NASA Glenn Videoconference: Exploring Mars
Pre-Conference Activity: Answers

  1. Examine the Mars Surface images given below, paying close attention to the craters.

    http://www.lpi.usra.edu/expmars/activities/channel0.gif
    http://www.lpi.usra.edu/expmars/activities/channel1.gif

  2. Note your observations, findings, and ideas on your observations in each photograph.
    Two Large Craters

    Old Stream beds

    Evidence shows stream might have flowed out of the larger crater

    Large sand dunes in the North east corner

    Small craters within Large craters

    Land slopes from West to East

  3. Document your scientific explanation of how you think the Mars craters were formed.

    Craters were formed as Meteorites (bolides) struck the surface of Mars
    Larger meteorites struck the surface prior to or before the stream beds appeared and/or smaller meteorites struck the surface to form the smaller craters

  4. Document the evidence you used to come up with your scientific explanation.

    Answers will vary, but should relate to Meteorites striking surface
    Smaller craters can be seen within larger craters
    Stream beds existed prior to smaller craters striking the surface
    Stream beds most likely formed after the Larger craters were formed

  5. Examine the Earth surface images given below and compare them to the Mars images.

    http://www.solarviews.com/r/earth/meteor.jpg (Barringer, Arizona)
    http://www.meteorcrater.com/Mcrater.htm
    http://www.barringercrater.com/img/crater.jpg
    http://solarviews.com/r/earth/wolf.gif (Wolf Creek, Australia)
    http://solarviews.com/r/earth/clearwat.gif (Clearwater Lakes, Quebec, Canada)
    http://solarviews.com/r/earth/roter.gif (Namibia Desert, South West Africa)

  6. Note your observations, findings, and ideas on your observations in each photograph.

    Barringer crater- Large crater, located in the desert. Probably formed by a large meteorite traveling at high rate of speed. Different layers of rock are visible.

    Wolf Creek - Another large crater located in the desert of Australia, looks like it has filled in with sand.
    Different layers of rock are visible. It also has vegetation growing in and around it.

    Twin craters - Two craters which have filled in with water to form lakes. The larger one has an island ring in the center of it, which probably formed from uplift of the bedrock when the meteorite struck Vegetation is most likely growing around the two craters.

    Roter crater - Large crater located in the desert. It too looks as if it has filled in with sand. Sand dunes are visible around it. Sparse vegetation.

    Brief descriptions of each crater image can be found at this site:

    http://www.solarviews.com/eng/tercrate.htm#views

  7. Create a series of illustrations to represent the process of how you believe the craters were formed on the Earth and on Mars.
    Examples of the illustrations are shown below:

    Web site where these images are found:

    http://cmex-www.arc.nasa.gov/SiteCat/sitecat2/crater.htm

  8. What kind of model did you use?

    Illustrations, Diagram

  9. Review your scientific explanations from your first observations and make revisions based on your comparisons of the surfaces of the Earth and Mars. Did your explanation change?

    Answers will vary depending on explanation

  10. Document the evidence for your revised scientific explanation. What caused you to change your explanation?

    Answers will vary
     

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

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