Teacher

Meteorite impacts are devastating events but it is not only the impact itself which causes destruction but the after effects of these phenomena which can be just as catastrophic. From stratigraphic records and accounts of recent impact events we can build up a picture of various resulting disasters encountered when these space rocks collide with the Earth.

OverviewThis lesson aims to introduce pupils to the different effects of a meteorite impact and develop their understanding of various mitigation techniques for these events.

Investigate the factors that influence the viscosity(runniness) of treacle. How does this relate to the different shapes of volcanoes that can be found on the Earth and on Mars?

This lesson allows pupils to create impact craters in layered dry materials. Pupils can perform controlled experiments by varying the velocity or mass of crater-forming objects and observing and measuring their effects.

Aims

Students will determine the effects of wind, sandblasting and water on regolith formation and deposition on Earth. After discussing whether or not they think that lunar regolith is formed in the same way, the students will simulate regolith formation on the Moon by meteoritic bombardment.

This document provides a concise background to meteorites including what they are and where they come from.

Students will track a meteor's path using triangulation and predict where its meteorites might be found. The exercise can be extended to calculate the velocity of a meteor and understand how scientists can determine a meteor's original orbit in space.