Topicmfa8d25f202ff154e_1528449000663_0Topic

Solar System

Levelmfa8d25f202ff154e_1528449084556_0Level

Third

Core curriculummfa8d25f202ff154e_1528449076687_0Core curriculum

IV. Gravity and elements of astronomy. The student:

9) describes the structure of the Solar SystemSolar SystemSolar System and its place in the GalaxygalaxyGalaxy; uses the concepts of the astronomical unit and the light year.

Timingmfa8d25f202ff154e_1528449068082_0Timing

45 minutes

General learning objectivesmfa8d25f202ff154e_1528449523725_0General learning objectives

Describes the structure of the Solar System.

Key competencesmfa8d25f202ff154e_1528449552113_0Key competences

1. Uses the concepts of the astronomical unitastronomical unitastronomical unit and the light year.

2. Describes the planets of the Solar System.

Operational (detailed) goalsmfa8d25f202ff154e_1528450430307_0Operational (detailed) goals

The student:

- explains the structure of the Solar System,

- describes the distances in the Solar System using the astronomical unitastronomical unitastronomical unit.

Methodsmfa8d25f202ff154e_1528449534267_0Methods

1. Discussion.

2. Text analysis.

Forms of workmfa8d25f202ff154e_1528449514617_0Forms of work

1. Individual work.

2. Group work.

Lesson stages

Introductionmfa8d25f202ff154e_1528450127855_0Introduction

The teacher starts the discussion about the Solar SystemSolar SystemSolar System. The students write the gathered information on the board.

What do you know about our Solar System?

Proceduremfa8d25f202ff154e_1528446435040_0Procedure

The teacher discusses the details about the Solar System with the students.

The Solar System:
The Solar SystemSolar SystemSolar System consists of the Sun and everything that orbits around it, including planets, moons, asteroids, comets and meteoroids. The planets in the Solar System are often considered in two groups – the Inner Solar System and the Outer Solar System.

The planets: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars lie in the Inner System, closer to the Sun. These terrestrial planets are relatively small, dense and rocky while the outer planets are further away, larger and built up mostly of gas.

The Inner and Outer System is separated by an asteroid belt.

Planets orbit the Sun in paths called ellipses, with the Sun slightly off‑centre of each ellipse.

Definition:
The orbital eccentricityeccentricityeccentricity of an astronomical object is a parameter that determines the amount by which its orbit around another body deviates from a perfect circle. A value of 0 is a circular orbit, values between 0 and 1 form an elliptic orbit, 1 is a  parabolic  orbit and greater than 1 is a hyperbola.

[Illustration 1]

Sun:
The Sun is a star and the largest object of the Solar SystemSolar SystemSolar System. It contains 99,86% of the Solar System’s mass. It is the source of energy, mostly radiated in form of electromagnetic radiation. The energy emitted by the Sun is a result of nuclear fusion of hydrogen into helium, which takes place in the Sun’s core where the temperature reaches about 15000000 K.

Mercury:
It is the smallest of the planets and the closest to the Sun. The temperatures on the planet’s surface can reach up to 450℃ during the day and fall down to -170℃ in the night due to its extremely thin atmosphere. The planet has no natural satellites.

Venus:
Venus has similar size to the Earth. The atmosphere there is ninety times denser as that on the Earth. It is the hottest of the planets – the temperatures reach up to 465℃. Venus rotates around its axis in the opposite direction than most planets.

Earth:
Earth is the largest and densest of the inner planets. It has one natural satellite, the Moon. Our planet is the only place where life is known to exist. The atmosphere is different from those of the other planets.

Mars:
Mars is smaller than Earth and Venus. The atmosphere on this planet is inhospitable for human life. Its reddish colour comes from iron oxide contained in its soil. Mars has two tiny natural satellites: Deimos and Phobos.

Asteroid belt:
The asteroid belt occupies the orbit between Mars and Jupiter. The asteroids are called small Solar System bodies which means that they are neither a planet, nor a dwarf planet, nor a natural satellite. The size of an asteroid ranges from a few meters to hundred kilometers. If their diameter is smaller than one meter, then they are called meteoroids. The asteroid belt contains enormous number of such objects.

Jupiter:
Jupiter is the largest planet in the Solar System and consists of gases that transform into a liquid state in the lower atmosphere. It has four large and many smaller satellites. The confirmed number of Jupiter’s satellites is 79. Jupiter has visible colourful belts caused by strong winds in the planet's upper atmosphere.mfa8d25f202ff154e_1534608397069_0Jupiter is the largest planet in the Solar System and consists of gases that transform into a liquid state in the lower atmosphere. It has four large and many smaller satellites. The confirmed number of Jupiter’s satellites is 79. Jupiter has visible colourful belts caused by strong winds in the planet's upper atmosphere.

Saturn:
Saturn is the second largest planet in the Solar System. It is a gas giant made up mostly of hydrogen and helium surrounded by rings made up of small rocks and ice particles. Saturn has 62 satellites.

Uranus:
Uranus is the lightest of the planets in the Outer System. It has 27 satellites. Uranus orbits the Sun almost on its side because its axis of its spin is very strongly tilted, over ninety degrees to the ecliptic.

Neptune:
Neptune is the planet which existence has been determined using mathematical calculations. This planet was first observed in 1846. It is smaller than Uranus but has a greater mass. Neptune has 14 known satellites.mfa8d25f202ff154e_1527752256679_0Neptune is the planet which existence has been determined using mathematical calculations. This planet was first observed in 1846. It is smaller than Uranus but has a greater mass. Neptune has 14 known satellites.

The students get familiar with the photographs of the planets.

Task 1

Watch the slideshow and observe how different planets look like.

[Slideshow]

Solar SystemSolar SystemSolar System in numbers:
The units expressed in kilometers are useful for measuring distances on the Earth, but they are not very convenient for distances throughout the Solar System. Therefore a special unit was introduced.

Astronomical Unitastronomical unitAstronomical Unit:
The average distance between the centre of the Earth and the centre of the Sun is called Astronomical Unit (1 AU). This distance is about 150000000 km (exact value is 149597870700 m).

[Interactive graphics]

Light‑yearlight‑yearLight‑year:
If we want to look beyond the Solar SystemSolar SystemSolar System, the larger unit is necessary. The light‑yearlight‑yearlight‑year (ly) is the distance which light can travel in one year. The nearest star (after the Sun) is Alpha Centauri, which is 4,37 light‑years away from the Earth. It means that light from this star reaching the human eye left its source 4,37 years ago.

The students apply the astronomical unitastronomical unitastronomical unit in calculations.

Task 2

In the table there are data describing some parameters of the planets in the Solar System.

a) Express the meanmeanmean distance from the Sun for every planet in astronomical units.

b) Express the masses of other planets in kilograms using the mass of the Earth in kilograms and the mass relations from the table.

c) Which planet has the most circular orbit around the Sun? Which has the most oval orbit?

[Table 1]

Lesson summarymfa8d25f202ff154e_1528450119332_0Lesson summary

The Solar System consists of the Sun and everything that orbits around it, including planets, moons, asteroids, comets and meteoroids. The average distance between the centre of the Earth and the centre of the Sun is called Astronomical Unit (1 AU). This unit is commonly used to describe the distances in the Solar System.mfa8d25f202ff154e_1527752263647_0The Solar System consists of the Sun and everything that orbits around it, including planets, moons, asteroids, comets and meteoroids. The average distance between the centre of the Earth and the centre of the Sun is called Astronomical Unit (1 AU). This unit is commonly used to describe the distances in the Solar System.

Selected words and expressions used in the lesson plan

Solar SystemSolar SystemSolar System

galaxygalaxygalaxy

astronomical unitastronomical unitastronomical unit

light‑yearlight‑yearlight‑year

eccentricityeccentricityeccentricity

revolutionrevolutionrevolution

rotationrotationrotation

meanmeanmean

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Solar System1
Solar System

Układ Słoneczny

RuRket9dzxRjh1
wymowa w języku angielskim: Solar System
galaxy1
galaxy

galaktyka

R1IlrPQl1rLTC1
wymowa w języku angielskim: galaxy
astronomical unit1
astronomical unit

jednostka astronomiczna

R1AY2QGj0rLTY1
wymowa w języku angielskim: astronomical unit
light‑year1
light‑year

rok świetlny

Rkbi6P9TOuslR1
wymowa w języku angielskim: light‑year
mean 1
mean

średni

R1IMRBRq42FzB1
wymowa w języku angielskim: mean
revolution1
revolution

okrążenie

R15EiykpiuGr01
wymowa w języku angielskim: revolution
rotation1
rotation

obrót

Rbf1UPWFj3WVr1
wymowa w języku angielskim: rotation
eccentricity1
eccentricity

ekscentryczność

R1BjxxHcXxaVx1
wymowa w języku angielskim: eccentricity