Learning Experience #4
I can compare and contrast the motion of objects in the solar system such as planets, sun, moons, asteroids, comets, and dwarf planets. |
Go to Mrs. Cabrera’s and Mr. H’s website and click on the link for NAAP Planetary Orbit Simulator.
- For what eccentricity is the secondary focus (which is usually empty) located at the sun? What is the shape of this orbit?
- Slide the bar for eccentricity. Based on what you see on the simulator, define eccentricity in your own words. You may draw a picture to support your definition.
- Use the simulator to complete the table below.
Object | Period (P) in Earth years (you will find this in the 3rd law tab) | Semimajor axis length (in AU) | Eccentricity |
Mercury | |||
Venus | |||
Earth | |||
Mars | |||
Jupiter | |||
Saturn | |||
Uranus | |||
Pluto |
- Sketch the diagram below in your spiral. As the size of a planet’s orbit increases, what happens to its period?
- Start with the Earth’s orbit and change the eccentricity to 0.6. Does changing the eccentricity change the period of the planet?
- Halley’s comet has a semimajor axis of about 18.5 AU, a period of 76 years, and an eccentricity of about 0.97 (so Halley’s orbit cannot be shown in this simulator.) The orbit of Halley’s Comet, the Earth’s Orbit, and the Sun are shown in the diagram below (not exactly to scale). Based upon what you know about Kepler’s 2nd Law, explain why we can only see the comet for about 6 months every orbit (76 years)?
Learning Target #4 Retake:
The Kuiper Belt is a region of the solar system beyond the orbit of Neptune, believed to contain many comets, asteroids, and other small bodies made largely of ice. Makemake is a dwarf planet and the largest known Kuiper belt object. Predict how many Earth years it takes for Makemake to orbit the sun. Justify your answer using evidence from the simulator and the data below:
Planetary Periods:
Mercury: 87.97 days (0.2 years)
Venus : 224.70 days (0.6 years)
Earth: 365.26 days(1 year)
Mars: 686.98 days(1.9 years)
Jupiter: 4,332.82 days (11.9 years)
Saturn: 10,755.70 days (29.5 years)
Uranus: 30,687.15 days (84 years)
Neptune: 60,190.03 days (164.8 years)
Learning Target #4 Retake:
The Kuiper Belt is a region of the solar system beyond the orbit of Neptune, believed to contain many comets, asteroids, and other small bodies made largely of ice. Makemake is a dwarf planet and the largest known Kuiper belt object. Predict how many Earth years it takes for Makemake to orbit the sun. Justify your answer using evidence from the simulator and the data below:
Planetary Periods:
Mercury: 87.97 days (0.2 years)
Venus : 224.70 days (0.6 years)
Earth: 365.26 days(1 year)
Mars: 686.98 days(1.9 years)
Jupiter: 4,332.82 days (11.9 years)
Saturn: 10,755.70 days (29.5 years)
Uranus: 30,687.15 days (84 years)
Neptune: 60,190.03 days (164.8 years)
Learning Target #4 Retake:
The Kuiper Belt is a region of the solar system beyond the orbit of Neptune, believed to contain many comets, asteroids, and other small bodies made largely of ice. Makemake is a dwarf planet and the largest known Kuiper belt object. Predict how many Earth years it takes for Makemake to orbit the sun. Justify your answer using evidence from the simulator and the data below:
Planetary Periods:
Mercury: 87.97 days (0.2 years)
Venus : 224.70 days (0.6 years)
Earth: 365.26 days(1 year)
Mars: 686.98 days(1.9 years)
Jupiter: 4,332.82 days (11.9 years)
Saturn: 10,755.70 days (29.5 years)
Uranus: 30,687.15 days (84 years)
Neptune: 60,190.03 days (164.8 years)
