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Name(s):__________________________________________________

Procedure
Part 1: Shapes of Planetary Orbits

1. What shape are the inner planet orbits?
    

2. What shape are the outer planet orbits?
    
3. Which of the planet orbits is different from the others? What are two ways in which the odd orbit is different from the others?
    

Part 2: Inclinations of Planetary Orbits

1. Examine Table 1. Which planet has the largest inclination?
    
2. Why is the Earth's inclination exactly 0?
    
    

3. How do the orbital inclinations of the inner planets compare with those of the outer ones?
    
    

4. In one sentence, describe the shape of the solar system, using your answers from Part 1 and Part 2.
    
    
    

Part 3: Rotations of the Planets

1. In which direction is our solar system rotating and revolving?
    
2. Which planet is not rotating the same direction?
    
3. Do the rotations of solar system bodies seem to indicate that most of them formed together at the same time in the same way, or separately under different conditions?
    
4. How could you tell if a moon or planet did not form with the rest? If a moon or planet did not form with all the others in its vicinity, how might it have gotten there?
    
    
    

5. In one sentence, describe the rotations and revolutions of the planets.
    
    
    

Part 4: The Composition of Planets

1. Which was hotter---inner or outer solar system?
    
    

2. 	Iron	Water	Ammonia and Methane
   Inner Solar System
   Outer Solar System

3. In one sentence, describe the distributions of densities in the solar system.
    
    
    

Part 5: The Standard Model

1. What would happen if the cloud were too thin for gravity to be important?
    
    
    

2. What would happen if angular momentum was not conserved?
    
    
    

3. How might you explain Venus' counter-rotation?
    
    
    

4. How might you explain the oddities of Pluto's orbit?
    
    
    

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