Earth and the Solar System · IGCSE Physics 0625 Simulation

About this lab: Earth and the Solar System

Interactive simulation for Cambridge IGCSE Physics 0625 topic 6.1 Earth and the Solar System: the eight planets orbiting the Sun with the inner planets zoomed or the whole system with the asteroid belt, the spinning Earth giving day and night and the phases of the Moon, the collapse of a nebula into a disc with the Sun igniting and planets accreting, a comet on an elliptical orbit that speeds up near the Sun with the speed plotted through one orbit, and the orbital speed v = 2πr/T worked for every planet.

IGCSE Physics 0625, topic 6.1. The Solar System, the Earth's rotation and the Moon, how the Solar System formed, elliptical orbits and orbital speed.

Earth and the Solar System is a free, browser-based simulation for Cambridge IGCSE Physics 0625 (topic 6 Space physics, section 6.1 The Earth and the Solar System). The course is assessed in Papers 1 and 2 (multiple choice), 3 and 4 (theory), 5 (practical test) and 6 (alternative to practical). There are 5 tabs, each a self-contained experiment with its own controls and live readings, and nothing to install: it runs on a laptop, tablet or classroom projector.

Syllabus coverage

6.1.1 Know that the Earth is a planet that rotates on its axis, which is tilted, once in approximately 24 hours, and use this to explain observations of the apparent daily motion of the Sun and the periodic cycle of day and night
6.1.1 Know that the Earth orbits the Sun once in approximately 365 days and use this to explain the periodic nature of the seasons
6.1.1 Know that it takes approximately one month for the Moon to orbit the Earth and use this to explain the periodic nature of the Moon’s cycle of phases
6.1.1 Define average orbital speed from the equation v = 2π r T where r is the average radius of the orbit and T is the orbital period; recall and use this equation (Supplement)
6.1.2 Describe the Solar System as containing: (a) one star, the Sun (b) the eight named planets and know their order from the Sun (c) minor planets that orbit the Sun, including dwarf planets such as Pluto and asteroids in the asteroid belt (d) moons, that orbit the planets (e) smaller Solar System bodies, including comets and natural satellites
6.1.2 Know that, in comparison to each other, the four planets nearest the Sun are rocky and small and the four planets furthest from the Sun are gaseous and large, and explain this difference by referring to an accretion model for Solar System formation, to include: (a) the model’s dependence on gravity (b) the presence of many elements in interstellar clouds of gas and dust (c) the rotation of material in the cloud and the formation of an accretion disc
6.1.2 Know that the strength of the gravitational field (a) at the surface of a planet depends on the mass of the planet (b) around a planet decreases as the distance from the planet increases
6.1.2 Calculate the time it takes light to travel a significant distance such as between objects in the Solar System
Lessons on this topic: Earth's rotation: day, night, and the seasons, Orbital speed: v = 2πr ÷ T, The Solar System: planets, moons, asteroids, comets, Accretion model of Solar System formation, Elliptical orbits and conservation of energy.

Full syllabus map: IGCSE Physics 0625 topic 6.

How to use this simulation

1. The Solar System.
2. Earth, day and night, the Moon.
3. Formation.
4. Elliptical orbits.
5. Orbital speed.
The buttons at the end of the tab strip give the scene the whole window (Full screen, Hide controls) and, on a dark stage, a projector-friendly palette (Light scene). Many scenes also have drag handles: drag them to change the set-up directly.

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