METEORITE SCIENTISTS INTRODUCTION In this activity you are

METEORITE SCIENTISTS

INTRODUCTION In this activity you are going: Learn about the different types of meteorites, how they form and where they come from Investigate different objects from the meteorite box and take measurements to volume and mass to calculate their densities Use your understanding of meteorites and the densities you obtain to identify your objects Branding

PLANETARY SCIENTISTS Planetary scientists apply the science of geology and space to other worlds. This includes other planets, moons and meteorites! Jane Mac. Arthur, Planetary Scientist – University of Leicester

WHAT IS A METEORITE? Simply: A rock from space that hits the Earth Scientifically: A bit more complicated!

MANY DIFFERENT NAMES Asteroid A large rocky body found between Mars and Jupiter Atmosphere Meteoroid A smaller fragment of an asteroid outside of the Earth’s atmosphere Meteor A meteoroid that is burning up in the atmosphere Meteorite The fragments that make it to the surface of the Earth

WHERE DO THEY COME FROM? Mars Asteroid Belt Jupiter

THREE MAIN TYPES STONY NOTE! All asteroid belt meteorites contain some iron IRON STONY - IRON

TYPES OF METEORITE Meteorites Stony Iron Some Stony Meteorites have small spherical shapes called chondrules. Meteorite type: They all have some iron in. Meteorite subtype: Iron meteorites are very dense (heavy for their size) Made of: Features: Chondrules Branding Stony - iron Made of iron surrounding olivine (glass like) crystals

METEORITES ALSO HAVE… What happens to a meteorite as it tears through the Earth’s atmosphere? Fusion crust The outside of the meteorite heats up as it squashes the air in front of it Dark brown/black surface with ripples, waves or bubbles in from the melted rock and escaping gases

IMPACTITES Melted material from below a meteorite impact. Gets solid as it cools. Looks like bubbly glass. Can be different colours. Tektite Glass Impactite

VOLUME OF IRREGULAR OBJECTS Very few of these objects have a regular shape. How can you find the density of an irregularly shaped object? What will happen to the volume of the water as the elephant is lowered in? The elephant will displace its volume’s worth of water!

CHALLENGE! Investigate your samples by conducting a visual inspection, checking for magnetism, finding their mass and performing a displacement test to calculate their volume. Since the meteorites will rust if they get wet you will need to make a rough model of them out of plasticine to drop in the water! By fining the densities and combining this information with your other tests, can you work out what your objects are?

ANSWERS Tray 1 Sample 1: Large iron meteorite Sample 2: Basalt Tray 3 Sample 1: Etched iron meteorite Sample 2: Libyan Glass Tray 4 Tray 2 Sample 1: Chondrite cut through Sample 1: Whole chondrite Sample 2: Tektite Sample 2: Anorthosite rock