building a scale model of the solar system (and beyond)
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Building a Scale Model of the Solar System (and Beyond). Lesson 11 (Thank you to Mr. Burgard for sharing.). Bouncy balls. Be sure you have all the materials and that they are in good shape. Buttons. Fishing Bobbers. Lentils or Split Peas. Blue Marbles. Wood Beads. Ping Pong Balls. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Building a Scale Model of the Solar System
(and Beyond)Lesson 11
(Thank you to Mr. Burgard for sharing.)
Bouncy balls
Lentils or Split Peas
FishingBobbers
Buttons
Blue Marbles
Wood Beads
White Beads
Candy
Ping Pong Balls
Be sure you have all the materials and that they are in good shape.
Let Mr. Abe know right awayif you are missing anything
or if anything is not in good shape.
Paper Sun
Procedure1. Determine which of the objects should represent each
planet – keeping in mind size comparison for each planet.2. Record your choices on your data table.
= ?
Procedure1. Decide how far apart the objects would be if
they really represented the scaled objects in the solar system.
2. Measure distances (cm) from the Sun to each planet.
3. Record your data in the data table.
4. Explain your reasoning.
5. Be prepared to present and defend your decisions to the class.
Discuss your thinking…• What influenced your decisions about planet
sizes and order?• What influenced your decisions about
distance?
Best Answers (According to Your Book)
1. Mercury – Lentil/Split Pea2. Venus – Blue Marble3. Earth - Blue Marble4. Mars – Candy5. Jupiter – Bouncy/Racquet Ball6. Saturn – Red and White Bobber7. Uranus - White Bead8. Neptune - White Bead
DO NOT CHANGE
YOUR ANSWERS!
DISTANCE NOT TO SCALE!!!!!
How’d you do size-wise?• If you had the first 4 as smaller objects
(Mercury as the smallest) and the second 4 as larger objects (Jupiter as the largest) you were on track.
• This is typical because we see planets to scale on posters, in books and in diagrams.
• Here are a few to scale models that compare the planets (and some stars) side by side.
Terrestrial (Inner) Planets
And the Jovian (Outer) Planets
The Sun is huge!
The Sun is tiny!
The Sun is SUPER tiny!!!
How’d you do distance-wise?• Thoughts or questions from the
Solar System walk?• Why were you so far off with your
model?• 1 AU = the average distance from
the Earth to the Sun. (A little less than 1,500,000 km)
Scale of the Average Distance of the Planets to the Sun:
Planet Average Distance to the Sun (AU)
Average Distance to the Sun (cm)
Mercury 0.39
Venus 0.72
Earth 1.00
Mars 1.52
Jupiter 5.20
Saturn 9.54
Uranus 19.18
Neptune 30.06
Pluto 39.53
Jupiter
Saturn
Uranus
Neptune
Pluto
If the Earth were the size of a peppercorn
. . .
The Solar system also includes…
The Kuiper Belt
Jupiter
Saturn
Uranus
Neptune
Pluto
KUIPER BELTKUIPER BELT
KUIPER BELT
And is surrounded by…..
the Oort Cloud
OORT CLOUD(1280 MILES)
If the Earth were the size of a peppercorn
. . .
Destination Distance (Light-years)
TimeAt light Speed
Proxima Centauri 4.2 light years 4.2 years
Andromeda Galaxy 2,200,000 2,200,000 years
1 light year is about 5.5 trillion miles.
OORT CLOUD(1280 MILES)
CLOSEST STAR(3700 MILES)
If the Earth were the size of a peppercorn
. . .
Our Solar System is a subsystem of…
The Milky Way Galaxy
Clever.
The Milky Way
Destination Distance (Light-years)
TimeAt light Speed
Proxima Centauri 4.2 light years 4.2 years
Center of Milky Way 38,000 light years 38,000 years
Andromeda Galaxy 2,200,000 2,200,000 years
1 light year is about 5.5 trillion miles.
Closest Galaxy
Destination Distance (Light-years)
TimeAt light Speed
Proxima Centauri 4.2 4.2 years
Center of Milky Way 38,000 38,000 years
Andromeda Galaxy 2,200,000 light years 2,200,000 years
1 light year is about 5.5 trillion miles.
How to find the Andromeda Galaxy
A Small Slice of our Universe
The Hubble Deep Field
View(About 1/24 millionth
of the sky which is equivalent in angular
size to a 65 mm tennis ball at a distance of
100 meters.)
Feel Small?
(We are.)
Planet Sizes for the demo today
Our scale: 1 inch = 60,000 Km (100,000 mi)• Mercury – .03 inches (1 mm)• Venus – .08 inches (2 mm)• Earth - .08 inches (2 mm)• Mars – .04 inches (1 mm)• Jupiter – .9 inches (2 cm)• Saturn – .7 inches (1.7 cm)• Uranus - .3 inches (.7 cm)• Neptune - .3 inches (.7 cm)
Planet Distances for the demo today
Our scale: 1 inch = 60,000 Km (100,000 mi)• Mercury – 360 in (30 ft)• Venus – 684 in (57 ft)• Earth - 930 in (77 ft)• Mars – 1440 in (120 ft)• Jupiter – 4, 860 in (405 ft.)• Saturn – 8, 892 inches (741 ft)• Uranus – 17, 856 inches (1488 ft) ~ ¼ mile• Neptune - 27, 972 inches (2331 ft) ~ ½ mile
Some other galaxies: