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Aims
Pupils should know the relative position of the Earth, Sun and planets in the Solar System, that gravitational forces determine the movement of the bodies in the Solar System and that spacecraft have been sent to explore most of the planets (Nat Curr KS3 - Physical Processes 4 - The Earth and Beyond)
Introduction
This project is aimed at pupils working in KS3. Space scientists and engineers have now sent space probes to either land on or closely observe all the planets except Pluto. Basic physical facts about the planets are now known and we can envisage the difficulty of attempting manned landings on them.
The project aims to familiarise pupils with the information on the planets of the Solar System. Pupils should use the Internet to acquire information on the planets and use the Robotic Telescope to obtain images of one or more planets.
Lesson
The Earth is one of only nine planets that orbit the Sun. The others are Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto. Some of them have been visited by unmanned spacecraft that have landed on them and the others have been photographed by space probes that have flown close to the planet. We now know a lot about each one.
The force of gravity is the only free force that acts on planets; the gravitational pull of the Sun keeps each planet in a nearly circular orbit at its own special distance from the Sun.
Time
This project should take four to five hours of lesson time.
