar System orbit the Sun, have distinctive
physical characteristics, and move in orderly and predictable motions.
Unit Essential Question:
How do the objects in our
Solar System interact with each other?
Concept: Earth in Space
Concept: The Earth, Moon.
Concept: The Solar System
and Sun System
Lesson Essential Questions:
Lesson Essential Questions:
Lesson Essential Questions:
1. How do we know the
Earth is round?
2. What causes day and
night?
3. What causes the
seasons on Earth?
1. How do the positions of
the moon and Sun influence
tides on Earth?
2. Why does the
appearance of the moon
change?
3. Why do the positions of
the sun, earth and moon
cause eclipses some months
but not every month?
4. How are solar eclipses
different from lunar
eclipses?
Vocabulary:
Spring Tide
Neap Tide
Waxing
Waning
Gibbous
Crescent
Quarter Moon
Full Moon
New Moon
Lunar Eclipse
Solar Eclipse
1. How do we write our
galactic address?
2. How do scale models
help us represent our
Solar System?
3. How is life in space
different from Earth?
4. Why is Earth the only
planet known to contain
life in our Solar System?
Vocabulary:
Rotation
Axis
Revolution
Angle of Insolation
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Vocabulary:
Galactic Address
Gravity factor
Weight
Habitable
Warm Ups
1. If you were a bird flying over Talley Middle School, what would it look like when you
looked down? Draw what you would see… (2 points)
2. Suppose you were standing on the surface of Venus and could see through its thick
clouds…..
A. How would the Earth look?
a. a disk with visible features (clouds and continents)
b. a disk that the eye could make out, but too small to see visible features like clouds and
continents
c. a pale blue dot
B. What would be the configuration of the Earth and Moon?
a. right next to each other in the sky
b. far apart from each other in the sky
3. What planet are you most interested in learning about and why? (1 point)
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Galactic Address
We are but a small spot on Earth in an immense solar system, galaxy and universe. We live in
the Milky Way Galaxy. Most galaxies belong to groups called clusters of galaxies. The Milky Way
Galaxy belongs to a cluster called the local group which contains more than 20 galaxies in a great
sphere. The Milky way is located in Virgo supercluster. Superclusters are the largest known
formations in the universe and we belong to the Virgo super cluster.
Directions: Write your galactic address and be sure to include the following… (10 Points)
ADDRESS:_______________________________________________
TOWN: __________________________
COUNTY: _________________________________
STATE: _______________________________
COUNTRY: ____________________________
CONTINENT: _________________________________
HEMISPHERE: ______________________________
PLANET: ____________________
OUR SOLAR SYSTEM
GALAXY: _________________
LOCAL GROUP
SUPERCLUSTER:
___________
UNIVERSE
Analysis Questions (5 points)
1. What part of your address is unique to you? (2 point) _________________________
2. What part of your address is the same for everyone on Earth? (3 points)
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Planet Walk
“My Very Educated Mother Just Showed Us Nine Planets”
Directions: We will be pacing out a scale model of the Solar System. This model will be
correct in scale for both size and distance. Complete the missing numbers in the chart
below. (20 points)
OBJECT
ACTUAL
SCALE
REPRESENTED ACTUAL
SCALE
DIAMETER
DIAMETER BY
DISTANCE
DISTANCE
(km)
(cm)
FROM SUN
(steps taken)
(km)
Sun
1.4 million
Soccer Ball
0
0
Mercury
4,878
Poppy seed
58,000,000
Venus
12,104
Peppercorn
108,000,000
Earth
12,756
Peppercorn
150,000,000
Mars
6,794
Sesame Seed
228,000,000
Jupiter
142,800
Walnut
778,000,000
Saturn
120,540
Pecan/hazelnut
1,427,000,000
Uranus
51,200
Small marble
2,871,000,000
Neptune
49,500
Small marble
4,497,000,000
Dwarf
2,200
Poppy seed
5,913,000,000
Planet Pluto
The next nearest star in our scale model would be in Los Angeles, California!
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Life In Space
Directions: Watch the video then answer the questions. (Hint: Divide the questions up
with a partner and share the answers after the video) (10 Points)
1. Give one example of how the human body has evolved because of gravity. (1 point)
_______________________________________.
2. What effect did gravity have near Saturn? (2 points)
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3. How does gravity contribute to life on Earth? (1 point)
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4. Give one example of how humans defy gravity. (1 point)
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5. Give an example of something gravity allows you to do. (1 point)
________________________________________
6. How does an astronaut’s perception of the space around him change in a free fall
environment? (2 points)
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7. What happens to an astronaut’s organs, bones, and muscles when they are in space
for a long time? (2 points)
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HOW MUCH YOU WEIGH
AT
DIFFERENT LOCATIONS?
Directions: Read the following statement and complete the chart below. You
may use a calculator. (?? Points)
How much you weigh depends on the force of gravity at your location. The table below shows
what the force of gravity would be at different locations in our Solar System based on a value
of 1 on the Earth’s surface. For example, if you weighed 100 pounds on Earth, you would weigh 17
pounds on the Moon.
100 pounds (your Earth weight) multiplied by 0.17 (the gravity factor for the moon) = 17 pounds.
Remember, your mass does not change at different locations. Your mass remains the same; it is
your weight that changes due to the force of gravity on the different planets.
Your Weight on Earth (or pick a weight) __________
Gravity Factor at surface
Location
My weight at this location
(where Earth=1)
Sun
27.9
Mercury
0.37
Venus
0.88
Earth
1.00
Moon
0.17
Mars
0.38
Jupiter
2.64
Saturn
1.15
Uranus
1.15
Neptune
1.12
Dwarf planet Pluto
0.04
Question: Number your list of locations in order from where you weigh the most to
where you weigh the least. After looking at this data, what do you think causes the
variation in your weight? (5 Points)_________________________________________
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JUMP, JUMP, JUMP AROUND
Directions: Complete the following investigation. Be sure to follow the procedure all parts
of the procedure, check your work, and complete each section thoroughly! (35 points)
Problem: How does the Mass of a Planet affect how high you can jump?
Manipulated Variable: (1 point)__________________________________
Responding Variable:
(1 point)__________________________________
Hypothesis: (1 point)
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Materials:
Meter Stick
Calculator
Procedure:
1. Working in groups of three, have one member of the group hold a meter stick
vertical to the ground with the zero ends touching the ground.
2. The second group member will observe and record the jump height of group
member three.
3. Group member three makes a standing jump next to the meter stick. This height is
recorded for three jumps. Average the three jumps together and record the
average jump height on Earth.
4. Reverse roles two more times so that each member of the group is able to be the
jumper and get their average jump height on Earth.
5. Record your jump heights and average jump heights on the chart below.
Table 1: (2 points)
Jump
Trial #1
Trial #2
Trial #3
Height (cm)
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Average Jump
Table 2: (10 points)
Location
Mass of the
Average
Conversion for
Jump Height
Solar System
Height of
the Height of
on the
Your Jump on
Jump
location (cm)
object 10
23
kg
Earth (cm)
Mercury
3.3
X 2.65
Venus
48.7
X 1.10
Earth
59.8
X1
Mars
6.42
X 2.64
Jupiter
19000
X .039
Saturn
5690
X 0.94
Uranus
868
X 1.10
Neptune
1020
X 0.88
Dwarf Planet 0.129
X 13.2
Pluto
Sun
19,900,000
X 0.04
Using the data from the above tables, create a bar graph or line graph comparing the
mass of the planets to the height of your jump. Use the list of planets and dwarf
planet Pluto to organize the planets on the x axis from least to greatest mass.
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Graph: (10 points total)
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Analysis Questions: (7 points)
1. What relationship do you see with the mass of the object and jump height? (2 points)
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2. Why does the mass of the planet influence the Jump Height? (2 points)
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3. Explain how games such as football, basketball, gymnastics, hurdles or other sporting
events would be very different on other planetary bodies. (2 points)
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4. What is the difference between your weight and mass? (1 point)
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Conclusion: (3 points) Write a brief conclusion about this investigation. Be sure to include
the procedure, the results, and how this relates to our study of the solar system!
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Summaries
1. Here are three lists of astronomical objects. Choose the list that shows the objects
nearest to Earth first and the objects furthest from Earth last. (1 point)
a. Stars, the dwarf planet Pluto, galaxies
b. Stars, galaxies, the dwarf planet Pluto
c. The dwarf planet Pluto, stars, galaxies
Suppose you were to look at the solar system from a location well outside the orbit of
Pluto. Most of what you would see in your picture would be… (1 point)
a. The planet Jupiter
b. The planet Saturn
c. Comets
d. Empty space
2. If it takes you one minute to walk 100 meters, how long would it take you to walk from
Earth to Mars? (2 points)
_________________________________
3. If you were to visit any one of the planets (even Dwarf planet Pluto), which would it be
and why? (1 point)
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