The Shape of the Solar System

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Page 2 The Shape of the Solar System When the
solar system is viewed from the side, the orbits
of the planets all lie in nearly the same plane,
called the plane of the ecliptic (see Figure
18.1). The column labeled "Inclination of Orbit"
in Table 18.1 lists how many degrees the orbit of
each planet is inclined from the plane. Answer
questions 2-4 by referring to Table 18.1. 2. The
orbits of which two planets have the greatest
inclination to the plane of the ecliptic? 3. With
the exception of the two planets indicated in
question 2, the orbits of the remaining planets
all lie within (4, 6, 10) degrees of the
plane. Circle your answer. 4. Consider the
nebular origin of the solar system, and suggest a
reason why the orbits of the planets are nearly
all in the same plane.
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2. The orbits of which two planets have the
greatest inclination to the plane of the
ecliptic?
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2. The orbits of which two planets have the
greatest inclination to the plane of the
ecliptic?
1.) Mercury 7o 00
2.) Venus 3o24
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3. With the exception of the two planets
indicated in question 2, the orbits of the
remaining planets all lie within (4, 6, 10)
degrees of the plane. Circle your answer.
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3. With the exception of the two planets
indicated in question 2, the orbits of the
remaining planets all lie within (4, 6, 10)
degrees of the plane. Circle your answer.
Now add all the Inclination of orbit left.
0o00 1o51 1o18 2o29 0o46 1o46
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4. Consider the nebular origin of the solar
system, and suggest a reason why the orbits of
the planets are nearly all in the same plane.
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Page 4 Step 4. Write the word "asteroids" 258
million scale miles from the sun. Answer
questions 6-9 using the distance scale model you
constructed in question 5. 6. What feature of the
solar system separates the terrestrial planets
from the Jovian planets? 7. Observe the scale
model diagram and summarize the spacing for each
of the two groups of planets. Spacing of the
terrestrial planets Spacing of the Jovian
planets 8. Write a brief statement that
describes the spacing of the planets in the solar
system. 9. Which planet(s) vary the most from the
general pattern of spacing?
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6. What feature of the solar system separates the
terrestrial planets from the Jovian planets?
Step 4. Write the word "asteroids" 258 million
scale miles from the sun.
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7. Observe the scale model diagram and summarize
the spacing for each of the two groups of
planets. Spacing of the terrestrial planets
Spacing of the Jovian planets
Close together
Farther apart
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8. Write a brief statement that describes the
spacing of the planets in the solar system.
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9. Which planet(s) vary the most from the general
pattern of spacing?
Jovian planets
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4854 divided by 2
4854/2 2427 km
Radius
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2,427 km
6,056 km
6,375.5 km
3,394 km
71,500 km
60,500 km
23,500 km
23,264.5 km
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Step 5. The diameter of the sun is approximately
1,350,000 kilometers. Using the same scale as you
used for the planets (1 cm 2000 km), determine
the scale model radius of the sun. Mark the sun's
radius on the adding machine paper using a
different colored pencil from the two planet
groups. Label the line "sun."Answer questions
11-17 using both Table 18.1 and the scale model
radius diagram you constructed in question
10. 11. Which is the largest of the terrestrial
planets and what is its diameter?
________________________ , _______________________
_ miles 12. Which is the smallest Jovian planet
and what is its diameter?_____________,
_____________ miles 13. Complete the following
statement. The smallest Jovian planet,
_________________ , is __________ times larger
than the largest terrestrial planet.
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11. Which is the largest of the terrestrial
planets and what is its diameter?
________________________ , _______________________
_ miles
Earth
7,920 miles
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12. Which is the smallest Jovian planet and what
is its diameter?_____________, _____________ miles
Neptune
28,900 miles
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13. Complete the following statement. The
smallest Jovian planet, _________________ , is
__________ times larger than the largest
terrestrial planet.
Neptune
3.6489
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1.2135
2,427 km
3.028
6,056 km
3.18775
6,375.5 km
1.697
3,394 km
35.75
71,500 km
60,500 km
30.25
11.75
23,500 km
23,264.5 km
11.63225
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• 14. Summarize the sizes of the planets within
  each group.
• The diameters of the terrestrial planets
  __________________________________________
  The diameters of the Jovian planets
  __________________________________________
• Write a general statement that compares the sizes
  of the terrestrial planets to those of the Jovian
  planets.
• 16. Complete the following statement. The sun is
  _______________ times larger than Earth and
  _______________ times larger than Jupiter.

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Terrestrial
Jovian
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14. Summarize the sizes of the planets within
each group. The diameters of the terrestrial
planets _________________________________________
_ The diameters of the Jovian planets
__________________________________________
Smaller
Larger
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15. Write a general statement that compares the
sizes of the terrestrial planets to those of the
Jovian planets.
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16. Complete the following statement. The sun is
_______________ times larger than Earth and
_______________ times larger than Jupiter.
105.87
9.44