Intergalactic Planetary Models
Project Description
During this project, we were tasked with creating a series of models of the solar system. We started with model one, where we were asked to draw a simple model of the solar system as we knew it. Once we finished, we then got a new set of info and were tasked again with creating a model of the solar system, but with at least one aspect to scale with real life. We were then given even more vocabulary and background information on cosmetology and space, and were just focused on learning as much as possible. From there we created some more models, the most important of those being Models 4 and 5. For model 4, the task was to create a document that would allow you to predict some sort of phenomena with a set of given data. These phenomena could include the temperature of the planet or its escape velocity. After that, we were launched into yet another model, model 5, which was the final model. We had to figure out what we could predict on a new planet when we were given a set of information. We also had to calculate our weight on this planet and its orbital period.
Model 4
Model 5
Content
Gravitational Force:
The attractive force that exists between any two objects with mass. It is one of the fundamental forces of nature and is responsible for the interactions between objects that have mass. The force of gravity between two objects is directly proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between their centers. We could use the Gravitational Force of a planet to calculate its escape velocity and your weight on the planet for our model. The force of gravity between two objects could be calculated with the equation F = Gm1m2/r^2.
Orbit:
An orbit is the curved path followed by an object around a celestial body, like a planet around a star or a moon around a planet, under the influence of gravity. Orbits can be nearly circular or highly elliptical (Oval Shaped), depending on the speed and direction of the object's motion. We could use the orbit to calculate the orbital period or orbital velocity of an object for our model.
Radius:
A radius is a straight line from the center to the edge of a circle or sphere. It is half of the diameter of the circle or sphere. In planetary terms, it is the distance between the center of the planet and the surface. This was used in our project to help us calculate the gravitation force being exerted on you when you stood on the surface of the planet using the equation F = Gm1m2/r^2.
Orbital Period:
The orbital period is the time it takes for an object to complete one full orbit around another object. An example of this is the orbital period of the Earth around the Sun, which is approximately 365.25 days, and the orbital period of the Moon around the Earth, which is about 27.3 days. The orbital period of a planet is determined by the object's speed and the distance from the object it is orbiting. The orbital period of the planet was used by us to determine the orbital velocity of the planet. The orbital period of a planet could be calculated with the equation T = 2 π r / v T.
Orbital Velocity:
Orbital velocity is the velocity at which an object must travel in order to maintain a stable orbit around another object, such as a planet or a star. We used this in our project to help calculate the orbital period of the planet. The orbital velocity of a planet could be found with the equation v= 2πa/T.
Distance to Sun:
This is how far away a celestial object is from the sun. We used this in our project to calculate the the gravitation pull from the sun on a planet in orbit, using the equation F = Gm1m2/r^2.
Reflection
In this project, I was stuck with a rather unhelpful team member who didn't do much work on any of the project. This forced me to get out of my comfort zone and bear the brunt of the work that we had to do. Doing that made this project a great one for my leadership abilities, as I spent the entire time leading my group through the project. This project was also a great one for my work ethic, as at the beginning of the project, I struggled with time management, but I had to step up to the plate for this project and my work ethic improved drastically as a result. These were some of the areas that I did really well in for this project.
However, there definitely were some areas that I could have improved upon during this project. The main things that I struggled with during this project was my collaboration and communication. Since my partner didn't really do any work, I really failed to communicate well with him, and that definitely led to some tension. I also wasn't able to collaborate well with him for that same reason. Next project, I am definitely going to focus on getting close to my partners and communicating the plan with them better. These are the things that I struggled on during this project.