Lab 3
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Tri-County Technical College *
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101
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Astronomy
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Apr 3, 2024
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AST 101 Lab 3
Scale of the Solar System
Lab 3
Scale of the Solar System
PURPOSE
This laboratory exercise will reinforce the different scales that are used in describing
distances across the solar system.
REFERENCES
Astronomy Today, Sixth edition, Chaisson & McMillan
"Powers of Ten", Eames & Eames (video)
BACKGROUND
Astronomy is a science that often uses very large (and occasionally very small)
numbers. Writing and manipulating such numbers can be tedious and confusing, so
astronomers use more appropriate ways to represent astronomical figures.
One method is to express numbers in different units of measurement. For
example, the mean distance from the Earth to the Sun is 149,600,000 kilometers.
Astronomers define this distance to be equal to one Astronomical Unit, or AU. Distances
in the solar system can then be discussed more clearly. Instead of saying that the planet
Mars is 228,000,000 km from the Sun, we say that Mars is 1.524 AU from the Sun. The
relative distances of the Sun, Earth and Mars are easier to understand using the AU as the
unit instead of the kilometer. We will encounter this notion many times in this course.
In this lab, we will concentrate on quantities appropriate for our solar system,
such as the AU, and relating the properties of objects in the solar system to one another.
EQUIPMENT
Beads or marbles
Calculator
Yarn
Metric Measuring Tape
PROCEDURE
Exercise #1: Creating the scale of the Solar System
The distances and sizes in the solar system are such large numbers compared to
what we use in ordinary life that we sometimes find it difficult to comprehend them. This
exercise is designed to give students a feel for these numbers by constructing a model
solar system.
1
AST 101 Lab 3
Scale of the Solar System
Table 1-1 lists the distances from the Sun to several objects in the solar system.
Determine the scale distance to each of the objects if 10
9 km is represented by 1 m in our
scale model.
Exercise #2: Creating the Physical Representation
Next, take a piece of yarn (several meters long!) and tie a marble (or bead) at one end. If beads
are used, the yarn can be threaded through each bead. This marble will represent the sun in our
solar system model. Starting with this marble for the sun, measure out the distances you
calculated in Exercise 1 and position another marble accordingly. Make sure that each
measurement is made from the initial marble representing the sun. Once you are done,
you should have a relatively long piece of yarn with a bead representing each planet. 2
AST 101 Lab 3
Scale of the Solar System
Introduction to Solar System Astronomy
Data and Results
Name: Date: Lab Section: Lab Partners: (1) Table Number: (2) (3) Exercise #1: Creating the scale of the Solar System
10
9 km is represented by 1 m in our scale model.
Table 1-1
Object
Distance from the sun in
reality (km)
Distance from the sun in model (m)
Mercury
5.8*10
7
0.058 m
Venus
1.1*10
8
0.11 m
Earth
1.5*10
8
0.15 Mars
2.3*10
8
0.23 m
Jupiter
7.8*10
8
0.78 m
Saturn
1.4*10
9
1.4 m
Uranus
2.9*10
9
2.9 m
Neptune
4.5*10
9
4.5 m
3
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AST 101 Lab 3
Scale of the Solar System
1)
Alpha Centauri A is the largest star in the nearest solar system to our own. It has
approximately the same radius as the Sun and is a distance of 4.3 Light Years
away. How far away from the Sun is α Cen A in our model? (1 Light Year =
9.46*10
12
km)
4.0678e13 km
40678 m
2)
One definition of the boundary of the solar system is the edge of the Oort cloud, a
region from which long-period comets originate. Astronomers estimate the Oort
cloud to be 50,000 AU from the Sun. How far away from the Sun is the Oort
cloud in our model? How much more yarn would you need to mark the edge of
the Oort cloud?
7.5e12 km
7500 m
3)
Which two planets have the largest gap between them? Where is the smallest gap
located? Why do you think this is?
Neptune and Uranus
Earth and Venus
Because we did the yarn experiment and examined the distances between each planet
4
AST 101 Lab 3
Scale of the Solar System
4)
Using a computer (or your phone), look up the
radius of each of the planets. Using the table below,
List the radius for each of the 8 planets and find
how big they would be in our model. 1km=1mm for exercise 2 for our scale model
Exercise #2: Creating the Physical
Representation
Table 1-2
Object
Radius of Planet (km)
Radius of Planet in the
model (mm)
Mercury
2,440 km
0.00240 mm
Venus
6,052 km
0.006052 mm
Earth
6,371 km
0.006371 mm
Mars
3,390 km
0.003390 mm
Jupiter
69,911 km
0.069911 mm
Saturn
58,232 km
0.058232 mm
Uranus
25,362 km
0.025362 mm
Neptune
24,622 km
0.024622 mm
5)
The sun has a diameter of 1.4*10
6 km. What diameter marble should you have used to accurately
depict the sun in your model? Is this a realistic diameter for a marble? 1.4 mm
AST 101 Lab 3
Scale of the Solar System
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