Astronomy Lab
IMPACT EARTH: Meteorite Simulation Visit this website: http://simulator.down2earth.eu/planet.html?lang=en-US and click “Earth” ACTIVITY 1: Simulate known impactors. Simulate a known meteorite impact that hit Chesapeake Bay. Set the simulator to the following settings: – – – – – – Projectile Diameter: 2300 m Projectile Density: Dense Rock Projectile Velocity: 20 km/s Trajectory Angle: 45 degrees Target Type: Sedimentary rock Distance from crash site: 150 kilometers (that’s about 93 miles away from the impact site) Click SUBMIT. You should see this screen. Click on the screen where you want the crater to land. After that you can zoom out and look at the overall size. GATHER DATA: Look at “Impact Values” Crater Depth Crater Width Wind Speed Richter Magnitude Click on “Data View” 1. How often does a meteorite exactly like this strike earth? _______________ 2. What is the radius of the fireball produced? __________________________ 3. List three things that would be damaged at a distance of 150 km from the crash site. 1. 2. 3. Visit Earth Impact Database and look at the record of meteorite impacts in North America [You may scroll the page down to the table below the map]. 4.What is the name given to the crater of the largest diameter meteorite that has hit North America? 5. What is significant about this impact event? (Hint: Google the name of the crater). 6. Which state or province has seen the most recent impacts according to this list? What was the diameter of the smallest crater there in m?________ [To convert from km to m, multiply by 1000.] Run the simulator again using the diameter of the meteorite in question #6 Diameter = _____ Projectile angle= 45 degrees Velocity= 40 km/s Projectile density: Pallasite is a stony-iron so use IRON Target density= Sedimentary Rock Distance from crash site= 475 km Record the data. Crater Depth Crater Width Wind Speed Richter Magnitude Click on “Data View” 7.How often does a meteorite exactly like this strike earth? ___________________ 8. What is the radius of the fireball produced? _________________________ 9. Are there any major cities 500 km from this impact site? Would there be any damage at this range? Explain. ACTIVITY 2: How Big Will the Crater Be? It’s pretty obvious that a large diameter meteorite would cause a large impact crater. But what about the projectile density, speed, or angle? For this activity, you will select a particular target (choose land) and keep it constant. Attach a screen shot of your target here. You will then be varying projectile density, speed, and angle, and diameter, individually, keeping all other variables the same. Part 1 – Projectile Density You will be changing projectile density for this part. Record your results in the following table. Set the following variables and keep them constant throughout the experiment: Projectile Diameter = 500 m Trajectory Angle = 45 degrees Projectile Velocity = 20 km/s Target Density = sedimentary rock Distance from crash site= 250 km Record your results in table 1. Table 1: Test projectile density Projectile Density Ice Porous Rock Dense Rock Iron Crater Depth Crater Width Wind Speed Richter Magnitude Part 2 – Trajectory Velocity You will be changing projectile velocity for this part. Record your results in the following table. Set the following variables and keep them constant throughout the experiment: Projectile Density = Dense Rock Projectile Diameter = 500 m Trajectory Angle = 45 degrees Target Density = sedimentary rock Distance from crash site= 250 km Record your results in table 2. Table 2: Test projectile velocity Projectile Velocity 20 km/s 40 km/s 60 km/s 80 km/s Crater Depth Crater Width Wind Speed Part 3 – Impact (trajectory) Angle Richter Magnitude You will be changing trajectory angle for this part. Record your results in the following table. Set the following variables and keep them constant throughout the experiment: Projectile Density = Dense Rock Projectile Diameter = 500 m Target Density = sedimentary rock Projectile Velocity = 20 km/s Distance from crash site= 250 km Record your results in table 3. Table 3: Test projectile angle Trajectory Angle 25 degrees 40 degrees 75 degrees 90 degrees Crater Depth Crater Width Wind Speed Richter Magnitude Part 4 – Projectile Diameter You will be changing trajectory angle for this part. Record your results in the following table. Set the following variables and keep them constant throughout the experiment: Projectile Density = Dense Rock Trajectory Angle = 45 degrees Target Density = sedimentary rock Projectile Velocity = 20 km/s Distance from crash site= 250 km Record your results in table 4. Table 4: Test projectile diameter Projectile Diameter 200 meters 1500 meters 5,800 meters 12,500 meters Crater Depth Crater Width Wind Speed Create graphs for tables 2, 3, and 4. On the horizontal, put the variable you tested. On the vertical, put the Crater depth Draw a smooth line through all of your data points. I would recommend graph paper. Sample graphà **Let me know early if you need help with this part.** Richter Magnitude Attach your graphs here. Activity 3: Analysis Questions 10. What variable from the simulation seemed to have the greatest impact on the effect of a meteorite strike on planet earth? Use your results to answer this question. Answers must be in full sentences, relating to your data, and at minimum, the length of a short college level paragraph (at least 5 complete sentences). Feel free to write more to defend your answer. 11. Why isn’t the surface of the earth covered in craters like the moon is? (You might need to look this one up! – (at least 5 complete sentences)) Visit this website: https://cneos.jpl.nasa.gov/about/basics.html 12. What is the website about and who runs it? 13. Describe what a NEO is (not just what the acronym stands for). 14. Go here now: https://cneos.jpl.nasa.gov/ca/ What is the diameter of the largest NEO that will be near earth in the next month? ________ 15. If that NEO (in question 14) were to hit Earth, what kind of damage could it do (test this out on your simulator)? [For full credit, you must answer in at least 5 complete sentences. You must also refer to your results to back your predictions].
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