Cooking a comet - ingredients for life | Teach with space P06
Comets are considered to be time capsules containing information about the conditions of the early Solar System. In order to understand what they are, where they come from, and their influence on the evolution of Earth, it is necessary to find out what material they contain. This demonstration and practical activity, along with the resulting discussion, gives an insight into the chemical constituents of comets. An additional activity (extension), which looks at the impact processes on Earth as well as calculations of the kinetic energy involved, is included.
Learning objectives
- Understand the basic differences between comets and asteroids
- Be familiar with the basic compositional parameters of comets
- Be able to make simple calculations of the energy conversions that take place when comets or asteroids impact planets.
Resource available in:
You can download all the Cooking a comet images to use in your classroom.
Contact us at teachers@esa.int to get the worksheet answers.
Subject:
- Biology, Chemistry, Physics
Age:
- Age 12-15, Age 12-19, Age 15-19
Time:
- Up to 1 hour, Up to 30 minutes
Space theme:
- Astronomy & the Universe, Comets & Asteroids
