PhET Simulation: Kepler's Laws

This PhET Kepler’s Laws online physics lab will guide your students through an exploration of Kepler’s three laws of planetary motion. First, they will learn about the characteristics of an ellipse. Next, by manipulating the variables and observing the real-time effects on planetary motion, students will investigate the elliptical orbits of planets and the relationship between orbital period, orbital speed, gravitational strength and the planet’s distance from the sun. Students will collect and use data to reinforce key concepts and develop a mathematical understanding of these important laws of motion. They will calculate orbital eccentricity and investigate the graphical relationship between the orbital period and the length of a planet’s semi-major axis.

Included in this product are:

1. a getting started teachers guide.
2. three pages of notes describing Kepler’s laws.
3. the six page PhET online lab activity.
4. solutions for the lab worksheets.

PhET Interactive Simulations incorporate research based, student centered activities that are fun and easy to use. All of the PhET online simulations are available from their website: phet.colorado.edu. The simulations can be done in the classroom or during distance learning.