Republic of the Philippines

Department of Education
Regional Office No. VIII
Schools Division of Northern Samar
OLERAS NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
-o0o-

Physical Science 12

2nd Semester
Quarter 4 – Week 1
Module 1: Kepler’s Law of
Planetary Motion

For Academic concerns:

Name: BRENDA L. GIRAY

Contact Number: 09078751711
Fb Account: bren yarig

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Name: ____________________________________________Date:__________________

Grade & Section:_______________________________Score: ________________

Target

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)

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 For you to understand the lesson well, do the following activities. Have fun and
good luck!

Directions: Below are the pictures and names (which are jumbled) of Greek
philosophers who made great explanations why Earth is spherical. Arrange their
names and rite their corresponding significant contribution in the explaining why
Earth is spherical which can be found in the box below. Use a separate sheet for your
answer.

PHILOSOPHER CONTRIBUTION

ARSAGOTHYP
Answer: ___________________

OLPTA
Answer: ___________________

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 EASIRLTTO
Answer: ___________________

TTOSHENESARE
Answer: ___________________

“My conviction is that the Earth is a round body in the center of the heavens, and
therefore has no need of air or any similar force to be a support”.

Conducted experiment to measure the length of the shadow casted by vertical stick
during solstice noon in order to figure out the angle the sun made with the vertical
direction at Alexandria.

There are stars that were seen in Egypt and Cyprus that is not visible in the northern
region.

Influenced by Thales & Anaximander and he said that sphere is the most perfect
shape.

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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.

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 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.

Evidences 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.

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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 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
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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

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'

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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 Earthcentered
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.
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 the Sun.

Enrichment Activity 1: Flat or Sphere

Directions: Make a short essay on the topic “Is the Earth Flat or Sphere?”. Be guided
by the scoring rubric on how your output will be rated.

CRITERIA 5 4 3 2
Content Interesting Some interesting Conventional Cursory; gives
content and content; points ideas or clichés; the impression
presentation; not sustained or little supporting of writing just to

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 ideas well- not fully detail included. complete the
conceived and developed. assignment.
developed with
sufficient
examples.
Grammatical Appropriate level Confined to Errors Message is
Accuracy of complexity in simpler frequently affect largely
syntax with very sentences or comprehensibilit incomprehensibl
few errors, if structures with y, or very basic e due to
any. very few errors types of errors inaccurate
OR shows (subject-verb grammar, which
variety and agreement; alters or
complexity in noun-adjective obscures it, OR
syntax with agreement, etc.) reader must
errors that do know English to
not affect comprehend
comprehensibilit much of the
y. message.
Punctuation, Correct spelling) Occasional Frequent English spelling
Spelling, and mechanical mechanical and
and punctuation; errors. errors. punctuation: no
Presentation neatly typed accents;
with correct mechanical
format as errors in most
specified sentences.

Enrichment Activity 2: Graphic Organizer

Directions: Make a graphic organizer which shows the astronomical phenomena
known to astronomers before the advent of telescopes. Be guided by the scoring rubric
on how your output will be rated.

CRITERIA 5 4 3 2
Organization Extremely well Organized. Somewhat Poorly organized.
organized. Structure allows organized A clear sense of
Order and reader to move structure allows direction is not
structure of through content reader to move evident. Flow is
information is without through some of frequently
compelling confusion. Flows the content interrupted.
and flow smoothly. without
smoothly. confusion. Flow is
sometimes
interrupted.
Content Thorough and Complete Shows some Shows
insightful understanding understanding of incomplet e
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 understanding of content content. understanding
of content of material
Ideas Insightful and Ideas are Ideas are Ideas are unclear
well considered; somewhat on few connections
considered more than one topic; makes
ideas making thoughtful some connections
multiple connection is
connections made

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Performance Task 1: Story Line
Directions: Create a comic out of the ancient Greeks view about the argument on
Earth’s shape.

CRITERIA 4 3 2 1
Clarity and Comic is easy Comic is easy Comic is hard Comic is hard
Neatness to read and all to read and to read with to read and
elements are so most elements few understand.
clearly written, are clearly illustrations
labeled and written, labeled and labels
illustrated. and illustrated.
Content There are There are There are very There are no
references to references to few references references to
the topic the topic to the assigned the assigned
assigned in assigned in topic in the a topic in the
each frame. most frames. few frames. comic strip.

Graphics The graphics The graphics The graphics Little or no

are meaningful, are somewhat are scarce graphics were
colorful, and meaningful, throughout the evident. It is
appropriate. It colorful, and piece and not clear that the
is clear that appropriate. It much time or effort was
time and effort is clear that effort was put lacking and
went into their some time and forth. they did not
creation. effort went into complete the
their creation. assignment.

Performance Task 3: 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)

Assessment:
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.
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 C. When the North Star is visible at the horizon, you are located at the
equator.
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 phases.
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 phenomena 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.

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 Statement II - Kepler discovered that the planets move in an ellipse with
the Sun at one focus point, offset from the center.
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 C. Law of Acceleration B. 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

Prepared by:

BRENDA L. GIRAY Noted:

Subject Teacher

GENE A. REMORERAS, JR. PhD

School Head

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