Submitted by Maize High School

APPLIED MATH II
SOLAR SYSTEM LAB
SCIENTIFIC NOTATION

Objective: Make a scale down reproduction of our Solar System.

Data:

PLANET

DIAMETER (KM)

DISTANCE FROM SUN

SCI. NOTATION

Sun

1,392,530

Mercury

4,880

57,900,000

Venus

12,104

108,200,000

Earth

12,756

149,600,000

Mars

6,787

227,900,000

Jupiter

143,800

778,300,000

Saturn

120,660

1,427,000,000

Uranus

50,800

2,869,600,000

Neptune

49,500

4,496,600,000

Pluto

2,300

5,900,100,000

1. Complete the chart by converting the distances from the sun to scientific notation. Round the decimal part to the hundredths place.

 

2. Determine the scale. The length of the hall is 2215 inches; let this represent the distance from the Sun to Pluto.

 

3. Use your scale to find the new scaled measurements and fill in a new chart with these measurements. These numbers should all be written in standard notation. The diameter should be rounded to four decimal places and the distance from the sun should be rounded to the nearest whole number.

PLANET

DIAMETER (in)

DISTANCE FROM SUN (in)

-->>> Ft. and Inches

Sun

Mercury

Venus

Earth

Mars

Jupiter

Saturn

Uranus

Neptune

Pluto

4. Now make your solar system to scale