Gravity and the Solar System
COMPLETE EACH TASK RECORDING OBSERVATIONS/ANSWERS IN YOUR JOURNAL.
Glue an answer sheet into a page of your journal.
1. How far would a ball go on each of the planets? Investigate Planetary Pitch.
• Go outside in the hallway to the starting line.
• Decide which group member will complete the 3 trials of this test.
• Throw the Nerf ball down the hall.
• Other group members use the metric tape measure to find the distance of the throw in
centimeters.
• Complete two more trials using the same person.
• Record the average of the three trials and all group members calculate the distance for
each planet using the gravity factors shown on the answer sheet.
2. How high could you jump on each of the planets? Investigate Gravity Defiance.
• Go to the area where paper is taped on the wall.
• Decide which group member will complete the 3 trials of this test.
• Use the water based marker.
• Stand flat-footed and reach as high as you can on the paper on the wall. Make a mark.
• Now jump as high as you can and make another mark above the first one.
• Other group members use the metric tape measure to measure the distance between the
two marks in centimeters.
• Complete two more trials using the same person.
• Record the average of the three trials and all group members calculate the distance for
each planet using the gravity factors shown on the answer sheet.
3. How much would you weigh on each of the planets? Investigate Weight in Space.
• Estimate what you think you would weigh on each planet and the Moon.
• Use the gravity factors to help you make a logical estimate.
• Now weigh yourself on the bathroom scale and record your actual Earth weight.
• Calculate the actual amounts by multiplying your Earth weight by each planet’s gravity
factor. Compare your estimates to the actual.
4.. How heavy would a full can of your favorite soft drink feel on each of the planets?
Investigate Can you Tell?
• The cans have been filled to represent the weight of this soft drink on a
different planet.
• By studying the gravity factors in relation to Earth and holding each can, try to determine
which can represents each Planet and the Moon.
• Start by putting the cans in order by weight and then matching them up to the gravity
factor numbers from lowest to highest.
Questions:
• What are some everyday tasks that would be difficult to perform on planets with the
highest and lowest gravity factors?
• On what planet could you be a star basketball player?
• On what planet would you weigh nearly the same as Earth?
• Which soft drink can surprised you?
• Which can was hardest to identify? Why?
5. Read together The Magic School Bus Lost in the Solar System
Questions:
st
• Imagine that you are describing to a 1 grader what causes
day and night. How would you explain it?
• Explain why Mrs. Frizzle and her class were floating around in their space ship.
• Where does the light of the moon come from?
• What is the greenhouse effect? What causes it and how does it affect the Earth?
• Why couldn’t the school bus land on Jupiter?
• Draw what Saturn’s rings were compared to.
• What makes Uranus look blue?
• If you just had a birthday today and you traveled to Neptune, how old would you be at the
end of Neptune’s next year?
• Is Pluto always the planet farthest out? Why or why not?
PLEASE NEATLY RE-ORGANIZE MATERIALS FOR THE NEXT GROUP!
GRAVITY AND THE SOLAR SYSTEM – GALACTIC GAMES
1. Planetary Pitch Average X Gravity Factor = Distance in cm
Earth
Moon
Mercury
Venus &
Jupiter
Saturn &
Average
& Mars
Uranus
Neptune
X 6.3
X 2.6
X 1.1
X 0.4
X 0.9
2. Gravity Defiance Average X Gravity Factor = Distance in cm
Earth
Moon
Mercury
Venus &
Jupiter
Saturn &
Average
& Mars
Uranus
Neptune
X 6.3
X 2.6
X 1.1
X 0.4
X 0.9
3. Weight in Space
Make Predictions First!
Gravity
Predicted
Factor
Weight
Moon
0.16
Mercury 0.39
Venus
0.91
Mars
0.38
Jupiter
2.60
Saturn
1.07
Uranus
0.90
Neptune
Pluto
1.15
0.05
Planet
or Moon
Gravity
Factor
0.16
0.39
0.91
0.38
2.60
1.07
0.90
1.15
0.05
Gravity
Factor
=
Moon
0.16
Mercury
0.39
Venus
0.91
Mars
0.38
Jupiter
2.60
Saturn
1.07
Uranus
.90
Neptune
1.15
Pluto
4. Can You Tell?
Planet or
Moon
Moon
Mercury
Venus
Mars
Jupiter
Saturn
Uranus
Neptune
Pluto
Actual
weight on
Earth X
Can
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
GRAVITY AND THE SOLAR SYSTEM – GALACTIC GAMES
Pluto
X 20
Pluto
X 20
Weight on
planet or
moon
1. Planetary Pitch Average X Gravity Factor = Distance in cm
Earth
Moon
Mercury
Venus &
Jupiter
Saturn &
Average
& Mars
Uranus
Neptune
X 6.3
X 2.6
X 1.1
X 0.4
X 0.9
2. Gravity Defiance Average X Gravity Factor = Distance in cm
Earth
Moon
Mercury
Venus &
Jupiter
Saturn &
Average
& Mars
Uranus
Neptune
X 6.3
X 2.6
X 1.1
X 0.4
X 0.9
3. Weight in Space
Make Predictions First!
Gravity
Predicted
Factor
Weight
Moon
0.16
Mercury 0.39
Venus
0.91
Mars
0.38
Jupiter
2.60
Saturn
1.07
Uranus
0.90
Neptune
Pluto
1.15
0.05
0.05
Which Planet or Moon is it?
Planet
or Moon
Gravity
Factor
0.16
0.39
0.91
0.38
2.60
1.07
0.90
1.15
0.05
Gravity
Factor
=
Moon
0.16
Mercury
0.39
Venus
0.91
Mars
0.38
Jupiter
2.60
Saturn
1.07
Uranus
.90
Neptune
1.15
Pluto
4. Can You Tell?
Planet or
Moon
Moon
Mercury
Venus
Mars
Jupiter
Saturn
Uranus
Neptune
Pluto
Actual
weight on
Earth X
Can
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
Pluto
X 20
Pluto
X 20
Weight
on planet
or moon
0.05
Which Planet or Moon is it?
Materials needed:
Planetary Pitch
• Nerf ball
• Tape measure
• Calculator
• Mark line to pitch from with masking tape
Weight in Space
• Bathroom scale or Nurse’scale
• Calculator
Gravity Defiance
• Tape white butcher paper to a 3 foot section of the wall from waist high to near ceiling
• Meter stick
• Marker (stamp pad can also be used for finger marks, if so wet wipes and trash can are
needed)
• Calculator
Can You Tell?
• Use all one type of can. Use pennies or an equivalent weight of sand.
• Jupiter will not be heavy enough unless you use pennies.
• Cover tops of the cans with duct tape and label with the following letters.
Model
Earth
Moon
Mercury
Venus
Mars
Jupiter
Saturn
Uranus
Neptune
Pluto
Label letter
A
D
J
H
G
C
F
I
E
B
Number of pennies inside can
Regular filled can, unopened
12
38
101
38
293
119
102
122
0 (empty can)