Lab 2-The Solar System and Exoplanets

Geology Name: __ The Planets Lab Report Complete your responses in a color other than black or red . Part 1: Scale model of Earth layers 1. Tape three sheets of paper together end to end to make a long sheet. Fold it in half the long way to find the center line. 2. Near one end of the center line, make a dot in pencil. This represents the center of the Earth, so label it "Center." Then, using a protractor, draw a line in pencil at 7.5 degrees on each side of the center line so that you have a 15-degree wedge. Using a meter stick or straight edge, extend each of these lines all the way to the edge of the paper. 3. The radius of the Earth is 6371 km. On your model, how big is this?             6371 km * 100,000 cm/km = cm 10,000,000 4. Mark another dot at that distance along your two lines from the center. These two points are on the surface of the Earth. 5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 for each of the boundaries between Earth's layers: convert the real depth of each boundary in km to the scaled model distance in cm (fill in the appropriate table below ), write the depth on the outside of the line, next to the mark. Boundary Depth below Earth's surface (km) Depth (scaled, cm) Inner core/outer core 5155 Outer core/lower mantle 2885 Lower mantle/upper mantle 670 Upper mantle/crust 7 (oceanic); 40 (continental) 6. Make a large drafting compass out of string and a pencil (or other writing device) and use it to draw the rounded surfaces. 7. Take a picture of your completed model and insert it here: 1

Planets Lab Report Part 2: Scale Model of the Solar System Distance from Sun (AU) Distance from Sun (AU) Mercury 0.39 Jupiter 5.203 Venus 0.732 Saturn 9.539 Earth 1 Uranus 19.18 Mars 1.524 Neptune 30.06 Asteroid belt 2.2 – 3.2 Kuiper belt 30 – 50 1. Subtract the distances to get the distance between each planet and the next. Then, using a conversion factor of 15 cm per AU, calculate the distance in cm for each of the planets in your model. Record your distances in the second and third columns on the table below (i.e. from the sun to Mercury, the distance is 0.39 AU per the table above. To convert to cm:  0.39 AU * 15 cm / AU = 5.9 cm). The resulting scale of this solar system model will be 1:10,000,000,000. 2. After you have determined the scale distances, lay out your model of the solar system on the floor. (You can go into a hallway, outside, or anywhere you have enough space.) Use everyday items (cups, bowls, books, etc.) to represent each object in the model. Record the objects you chose in the fourth column in the table below: 1. Distance in AU Converted distance in cm 2. Everyday Object Sun – Mercury 0.39 5.9 Candle Mercury – Venus 0.342 5.13 Seashell Venus – Earth 0.268 4.02 Claw clip Earth – Mars 0.524 7.86 Mug Mars – Jupiter 3.679 55.2 Coaster Jupiter – Saturn 4.336 65.04 Aquaphor Saturn – Uranus 9.641 144.62 Scrunchie Uranus – Neptune 10.88 163.2 Nightlight 3. Take a picture of your model and insert it here: 2

Planets Lab Report High mass, high separation (right top) 2 2.5 High mass, low separation (right bottom) 0.06 0.09 3. Next, you are going to plot the solar planets on the Exoplanets Graph Plot. Start by converting the numbers given for their masses below from Earth masses to Jupiter masses. Since Jupiter is 318 times the size of Earth, you will do this by dividing each mass by 318. Enter your results on the table below . Size in… Mercury Venus Earth Mars Jupiter Saturn Uranus Neptune Earths 0.06 0.32 1 0.11 318 95 14.6 17.2 Jupiter’s 0.00018 0.0010 0.0031 0.0003 1 0.2987 0.0459 0.0540 4. Once you’ve calculated the values in Jupiter masses, plot all eight solar planets on the Exoplanets Graph Plot on your lab report using a color other than black . The x-value of each point is the planet’s mass in Jupiter masses; the y-value is its distance from the sun in AU, which you used in Part 2 of this lab. I feel as though I did this part incorrectly, please let me know! 5. Do any of the solar planets fall into the groups that you circled in Part 3 Question 1 on the Exoplanets graph? If so, which planets and which groups? Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn. 6. Compare the properties of the planets in our Solar System to the properties of the extrasolar planets you studied here, in terms of their mass and distance to their star. 4

Planets Lab Report Compared to the planets of our solar system, the known extrasolar planets possess a far greater variety of characteristics. Numerous orbits with more elliptical orbital routes and considerably closer orbits to their stars; some Jovian planets Part 4: Wrap-Up 1. Which layer of the Earth is the largest? Which is the smallest? Was that what you expected? The mantle is the largest layer of the Earth. I would only assume that the Earth’s crust is the smallest (thinnest) layer. Yes, that is what I expected. 2. Now that you have seen how far apart the planets are in the solar system, what surprised you the most and why? Even after making the calculations and laying it out on the floor with my objects, it is still hard for me to process the size of our solar system. 3. Do the planets in our solar system follow the conventions of the exoplanets in other solar systems? (Are the dots you drew within the circles you drew?) Can you think of any reason why this is (or isn't)? The planets in our solar system do not always follow the same conventions as exoplanets in other solar systems. Planets that differ significantly from those in our solar system in terms of size, orbits, and rotation can be found in any planetary system because each one is distinct. 4. What would you do to improve this lab for future online students? How & why? Honestly, I don’t think I would change anything about this lab. Firstly, I found it to be very fun and interactive while also being a bit challenging, which I love. Many labs that I have taken, the professors just put a bunch of numbers with no instructions and expect us to figure it out but you give us a bit of information to help us at the start, it’s all about balance. 5