Download Asteroids Scenario Resource - European Schoolnet Academy

Physics behind Asteroids,
Impacts & Craters
Materials
– Basin
– Vernier
– Measuring tape
– Food dye, etc
– Impact objects
– More measuring devices
Classroom Kit
– Sand
– Extra basins if needed
– Storage cups for mixing dye & sand
– Candles
Back to the task
“You are a space geophysicist but the high speed launch
gun you use to launch projectiles at targets is getting
repaired. Is there another way for the geophysicist to
launch projectiles at the targets?”
What do we do?
• Identify the task at hand
• Identify the materials needed/available
• Carry out the task
Physics of Impacts & Craters
• There’s a lot more than one type of
physics employed here:
– Energy (conservation of energy)
– Newton’s Laws
– Mass, Density, Volume
– Collisions
– Gravity
– Trigonometry
What’s the Physics behind the
Impact?
• Energy
– Is it possible to show conservation of energy?
– Will require:
» EP
» Ek
What’s the Physics behind the
Impact?
What’s the Physics behind the
Impact?
What’s the Physics behind the
Impact?
What’s the Physics behind the
Impact?
What’s the Physics behind the
Impact?
What’s the Physics behind the
Impact?
• Newton’s Laws
– Newton’s
1st
←It was here
(Before Impact)
Law:
– Every body will remain at rest or travelling at a constant
velocity unless acted upon by an unbalanced external
force
It’s now here →
(After Impact)
What’s the Physics behind the
Impact?
• Newton’s Laws
– Newton’s 2nd Law:
– When a force moves an object, the rate of change of the
body's momentum is directly proportional to the force
applied, and takes place in the direction of the force
(F =ma)
What’s the Physics behind the
Impact?
What force
← moves it
from here
F = ma
To here→
What’s the Physics behind the
Impact?
• Newton’s Laws
– Newton’s 3rd Law:
– If a Body A exerts a force on a Body B, Body B exerts an
equal but opposite force on body A; ie. Action and
Reaction are equal
What’s the Physics behind the
Impact?
←Here I used a marble.
What if I used a bigger
marble?
What if I used an
irregular shaped object?
What if I used a heavier
object than the marble?
What’s the Physics behind the
Impact?
• Mass, Density, Volume
– If we know two of the parameters, we can
work out the third
– Can we measure the mass?
– Can we measure the density?
– Can we measure the volume?
–All three variables are
measurable, but you only need
two to discover the final one.
What’s the Physics behind the
Impact?
• Collisions
.
.
– Shows conservation
of momentum
.
– Would require timers/stopwatches
You will
.
need to
– Time is a critical
component
.
work out
this time and patience
.
– Requires keen
eyesight
here
.
.
.
somehow.
What’s the Physics behind the
Impact?
.
.
.
Would want to be on the lookout for sand particles just about
everywhere outside of the bowl. (Use a nice white background for
contrast)
.
.
.
What’s the Physics behind the
Impact?
• Gravity
– An experimental value for gravity could be
worked out
– Gravitational forces could be incorporated into
the general theme of the experiment
– What would one expect with an impact on
different planetary surfaces?
Not limited to sand. Could use other materials
– Good tool to visually describe impacts on
Could work out time for impact (as before)
other surfaces
Could get students to work out value for gravity (crude)
What’s the Physics behind the
Impact?
• Trigonometry
– Depending on mathematical background,
could be introduced as a measuring technique
for impact cratering
– Would require basic measurements of marble
depth.
– Require diagrams and mathematical
functioning
– Reinforces the math & physics aspects
What’s the Physics behind the
Impact?
• Trigonometry
• Could also introduce the use of other mediums
» Google Maps
Recap
• Important to identify the physics involved
• Develop a set of tasks based upon the
physics
• Keep the various aspects of physics
relative to one another
• Work the tasks into your timeframe
• Interesting tasks makes for interesting
physics