, Research Paper
The human conceptualization of the solar system dates back to the beginning of time. The early Egyptians worshipped the sun as a source of life and then the area called space was becoming a curiosity to humans. Throughout history, our knowledge of the solar system has increased and there is still much to learn. Through the research and studies of Brahmagupta, Ptolemy, Kepler, Brahe, Copernicus, Galileo, Newton, and Einstein. With this knowledge, laws and equations for physical science have been developed and they have been useful to analyze many tangible aspects of science.
The earliest astronomers were Ptolemy (90-168 AD) and Brahmagupta (590-678 AD). Ptolemy extended the observations and conclusions of Hipparchus, to form his geocentric theory, which is popularly known as the Ptolemaic system. He described his geocentric system and gave various arguments to prove that, in its position at the center of the universe, the Earth must be immovable. Ptolemy argued that since all bodies fall to the center of the universe, the Earth must be fixed there at the center, otherwise falling objects would not be seen to drop toward the center of the Earth.
In Brahmagupta?s book, Brahma- sphuta- siddhanta (The Opening of the Universe), he discussed solar and lunar eclipses and positions of the planets. He believed in a static Earth and he gave the length of the year as 365 days 6 hours 5 minutes 19 seconds in the first work, changing the value to 365 days 6 hours 12 minutes 36 seconds in the second book. Quoting Brahmagupta, ?As the sun eclipses the stars by its brilliancy, so the man of knowledge will eclipse the fame of others in assemblies of the people if he proposes algebraic problems, and still more if he solves them.?, he foreshadowed the increase in knowledge about the solar system.
In about 1513, Copernicus, a Polish astronomer, wrote the Copernican theory, stating that the Sun was at rest in the center of the Universe. A full account of the theory was not published until the very end of Copernicus’s life, under the title On the revolutions of the heavenly spheres. Along with these discoveries, he said ?Mathemata mathematicis scribuntu? which means mathematics is written for mathematicians. This would be the basic theory that Kepler accepted in order to formulate his three laws of planetary motion.
Tycho Brahe’s stated that heavy bodies fall to their natural place, the Earth, which is the center of the universe. If the Earth were not the center of the universe, the study of physics would be useless. He developed a system kept the Earth in the center of the universe, so that he could retain Aristotelian physics and the Moon and Sun revolved about the Earth, and the shell of the fixed stars was centered on the Earth. But Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn revolved about the Sun. He put the (circular) path of the comet of 1577 between Venus and Mars. This Tychonic world system (Figure 1) became popular early in the seventeenth century.
Kepler formulated and verified three laws of planetary motion, now known as Kepler’s laws. Under the basis of the Copernican Theory, he produced a hypothesis to account for distances between planetary orbits. In 1609, he published a thesis containing statements of two of his laws of planetary motion: that planets move in ellipses, and that planets move faster as they near the sun. In 1619 he published another discovery about planetary motion: that the time of each planet’s revolution around the sun is proportional to its distance from the sun, this proportion being the same for all the planets. The first law says that the planets orbit in elliptical paths, with the sun at one focus of the ellipse. The second law states that the areas described by the straight line joining the center of the planet and the center of the sun are equal for equal times; the closer a planet comes to the sun, the faster it moves. The third law states that the ratio of the cube of a planet’s mean distance from the sun to the square of its orbital period is a constant, the same for all planets. He was devoted to his work as stated, ?Nam et nobis Jupiter, ut et Mars, et mane Mercurius, et Sirius apparuerunt quadranguli. Alter enim diametrorum angulosorum caeruleus erat, alter puniceus, in medio corpus flavum fulgore admirabil.?i (And to us Jupiter, like Mars, and in the morning Mercury and Sirius, appeared four-cornered. And one of the diameters running between the corners was blue, the other red, in the middle the body was yellow, and amazingly bright.). This allowed for the ability to have information about planetary orbits. Along with his colleague, Galilei Galileo, this opened the door to greater enlightenment about the solar system.
Galileo was an Italian physicist and astronomer, who, with German astronomer Kepler, started the scientific revolution. His most valuable scientific contribution was his founding of physics on precise measurements instead of using metaphysical principles and formal logic. In late 1609, he had built a telescope of 20 times magnification, with which he observed the mountains and craters on Earth’s moon. He also saw that the Milky Way was composed of stars, and he discovered the four largest satellites of Jupiter. By 1610, he had observed the phases of Venus, which proved the Copernican system, that the Earth revolved around the sun, and disproved the Aristotelian and Ptolemaic assumptions that the planets circled a fixed Earth.
In the late 1680s, Sir Issac Newton devised his three laws of motion. When Newton applied these laws to the laws of orbital motion formulated by the German astronomer Kepler, he derived the law of universal gravitation. This law explained that all objects in space and on earth are affected by the force called gravity. Through the works of the early scientists, Kepler was able to formulate laws of planetary motion and he posed a question. Why did the planets move faster when they were nearer to the sun? This was answered by Newton?s derivation of Kepler?s laws, which was universal gravitation. Through this, he was able to state that the planets moved faster due to the force of gravity on the sun. We now use Newton?s 2nd and 3rd laws to find the force of gravity of planetary bodies.
In early 1905, Albert Einstein developed a theory based on two assumptions: the principle of relativity, that physical laws are the same in all inertial reference systems, and the principle of the invariance of the speed of light, that the speed of light in a vacuum is a universal constant. He was able to provide a consistent and correct description of physical events in different inertial frames of reference without making special assumptions about the nature of matter, radiation, or their interaction. He accounted for previously unexplained variations in the orbital motion of the planets and predicted the bending of starlight in the vicinity of a massive body such as the sun. The confirmation of this prediction during a solar eclipse in 1919 became a media event, and Einstein’s fame spread worldwide.
Through the works of these astronomers, the field of physics was improved and the status of our abstraction of the solar system has grown greatly. We still use the laws and theories formulated by early astronomers in order to help us in our research. Since our research is extensively growing, the laws can now be used to derive new hypotheses and help us to solve the enigma we know as the solar system.
Другие работы по теме:
Mercury 2 Essay Research Paper MercuryMercury is
Mercury 2 Essay, Research Paper Mercury Mercury is the eighth largest planet in our solar system, equaling roughly one-third of Earth s size. It is also the planet closest to the sun, and is often visible with binoculars, or even the naked eye. It s difficult to see in the twilight sky. One of Mercury s most distinguishable features is its rugged surface, which is similar to the surface of the Earth s moon.
Solar System Essay Research Paper Origin Of
Solar System Essay, Research Paper Origin Of The Solar System For more than 300 years there has been serious scientific discussion of the processes and events that led to the formation of the solar system.
Solar Flares Essay Research Paper INTROI Solar
Solar Flares Essay, Research Paper INTRO I. Solar flares are violent eruptions of gases that release ultra-violet radiation, x-rays and gammy rays. It’s an enormous explosion of hydrogen and helium above the sun surface.
Space Crafts Launched In The Seventies Essay
, Research Paper CURRENT EVENT My current event article comes from the Internet. It is an article on the four major space crafts launched in the seventies. The Pioneer 10 and 11, and Voyager 1 and 2 are the ships located in space. This article came from www.currentsky/articles/explore/index.html. It talks about the space crafts and how they are further in space than any other satellite we have ever launched.
My Ass Essay Research Paper v A
My Ass Essay, Research Paper v A Florentine philosopher, physicist, and inventor. This is a lot of work to do in one life time. Galileo Galilei did all that and even more. He is most commonly remembered for his condemnation by the Holy Office as a result of his attempting to prove the Copernican theory of the universe.
Lesson Plan Essay Research Paper Sara Bartalo
Lesson Plan Essay, Research Paper Sara Bartalo 11/20/00 Grade 4 Solar System I. Pre- Instruction Phase 1. NYS Standards: ELA Standards 1,2 & 4- Reading, Writing, Listening, and Speaking for
The Telescope Essay Research Paper The TelescopeIn
The Telescope Essay, Research Paper The Telescope In 1609 Galileo Galilee Constructed his first telescope. Little did he know that this would be one of the greatest inventions the world would ever see. This fairly simple creation enhanced our ability to see things that are very far away and that can?t be seen with the naked eye.
Ulysses Essay Research Paper The Ulysses Mission
Ulysses Essay, Research Paper The Ulysses Mission is the first spacecraft to explore interplanetary space at high solar latitudes. Ulysses is both a study of the European Space Agency (ESA) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) of the USA. The spacecraft and spacecraft operations team is provided by ESA, and the launch and the spacecraft, radio tracking, and data management operations are provided by NASA.
Renewable Energy Source Essay Research Paper RENEBABLE
Renewable Energy Source Essay, Research Paper RENEBABLE ENERGY SOURCESOLAR POWER Solar energy is a renewable resource that is environmentally friendly. Unlike fossil fuels solar energy is available just about everywhere on earth. And this source is always free, immune to rising energy prices. Solar energy can be used in many ways to provide heat, lighting, mechanical power and electricity.
Solar Oven Essay Research Paper Solar OvenWhy
Solar Oven Essay, Research Paper Solar Oven Why it will work: It will work because the cold air under the box will be separated by four (4) wood pegs. The black, non-glossy paint will attract heat, rather than
Space Colonization Essay Research Paper SPACE COLONIZATION
Space Colonization Essay, Research Paper SPACE COLONIZATION My five minute essay topic is space colonization. There are three places that I know of that the human race has thought of colonizing . They are: The largest asteroid that is orbiting in our solar system, the Moon and Mars.
Plutonium Essay Research Paper An American Chemist
Plutonium Essay, Research Paper An American Chemist named Glenn T. Seaborg discovered plutonium in 1941 at Berkeley University in California. The discovery of Plutonium was not announced until 1946 because America was at war with Japan and Germany. Plutonium was named after the planet Pluto, after the planet Neptune in the solar system and Neptune gave its name to Neptunium.
The Age Of Comets Essay Research Paper
The article summarized below is from THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC (issue Dec.97) by William R. Newcott. It tells about how comets are important and their effect on earth and its people.Comets are leftover scrubs of material that did not make it to planethood in the events creating our solar system. They orbit in a perpetual Deepfreeze until some subtle gravitational nudge upsets the delicate balance.
Neptune
’s Storm System Essay, Research Paper NEPTUNE’S STORM SYSTEMS Neptune’s storms are a mysterious wonder of the solar system. They are quite unique, as well as a trademark for the big blue planet named after the Roman God of the sea. I hope you will find interesting information in this report.
Three Kings Day Essay Research Paper A
Three Kings Day Essay, Research Paper A Periodical on Rising Neptune By Paul Cusin In past years the knowledge of our solar system never really went further than Jupiter and Saturn, But 11 years ago the VOYAGER II on a mission to observe Saturn and Jupiter had time to waste so it took some shots of Neptune. Until this time Neptune had been know as a gas planet, it was said to be too far from the sun to have any energy, from it.
Where The Planets Are Essay Research Paper
Where the Planets Are In the beginning, the Earth was believed to be both flat and at the center of the universe. Then a sailor set sail to prove that the Earth is in fact round. Decades later science proved that the churches were wrong and in fact the Earth orbited around the Sun not the other way around. Now it is commonly known that the solar system that the human race lives in is just a small part of a much larger spinning body called a galaxy.
Hellp Essay Research Paper By TULU Email
Hellp Essay, Research Paper By: TULU E-mail: Tulu_c_t@yahoo The urge to explore and search the unknown is part of human nature and has led to many of the most important changes in our standard of living. Searching and exploring enriches our spirits and reminds us of the great potential of achievement.
Solar Energy Essay Research Paper Solar EnergyThe
Solar Energy Essay, Research Paper Solar Energy The Word solar comes from the Latin word solaris, which means sun. Solar Energy is the act of catching light from the sun and converting it in to energy. This is not new many ancient people used solar energy. The Egyptians, the Greeks, the Romans and American Indians used the sun to warm their homes.
Solar Essay Research Paper SOLAR ENERGY
Solar Essay, Research Paper SOLAR ENERGY — THE ENERGY OF THE FUTURE? About 47 per cent of the energy that the sun releases to the earth actually reaches the ground. About a third is reflected directly back into space by the atmosphere. The time in which solar energy is available, is also the time we least need it least – daytime.
Solar Energy Essay Research Paper Solar EnergyThis
Solar Energy Essay, Research Paper Solar Energy This experiment deals with the testing of solar energy and what material holds the greatest amount of heat. Solar energy is heat that the sun gives off. The materials used to determine what holds the heat the longest are rock, soil, water, and stone. The purpose of this project is to see what of the four materials hold the heat the longest.
Air Pollution Essay Research Paper In 1948
Air Pollution Essay, Research Paper In 1948, the industrial town of Donora, Pennsylvania suffered 28 deaths because of the thick smog. Air pollution is an ecological problem having to do with toxins in the air. There are a few things the human race has done to try to prevent air pollution from taking such a serious toll.
Eclipse Essay Research Paper EclipseA scientific event
Eclipse Essay, Research Paper Eclipse A scientific event which captures my interest and attention is an eclipse. In astronomy, an eclipse is a complete or partial obscuring of a celestial body by another. An eclipse occurs when three celestial objects become aligned.
Metric System Essay Research Paper Metric SystemThe
Metric System Essay, Research Paper Metric System The Metric System, also known as the System Internationale (SI) was developed in France in 1799. The Metric System was created because the French and English were not in agreement politically, therefore the French did not want anything to do with the English including their system of measurements.
Solar Energy An Alternative Energy Essay Research
Paper Solar Energy: An Alternative Energy Imagine a perfect source of energy. One with which no pollution what-so-ever is associated with. No poisonous gasses or destruction of rain forests. This
Mercury Essay Research Paper MercuryMercury is the
Mercury Essay, Research Paper Mercury Mercury is the second smallest planet in the solar system and is closest and innermost planet to the sun. Did you know that the sun warms Mercury? It is 36 million miles from the sun and takes 88 days to circle it, and Mercury takes 59 Earth days to spin once on its axis. But Mercury does not have any gases.
Mercury Essay Research Paper MercuryIn Roman mythology
Mercury Essay, Research Paper MercuryIn Roman mythology Mercury is messenger of the gods, and son of the god Jupiter. Mercury is the planet closest to the sun. Its distance from the sun is approximately 58 million km (about 36 million miles); its diameter is 4875 km (3030 miles); its volume and mass are about : that of the earth; and its density is approximately equal to that of the earth.
Lunar Eclipse Lab Essay Research Paper Title
Lunar Eclipse Lab Essay, Research Paper Title: Phases and Eclipses of the Moon Purpose: The purpose of this lab is to demonstrate the different phases of the moon during its revolution around the earth and also to display solar and lunar eclipses.
The Milky Way Essay Research Paper The
The Milky Way Essay, Research Paper The Milky Way seds.lpl.arizona.edu/messier/more/mw_sky.html The Milky Way is the home of our Solar System along with at least 200 billion other stars and planets. It contains thousands of clusters and nebulas. It is the home of nearly all the objects of Messier’s catalog that aren’t their own galaxies.
Mercury Essay Research Paper Laolee XiongPeriod 222697MERCURY
Mercury Essay, Research Paper Laolee Xiong Period 2 2/26/97 MERCURY Mercury is the closest planet to the sun. It s average distance from the sun is approximately fifty-eight million km and it s diameter is 4875 km, making it the second smallest planet in our solar system. It s volume and mass are about 1/18 that of the earth and it s average density is approximately equal to that of the earth.
Solar System Essay Research Paper Our Solar
Solar System Essay, Research Paper Our Solar system, the sun and its planet?s has not always been there.It is nearly five billion years ago, and there is no solar system, no planets,moons, no sun. Instead there is a big cloud of dust and gas called a nebula. Thiscloud has been slowly twisting for more than 10 billion years, held togetherby it?s own gravity.