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In this investigation you will draw several ellipses, calculate their eccentricity, and explore the relationships between the shape of each orbit and the motion ...
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Name: _______________________________ Date: ___________
As you know, each planet in the Solar System revolves around the sun. The shape of each planet’s orbit is an ellipse (or elliptical ). Unlike a circle, which is a curved shape drawn around a central point, an ellipse is a curved shape that is drawn around two points. Each of these points is called a focus , and together, they are called the foci of the ellipse. When comparing the shapes of planetary orbits, it is most helpful to describe the eccentricity (degree of flattening) of each ellipse. A perfect circle has an eccentricity of 0 because there is a no flattening. An ellipse that is completely flat has an eccentricity of 1.
In this investigation you will draw several ellipses, calculate their eccentricity, and explore the relationships between the shape of each orbit and the motion of its planet.
pencil 1 sheet of unlined paper 2 thumbtacks or pushpins piece of strong approximately 15 cm long piece of cardboard at least as large as the sheet of paper metric ruler calculator
Eccentricity = distance between foci ___ length of the major axis
Use the formula above to calculate the eccentricities ( rounded to the nearest 0.001 ) of each ellipse that you have drawn. Enter your data in the table below. Be sure to use either mm or cm – do not alternate between the two!
Ellipse you drew Distance between the foci (cm or mm)
Length of the major axis (cm or mm)
Eccentricity
First
Second
Third
a) the changing distance between Earth and the sun _________________________
b) the changing speed of Earth in its orbit _________________________
c) the changing apparent diameter of the sun _________________________
b. What is its density? _____________________
c. Which of the terrestrial planets has the lowest density? ________________________
d. What is its density? _____________________