Scale Models for the Orbit of the Planets

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Scale Models for the Orbit of the Planets

• Created for Operation Physics
• By
• Dick Heckathorn
• 12 October 2003

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The Ellipse

• What are its properties?
• How does one draw one?
• Do it.

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The Ellipse

• How much
• does the ellipse of the orbits
• of the planets
• differ from a circle?
• By its eccentricity.

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Eccentricity

• distance between the two foci
• length of major axis

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Eccentricity

• 0.206 Mercury 0.007 Venus
• 0.017 Earth 0.093 Mars
• 0.048 Jupiter 0.056 Saturn
• 0.047 Uranus 0.009 Neptune
• 0.250 Pluto 0.055 Moon

Hand out worksheet
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Eccentricity

• Eccentricity Visualized
• Using
• Cardboard Models
• Do It

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Scale Model for Mercury

• let major axis (MA) 10 cm
• eccentricity (e) 0.206
• d distance between foci
• dMercury e x MAMercury
• dMercury 0.206 x 10 cm
• dMercury 2.06 cm

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Scale Model for Venus

• MA Venus 10 cm
• RMercury 5.79 x 1010 m
• RVenus 1.08 x 1011 m
• MAVenus RVenus/RMercury x 10 cm
• MAVenus 18.6 cm
• eVenus 0.007
• dVenus e x MA Venus
• dVenus 0.13 cm

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Scale Model for Earth

• MA Mercury 10 cm
• RMercury 5.79 x 1010 m
• REarth 1.49 x 1011 m
• MAEarth REarth/RMercury x 10 cm
• MAEarth 25.73 cm
• eEarth 0.017
• dEarth e x MAEarth
• dEarth 0.437 cm

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Scale Model for Mars

• MA Mercury 10 cm
• RMercury 5.79 x 1010 m
• RMars 2.28 x 1011 m
• MAMars RMars/RMercury x 10 cm
• MAMars 39.38 cm
• eMars 0.093
• dMars e x MAMars
• dMars 3.66 cm

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Scale Model for Jupiter

• MA Mercury 10 cm
• RMercury 5.79 x 1010 m
• RJupiter 7.78 x 1011 m
• MAJupiter RJupiter/RMercury x 10 cm
• MAJupiter 134.37 cm
• eJupiter 0.048
• dJupiter e x MAJupiter
• dJupiter 6.45 cm

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Scale Model for Saturn

• MA Mercury 10 cm
• RMercury 5.79 x 1010 m
• RSaturn 1.43 x 1012 m
• MASaturn RSaturn/RMercury x 10 cm
• MASaturn 246.98 cm
• eSaturn 0.056
• dSaturn e x MASaturn
• dSaturn 13.83 cm

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Scale Model for Uranus

• MA Mercury 10 cm
• RMercury 5.79 x 1010 m
• RUranus 2.87 x 1012 m
• MAUranus RUranus/RMercury x 10 cm
• MAUranus 495.68 cm
• eUranus 0.047
• dUranus e x MAUranus
• dUranus 23.30 cm

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Scale Model for Neptune

• MA Mercury 10 cm
• RMercury 5.79 x 1010 m
• RNeptune 4.50 x 1012 m
• MANeptune RNeptune/RM x 10 cm
• MANeptune 777.20 cm
• eNeptune 0.009
• dNeptune e x MANeptune
• dNeptune 6.70 cm

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Scale Model for Pluto

• MA Mercury 10 cm
• RMercury 5.79 x 1010 m
• RPluto 5.9 x 1012 m
• MAPluto RPluto/RMercury x 10 cm
• MAPluto 1019 cm
• ePluto 0.250
• dPluto e x MAPluto
• dPluto 255 cm

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Construction Data for Orbit of
Planets Planet Eccentricity Radius
Major Axis d
(m) (cm)
(cm) Mercury 0.206 5.79 x 1010 10.00 2.06 Venus
0.007 1.08 x 1011 18.60 0.18 Earth 0.017 1.49 x
1011 25.73 0.44 Mars 0.093 2.28 x 1011
39.38 3.66 Jupiter 0.048 7.78 x
1011 134.37 6.45 Saturn 0.056 1.43 x
1012 246.98 13.83 Uranus 0.047 2.87 x
1012 495.68 23.30 Neptune 0.009 4.50 x
1012 777.20 7.00 Pluto 0.250 5.90 x
1012 1019.00 255.00