1. Comparative Planetology
PSC 153
Lab Activity
Comparative Planetology

2. Part 1: Appearance
Goals: - examine and describe the visual appearance of the planets
- classify planets based on appearance
We start by looking at the physical appearance of each of the planets using the website listed below.
For each planet click on the links below its name to see images of the planet, describe the general appearance of each planet including all major features. Please be descriptive and thorough.
DO NOT write down facts you know about the planets. Write down what you SEE in the photographs.

3. 1) Mercury
1) Surface of Mercury:

4. Part 2: Mass, Volume, and Density
Goals: - calculate the volume of the planets
- calculate the density of the planets
- organize planets based on mass, volume, and density
Terms:
Radius – the distance from the center of an object to its edge
Volume – the amount space an object takes up
Mass – the amount of matter contained in an object
Density – a measure of how compact matter is, the mass divided by the volume

5. Data Table 1 contains a list of the radii and masses of the planets compared to Earth. These relative values are not in the normal metric units you are used to seeing.
1) Use the radius of each planet to calculate the normalized volume (V= r3). Fill these values into Data Table 1 on the next page.
2) Use the mass and calculated volume of each planet to calculate the normalized density. Fill these values into Data Table 1.

7. Part 3: Surface Gravity
Goals: - examine and classify planets based on their surface gravity
- determine your weight on the other planets
- identify sample weights with the corresponding planet’s gravity
Terms:
Surface gravity – the acceleration of an object due to the gravity at the surface of a planet
Weight – the force due to the gravity that an object experiences
Weight = mass x acceleration due to gravity
1) Using the definition of surface gravity and weight and the values in Data Table 2, calculate your weight on each planet and fill in that row on the table.

8. Your Weight (Planetary) =
Your Weight on Earth X Planet’s Surface Gravity

9. 110 lbs.
41.8 lbs.

10. Part 4: Years
Goals: - Compare the length of a “year” on each planet
Terms:
Planetary year(Orbital Period) – the length of time for a planet to go once around the Sun
Earth year – the length of time for the Earth to go once around the Sun
1) Using the data in Table 3, calculate your age in planetary years for each of the planets and fill this information into the column in Table 3.

12. 61
254