Implementation Planning: Small Solar System Objects

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Implementation PlanningSmall Solar System
Objects

• Judit Ries
• Rajib Ganguly

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Context

• The Texas State Science Education Standards says
  Identify characteristics of objects in our solar
  system including the Sun, planets, meteorites,
  asteroids, and moons
• The Wyoming State Science is less clear, but does
  mention formation and evolution of the solar
  system

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Goals

• To address the state science standards.
• Explore the physical characteristics and orbits
  of asteroids and comets.
• Key Concepts addressed
• Physical Shapes of Orbits
• Qualitative determination of composition (rocky,
  volatiles) of objects using imaging data
• Formation of the Solar System

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Materials

• Use the Planetary Data System Asteroid/Dust
  Archive http//www.psi.edu/pds/
• Images of small bodies ? web search
• Spreadsheet program

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Prior Knowledge

• Geometry of an ellipse semi-major axis,
  eccentricity
• Temperature dependence of state of solids,
  liquids, and gases

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Implementation Plan

• Grab semi-major axes, eccentricities and
  inclination, and images of both asteroids and
  comets
• Design a convenient way to look at where objects
  reside in the Solar System, and als
• From the images, students should conclude that
  asteroids are rocky bodies and comets are icy
  bodies.
• Students should conclude that comets are
  colder/icier and more distant asteroid are
  rockier and closer.

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Implementation Plan

• Possible Avenue for Inquiry
• Where do colder/hotter objects reside in the
  Solar System?
• Where did each of types of objects form?
• What does this imply about how the Solar System
  formed?
• What are the orbital inclinations of asteroids
  compared to comets?
• What does this imply about how the Solar System
  evolved?

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Assessment

• Compare your conclusions with other groups.