Science Project on “Leaning on an Axis”, Project Experiment Topics on Outer Space for Class 8, 9, 10 and 12 Students.

Leaning on an Axis

Materials Required:

1. Nine pencils
2. Modeling clay
3. Toothpicks
4. Paper
5. Protractor
6. Research books
7. Adhesive tape
8. Hardbound book

The sun’s planets more or less rotate on the same flat plane. This plane is an imaginary line that can be drawn through the earth’s orbit. Consider the sun being in the center of a large plane, with all the planets placed on the plane around it.

If you could also draw a line through the north and south poles of a planet, you would find out that planets are also tilted. The axis is not perpendicular to the plane of the orbit. This means that the planets are not spinning straight up.

Take for example, the earth which is tilted at about 23 degrees from the perpendicular. Pluto on the other hand has a 17 degree tilt.

You should make 9 balls out of modeling clay, representing each planet of the system. Vary the sizes of the balls to make different planets. Push pencils through the middle of each ball. This will represent the axis of the planet.

Make name cards for each planet and place them before each ball. Put the title information of the planet on the card.

Stick a protractor to the side of a tabletop, with some adhesive tape. This will make the 90 degree line with the table’s surface.  Push three toothpicks into each planet, thereby letting them stand on the table.

Once you have done this, make sure that you put Pluto on a thin book, because you have to remember that Pluto is placed slightly higher on the orbit plane than the rest of the planets.