The Solar System

What is the Solar System? The Sun and all the objects that orbit the sun under its gravitational influence. oThis includes planets, asteroids, moons, comets, meteoroids. oApproximately 4.6 billion years old. (Page 8 ESRT)

Formation of Planets 1. Solar nebula containing orbiting dust and gas starts to rotate: forms planitesimals 2. Planitesimals collide and grow forming protoplanets 3. Protoplanet form planets 4. Differentiation of planets materials 5. Asteroid and Kuiper Belt are the “left overs”

Ceres PlutoEris Kuiper Belt Surrounds our Solar System “ Dwarf ” Planets/Small Solar System Bodies/Kuiper Objects…whatever you call ‘ em, they are NOT considered PLANETS Largest asteroid in Asteroid Belt Dwarf Planets in Kuiper Belt

THE SUN

MERCURY

VENUS

EARTH

MARS

JUPITER

SATURN

URANUS

NEPTUNE

Inner Planets (Terrestrial) Terrestrial = solid smaller, denser, few satellites or rings, closer to Sun. Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars

Jovian Planets (Outer) gaseous, less dense, satellites or rings, farther from the Sun, LARGER. Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune

Regents Questions

Motions of the Planets Planets rotate on an axis. 1 rotation = 1 day Proof of Earth’s Rotation: 1. Coriolis Effect 2.Foucault Pendulum 3.Night and Day 4.Star Trails: stars appear to rotate 15 degrees per hour.

Earth’s axis is tilted 23.5 degrees. Earth rotates 15 degrees per hour. This causes rising and setting of the Sun, Moon, and Stars.

Link for Foucault pendulum explanation Link for Star Trails around Polaris Link for Foucault pendulum visual

Coriolis Effect

Regents Questions

Exit Ticket This is an individual task. Explain to a second grader the following question: How do we know that the earth spins?

Motion Continued… A planet’s revolution is its movement around the Sun in a path called an orbit. 1 revolution = 1 Year

Proof of Earth’s Revolution: 1.Different Stars in Different Seasons. 2.Red and Blue shift of Sun’s light The shape of each objects orbit around the Sun is called an ellipse. Earth revolves around the Sun 360 degrees per year. (Approx. one degree per day)

Regents Questions

Other Orbit Information Planets revolve faster when they are closest to the Sun. (perihelion). –Earth is closer on January 3 rd. –Sun appears larger. Planets revolve slower when they are farther from the Sun. (aphelion). –Earth is farthest on July 3 rd. –Sun appears smaller. The orbit of a planet is a balance between inertia and gravitational pull.

Regents Question

1. Which motion causes the constellation Orion to be visible at midnight from NYS in winter but not in summer? (1)Rotation of Earth (2)Rotation of Orion (3)Revolution of Earth (4)Revolution of Orion

2. Earth’s rate of rotation is approximately (1)1 degree per day (2)15 degrees per day (3)180 degrees per day (4)360 degrees per day

4. Which statement best describes the age of our solar system and the universe? (1)The universe is at least twice as old as our solar system. (2)Our solar system is at least twice as old as the universe. (3)Our solar system and the universe are estimated to be 5 billion years old. (4)Our solar system and the universe are estimated to be 10 billion years old.

5. The spinning of Earth on its axis causes the apparent rising and setting of the (1)Sun, only (2)Sun and Moon, only (3)Moon and some stars, only (4)Sun, the Moon, and some stars

6. A Foucault Pendulum is used to prove that (1)The sun rotates on its axis (2)The Sun revolves around Earth (3)Earth rotates on its axis (4)Earth revolves around the Sun

7. Compared to the terrestrial planets, the Jovian planets are (1)Smaller and have lower densities (2)Smaller and have greater densities. (3)Larger and have lower densities. (4)Larger and have greater densities.

Exit Ticket: Making Connections Use the below 3 vocabulary terms to connect vital concepts. This may be a written explanation, picture depiction with labels, or a combination of both. Terms: Inertia, gravity, orbital velocity