Student 1:
Ellipses and elliptical orbits: Kepler achieved a fundamental
breakthrough in understanding the motions of the planets when he
determined that they move on elliptical (rather than circular)
orbits. Construct a simple demonstration which will show the class
motion on an ellipse: get a piece of board, hammer in two nails and
attach to the two nails a piece of string that is about 50% longer
than the distance between the nails. Be prepared to show the class how
this set-up can be used to describe an ellipse (and what represents
the sun and an orbiting planet). The other student will use your
demonstration to talk about Kepler's three laws.
Student 2:
Kepler's Laws: The other student is going to construct a simple demonstration to show motion of bodies on elliptical orbits (planets around the sun). Your job will be to tell the class about the three laws that Kepler deduced concerning such motion, using the demonstration above as an aid. How can these laws be used to determine the dimensions of the solar system?
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