Download Solar System by Halfs

Solar System by Halfs
Using a piece of adding tape over a meter long (the longer the easier), write “Sun” on
one end (skinny along the edge) and “Kuiper Belt” on the other end. (The “Kuiper Belt”
is between Neptune and the Oort Cloud. Pluto is considered a Kuiper Belt object.)
1. Estimate: On one side of your strip, write the names of all the planets where you
think they are within the solar system.
2. On the back of your strip, do the following.

Write “Kuiper Belt” on one side and “Sun” on the other on the other side of the
adding tape.

Fold the paper in 1/2 so the Sun and Kuiper belt are on the out side, at the crease
write “Uranus”

Fold the paper in 1/2 again so that Kuiper belt is on the outside, at the crease write
“Neptune”


Unfold the paper 1 time
Fold it the opposite direction of the last time so that Sun is on the out side and
write “Saturn” on the crease.

Fold the paper in 1/2 again so that Sun is on the outside, at the crease write
“Jupiter”

Fold the paper in 1/2 again so that Sun is on the outside, at the crease write “No
Planet/Asteroid Belt”

Fold the paper in 1/2 again so that Sun is on the outside, at the crease write “Mars”

Fold the paper in 1/2 again so that Sun is on the outside, at the crease write “Venus”

Fold the paper in 1/2 again so that Sun is on the outside, at the crease write
“Mercury”


Unfold the paper 1 time
Fold it the opposite direction of the last time so that Mars is on the out side and
write “Earth” on the crease.
3. Do the questions on the reverse side of this worksheet with your partner (ONE!)
Put your name and your partner’s name on the strip and attach to this worksheet.
Names (2) _________________________
How long is your strip (from Sun to Kuiper Belt): _______ cm
Fill in the cm distances of the following as measured (in cm) from the Sun.
Your Measures (cm) Actual AU
Bode’s Law
Mercury
________
0.39
0.4
Venus
________
0.72
0.7
Earth
________
1.0
1.0
Mars
________
1.52
1.6
Asteroid Belt
________
2.1 - 3.5
2.8
Jupiter
________
5.2
5.2
Saturn
________
9.5
10
Uranus
________
19.2
19.6
Neptune
________
30.1
38.8
Analysis
1. Examine the data above, your measures (in cm), the Actual distances in AU to the planets, and
Bode’s Law predictions. How close are Bode’s Law predictions and your measurements to the
ACTUAL AU distance? Hint: look at the ratios, not the actual measures. That is, Jupiter is 5.2
times as far as Earth is from the Sun. Is yours?
2. Pluto is not a planet, but Bode’s Law predicted the farthest planet to be at 78 AU (Pluto’s average
orbital distance is 39.6 AU). Neptune and Pluto were not discovered in Bode’s lifetime. What do
you think he would say about the real data?
3. In our solar system walking model, it taok about 2 seconds to walk from Earth to Mars. In reality,
it took the Mars mission about 6 months. Fill in the walking times below:
a. To Jupiter from Earth ____________ (Voyager 2 took 2 years)
b. To Saturn from Earth ____________ (
“
“ 4 years)
c. To Uranus from Earth ____________(
“
“ 9 years)
d. To Neptune from Earth ___________(
“
“ 12 years)
e. To Pluto from Earth _____________
Predict how long it would take you to walk to the nearest star on this scale (about 1400 miles away
on this scale).
BONUS: Calculate how long it will take Voyager 2 to reach the nearest star (277,600 AU)
traveling at an average of 2 AU/year.