6.01 Formation of the Solar System Lab Report
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West Coast University, Orange County *
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295
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Astronomy
Date
Dec 6, 2023
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docx
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6.01 Formation of the Solar System Lab
Report
Instructions: In this virtual lab, you will investigate the law of universal gravitation by manipulating the star's
size and the planets' positions within Solar System X. Record your hypothesis and results in the lab report
below. You will submit your completed report.
Name and Title:
Include your name, the instructor's name, the date, and the name of the lab.
Title of Lab
Formation of the Solar System
Student Name
Instructor
Mrs. Fields
Date
11/28/2023
SPACE COMMAND
Objective(s):
To learn how a star's mass and the planets' location within the solar system affect planetary orbits.
SPACE ACADEMY
Observations
Record your observation statements from Space Academy.
When the mass of the sun is larger, Earth moves around the sun at a __faster____ (faster, slower) pace.
When the mass of the sun is smaller, Earth moves around the sun at a _slower_____ (faster, slower) pace.
When Earth is closer to the sun, its orbit becomes _faster____ (faster, slower).
When Earth is farther from the sun, its orbit becomes _slower____ (faster, slower).
SPACE EXPLORER
Hypothesis:
Please include the if/then statements you developed during your lab activity in this section. These statements
reflect your predicted outcomes for the experiment.
If the mass of the sun is 1x, at least one planet will fall into the habitable zone if I place a planet in
orbits_1__, __5__, __2__, and _6___, and all planets will orbit the sun successfully.
If the mass of the sun is 2x, at least one planet will fall into the habitable zone if I place a planet in
orbits_1__, _7___, __3__, and __4__, and all planets will orbit the sun successfully.
If the mass of the sun is 3x, at least one planet will fall into the habitable zone if I place a planet in
orbits_4__, _5___, _6___, and __8__, and all planets will orbit the sun successfully.
Data:
For each trial, record the orbit number of each planet from the sun. After each trial, indicate the number of
planets in the habitable zone. Create a different configuration of planets for each trial. An example has been
supplied for you.
Orbit
Number
Planet One
Orbit
Number
Planet
Two
Orbit
Number
Planet
Three
Orbit
Number
Planet
Four
Number of
planets in
the
habitable
zone
Number of
planets left
in successful
orbit
Example: sun's mass 1x
1
3
5
6
1
2
sun's mass 1x—Trial One
1
5
2
6
2
2
sun's mass 1x—Trial Two
1
7
3
4
0
0
sun's mass 2x—Trial One
1
7
3
4
2
3
sun's mass 2x—Trial Two
2
3
4
6
3
4
sun's mass 3x—Trial One
4
5
6
8
2
4
sun's mass 3x—Trial Two
1
2
3
4
0
0
Conclusion:
Your conclusion will include a summary of the lab results and an interpretation of the results. Please write in
complete sentences.
1.
Summarize what you investigated and observed in this lab using two to three sentences.
I looked at how a planet's orbit changed in the lab when the sun's mass changed and how near a
planet orbited the sun. They would remain in orbit if they were near a solar mass of one times that of
Earth.
2.
What are the independent variables (what you control) and dependent variable (what changes because
of the independent variable) of your activity?
Independent
Variable:
The sun mass
Dependent
Variable:
The distance from the sun
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3.
You completed three terraforming trials. Describe how the sun's mass affects planets in a solar system. Use
the data you recorded to support your conclusions.
Some planets would even break out of their orbits when the sun's mass increased and they were
outside of the habitable zones.
As the sun's mass increased, it became impossible for the planets to
get very close to it without either losing their orbit or experiencing excessive gravitational force. The
inner planets' orbits were drawn in closer to the sun as the sun's mass rose. The force of gravity
exerted by the sun increases with its size.
4.
In this simulation, the planets' masses were all the same. Do you think if the planets' masses were different,
it would affect the results? Why or why not?
Since the quantity of gravity is dependent on the mass of the planets, I do believe it would be
different. There would be less attraction to the sun if it had less mass. Because there is no force
attracting them and the orbit's speed would drop, it would cause them to fall out of orbit.
5.
How does this simulation demonstrate the law of universal gravitation?
It illustrates how the gravitational pull-on objects in space varies with their distance from one another.
Things will have greater attraction the larger their bulk. A planet's gravitational pull will grow with
increasing mass and contract with decreasing mass.
6.
It is the year 2085, and the world population has grown at an alarming rate. As a space explorer, you have
been sent on a terraforming mission into space. Your mission to search for a habitable planet for humans to
colonize in addition to planet Earth. You found a planet you believe would be habitable, and now need to
report back your findings. Describe the new planet, and why it would be perfect for maintaining human life.
The habitable zone of this planet allows liquid water to exist. It keeps a good orbit around the sun,
keeping the temperature just right for life to exist. Furthermore, the location of the lack of liquid water,
which is necessary for human survival, is not too far away.