SHS

PHYSICAL SC IENCE
Quarter 4 – Week 1
Module 1 : Kepler ’ s Law of Planetary
Motion
 Christian and his father were stars gazing outside one beautiful evening.
They were very surprised at the presence of a lot of stars. But since it was already
late at night, they needed to go home and have a rest. His father said, "Let's sleep
now, because it's another day tomorrow." There was a moment of silence, and
Zander suddenly asked, "Daddy, why do we have a day and a night?"
An astronomical phenomenon that needs an explanation of how the universe
works is shown in the above scenario. In this learning material, you will know and
comprehend the origins of Earth, the solar system, and the universe. You will also
examine the transformation from the ancient view of the universe, which focused
on the positions and movements of celestial objects, to the modern perspective,
which focuses on understanding how these objects came to be and why they move
the way they do.
After going through this learner material, you are expected to:
a. explain how the Greeks knew that the Earth is spherical
(S11/12PS-Iva-38)
b. cite examples of astronomical phenomena known to astronomers
before the advent of telescopes (S11/12PS-Iva-40)
c. explain how Brahe’s innovations and extensive collection of data in
observational astronomy paved the way for Kepler’s discovery of
his laws of planetary motion. (S11/12PS-Iva-44)
LESSON 1: EARTH IS SPHERE

Astronomers claim that earth is much like a spherical ball

The Pythagoreans have developed a spherical model of the Earth and the
heavens since the fifth century BC. Their geographical and astronomical work was
based on the theory that the Earth was a sphere.

The evidence for a spherical Earth is overwhelming. Indeed,

because evidence of a spherical Earth is visible to the naked eye, this was
one of the first cosmic facts to be properly worked out by ancient
individuals.

Many Greeks understood, by the time of the philosopher Socrates

and his student Plato, that the Earth could only be a sphere. Sailors
would have noticed that before the hulls of the ships became visible, the
sails of approaching ships appeared because the surface of the sea is
slightly curved, like the surface of an enormous ball.

Aristotle (384-322 BC), the famous Greek philosopher, concluded that the
Earth is spherical because when it eclipses the moon it always casts a curved
shadow (Edward J. Tarbuck 2012). In addition, in his observations of the stars,
Aristotle also argued that not only is the earth circular, but it is also a circle of no
great size. He pointed out that the stars that are overhead are significantly changed
by a very small change of position to south or north, and the stars seen are
different, as one moves north or south. His faith in a spherical Earth, however, was
lost during the Middle Ages.

Using experimental measurements of shadows in two cities and some

geometry, an ancient scholar named Eratosthenes (276-194 BC) even correctly
approximated the circumference of the Earth.

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Evidence that supports their claim
• Ships appear to sink gradually below horizon as they travel far away from
the observer and over the horizons – in all directions
• Polaris, the North star is located practically over the North Pole of planet
Earth
• If you stood at the North Pole, Polaris would be almost directly overhead.
• The North star gradually appears lower and lower in the sky as you travel
toward the equator.
• When the North Star is visible at the horizon, you are located at the
equator.
• South of the equator, the North Star is not visible.
• Only a sphere can cast a shadow that always appears round. During lunar
eclipses, Earth casts its shadow on the moon and the shadow is always
round

LESSON 2: ASTRONOMICAL PHENOMENA KNOWN TO ASTRONOMERS

Without the help of telescopes, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn
can be easily seen in the sky. These planets can be easily confused with stars and
are only seen at specific times of the day. The best time to look for these planets
would be before sunrise and after sunset.
Even before the telescope's invention, different astronomical phenomena
were observed by ancient people. The sun and moon are the most observable
objects in the sky.
In systematically observing the movement of the sun, the Babylonian and
Egyptian civilizations used a primitive version of a sundial, called a gnomon. They
were able to observe that the sun rises in the eastern part of the sky, reaches its
highest point at noon, and sets in the western part of the sky by looking at the
shadows which the gnomon casts.
They also recorded that the points where the sun rises and sets on the
horizon vary over a year, and periodically these variations occur. They noted that
these variations are weather-related and thus concluded that seasonal climate
changes occur over a period of one year.

Phases of the Moon

Ancient people observed that within a period of 29.5 days, the

moon changes its path and its appearance. They noted that the

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 appearance of the moon varies from a thin semi-circular disk to a full
circular disk. The foundations of ancient calendars are these phases of
the moon.

Lunar Eclipse

In addition to their observation of the

various phases of the moon, they also
noticed that there are times when, for a
short moment, the moon or part of it
seemed to be covered by a shadow. If the
Earth casts its shadow on the moon when
the Earth is between the Sun and the
Moon, a lunar eclipse occurs. A
phenomenon like this is referred to as a
lunar eclipse in which the moon
transforms into a dark or red blood color.

Solar Eclipse

In addition to the lunar eclipse, the

occurrence of a solar eclipse was also observed.
When the Moon is between the Sun and the
Earth, the solar eclipse occurs and the moon
partially or entirely blocks out the sun.

Motion of the Stars

It was also noted that the stars seem to be attached in one day to a celestial
sphere that rotates around an axis. At a point in the northern sky, this axis
intersects the celestial sphere and is presently close to the northern star, Polaris.
Also, the positions of the constellations in the night sky vary according to the time
of the year.

Visibility of the Planets

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 Astronomers have found the
planets
Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn
because they have noticed that the stars (like
how constellations are always grouped) are in a
fixed position with respect to each other. But
there are very bright stars which periodically
change positions. Any group of constellations
in the sky does not belong to these "stars." In
Greek terms, they are thus called "wanderers"
or planets.

LESSON 3: BRAHE’S INNOVATIONS IN THE DISCOVERY KEPLER’S LAWS OF

PLANETARY MOTION

Tycho Brahe (1546-1601), a Danish

nobleman, made important contributions by
devising the most precise instruments available
for observing the heavens before the telescope's
invention. From Uraniborg, on an island in the
sound between Denmark and Sweden called
Hveen, Brahe made his observations. The tools
of Brahe enabled him to determine the detailed
motions of the planets more precisely than was
possible. In particular, in formulating the laws
of planetary motion, Brahe compiled extensive data on the planet Mars,
which would later prove crucial to Kepler, because it would be sufficiently
accurate to demonstrate that the orbit of Mars was not a circle, but an
ellipse.

Although Copernicus correctly observed that

the planets revolve around the Sun, it was Kepler
who defined their orbits correctly. Kepler became
the assistant of a wealthy astronomer at the age of
27, Tycho Brahe, who asked him to define Mars'
orbit. A lifetime of astronomical observations had
been gathered by Brahe, which passed into Kepler 's
hands upon his death. (Brahe, who had his own
Earth centered model of the Universe, at least partly
withheld the bulk of his observations from Kepler
because he did not want Kepler to use them to
prove the correct Copernican theory.) Using these
observations, Kepler found that three laws were
followed by the orbits of the planets.

Kepler, like many philosophers of his era, had a mystical belief that the
circle was the perfect form of the Universe, and that the orbits of the planets must
be circular as a manifestation of the Divine order. He struggled for many years to
make Brahe 's observations of Mars' motions match a circular orbit.

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 However, Kepler eventually noticed that an imaginary line drawn from a
planet to the Sun swept out an equal area of space at the same time, irrespective of
where the planet was in its orbit. If you draw a triangle from the Sun to the position
of a planet at one point in time and its position later at a set time, say, 5 hours or 2
days, that triangle's area is always the same, anywhere in the orbit. The planet
must move faster when it is near the Sun, but more slowly when it is farthest from
the Sun, for all these triangles to have the same area.

This discovery (which became Kepler’s second law of orbital motion) led to
the realization of what became Kepler’s first law: that the planets move in an ellipse
(a squashed circle) with the Sun at one focus point, offset from the center.

Kepler’s third law shows that there is a precise mathematical relationship

between a planet’s distance from the Sun and the amount of time it takes revolve
around.

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Performance Task 1: Sundial Time
Directions: Follow the instructions in the activity carefully.

Objectives:
At the end of the activity, you will be able to make a sundial to
cast a shadow allowing you to gauge the time. You will demonstrate that
the Earth is rotating, in relation to the sun, by showing how a shadow
moves throughout the day.

Materials:
• Stiff piece of cardboard, file folder, tablet back, or other flat, durable
surface to make marks on
• Pencil or Chalk
• Ruler or yardstick
• Colored drinking straw, or other long, narrow object
• Clay, tape, or other adhesive to adhere the object to the flat surface
• Masking tape
• Small scissors
• Marker, pen, or pencil
• Magnetic compass
• Watch or clock
• Timer, alarm, or stopwatch to alert you at one-hour intervals

Procedures:
1. Choose one of the long sides of your cardboard to be the bottom. Two
inches from the bottom, make a pencil mark in the center.
2. Use a pencil, small scissors, or other sharp object to make a small hole
the same size, or slightly smaller than, the straw.
3. Use the scissors to cut the straw: make three vertical, equal, half inch
cuts from the bottom of the straw so that you can spread the sections
out flat, for the straw to stand on. If you’re using a pencil or other
heavier object, skip this step.
4. Insert the top of the straw through the hole in the cardboard until just
the cut sections remain on the bottom of the cardboard.
5. Tape the cut sections securely to the bottom of the cardboard. If you’re
using a pencil or other heavier object, use clay on the top of the
cardboard (instead of tape on the bottom) to hold your object upright.
6. Now your straw should be standing upright when you place the
cardboard on the ground or table.
7. Find a place where the sun shines all day and you can leave the
sundial in the same position. Options include your driveway, the
sidewalk, your patio or other hard, flat surface.
8. Find North. Use a compass to find North. Position the cardboard so that
the shadow of the straw aligns with North on the compass. Use the
masking tape to secure the cardboard to the ground or table.
9. Set your alarm for the next top of the hour (noon, 1:00, 2:00, etc.)
When the alarm sounds, observe where the straw’s shadow is on the
cardboard. Align the ruler with the edge of the straw’s shadow and
make a pencil mark along the edge of the ruler.
10. Write the hour next to, on top of, or underneath, the mark.

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 11. Repeat the observation and notes at each hour. If you started in the
afternoon, come back to the sundial the next day in the morning hours
to complete the hour marks.

Observation/s:
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Adapted from https://learning-center.homesciencetools.com/article/how-to makea-

sundial-science project/

Performance Task 2: 3D Model

Directions: Using any recyclable or indigenous materials make a 3D Model on Brahe’s
model of the universe. Your output will be graded using the attached rubric.

Criteria Excellent(10- 8) Good (7-6) Fair (5-4) Poor (3-1)

All structures are More than two Fail to
included and One or two structures identify and
Completeness
accurately structures are not represent
represented and are not structures
labeled. included or included or correctly.
are inaccurately
inaccurately represented.
represented.

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 Model is
The model is constructed
Model is using a A model is
Creativity/ creatively
constructed limited constructed
Aesthetic constructed
using several variety of using the
appeal/ using a wide
recyclable or recyclable or same
variety of variety of
indigenous material for
material used recyclable or indigenous
materials each part.
indigenous items. items.

Durable, neat, Slightly The model is

Extremely durable and
missing one sloppy or
Durability durable, neat neat, missing
component. messy and
and standard and constructed
(size, more than one missing
based according to size, component.
material or multiple
materials and (size, material components
display)
display. or display)

Posttest
Directions: Read carefully each item. Use a separate sheet for your answers. Write
only the letter of the best answer for each test item. Use a separate sheet of paper
for your answers.
1. Who among the following philosophers concluded that the Earth is spherical
in shape with no great size?
A. Aristotle C. Plato
B. Eratosthenes D. Pythagoras
2. Who among the following philosophers DOES NOT explain that the Earth is
sphere?
A. Aristotle C. Eratosthenes
B. Brahe D. Plato
3. Who among the following philosophers developed a spherical model of the
Earth and the heavens since the fifth century BC?
A. Aristotle C. Plato
B. Eratosthenes D. Pythagoras
4. Which of the following statements was used by Eratosthenes to support his
claim that Earth is sphere?
A. Stars change in position to south or north.
B. Ship appear to sink gradually below horizon.
C. Bothe statements are false.
D. All of the above.
5. Which of the following is NOT an evidence that Earth is sphere? A. South of
the equator, the North Star is not visible.
B. Polaris is located over the South Pole of the Earth.
C. When the North Star is visible at the horizon, you are located at the
equator.

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 D. Ships appear to sink gradually below horizon as they travel far away
from the observer and over the horizons.
6. Which of the following statements is/are TRUE about early astronomical
phenomena?
Statement I - The sun and moon are the most observable objects in the
sky.
Statement II - Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn can be
easily seen in the sky with the help of telescope. A. Both
statements are true.
B. Only statement I is true.
C. Only statement II is true.
D. Bothe statements are false.

7. Which of the following occurs when Earth casts its shadow on the moon when
the Earth is between sun and the moon?
A. Lunar Eclipse C. Phases of the moon
B. Motion of the Star D. Solar Eclipse
8. Which of the following should be the alignment for a solar eclipse to occur?
A. Sun, Moon, Earth C. Earth, Sun, Moon
B. Sun, Earth, Moon D. None of these
9. Which of the following statements BEST explains why you are less likely to see
a total solar eclipse than a total lunar eclipse?
A. New moon phases occur less often than a full moon phase.
B. The moon’s shadow covers all of Earth during a solar eclipse.
C. The moon’s umbra only covers a small are on Earth’s surface.
D. Only people on the daytime side of Earth can see a solar eclipse.
10. Which of the following is NOT an astronomical phenomenon known to
astronomers before the invention of telescope?
A. Lunar Eclipse C. Phases of the moon
B. Motion of the Moon D. Solar Eclipse
11. Who among the following demonstrated that the planets move in elliptical
orbits around the sun?
A. Galileo Galilei C. Nicolaus Copernicus
B. Johannes Kepler D. Tycho brahe
12. Which of the following statements is/are CORRECT about Tycho Brahe? A. He
compiled extensive data on the planet Mars.
B. He determined the detailed motions of the planets more precisely.
C. He devised the most precise instruments available for observing the
heavens before the telescope's invention. D. All of the above
13. Which of the following statements is/are TRUE about Kepler?
Statement I - Kepler noticed that an imaginary line drawn from a planet
to the Sun swept out an equal area of space at the same
time, irrespective of where the planet was in its orbit.
Statement II - Kepler discovered that the planets move in an ellipse with the
Sun at one focus point, offset from the center.

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 A. Both statements are true.
B. Only statement I is true.
C. Only statement II is true.
D. Bothe statements are false.
14. Which of the following was discovered by Kepler with the use of Brahe’s
extensive collection of data in observational astronomy?
A. Law of Motion B. Law of Acceleration C. Law of
Relativity D. Law of Planetary Motion
15. Which of the following is TRUE about Kepler’s Third Law?
A. Any planet joining the Sun sweeps out equal areas in equal lengths of
time.
B. Planets move in an ellipse with the Sun at one focus point, offset from
the center.

C. There is a precise mathematical relationship between a planet’s distance

from the Sun and the amount of time it takes revolve around the Sun.
D. Both A and B

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