Lab6(1)

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Chapter 7 SKYGAZER CD-ROM ACTIVITIES The Seasons

INTRODUCTION In this activity you will investigate the reasons for the observed seasonal changes—not only on Earth, but on other planets in our solar system as well. Read about the seasons in the Sky Guide under the Explore menu in Basic Concepts: The Seasons.

PART 1: THE VIEW FROM SPACE File | Open Settings | Basics | Earth’s Seasons

1. On the Location Panel, change the button that reads Sun so that it reads Earth. 2. On the Location Panel, change the Longitude to 90º and the Latitude to 0º. 3. Now use the “+” button to zoom in so that Earth fills your Sky Chart. 4. Set Date and Time…. under the Chart menu to June 21 at noon of this year. Your

Sky Chart should look similar to Figure 7-1.

Figure 7-1 Earth on the Summer Solstice

PART 2: ANOTHER LOOK File | Open Settings | Basics | Earth’s Seasons

1. Repeat Steps 1-4 of Part 1.

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2. Advance time in 1-day steps and observe the changes that occur on Earth throughout one year. As time advances through the year, answer the questions on the RESULTS sheet.

PART 3: SEASONS ON THE INNER PLANETS File | Open Settings | Planets and Satellites | Mars’s Close-Up

1. On the Location Panel, change the Longitude to 180º and the Latitude to 0º. Use the “–” button to zoom out so you can see all of Mars.

2. Advance time in 1-minute steps and watch Mars rotate. Compare the tilt of Mars’s rotational axis to Earth’s.

3. Now advance time in 1-day steps. Pay special attention to Mars’s polar ice caps. Does Mars appear to have seasonal changes similar to those on Earth?

4. Now change the button on the Location Panel that reads Mars so that it reads Venus. Zoom out until you can see all of Venus and continue to allow time to advance time in 1-day steps and watch Venus’s clouds to observe its rotation. What do you notice about Venus’s rotation that is different than Earth’s and Mars’s?

5. Answer the questions on the RESULTS sheet.

PART 4: SEASONS ON THE OUTER PLANETS File | Open Settings | Planets and Satellites | Jupiter and Neptune 1613

1. Bring up the Location Panel. Click on the Solar System button, then change the button that reads Sun so that it reads Neptune. Adjust the Longitude to 180º and Latitude to 0º. Use the “+” button to zoom in on Neptune.

3. Advance time in 1-minutes steps to observe Neptune’s rotation. Draw in Neptune’s rotational axis on the Figure on the RESULTS sheet.

4. Now change the button on the Location Panel so it reads Jupiter Use the “–” button to zoom out until you can see all of Jupiter, then advance time in 1-minute steps to observe Jupiter’s rotation. Draw Jupiter’s rotational axis on the RESULTS sheet.

5. Repeat Step 4 for Saturn and Uranus. Use the + and – buttons to zoon in or out so that you can see the entire planet.

6. Answer the questions on the RESULTS sheet.

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RESULTS SHEET 7 The Seasons

NAME ________________________________ DATE ____________SECTION __________________

PART 1: THE VIEW FROM SPACE Summer Is your location on Earth spending more time in daylight or darkness? How does this differ for latitudes to the north and to the south of you? Where on Earth is it dark all day? Light all day? Estimate how much time is spent in daylight and in darkness on the equator. What season is it in the Southern Hemisphere? Winter Is your location on Earth spending more time in daylight or darkness? How does this differ for locations to the north and to the south of you? Where on Earth is it dark all day? Light all day? Estimate how much time is spent in daylight and darkness on the equator. What season is it in the Southern Hemisphere? Spring and Fall What is the reason for our use of the term equinox?

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PART 2: ANOTHER LOOK Match the correct date with each occurrence (some dates may be used more than once, and an event can occur on more than one day). A = March 21 B = June 21 C = September 21 D = December 21 _______________ Northern Hemisphere pointed toward the Sun _______________ Southern Hemisphere pointed toward the Sun _______________ South Pole in total darkness _______________ North Pole in total darkness _______________ Solstice _______________ Equinox _______________ Equator is directly under the Sun.

PART 3: SEASONS ON THE INNER PLANETS Based on what you observed, draw lines that represent the axis of rotation of each planet in Figures 7-2.

Figure 7-2 Draw a line that represents Mars’s axis of rotation and one that represents Venus’s axis of rotation.

Based on your drawings, answer the following questions. Venus / Mars (choose one) has seasons similar to Earth. Explain your answer. Venus / Mars (choose one) has no seasons at all. Explain your answer.

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PART 4: SEASONS ON THE OUTER PLANETS Draw the axis of rotation for each planet in Figure 7-3.

Figure 7-3 Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune

Based on your drawings, answer the following questions.

Jupiter / Saturn / Uranus / Neptune (circle one) appears to have seasons most like Earth.

Jupiter / Saturn / Uranus / Neptune (circle one) appears to have no seasons at all.

Jupiter / Saturn / Uranus / Neptune (circle one) appears to be tilted on its side.

A planet tilted on its side would have seasons like Earth’s poles / equator (circle one) all year round.

A planet with little or no axial tilt like Earth’s poles / equator (circle one) all year round.

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CONCLUSION In the space below, write a conclusion for this activity. Briefly explain what you did and what you learned from it.

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CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING 7: THE SEASONS

MULTIPLE-CHOICE QUESTIONS

1. Which planet has the most axial tilt?

a. Earth b. Mars c. Jupiter d. Uranus

2. Which planet should have seasons most similar to Earth’s? a. Venus b. Mars c. Jupiter d. Uranus

3. Which planet could be thought of as “upside down” compared to the others? a. Venus b. Earth c. Mars d. Jupiter

4. Earth’s Northern Hemisphere is tilted toward the Sun in a. March. b. June. c. September. d. December.

5. When Earth’s Northern Hemisphere is tilted toward the Sun, it is a. summer all over the world. b. winter all over the world. c. summer in the Northern Hemisphere and winter in the Southern Hemisphere. d. winter in the Northern Hemisphere and summer in the Southern Hemisphere.

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6. Neither of Earth’s hemispheres is tilted closer to the Sun in a. March. b. June. c. September. d. [two of the above]

7. An equinox occurs a. halfway between solstices. b. when Earth’s North and South poles are equally distant from the Sun. c. all over Earth at the same time. d. [all of the above]

8. A solstice occurs a. in June and December. b. when one of the poles is tilted toward the Sun. c. in between the equinoxes. d. [all of the above]

9. Extremes in the amounts of daylight and darkness occur at the a. solstices. b. equinoxes. c. [both of the above, depending on which hemisphere you are in] d. [none of the above]

10. Which planet would experience the least seasonal changes throughout its orbit around the Sun? a. Earth b. Mars c. Jupiter d. Uranus

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OPEN-ENDED ACTIVITY Use the skills you learned in this activity and the previous one to devise an activity using SkyGazer that will prove that the altitude of the Sun is more important than the number of hours that it is up in determining whether the weather and climate at a given location will be warmer or colder.