My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nine Pizza Pies
Do you remember the phrase "My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nine Pizza Pies"? It's a mnemonic device that many of us learned in school to help us remember the order of the planets in our solar system. Unfortunately, as of 2006, that phrase became obsolete when Pluto was demoted from planet status.
What is a mnemonic device?
A mnemonic device is a technique that helps people remember information. It can be a phrase, a rhyme, a song, or any other type of memory aid. Mnemonic devices are often used in education to help students remember important information, such as the order of the planets.
What is the solar system?
The solar system is a group of planets, moons, asteroids, and other celestial objects that orbit around the sun. Our solar system is located in the Milky Way galaxy and consists of eight planets: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. In addition to the planets, there are also dwarf planets, such as Pluto, and smaller objects, such as comets and asteroids.
Why was Pluto demoted?
In 2006, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) redefined the criteria for what qualifies as a planet. Under the new definition, a planet must meet three criteria: it must orbit around the sun, it must be spherical in shape, and it must have cleared its orbit of other debris. Pluto meets the first two criteria, but it fails the third because it shares its orbit with other objects in the Kuiper Belt. As a result, Pluto was reclassified as a dwarf planet.
What is the Kuiper Belt?
The Kuiper Belt is a region of the solar system beyond the orbit of Neptune that contains many small, icy objects, including dwarf planets like Pluto. It is named after Dutch-American astronomer Gerard Kuiper, who first proposed its existence in the 1950s. The Kuiper Belt is believed to be the source of many comets, which are icy bodies that originate in the outer solar system and can occasionally be seen from Earth when they pass close to the sun.
Conclusion
Even though the phrase "My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nine Pizza Pies" is no longer accurate, it still serves as a reminder of the importance of mnemonic devices in learning and remembering information. By using memory aids like this, we can make it easier to retain important facts and concepts, whether we're studying for a test or just trying to expand our knowledge of the world around us.
