We need to create a scale model of the solar system (by shrinking the sun down to the size of a basketball or ~30cm). First, we will need to scale down actual solar system dimensions (planet diameters and average orbital radiuses) by converting our units. There are two blank spaces in the table below. We will effectively fill in the missing data in the next set of questions. Use the example below to help you. Example: What is the scaled diameter of Mercury if the Sun is scaled to the size of a basketball (30 cm)? The actual diameter of Mercury is 4879 km The Sun's diameter is 1392000 km If the Sun is to be reduced to the size of a basketball, then the conversion we need for this equation will be: 30cm1392000km Here is how we run the conversion: 4879km×30cm1392000km=0.105cm or 0.11cm if we were to round our answer. This means that if the sun in our model is the size of a basketball, Mercury is the size of a grain of sand. We can also see by looking at the table, that we would have to position that grain of sand 12.48 meters away from our basketball... that means Neptune would be nearly 1 kilometer away from the basketball! Pretty neat! PLANETS REAL DISTANCES MODEL DISTANCES Diameter (km) Average Orbital Radius (km) Diameter (cm) Average Orbital Radius (m) Sun 1,392,000 0 30.00 0 Mercury 4,879 57,910,000 0.11 12.48 Venus 12,100 108,200,000 0.26 23.32 Earth 12,740 150,000,000 Mars 6,779 227,900,000 0.15 49.12 Jupiter 139,800 778,600,000 3.01 167.8 Saturn 116,500 1,433,000,000 2.51 308.8 Uranus 50,720 2,877,000,000 1.09 620.0 Neptune 49,250 4,503,000,000 1.06 970.5 Use the table to find the diameter and orbital radius of the Earth for the scaled model. 1. What is the diameter of the Earth in the scaled model (in centimeters)? Note: Your answer must be a number. It is OK to round to three decimal places. Do not include the units. 2. Use the table to find the diameter and orbital radius of the Earth for the scaled model. What is the orbit radius of the Earth in the scaled model (in meters)? Note: Your answer must be a number. It is OK to round to two decimal places. Do not include the units.
We need to create a scale model of the solar system (by shrinking the sun down to the size of a basketball or ~30cm). First, we will need to scale down actual solar system dimensions (planet diameters and average orbital radiuses) by converting our units. There are two blank spaces in the table below. We will effectively fill in the missing data in the next set of questions. Use the example below to help you.
Example: What is the scaled diameter of Mercury if the Sun is scaled to the size of a basketball (30 cm)?
The actual diameter of Mercury is 4879 km
The Sun's diameter is 1392000 km
If the Sun is to be reduced to the size of a basketball, then the conversion we need for this equation will be:
30cm1392000km
Here is how we run the conversion: 4879km×30cm1392000km=0.105cm or 0.11cm if we were to round our answer.
This means that if the sun in our model is the size of a basketball, Mercury is the size of a grain of sand. We can also see by looking at the table, that we would have to position that grain of sand 12.48 meters away from our basketball... that means Neptune would be nearly 1 kilometer away from the basketball! Pretty neat!
|
PLANETS |
REAL DISTANCES |
MODEL DISTANCES |
||
|
|
Diameter (km) |
Average Orbital Radius (km) |
Diameter (cm) |
Average Orbital Radius (m) |
|
Sun |
1,392,000 |
0 |
30.00 |
0 |
|
Mercury |
4,879 |
57,910,000 |
0.11 |
12.48 |
|
Venus |
12,100 |
108,200,000 |
0.26 |
23.32 |
|
Earth |
12,740 |
150,000,000 |
|
|
|
Mars |
6,779 |
227,900,000 |
0.15 |
49.12 |
|
Jupiter |
139,800 |
778,600,000 |
3.01 |
167.8 |
|
Saturn |
116,500 |
1,433,000,000 |
2.51 |
308.8 |
|
Uranus |
50,720 |
2,877,000,000 |
1.09 |
620.0 |
|
Neptune |
49,250 |
4,503,000,000 |
1.06 |
970.5 |
Use the table to find the diameter and orbital radius of the Earth for the scaled model.
1. What is the diameter of the Earth in the scaled model (in centimeters)?
Note: Your answer must be a number. It is OK to round to three decimal places. Do not include the units.
2. Use the table to find the diameter and orbital radius of the Earth for the scaled model.
What is the orbit radius of the Earth in the scaled model (in meters)?
Note: Your answer must be a number. It is OK to round to two decimal places. Do not include the units.
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