Knowledge and Understanding Draw a diagram of the solar system like the one below and label each object.
1.
2.
3. 4.
The planets in our solar system are classified as either inner planets or outer planets. What do you think this classification is based on? How are the compositions of outer planets similar? Assuming that the mass of Earth is approximately 6 x 1024 mass of the following planets based on their relative masses:
kg, calculate the approximate
Planet Relative mass Planet Relative mass Planet Relative mass Venus 0.815
Mercury 0.0553
5. 6.
Saturn 95.2
If the volume of a sphere = where r is the radius, calculate the relative volume of Uranus if its relative radius is approximately 4. Using the information in the table below: (a) In what order are the planets arranged? (b) Compare Venus and Saturn in terms of (i) distance from the sun and (ii) mass. (c) Rearrange the table, listing the planets in ascending order according to relative mass.
Planet
Mercury Venus Earth Mars Jupiter Saturn Uranus Neptune
7. 8.
Mean distance from sun relative to Earth
0.387 0.723 1.0 1.52 5.2 9.58 19.19 30.06
The surface gravity (g) on the moon is approximately Planet
Mars Mercury
Relative mass
0.107 0.0553
Relative mass
0.0553 0.815 1.0
0.107
317.8 95.2 14.5 17.1
weight would a 60 kg human be on the moon? (Assume g on Earth = 10 m s-2 The table below compares Mercury and Mars.
Relative radius
0.532 0.383
0.38 0.38
(a) Which of the two planets has the greater mass? (b) Which of the two planets has the larger radius? (c) The gravity of an object is directly proportional to its mass. Explain how Mars and Mercury can have the same surface gravity even though they have different masses.
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Remember: All objects in the universe generate a gravitational force that extends out into space. The force gets weaker as the distance from the centre of the object increases.
