Problem: Planet Neptune is not only very cold but also farther from the Sun than the Earth. In fact, it is the farthest planet from the Sun in our solar system. On the other hand, the Earth enjoys a close proximity to the Sun. Only Mercury and Venus are closer to the Sun than the Earth. Which planet would be more affected by Sun's gravity, Neptune or Earth? Hint: According to current definitions, all planets must revolve around stars; thus, any potential "rogue planets" are excluded. In the Solar System, all the planets orbit the Sun in the same direction as the Sun rotates (counter-clockwise as seen from above the Sun's north pole). At least one extrasolar planet, WASP-17b, has been found to orbit in the opposite direction to its star's rotation. The period of one revolution of a planet's orbit is known as its sidereal period or year. A planet's year depends on its distance from its star; the farther a planet is from its star, not only the longer the distance it must travel, but also the slower its speed, because it is less affected by its star's gravity. No planet's orbit is perfectly circular, and hence the distance of each varies over the course of its year. The closest approach to its star is called its periastron (perihelion in the Solar System), whereas its farthest separation from the star is called its apastron (aphelion). As a planet approaches periastron, its speed increases as it trades gravitational potential energy for kinetic energy, just as a falling object on Earth accelerates as it falls; as the planet reaches apastron, its speed decreases, just as an object thrown upwards on Earth slows down as it reaches the apex of its trajectory.Each planet's orbit is delineated by a set of elements:

A: Earth

Problem: A team of hikers split into two groups. Group Jones hiked north and camped there overnight. Group George went east. Both groups made campfires and heated cans of soups. Group Jones didn't make holes in the cans, so the cans exploded. The others heated their soup cans the right way, by venting them first. Which group's cans had the air molecules inside impact the container walls less frequently? Hint: It would be very unadvisable to place a can of soup over a campfire without venting the can. As the can heats up, it may explode. The kinetic-molecular theory explains why. The air inside the rigid can of soup is given more kinetic energy by the heat coming from the campfire. The kinetic energy causes the air molecules to move faster and they impact the container walls more frequently and with more force. The increase in pressure inside may eventually exceed the strength of the can and it will explode. An additional factor is that the soup may begin boiling which will then aid even more gas and more pressure to the inside of the can.

A: George

Problem: Tom and John are both pool owners. Tom prefers to use sodium bisulfate in his pool because he enjoys the smell. John, however, prefers using sodium carbonate in his pool because he believes it helps keep pests away. Whose pool will have higher levels of carbon dioxide? Hint: We all enjoy a cool dip in a swimming pool on a hot day, but we may not realize the work needed to keep that water safe and healthy. The ideal pH for a swimming pool is around 7.2. The pH will change as a result of many factors. Adjustment can be accomplished with different chemicals depending on the tested pH. High pH can be lowered with liquid HCl (unsafe material) or sodium bisulfate. The bisulfate anion is a weak acid and can dissociate partially in solution. To increase pH, use sodium carbonate. The carbonate anion forms an equilibrium with protons that results in some formation of carbon dioxide.

A: John

Problem: Two sister countries used petroleum in different ways. Norway used it to make plastics, while Sweden used it for fuel. Which country used more fuel for airplanes? Hint: A major use for petroleum products is fuel for cars, trucks, airplanes, trains, and other vehicles. The chemical used are usually a mixture of compounds containing several carbon atoms in a chain. When the material is ignited, a massive amount of gas is created almost instantaneously. This increase in volume will move the pistons in an internal combustion engine to provide power. A jet plane works on a similar principle. Air comes into the front of the engine and mixes with the jet fuel. This mixture is ignited and the gases formed create a lot of pressure to push the plane forward. The idea can be seen even more clearly in the case of a rocket launch. The ignition of the fuel (either solid-state or liquid) creates gases produced under great pressure that pushes the rocket up.

A:
Sweden