Powers of Ten and Size of the Solar System
Size of solar system – ratios of the planet sizes
If Jupiter is a styrofoam ball that is about 6 inches in diameter, then how big is Earth? How big would the Sun be?
Scale – Ratios – The size of the Solar System It is difficult for us humans to grasp the sheer size of the solar system, and the universe. This lab activity will focus in on this idea. In this activity you will be given a set of Styrofoam spheres and other objects and asked to calculate and then demonstrate relative sizes and distances. On the next page is the information about the planets needed for this activity.
Part One – Mass You are going to calculate the ratios of their masses. Assume you have 100 objects, such as candy canes or chocolate bars, and the mass of the Sun is 100 objects. You are going to calculate the masses of the planets in units of candy. You will get to eat the candy afterwards.
Part Two – Size You are going to put them in the correct order “to scale” with the eight planets and dwarf planets listed here. Once you have done that, you will calculate the size of the sphere that you would need to represent the Sun.
Part Three – Distance – Styrofoam spheres “your solar system” After you have the planets in order, you are then going to calculate the distance – to scale – between the planets and place your spheres at the correct distance from the Sun. You will place the spheres from Part One along a measuring tape.
Part Four – Distance – Earth and Moon You will be given a picture of the Earth and our Moon to the correct scale. Please cut them out and using the size of the picture of the Earth and the known distance between them, you will calculate the distance the pictures should be placed to demonstrate the scale of the distance.
Examples
Examples – You will be calculating ratios. Mass: And for the mass, the Sun has a mass of 1.991 x 1030 kilograms so if we wanted the Sun to have a mass of 36 students (the total mass of the class) then the mass of Earth would be 0.00011 studnets
Diameter: For example, let us say the largest sphere was 21 cm in diameter. Jupiter is actually 142,000 km in diameter and Saturn is 120,000 km in diameter. So Saturn diameter is 18 cm.
Distances: And for the distances, Eris is 52 AU from the Sun and Saturn is 9.5 AU, so if we wanted Eris to be 4.0 metres or 400 centimetres from the Sun, then Saturn distance would be 74 cm.
Data that you will need to do this activity.
