Exploring the Solar System By the end of this session you will: have a better understanding of the sizes of and relationship between units of length have a better understanding of the relationship between the size and distance of the planets know how to use scale to create accurate models

Distances and Sizes Planet Distance from sun (miles) Diameter (mi) The Sun870,000 Mercury36,000,0003,031 Venus68,000,0007,521 Earth93,000,0007,926 Mars142,000,0004,221 Jupiter483,000,00088,734 Saturn887,000,00074,566 Uranus1,783,000,00031,566 Neptune2,782,000,00030,199 Pluto3,666,000,0001,450

Distances and Sizes Planet Distance from sun (miles) Diameter (mi) The Sun870,000 Mercury36 million3,031 Venus68 million7,521 Earth93 million7,926 Mars142, million4,221 Jupiter483 million88,734 Saturn887 million74,566 Uranus1,783 million31,566 Neptune2,782 million30,199 Pluto3,666 million1,450

Conversion Factor: 1,000,000 miles =1 metre 100,000 miles = 10,000 miles = 1,000 miles =

Conversion Factor: 1,000,000 miles =1 metre 100,000 miles =10 cm 10,000 miles = 1,000 miles =

Conversion Factor: 1,000,000 miles =1 metre 100,000 miles =10 cm 10,000 miles =1 cm 1,000 miles =

Conversion Factor: 1,000,000 miles =1 metre 100,000 miles =10 cm 10,000 miles =1 cm 1,000 miles =1 mm

Let’s make it simpler by rounding the diameters to the nearest thousand

Distances and Sizes Planet Distance from sun (miles) Diameter (mi) The Sun870,000 Mercury36 million3,031 Venus68 million7,521 Earth93 million7,926 Mars142 million4,221 Jupiter483 million88,734 Saturn887 million74,566 Uranus1,783 million31,566 Neptune2,782 million30,199 Pluto3,666 million1,450

Distances and Sizes Planet Distance from sun (miles) Diameter (mi) The Sun870,000 Mercury36 million3,000 Venus68 million8,000 Earth93 million8,000 Mars142 million4,000 Jupiter483 million89,000 Saturn887 million75,000 Uranus1,783 million32,000 Neptune2,782 million30,000 Pluto3,666 million1,000

Copy down the conversion factors

Conversion Factor: 1,000,000 miles =1 metre 100,000 miles =10 cm 10,000 miles =1 cm 1,000 miles =1 mm

Can you make the conversions?!

Distances and Sizes Planet Distance from sun (miles) Diameter (mi) The Sun870,000 Mercury36 million3,000 Venus68 million8,000 Earth93 million8,000 Mars142 million4,000 Jupiter483 million89,000 Saturn887 million75,000 Uranus1,783 million32,000 Neptune2,782 million30,000 Pluto3,666, million1,000

Distances and Sizes Planet Distance from sun (miles) Diameter (mi) The Sun87 cm Mercury36 metres3 mm Venus68 metres8 mm Earth93 metres8 mm Mars142 metres 4 mm Jupiter483 metres8.9 cm Saturn887 metres7.5 cm Uranus1.783 km3.2 cm Neptune2.782 km3 cm Pluto3.666 km1 mm

That would mean we would have to put Pluto (all 1mm of it!) in South Shields!!!!!

We will have to use a different scale factor for the distance from the one we use for the size!

Let’s make the distances 100 times smaller. Can you do that?

Distances and Sizes Planet Distance from sun (miles) Diameter (mi) The Sun87 cm Mercury36 m3 mm Venus68 m8 mm Earth93 m8 mm Mars142 m 4 mm Jupiter483 m8.9 cm Saturn887 m7.5 cm Uranus1.783 km3.2 cm Neptune2.782 km3 cm Pluto3.666 km1 mm

Distances and Sizes Planet Distance from sun (miles) Diameter (mi) The Sun87 cm Mercury36 cm3 mm Venus68 cm8 mm Earth93 cm8 mm Mars1.42 m 4 mm Jupiter4.83 m8.9 cm Saturn8.87 m7.5 cm Uranus17.83 m3.2 cm Neptune27.82 m3 cm Pluto36.66 m1 mm

Let’s get modelling! Make your group’s planet and note down its scaled distance from the sun.

Distances and Sizes Planet Distance from sun (miles) Diameter (mi) The Sun87 cm Mercury36 cm3 mm Venus68 cm8 mm Earth93 cm8 mm Mars1.42 m 4 mm Jupiter4.83 m8.9 cm Saturn8.87 m7.5 cm Uranus17.83 m3.2 cm Neptune27.82 m3 cm Pluto36.66 m1 mm

Let’s go and measure the distances!

Now you should have a better understanding of just how much space there is in space… and remember, in reality, there is 100 times more!!!