Exploring the Solar System

EXPLORING THE SOLAR SYSTEM

• Open your science notebook to a fresh page.

• Draw a model of what you think our solar system looks like.

• Things to think about in your model:

Name of Planets

Number of Planets

Position of Planets

Bellwork

WE ARE THE PLANETS!

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHAqT4hXnMw

• While listening highlight ALL the planets

• Underline the most interesting fact you learned for each planet!

MODEL & SCALE• A model is a representation of ideas that scientists use to

explain patterns they observe in the world.

• A scale is a ratio between the actual size of an object and its size on a model.

Lets take a look at a model of our solar system…

SIZE

DISTANCE

THE EARTH IS NOT THE

CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE.

OBSERVING SOLAR SYSTEM MODELS

1. Number of planets: There should be eight planets visible

2. Order of Planets: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune

THE ORDER OF THE PLANETSMercury My Many My Mother

Venus Very Very Vicious Veronica

Earth Educated Elderly Earthworm Enjoyed

Mars Mother Men Might My

Jupiter Just Just Just Jam

Saturn Served Snooze Swallow Sandwich

Uranus Us Under Us Under

Neptune Nachos / Noodles Newspapers Now Neptune

1. Number of planets: There should be eight planets visible

2. Order of Planets: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune

OBSERVING SOLAR SYSTEM MODELS

3. Planets’ Distances: Close together--Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars’ distance from the Sun Farther apart--Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune

4. Planet’s Size: : Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars should be smaller than Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune.

5. Planets’ Orbital Path: All should revolve around the sun in a circular path

1. Number of planets: There should be eight planets visible

2. Order of Planets: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune

OBSERVING SOLAR SYSTEM MODELS

3. Planets’ Distances: Close together--Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars’ distance from the Sun Farther apart--Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune

4. Planet’s Size: : Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars should be smaller than Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune.

5. Planets’ Orbital Path: All should revolve around the sun in a circular path

PROBLEM:

• How can we use this criteria to create an accurate model of our solar system?

• How far apart are the planets?

HYPOTHESIS:

• If we create a linear model of our solar system (where 1cm = 5,000,000 km), then we will be able to clearly see the distances between each planet and apply this information to our knowledge of the solar system.

Time to CREATE!

DRAW CONCLUSIONS:• Is this model similar to how you picture our solar system? Why or why not?

• What surprises you about this model?

• What do you like about this model? Does it help you better comprehend our solar system?

• Looking back to the criteria for a great solar system model, how does this one compare?

• What are the pros and cons of our model?

• How could we make this model more accurate?

Number

Order

Size

Distance

Orbital Path

LOOK BACK TO YOUR OWN MODEL1. Number

2. Order

3. Size

4. Distance

5. Orbital Path

- At the bottom of your model, write the number for each criteria your model met.

YOUR CHALLENGE…

Create a linear, scaled model of the solar system in your science notebook.1. Draw a line diagonally across your paper…like this

2. Use a ruler and the distances marked on your handout to measure where each planet should be placed.

3. In order to find the final distance to Neptune, you will need to use a calculator to solve the problem 4,498,396,441 / 80,000,000 = ________ This will give you the scaled distance in cm.

For this model, 1cm = 80,000,000 km. (It will be 16x smaller than the model we created in class.)

WHEN YOU ARE FINISHED…

• Look in your textbook for other models of the solar system.

• See if you can identify any weaknesses using the criteria we discussed.