This movement of the center of mass can be demonstrated by spinning a raw egg as indicated in the following activity. Measuring the wobble tells us about the distribution of mass and materials inside the planet, outside forces acting on the planet, such as the gravitational attraction of moons, and whether there is any “sloshing” or moving of the center of mass, which would indicate a liquid core. Scientists can use this information, collected over the course of InSight's mission, to understand just how much Mars wobbles in its orbit. Changes in the signal, known as a Doppler shift, are measured and this information reveals the location (within centimeters) of the InSight lander and Mars in space. RISE works like a mirror, returning a signal sent to the lander from Earth. Learning more about Mars’ wobble will give us more information about the interior of Mars and the forces causing the wobble. Just as Earth completes a wobble every 18 Earth years as it is pushed and pulled by the Moon, Mars completes a wobble every one Mars year (two Earth years). RISE will accomplish this by gathering information on Mars’ wobble as it orbits the sun. RISE will help determine whether Mars’ core is liquid and which elements, besides iron, may be present. Aboard InSight is a radio-science experiment called RISE, or Rotation and Interior Structure Experiment. NASA’s InSight spacecraft will land on Mars in November 2018. If students working in groups is not feasible, this activity can be done as a demo for the class.If desks are small, consider providing each team with an aluminum pie tin in which to conduct their experiment. Model gentle egg spinning, as too much misdirected force could send an egg off of a desk or table and onto the floor.Have paper towels available as well as antiseptic cleaner or wipes for cleanup. Working with raw eggs has the potential to be very messy.Students should work in groups of two to three.Two eggs, one raw and one hard-boiled per group, or one set for a class demo They will apply what they have learned to understanding how scientists determine whether the center of a planet is liquid or solid. Students observe the motions of spinning eggs to determine which are raw and hard-boiled. › Explore more on the Teachable Moments Blog Overview See " NASA’s ‘Cyber Monday’ Mars Landing to Deliver Science Firsts."
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |