Study Guide: Chapter 3 The Solar System
Section 1: Observing the Solar System
Key Concepts:
What are the geocentric and heliocentric systems?
How did Copernicus, Galileo, and Kepler contribute to our
knowledge of the solar system?
What objects make up the solar system?
EARTH AT THE CENTER
Greek Observations
*Geocentric- a model of the universe in which earth is at the center
of the revolving planets and stars.
In
geocentric
system,
the earth is at the
center of the revolving planets and sun.
Checkpoint:
What is a geocentric system?
A model of the universe that the earth in the center and the all the
planets are orbiting earth.
SUN AT THE CENTER
*Heliocentric- a model of the solar system in which earth and the
other planets revolve around the sun.
In a
heliocentric
planets
system, Earth and the other
revolve around the
sun
.
The Copernican Revolution
Copernicus
was able to work out the
arrangement
of the known
planets
how they move around the sun.
and
Galileo’s Evidence
Galileo used the newly invented the telescope
make
discoveries
that supported the
heliocentric
model.
Kepler’s Calculations
to
*Ellipse-an oval shape which may be elongated or nearly circular ;
the shape of the planet’s orbit
Kepler found that the
is an
ellipse
orbit
of each planet
.
Checkpoint: What is an ellipse? The circular shape of the planet’s
orbit
MODERN DISCOVERIES
*Today we know that the
solar system
consists
of the
sun and
nine planets
and their
moons
, and several kinds of smaller objects
that revolve around the sun.
Checkpoint: Which six planets were known to the ancient Greeks?
*Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn
Section 1 Review (#’s 1-3)
*1.a. What are the geocentric and heliocentric systems?
In a geocentric system earth is in the center of the revolving planets
and sun. In a heliocentric system earth and the other planets revolve
around the sun.
b. How was Copernicus’s model of the universe different from
Ptolemy’s model?
Ptolemy believed that the planets, moon and sun revolved around
earth. Copernicus thought that the sun was in the middle and that the
planets revolved around the sun.
*c. What discoveries by Galileo support the heliocentric model?
Moons revolving around Jupiter and the phases of Venus
2. a. How did Kepler use Tycho Brahe’s data?
To describe the motion of the planets and determine the shape of their
orbits.
b. What did Kepler discover about the orbits of the planets?
They are elliptical
c. How did Tycho Brahe and Kepler employ the scientific method?
Brahe observed and recorded his observations. Kepler used the
evidence gathered by Brahe to form a hypothesis about planetary
orbits. Then he made predictions and confirmed or revised his
hypothesis on the basis of his observation.
*3.a. What objects make up the solar system?
The sun, eight planets, and their moons, and other smaller objects.
*b. What are the nine planets, in order of increasing distance from the
sun?
Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune,
Pluto