Distances to Scale
1. The following table shows the real distances of the planets from the Sun. Use the same procedure described for Earth to complete the table for the 1-to-10 billion scale.
Planet | Average Distance from Sun |
Scaled Distance (real distance ÷ 10 billion) |
Mercury | 58 million km | |
Venus | 108 million km | |
Earth | 150 million km | 15 m |
Mars | 228 million km | |
Jupiter | 778 million km | |
Saturn | 1,430 million km | |
Uranus | 2,870 million km | |
Neptune | 4,500 million km |
2. Where is the Moon on this same scale? The Moon’s real distance from Earth is about 380,000 kilometers. Use the same procedure to find its distance on the 1-to-10 billion scale. Hint: After you find the distance in meters, you should convert it to centimeters so it is easier to understand.