Saturn System Scavenger Hunt

Objectives

Describe and compare the components of the Solar System.
Using references, compare the physical properties of the planets (e.g., size, solid or gaseous).

Saturn System Scavenger Hunt

Part 1 of 4

Use the information in the assembled Saturn System Diagram scale model to find answers to the following questions. In Sections A and B below, use the space provided to create two or three of your own questions. You must be able to answer the questions using the diagram.

Section A: Rings and Gaps

Saturn’s rings are not solid, but are composed of many chunks of ice and rock that range in size from a grain of sand to a house. The names of the rings in the order they appear from the cloud tops of Saturn outward toward the moon Titan are:

______

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Ring / Order
_____1. A
_____2. B
_____3. C
_____4. D
_____5. E
_____6. F
_____7. G / A. 1
B. 2
C. 3
D. 4
E. 5
F. 6
G. 7

8. Jean-Dominique Cassini is the person who discovered a division (gap) in Saturn’s rings in 1659. The ______and ______rings are on either side of the Cassini Division. (There are two answers to this question.)

a. Ae. E

b. Bf. F

c. Cg. G

d. D

9. The narrowest rings by far are the ______ring and the ______ring. (There are two answers to this question.)

a. Ae. E

b. Bf. F

c. Cg. G

d. D

Part 2 of 4

Section B: Moons

10. There are ____ (a number) moons orbiting Saturn at distances closer to the planet than the G ring.

11. There are ____ (a number) moons orbiting Saturn at distances farther from the planet than the G ring. (HINT: Don’t forget to count the moons that are farther away than Titan. All of Saturn’s moons, except the two most distant ones, orbit Saturn in the same plane as the rings.)

12. The farthest moon from Saturn is actually orbiting very slowly in the opposite direction from all the other moons and ring particles. It may be an asteroid captured by Saturn’s gravity. The Cassini spacecraft will investigate this possibility. This moon is called ______.

a. Janusc. Rhea

b. Phoebed. Tethys

Section C: Relationships and Interactions

13. ______is the force that holds the moons and the ring particles in orbit around Saturn.

a. Gravityc. Strong nuclear force

b. Magnetismd. Weak nuclear force

14. The widest ring of Saturn has a moon called Enceladus orbiting where the ring is densest. Enceladus may have ice volcanoes that supply the ______E ring with small ice particles. Cassini will observe Enceladus to see if the science instruments on board can detect any ice volcanoes.

a. Ae. E

b. Bf. F

c. Cg. G

d. D

Part 3 of 4

15. The ______ring has a gap near its outer edge caused by the tiny moon named Pan. Cassini may discover other moons like Pan that orbit within the A and B rings.

a. Ae. E

b. Bf. F

c. Cg. G

d. D

16. The narrow ______ring is held together (“shepherded”) by the gravity of the moons Prometheus and Pandora, which orbit on either side of the ring.

a. Ae. E

b. Bf. F

c. Cg. G

d. D

17. The tiny moons Janus and Epimetheus are between the ______ring and the ______ring. The gravitational forces between these small, odd-shaped moons cause them to trade orbits with one another.

a. Ae. E

b. Bf. F

c. Cg. G

d. D

Section D: Compare the Size of Earth with the Size of Saturn

For the following, make measurements to the nearest millimeter wherever possible.

18. Measure the scaled diameter of the Earth on the Saturn System Diagram: ______cm (a number).

19. Use your measurement to compute the diameter of Earth:

______cm* x 5,000 km/cm = ______km (a number).

(scaled diameter) x 5,000 km/cm = (actual diameter)

*Answer from question 18.

20. Measure the scaled radius of Saturn on the Saturn System Diagram: ______cm (a number).

21. Use your measurement to compute the actual radius of Saturn:

______cm* x 5,000 km/cm = ______km (a number)

(scaled radius) x 5,000 km/cm = (actual radius)

*Answer from question 20.

Part 4 of 4

22. What is the actual diameter of Saturn?

Actual diameter of Saturn = 2 × (radius of Saturn) = ______km (a number).

23. Compare the diameter of Saturn with the diameter of Earth by dividing Saturn’s diameter by Earth’s diameter.

Saturn diameter = ______; Earth diameter = 12,500 km.

Divide Saturn diameter by Earth diameter

____________= ______(a number)

Saturn Diameter Earth Diameter Times larger than Earth’s

diameter

Saturn System Scavenger Hunt – Key

Section A: Rings and Gaps

1. D (7 choices)

2. C (7 choices)

3. B (7 choices)

4. A (7 choices)

5. G (7 choices)

6. E (7 choices)

7. F (7 choices)

8. Jean-Dominique Cassini is the person who discovered a division (gap) in Saturn’s rings in 1659. The ______and ______rings are on either side of the Cassini Division.(There are two answers to this question.)

a. A; b. B

9. The narrowest rings by far are the ______ring and the ______ring.(There are two answers to this question.)

f. F; g. G

Section B: Moons

10. There are ____ (a number) moons orbiting Saturn at distances closer to the planet than the G ring.

11. There are____ (a number) moons orbiting Saturn at distances farther from the planet than the G ring. (HINT: Don’t forget to count the moons that are farther away than Titan. All of Saturn’s moons, except the two most distant ones, orbit Saturn in the same plane as the rings.)

a. Phoebe

Section C: Relationships and Interactions

13. ______is the force that holds the moons and the ring particles in orbit around Saturn.

a. Gravity

e. E

Part 3 of 4

15. The ______ring has a gap near its outer edge caused by the tiny moon named Pan. Cassini may discover other moons like Pan that orbit within the A and B rings.

a. A

16. The narrow ______ring is held together (“shepherded”) by the gravity of the moons Prometheus and Pandora, which orbit on either side of the ring.

f. F

17. The tiny moons Janus and Epimetheus are between the ______ring and the ______ring. The gravitational forces between these small, odd-shaped moons cause them to trade orbits with one another.

f. F, g. G

Section D: Compare the Size of Earth with the Size of Saturn

For the following, make measurements to the nearest millimeter wherever possible.

18. Measure the scaled diameter of the Earth on the Saturn System Diagram: ______cm(a number).

2.5

18. 2.5

19. Use your measurement to compute the diameter of Earth:

12,500

20. Measure the scaled radius of Saturn on the Saturn System Diagram: ______cm(a number).

21. Use your measurement to compute the actual radius of Saturn:

60,000

Part 4 of 4

22. What is the actual diameter of Saturn?

120,000

23. Compare the diameter of Saturn with the diameter of Earth by dividing Saturn’s diameter by Earth’s diameter.

9.6

Saturn System Scavenger Hunt – Scoring Guide

1. D (7 choices)
2. C (7 choices)
3. B (7 choices)
4. A (7 choices)
5. G (7 choices)
6. E (7 choices)
7. F (7 choices)
8. a, b (7 choices)
9. f, g
10. 6
11. 12
12. a / 13. a
14. e (7 choices)
15. a (7 choices)
16. f (7 choices)
17. f, g
18. 2.5
19. 12,500
20. 12
21. 60,000
22. 120,000
23. 9.6 / Scoring Guide
21-23 – 4
17-20 – 3.5
14-16 – 3
12-13 – 2.5
10-11 – 2
6-9 – 1.5
4-5 – 1
1-3 – .5
0 – 0