A crater is a round, bowl-shaped depression surrounded by a ring, as shown in Figure 1. A meteorite can collide with a planet or moon. Thanks to craters, our moon looks like Swiss cheese. Each round hole is where a meteorite fell and impacted the moon’s surface, creating an impact crater. Often, meteorites that form craters explode upon impact, so craters are the remains of an impact.
Meteorites travel throughout the universe, and every moon and planet in the solar system has been affected by meteorites since their formation. (Note: When it’s still in space, it’s called a meteoroid; when it lands on a planet or moon, it’s called a meteorite.)
Only a few impact craters are visible on Earth for several reasons. First, most meteorites burn up in the atmosphere and never reach the Earth’s surface. This is what we see as shooting stars or meteor showers. Second, meteorite impact craters can be altered by geological forces or eroded by atmospheric forces. The moon has no atmosphere, so falling meteorites don’t burn up, and there’s no weather to erode craters. In fact, the footprints of the astronauts who landed on the moon more than 50 years ago can still be seen today!
Where are the impact craters on Earth? There are only about 170 impact craters known on Earth, with most being eroded, covered with sediment, or underwater. Each crater must be located using several clues, including geological, satellite imagery, and chemical evidence.
This science project investigates whether the size of the crater depends on the size of the meteorite by creating impact craters with spherical objects of various sizes. It delves into the clues scientists look for and how studying impact craters provides valuable information about impacts even if the meteorite is no longer present.
Terms and concepts
- crater
- meteorite
- meteoroid
- meteor
- planet
- moon
- impact crater
- diameter
question
- What do you think the size of the crater has to do with the size of the meteorite?
- What is the difference between a meteorite and a meteoroid?
- What is a shooting star?
- How do impact craters form?
Materials and equipment
- Approximately spherical objects of various sizes
- Ruler (metric system)
- A cardboard box
- Flour (10 pounds bag)
- Cocoa powder
- Flour sifter or sieve
- Graph paper
- Research notes
Experimental procedure
Follow the steps outlined to create and measure impact craters with various objects and record your findings.
Source: www.snexplores.org
