Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Procedures

-Title (Subject)

How do you find the distance between the Earth and Moon given scale models of both?


-Goal

To invent a method of finding the distance between the Earth and Moon using scale models, a tape measure and internet resources.


-Procedure (2-3) Sentences

1.  Look up the actual distance of the diameter of the Earth and the distance between the Earth and the Moon and divide the distance between the Earth and Moon by the diameter of the Earth; it is approximately 30.

2. Using the tape measure, measure in centimeters the diameter of the scale model of the Earth.

3. Multiply the diameter of the scale model of Earth by 30 and use that total distance to mark the scale distance between the scale model of the Earth and the scale model of the Moon.


-Data / Calculations

As per Internet resources:

Distance between Earth and Moon: 384,403km

Diameter of the Earth: 12,742 km

Distance between Earth and Moon (in Earth diameters): 30 (rounded down)

Diameter in centimeters of the scale model of Earth:  9.5cm

Total distance of Earth and Moon to scale: 285cm

-Video

-2-3 Sentence Conclusion

Assuming we could find the actual data on the internet, this activity was relatively easy with scale models.  It was just a matter of using these scale models to measure the distances between them.


Reflection

-What else would you have asked a student?

"Why is scale important?"

-What else might you ask groups that finish early?

"How else could you use scale in other situations?"

-What do you feel was left out?

nothing!  :)

moon distance from earth

Google distance of earth from moon 384,403 (http://www.universetoday.com/38128/distance-from-earth-to-moon/)
Diameter of earth 12,742 (google given answer)