Science

Orbit lab: launch and compare

Set a star’s mass, a planet’s launch distance and its speed, then launch it into a moving orbit model. Follow the plotted path and read whether the planet remains in an orbit, escapes the system or collides with the star.

Read the material Make one for my class

A still from Orbit Lab. Open the activity to change star mass, launch distance and speed, then compare the paths.

Read the complete material

Read the material

Orbit lab: launch and compare. Use the preview for diagrams and layout.

Set star mass, launch distance and launch speed with the labelled sliders, or drag on the sky to launch a planet. Read the tracked planet’s status and path description as the simulation runs. Play or Pause controls the motion; Clear sky removes the current paths before another comparison.

The pupil task

What pupils will do

Read the one-AU rings and the starting slider values. Launch one planet, then describe its path before changing any control.

Learning objective

Investigate how changing one starting condition affects a simulated planetary path, and use the readout to describe the resulting orbit.

When to use it

Use after pupils have met gravity as an interaction and can describe how a moving object changes direction. Treat the display as a simulation to investigate patterns, not as a reconstruction of a named planet or spacecraft.

What’s included

Controls for star mass, launch distance and speed let pupils launch and compare model planets. Animated paths, tracking and orbit descriptions support prediction and discussion, with pause and clear controls for revisiting a trial.

A teaching sequence

Investigate how changing one starting condition affects a simulated planetary path, and use the readout to describe the resulting orbit.

A still from Orbit Lab. Open the activity to change star mass, launch distance and speed, then compare the paths.

Read the complete material

Launch with stated settings

Use Launch planet to create a path from the current mass, distance and speed settings. Follow the planet and read the orbit description.

What mass, distance and speed produced this path?

Predict one speed change

Ask, “What do you predict will change if the speed rises?” Keep the other settings fixed, launch again and compare the output.

With mass and distance fixed, did the new orbit label match your prediction?

Compare the paths

Compare the two paths and describe whether the planet follows a near-circular, elliptical, escape or collision path.

Which observed part of each path supports its description?

Pause and review the model

Use Play or Pause to follow a path more closely. Clear sky removes the current paths so a new comparison can begin.

What does this two-dimensional model leave out of a real orbit?

Before you teach

Look for the thinking behind an answer, choose the support your class needs and leave room for an independent response.

What to look for

Look for a comparison that names the changed setting and describes an observed difference in the path. A useful response frame is, “I changed the speed, kept the other settings fixed and the path label changed to ___.” Ask: “What does the orbit label tell you, and which starting conditions did you keep constant?” Tie explanations to the simulated trajectory rather than treating it as a real observation.

Give a little support

Change one control at a time and keep a short table with the three starting values and the path label. Model the difference between a setting, a prediction and an observed outcome. Pause the animation if pupils need more time to follow the trajectory.

Take the idea further

Ask pupils to find two different combinations that produce similar path labels, then explain why a single outcome does not identify one unique starting condition. They can predict what additional run would help distinguish the explanations.

Things to keep in mind

The canvas displays a programmed two-dimensional model with a restricted range of mass, distance and speed values. Its orbit labels describe this simulation and do not verify the motion of a particular planet. The activity simplifies a complex system and should be paired with a teacher explanation of its assumptions.

Keep the idea. Make it yours.

Bring your topic, learning goal and class context to PLAI™, then review what you create.

Make one for my class

Ideas to try with your class

Sample teaching perspectives on what to try, what to adapt and what to watch for.

🍵

Tea at Breaktime

This gravity simulation lets pupils set star mass, launch distance and speed, launch a planet, follow its two-dimensional path and read whether it orbits, escapes or collides. One-AU rings, pause and clear controls support repeated comparison.

💡

Little Lightbulbs

Changing one setting while keeping the other two fixed gives pupils a way to compare predictions with a plotted outcome. The orbit label helps describe the simulation's response.

🗒️

One Last Sticky Note

Record star mass, launch distance and launch speed, predict a path, change one control and compare the orbit label and trajectory. Pause the animation if needed and state which settings stayed fixed.

📐

Bright Margins

The two-dimensional orbit labels describe only this restricted programmed simulation. They cannot establish how an actual planet or spacecraft moves; use real astronomical evidence for that claim.