NASA Glenn Videoconference: Exploring Mars
Post-Conference Activity: Crater Simulation
If so instructed by your teacher, print out a worksheet page for these problems.


You have been using evidence and modeling to create a scientific explanation of how craters formed on Mars. You have used photographic evidence, comparison with Earth features, and a paper model to help you. Now you will create another kind of model to help you further your understanding. You will simulate the formation of craters, at a much-reduced scale (size).

With the members of your group, collect the needed materials for the crater activity, prepare the test area, and select the impactors you will use. In the test area, spread newspaper on the table or floor with a box lid set on top.

Materials:

Caution: Follow all safety procedures that your teacher outlines for you.

Procedure:

  1. Complete the first three columns of the table below.

    Note: The formula to calculate the diameter of an object is C/3.14 = D, where C represents the circumference in mm, and D equals the diameter in mm.

    Impactor #
    Impactor Description
    Impactor Diameter (mm)
    Impactor Mass (g)
    Crater Diameter (mm)

    1






    2






    3






    4






    5






    6






    7






    8






    9






    10






     

  2. a) Fill the box lid 4 - 6 cm high with the light colored powder and lightly smooth it with a ruler.
    b) Then sprinkle a 0.5 - 1 cm layer of dark powder over the light colored powder and smooth it with the ruler, being careful not to mix or pack the two layers. Your Mars surface is now ready for crater formation.

  3. a) Drop the largest impactor onto a section of the surface from a height of two meters.
    b) Remove the impactor.
    c) Measure the diameter of the crater and record it in the last column of the table above.
    d) Sketch and describe what you see.
    e) Answer the following questions below your sketch:
    1. Did the layers mix as a result of the impact? If so, how?
    2. Which layers are visible in the crater? At the rim? Beyond the rim?
    3. Is the ejecta thrown out evenly in all directions?
    4. How large is the crater compared with the impactor?
    5. How do the following properties of the impactors seem to affect the crater dimensions?

      Mass

      Size

      Velocity

      Shape

    6. Besides the diameter, is there something else about the crater's dimensions that could be recorded? Add another column to the table above and begin documenting this dimension. Make sure you label it in the column heading and add the units.

       

  4. a) Repeat step 3 with another impactor.
    b) Observe and document your findings and examples including comparisons with the first drop.
    c) Continue until all impactors have been dropped.

    You have just used another tool that scientists can use in their investigations -- a model that simulates something. You simulated the formation of craters on Mars by dropping objects to form craters and observing what happened. Now that you have gained more knowledge, it is time to finalize your scientific explanations of how craters formed on Mars.

    Make any final observations and set the trays aside to refer to later. Revise your scientific explanations about how the craters were formed and document your findings in the space below. Go back to the photo images, your notes, and your models to make comparisons.

  5. Review the photos of Mars and Earth, your notes and pictures, and the simulated crater model and note any obvious findings.

  6. Finalize your scientific explanation.

  7. Document your evidence.

    Additional Questions:

  8. Did your scientific explanation change? How?

  9. What caused you to change your explanation?

  10. How could future scientists benefit from your findings?

  11. What are some other ways that scientists could investigate craters on the surface of Mars?

Rubric for Steps 1-4 (scoring total depends on the number of impactors provided):

For each impactor (4 possible points per impactor):

Student recorded impactor description

___Yes (1)

___ No (0)

Student recorded impactor diameter

___ Yes (1)

___ No (0)

Student recorded impactor mass

___ Yes (1)

___ No (0)

Student record crater diameter

___ Yes (1)

___ No (0)

Sketch of resultant crater was produced

___ Yes (1)

___ No (0)

Verbal description of crater was produced

___ Yes (1)

___ No (0)



___ Total Points

Rubric for Steps 5 -11 & Additional problems (8 possible points):

Students recorded notes with regard to crater formation

___ Yes (1)

___ No (0)

Student revised explanation or restated earlier explanation

___ Yes (1)

___ No (0)

Student cited evidence to support original or new explanation

___ Yes (1)

___ No (0)

Student identifies and explains changes to explanation

___ Yes (1)

___ No (0)

___ Yes or explanation did not change (2)

___ Identified, but did not explain (1)

___ Changes not identified or explained (0)

Student cites benefits from findings

___ Yes (1)

___ No (0)

Student cites other ways of investigating Mars surface craters.

___ Yes (1)

___ No (0)



___ Total Points

Videoconference Description and Introduction
Pre-conference assessment
Pre-conference activity and worksheet
Post-conference worksheet
Post-conference assessment

 Please send any comments to:
Web site related: Curator
Content related: Joe Kolecki (Joseph.C.Kolecki@grc.nasa.gov)