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Matter is anything that has mass and takes
up space.
Mass is the amount of matter in an object.
Volume is the amount of space an object
takes up.
THE SOLAR SYSTEM Unit Overview
The solar system includes an average-sized star (the Sun), its
planets, their moons, asteroids, and comets that orbit that
star.
THE SUN
The Sun is an average-sized yellow star that is the center of
the solar system. It contains more than 98 percent of all the
matter in the solar system.
The powerful nuclear
reactions at the core of the
Sun provide the light and
heat of the solar system.
The gravitational pull of the
Sun keeps the planets,
asteroids, and comets in regular orbits circling the Sun. The
Sun is about five billion years old and will gradually begin to
run out of fuel in another five billion years, eventually
becoming a white dwarf.
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THE INNER PLANETS
There are four inner planets largely made up of rocks and metals with
a crust, mantle, and core. They have atmospheres but contain very
little hydrogen and helium.
The inner planets: Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars.
Mercury is closest to the Sun and Mars is the most distant of these
rocky planets. Earth is the only place in the solar system or the
universe known to have life. This is because Earth has liquid water,
oxygen and a protective atmosphere.
MERCURY
Diameter: 3,029 miles
Average Distance from
the Sun:
36,000,000 miles
Length of Year: 88 days
Length of Day: 59 Earth days (1,416 hrs)
Highest Temperature: +810⁰F
Color: Orange
Number of Moons: 0
Interesting
Facts:
Mercury has the fastest orbiting speed
around the Sun.
Scientists think Mercury shrank after it was
formed.
VENUS
Diameter: 7,521 miles
Average Distance from
the Sun:
67,200,000 miles
Length of Year: 225 days
Length of Day: 243 Earth days (5,832 hrs)
Highest Temperature: +867⁰F
Color: Yellow
Number of Moons: 0
Interesting
Facts:
Has the hottest temperature of any planet.
Space probes melted there.
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Density- amount of matter (solid,
liquid, or gas) in a given space.
EARTH
Diameter: 7,926 miles
http://rst.gsfc.nasa.gov/Sect16/full-
20earth2.jpg
Average Distance from
the Sun:
93,000,000 miles
Length of Year: 365 days
Length of Day: 1 day (24 hrs)
Highest Temperature: +133⁰F
Color: Blue (water), brown and
green (land)
Number of Moons: 1
Interesting
Fact:
Earth is the only known planet to
support life due to liquid water, oxygen
and a protective atmosphere
Earth is the only planet not named
after a god
MARS
Diameter: 4,221 miles
Average Distance from
the Sun:
141,500,000 miles
Length of Year: 687 days
Length of Day: 24.5 hours
Highest Temperature: +77⁰F
Color: Red
Number of Moons: 2
Interesting
Fact:
Mars is called the red planet
THE OUTER PLANETS
The outer planets do not have rocky
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or solid surfaces. These planets are gigantic balls of swirling gases
and liquid cores held together by the gravitational force of each
planet.
The outer planets: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune.
Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system and would easily hold
all the other planets. It is also the fastest rotating, or spinning, planet.
Saturn is the lightest, least dense of all the planets and would actually
float on a liquid ocean. Uranus has a very tilted axis and spins on its
side. It has the longest seasons. Neptune has the fastest winds.
JUPITER Diameter: 88,846 miles
Average Distance from
the Sun:
483,300,000 miles
Length of Year: 11.9 years
Length of Day: 10 hours
Highest Temperature: - 238 ⁰F
Color: Yellow, red, brown, white
Number of Known
Moons:
63
Interesting
Fact:
Jupiter is so large it could hold 1,300
Earths
SATURN Diameter: 74,898 miles
Average Distance from
the Sun:
886,700,000 miles
Length of Year: 29.5 years
Length of Day: 10.6 hours
Highest Temperature: -292⁰F
Color: Yellow
Number of Known
Moons:
At least 47
Interesting
Fact:
Saturn is light enough to float on
water.
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URANUS Diameter: 31,763 miles
Average Distance from
the Sun:
1,782,000,000 miles
Length of Year: 84 years
Length of Day: 17 hours
Highest Temperature: -353⁰F
Color: Green
Number of Known
Moons:
At least 27
Interesting Fact: Uranus rotates, or spins, on its side.
NEPTUNE Diameter: 30,775 miles
Average Distance from
the Sun:
2,774, 000,000 miles
Length of Year: 164.9 years
Length of Day: 16 hours
Highest Temperature: -364⁰F
Color: Blue
Number of Known
Moons:
At least 13
Interesting
Fact:
Neptune has the fastest winds in the
solar system
In order of relative position from the sun: Mercury Venus Earth Mars Jupiter Saturn Uranus
Neptune
In order from smallest to largest: Mercury Mars Venus Earth Neptune Uranus
Saturn Jupiter
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PLUTO: THE DWARF PLANET
Pluto was discovered in 1930 by the American astronomer Clyde
Tombaugh. There has long been a discussion as to whether Pluto
qualified as a planet because of its unusual behavior and size. It is
less than half the diameter of Mercury, the next smallest planet. It is
made of ice and rock and is extremely cold. Pluto has a very
eccentric, or odd, orbit that brings it inside the orbit of Neptune for
20 years of its 248-year orbit around the Sun.
Pluto may be an escaped moon from another planet that had a
collision and was forced into a new orbit. Pluto and its moon may be
a double-planet system, or it may be a large asteroid from the Kuiper
Belt, a huge number of asteroids beyond the orbit of Neptune. In
August 2006, the International Astronomical Union declared that
Pluto was not a planet. They labeled it a “dwarf planet”. This shows
that our understanding changes as new discoveries are made.
PLUTO (DWARF PLANET) Diameter: 1,423 miles
Average Distance from
the Sun:
3,672,000,000 miles
Length of Year: 248.6 years
Length of Day: 6.4 days
Highest Temperature: -382⁰F
Color: Yellow
Number of Moons: 1
Interesting
Fact:
Pluto was reclassified as a dwarf
planet after a vote by astronomers
on August 24, 2006. Our
understanding changes with new
discoveries.
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Comparisons of Our Average-Sized Star (Sun) and its Planets, and a Dwarf
Planet (Pluto):
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Can you see why our star, the Sun, is called an average-
sized star? Sources:
This passage was reformatted almost verbatim from Standards-Based
Science Investigations, Grade 6, for readability, accessibility and educational
purposes only.
Images not directly cited in the passage or below were obtained from
Microsoft Word 2007 clipart.
Reading: Seeing is Believing: “Space Probes to the Planets”
http://www1.free-clipart.net/gallery2/clipart/Zodiac/Galaxy.jpg
Standards-Based Science Investigations, Grade 6 TCR 8966
http://blogs.nationalgeographic.com/blogs/news/breakingorbit/breakingorbitima
ges/orion-constellation.jpg
http://www.kiroastro.com/writings/perspective
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NOTES Page:
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Concept Map for Earth-Sun-Moon Unit Aristotle
(384- 322 B.C.) Greek philosopher Earth-Centered systematic observations of the physical world
Ptolemy
(100- 170 A.D.) Egypt Earth-Centered model was widely accepted for about 1,400 years
Copernicus
(1473- 1543 A.D.) Polish astronomer Sun-Centered model
Galileo
(1564- 1642 A.D.) Italian Sun-Centered model improved telescope
Scientists study
patterns in order to
understand relationships
Moon 1/4 size of Earth Virtually no atmosphere Extreme Temperatures Small, rocky satellite Sun’s light creates a repeating pattern known as the phases of the moon A complete cycle takes 29 ½ days
Earth Rotates (spins) on axis takes 24 hours & is on 23.5 degrees tilt causing day and night (Ro-ta-tion D-A-Y) Revolves around the sun which causes seasons and takes 365 days (Re-vo-lu-tion Y-E-A-R)
Sun Is a star that provides heat and light Approximately 4.6 Billion years old Composed of very hot gases: mostly hydrogen and helium, with small amounts of other gases
New Moon (Never mind)
Waxing Crescent (What Can)
First Quarters (Five Quarters)
Waxing Gibbous (With Gold)
Waning Crescent (White Chocolate)
Last Quarter (Little Quarters)
Waning Gibbous (Wait! Give)
Full Moon (Faces Mean)
Waxing- Light INCREASES Waning- Light DECREASES
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What tools or processes do scientists use when they are conducting experiments with earth and space? Scientists who study the origin, history and composition of the celestial bodies: planets, sun, moon and Earth, asteroids, comets and meteorites include astronomers, astronauts and planetary geologists. Astronomers and other scientists must design experiments to study the solar system and/or determine a cause and effect relationship. This process is known as scientific investigation or inquiry. Scientific investigation is how and why we know about our world today and is a very valuable tool. In order to study our solar system or determine a cause and effect relationship, an astronomer must formulate a testable question. A testable question is one that can be measured and proven. A testable question should include facts and not opinions. Once an astronomer has a testable question, s/he must construct a hypothesis (an educated guess). A good hypothesis must have the language: “If I________________, then _________________”. An astronomer then conducts research, plans an experiment, conducts an experiment(in which s/he tests only ONE VARIABLE at A TIME) on her/his testable
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question, collects and records data, comes to a conclusion and repeats the experiment.
Career Job Description Facts
Astronomer A scientist who studies planets, stars and galaxies
Astronaut A scientist trained by a spaceflight program to command, pilot or serve as a crewmember of a spacecraft
Planetary Geologist
A scientist concerned with the geology, origin, history, composition processes and structure of the celestial bodies: planets, sun, earth, moon, asteroids, comets, meteorites
Harrison “Jack” Schmitt collected lunar samples during the Apollo 17 mission
The NASA Apollo Missions were designed to land astronauts on the moon and to bring them safely back to the Earth. The missions have returned many objects and artifacts to help us learn about the composition of the moon. Therefore the Apollo missions add greatly to our understanding of the moon.
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Who are the scientists that contributed to our understanding of the solar system?
Aristotle (384- 322 BC)
http://csep10.phys.utk.edu/astr161/lect/retrograde/aristotle.html
Aristotle was a Greek philosopher. He aimed to develop a universal means of reasoning. With this universal method, Aristotle thought it would be possible to learn everything there is to know about reality. Aristotle believed that the Earth went through processes that were so gradual or slow that they were not observed. He believed that the Earth did not move. He estimated the distance of the moon and the sun. Aristotle believed that the world never had a beginning, nor did it having an ending- leaning to the belief of “eternity” or forever. He believed that Earth was at the center of the solar system. Source: http://www.philosophypages.com/ph/aris.htm Source: http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/history/aristotle.html
Ptolemy (~90- 168 AD or 100- 170 AD)
Ptolemy was a Greek astronomer who, like Aristotle, believed that the Earth was at the center of the solar system. He contributed greatly to what we know about the solar system by creating models of the motion of the sun, moon and planets. Ptolemy developed valuable tools known as tables or maps.
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Copernicus (1473- 1543)
The Copernican Model
http://csep10.phys.utk.edu/astr161/lect/retrograde/copernican.html
Copernicus denounced the Aristotle and Ptolemy’s belief that the Earth was the center of the solar system. Copernicus believed that the Sun is the center of the solar system. He found that Earth rotates once in 24 hours, causing day and night.
Galileo (1564- 1642) Galileo was an Italian scholar who made great contributions to what we know about the solar system. Using a telescope, Galileo showed that the moon’s surface was not smooth; rather it is covered by mountains and craters. He also showed that the planets were disks, not points of lights. Using his telescope, he thought he saw what appeared to be “ears” on Saturn. We now know that what he was seeing were really “rings”. Galileo showed that the great “cloud” called the Milky Way was composed of enormous stars that had not been seen before. Galileo improved the telescope. Source: http://csep10.phys.utk.edu/astr161/lect/history/galileo.html ; http://www.phy6.org/stargaze/Ssolsys.htm
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NASA Apollo Missions
View of the Earth as seen from the Moon
Source: http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/ap11ann/kippsphotos/6550.jpg
On July 20, 1969, mankind accomplished its greatest feat by setting foot onto another celestial body, the moon. Neal Armstrong stepped off of his lunar module and stepped onto the surface of the moon. From his location, he could see the Earth in the heavens. He and another astronaut brought back with them 46 pounds of rock from the surface of the moon. The NASA Apollo missions add greatly to our understanding of the moon. Source: http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/ap11ann/introduction.htm
The moon has virtually no atmosphere, but some believe there may be water in the form of ice in some of the deep craters near the Moon’s south pole. Source: http://www.nineplanets.org/luna.html
http://www.nasa.gov/centers/langley/news/factsheets/Apollo.html
Our understanding of the sun, moon and the solar system continues to change with new scientific discoveries.
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What are the major characteristics of the Earth, Sun and Moon?
Celestial Body
Size Color Overall Composition
Earth 12,756 kilometers (7,927 miles) in diameter
Blue (water), Brown and green (land)
-rocks -dirt, soil -plant life -water (solid-ice, snow, liquid- rain, rivers, oceans, lakes; gas- water vapor) -protective atmosphere to block out the sun’s harmful rays -numerous gases: including oxygen and carbon dioxide - life: including plants and animals
Sun 110 times the size of the Earth
Yellow, orange
-gases: mostly hydrogen and helium, small amounts of other gases
Moon ¼ diameter of the Earth
grayish -rocks -virtually no atmosphere -some scientists think there is possibly icy (but no liquid water)
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What is rotation and revolution?
Rotation Revolution
Definition The motion of turning or spinning on an axis (an imaginary line).
To orbit or move around a central point.
Motion Spins or Turns
Moving Around
Duration 24 hours
365 days or 1 year
Importance Earth spins or turns on an axis which causes day and night. If rotation were faster, days would be shorter. If rotation were slower, days would be longer.
Due to earth’s axial tilt, Earth experiences seasons
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What are the eight moon phases fourth/fifth graders should kn0w (complete cycle is 29 ½ days meaning there are actually 29 ½ phases)?
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Moon Phases Study Guide and “Pegs” New Moon- “Never mind”
When the moon is directly between the sun and the Earth, the side of the moon facing the Earth is in darkness; hence, it is not visible in the sky. The intensity of the sun is so great that the moon is lost in the sun’s glare. This phase is called the “new moon”
Waxing Crescent- “What Can”
As the moon continues to move in its orbit around the Earth, a sliver of the illuminated side of the moon becomes visible. This phase is called the “Waxing Crescent” (To wax is to increase)
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First Quarter- “Five Quarters”
When the moon has completed one quarter of its orbit around the Earth, it makes a right angle with the Earth and the sun. One half of the moon is still illuminated by the sun, and the other half is still in darkness. However, from the Earth, the moon now appears to be a half circle. This phase is called the “First Quarter”
Waxing Gibbous- “With Gold”
As the moon continues in its orbit, the portion of the illuminated side of the moon visible from the Earth continues to increase. When the moon appears to be more than a half moon but less than a full moon, it is called a “Gibbous Moon” At this point in its orbit, the moon appears to be growing, so this phase is called a “Waxing Gibbous”
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Full Moon- “Faces Mean”
When the moon has completed one half of its orbit around the Earth, it is almost in a straight line with the Earth and the sun. The entire side of the moon that faces Earth is illuminated. This phase is called a “Full Moon”.
Waning Gibbous- “Wait, Give”
The darkened side of the moon begins to reappear to observers after the full moon. This phase is called a “Waning Gibbous”. The moon is described as waning when it appears to grow smaller. (To wane is to decrease)
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Last Quarter- “Little Quarters”
When the moon has completed three-quarters of its orbit around the Earth, it again makes a right angle with the Earth and the sun. This phase is called the “Third Quarter” or “Last Quarter”.
Waning Crescent- “White Chocolate”
As the moon’s orbit continues, the moon appears as a crescent shape once again. Since it appears to grow smaller, this phase is called a “Waning Crescent”. The darkened area continues to grow larger until no portion of the illuminated moon can be seen. The moon has returned to the new moon phase.
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What are examples of Earth, Moon & Sun System Pegs?
1- “The Sun is at the center of the universe” (move your finger in a circular motion)
2- “Motions- Rotation” (one finger to the top of your head and turn your body) “Revolution” (arms go around in a circle)
3- “Reasons for our season- The Sun” (motion one side of the triangle), “Earth’s tilt” (motion second side of the triangle), “Revolution” (third side of the triangle)
4- “Scientists- Aristotle, Ptolemy, Earth-centered. Galileo, Copernicus knew the Sun is at the center”.(cup your hand and move across the burners of a stove)
5-
6- “Our understanding changes with new discoveries” (pick up your words)
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7- “Water, oxygen, atmosphere” (break up the syllables as you pretend to drink your words)
“Support and maintain life” (break up the syllables as you pretend to drink your words)
8- “Phases for our moon”-
THINK OF OR SAY THIS SILLY PHRASE TO REMEMBER THE PHASES: “Never Mind, Whaaat Can Five Quarters With Gold Faces Mean? Wait! Give Little Quarters White Chocolate!” New Moon, Waxing Crescent, First Quarter, Waxing Gibbous, Full Moon, Waning Gibbous, Last Quarter, Waning Crescent
9- “An axis is the imaginary line Earth tilts on” (use your pinky to draw a slanted line)
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Science Vocabulary: Term Definition
Axis A straight line around which a body spins or rotates. Axis is also a Latin word that can mean “hub”, “axis”, or “axle”.
Cycle A repeated pattern
Eclipse The temporary disappearance or darkening of one celestial body, such as the sun or moon, when another body moves between it and an observer or between it and the light source. An eclipse of the sun is seen by an observer on Earth when the moon is between the observer and the sun. An eclipse of the moon is seen by an observer on Earth when the Earth moves between the sun and the moon and the Earth’s shadow falls across the surface of the moon.
Ecliptic The plane in which the Earth orbits the sun.
Ellipse
The shape that results when a cone is sliced on a diagonal.
Elliptical Having a shape that is in the form of an ellipse.
Experiment A fair test designed to answer a question.
Focus (plural: foci)
One of the two points around which an ellipse is constructed.
Hypothesis A statement that is made to be proved or disproved. Scientists make hypotheses based on what they expect will happen and then test whether or not the hypotheses are correct.
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Inference A conclusion based on evidence that results from events that have already occurred.
Light A source of illumination, such as the sun or a lamp. Light is also a form of energy that scientists call “electromagnetic radiation”.
Model A system that is built to represent or help us understand a more complicated system. For example, a small-scale version of the sun-Earth-moon-system is a model. A model can also be a larger version of something we can’t see (e.g., a model of an atom).
Observation Something that is noticed by using the senses.
Observe To notice or see.
Prediction A forecast about what may happen in some future situation. A prediction is based on information and evidence, and is different from a guess.
Rotate To turn or spin on an axis. This word comes from the Latin word rota, which means “wheel”.
Rotation The motion of turn on an axis.
Revolution A complete orbit around a central point or object.
Revolve To orbit around a central point.
Sequence A series of events that occur in a natural order.
Shadow An area that receives no light or less light than the areas that are around it.
Temperature A measure of how hot or cold an object or area is.
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Notes Page
Concept Map and Study Guide compiled by Regina Ferebee using information derived from Virginia Beach City Public Schools curriculum/objectives unless otherwise cited.
