Earth Science Regents

The Ellipse
Copyright 2003 by S. Kluge
The ellipse is the geometric shape of most orbits. In this lab, you'll construct 2 ellipses, and examine and measure
them to determine some of the fundamental properties of ellipses.
Follo the directions belo, ma!ing sure you dra and measure carefully along the ay. "hen you ha#e
completed the construction and measurement of your ellipses, carefully and thoughtfully anser the $uestions
posted at the end of this lab.
%. &ather up the materials you need to complete this
lab 'See Fig. %()
* piece of cardboard
2 sheets of clean hite paper
2 push pins
* +, cm 'or so( length of string
* metric ruler-straight edge
* pen or sharp pencil
2. Tie your string into a loop. The loop, hen stretched
tight, should be %2 cm or so long 'anything beteen
%, and %+ cm ill or! fine( 'See Fig. 2(
2*. .lace one sheet of paper on the cardboard, and place
the 2 push pins hori/ontally about 0 cm apart near
the center of your paper as shon in Fig. 2.
+. .lace your loop of string around the 2 push pins,
and, !eeping the string tight, use the string as a
guide to carefully dra an ellipse around the push
pins. 'See Fig +.( 1e patient 2 you may ha#e to
try it a fe times before you get the hang of it3
4. *fter you'#e dran your ellipse, remo#e the push pins 'it's
probably a good idea to stic! them in the margin of
cardboard so they don't roll aay(. The 2 pinholes are
called the foci of the ellipse 'each one is called a focus(.
5abel the 2 foci F% and F2 as indicated in Fig.4.
6ame7777777777777777777777777
.eriod 777777
8. 9arefully dra a straight line across the ellipse so
that it passes exactly through the foci. That line,
hich is the longest one you can dra in the
ellipse, is called the major axis of the ellipse.
5abel it on your diagram. 'See Fig. 8(
0. Select and ma!e a mar! at + randomly located points on
the ellipse. 5abel the points *, 1, and 9 as indicated in
Fig. 0. The blac! arros point to + possible locations for
points 2 but yours can be anyhere on the ellipse.
:. ;ra a line from each point '*,1, and 9( to each of
the foci as indicated in Fig. :. "hen you'#e done
that, you're done ith your first ellipse3
<. =a!e all the measurements listed belo to the nearest %-%, of a cm. Record them on this sheet and label them
on your diagram. ;on't forget to include the units of your measurement as ell.
5ength of the ma>or axis ? 7777777777777
;istance beteen the foci ? 7777777777777
5ength of line * F% ? 7777777777777
5ength of line * F2 ? 7777777777777
5ength of line 1 F% ? 7777777777777
5ength of line 1 F2 ? 7777777777777
5ength of line 9 F% ? 7777777777777
5ength of line 9 F2 ? 7777777777777
@. 9alculate and record your ansers to the folloing sums)
5ength of * F% A length of * F2 ? 777777777777777
5ength of 1 F% A length of 1 F2 ? 777777777777777
5ength of 9 F% A length of 9 F2 ? 777777777777777
"hat do you notice about those sumsB 7777777777777777777777777777
Thin! of ho you dre the ellipse, and explain hy the sums are e$ual to each other.
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%,. The eccentricity of an ellipse tells us ho Cout of roundC it is. Dse this formula)
to calculate the eccentricity of your ellipse. Round your anser to the nearest tenth, and record it on this sheet
and record and label it on your ellipse draing as ell. '6otice hat happens to the units hen you do your
di#ision3(
Eccentricity ? 7777777777777
%%. Dsing a second sheet of hite paper, repeat steps 2 through 0 of this lab, only this time place the push pins
9 or so cm apart.
%2. En your ne ellipse, ma!e all the measurements listed belo. Record them to the nearest tenth of a cm. on this
sheet and label them on your diagram. ;on't forget to record the units of measurement as ell.
5ength of the ma>or axis ? 7777777777777
;istance beteen the foci ? 7777777777777
%+. Recall the formula for calculating the eccentricity of an ellipse)
and calculate the eccentricity of your ne ellipse. Round your anser to the nearest tenth, and record it on this
sheet and record and label it on your ellipse draing as ell. 'Remember to thin! about hat happens to the
units hen you do your di#ision3(
Eccentricity ? 7777777777777
%4. 9arefully and thoughtfully do-anser the folloing)
a. .lace your 2 ellipses on your des! in front of you so you can see them both. "hich one loo!s more nearly
circularB
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"hich one has the greater eccentricityB
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b. 9omplete this statement in a ay that indicates that you !no hat eccentricity measures)
CThe greater the eccentricity of an ellipse, the 77777777777777777777777777777777777777777
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Eccentricity =
distance between the foci
length of the major axis
Eccentricity =
distance between the foci
length of the major axis
c. Imagine draing ellipse after ellipse, each time mo#ing the push pins closer and closer together, until they are
both in a single hole at the center of your page. "hat shape ould that ellipse beB
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"hat ould the eccentricity of that ellipse beB 7777777777777777. Explain ho you !no that)
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d. 6o imagine draing ellipse after ellipse again, but this time mo#ing the push pins farther and farther apart, until
the string is stretched as tightly as possible beteen the pins. "hat shape ould that ellipse beB
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"hat ould the eccentricity of that ellipse beB 7777777777777777. Explain ho you !no that)
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e. "hat is the maximum eccentricity that an ellipse can ha#eB 77777777777 "hat is the shape of an ellipse ith
that eccentricityB
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f. "hat is the minimum eccentricity that an ellipse can ha#eB 77777777777 "hat is the shape of an ellipse ith
that eccentricityB
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g. 9ompare the eccentricities of your 2 ellipses ith the eccentricity of Earth's orbit 'ESRT p. %8(. "hich of the + is
more nearly circularB
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Fo do you !no thatB
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h. "hich planet in the solar system has the most eccentric orbitB 7777777777777777
Fo does the eccentricity of that orbit compare ith the eccentricities of your ellipsesB
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i. Dse the internet or an astronomy boo! or encyclopedia to find the eccentricity of 9omet Falley's orbit.
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If the ma>or axis of 9omet Falley's orbit ere scaled don to %8 cm, ho far apart ould the foci of that elliptical
orbit beB
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;escribe hat the shape of that orbit ould loo! li!e)7777777777777777777777777777777777777777
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