Solar System – Activity 10

SATELLITES What are SATELLITES ? Satellites are objects that move around a larger orbit. ORBIT What is an ORBIT ? An orbit is the path a satellite follows.

SATELLITES What objects are SATELLITES of the sun? The planets. SATELLITES What are some other objects that are SATELLITES of the sun?

ASTEROIDS What are ASTEROIDS ? In Greek, an asteroid means “like a star.” They are small – meaning they are smaller then a planet – rocky bodies that orbit a larger object. Asteroids are often thought to include minor planets or dwarf planets, such as Ceres in the asteroid belt.

ASTEROID BELT What is the ASTEROID BELT ? A wide band of asteroids orbiting the sun between Mars and Jupiter.

METEOROID METEOR METEORITE CRATER METEOROID A METEOROID is like a miniature asteroid – chunks of rock and metal that orbit the Sun. METEORS METEORITES We will talk about METEORS and METEORITES in just a moment. First…

What is the name of the force that might attract a meteoroid toward a planet? Gravity! What would happen if a meteoroid’s orbit brought it close to a planet? If an asteroid or a meteoroid is pulled toward a planet by the force of gravity it might come near the planet, but continue to travel past, it might begin to orbit the planet, or it might be pulled all the way to a planet’s surface.

… an asteroid or meteoroid was pulled all the way to the Earth’s surface?

METEOR As a meteoroid enters a planet’s atmosphere, it begin to burn and glow white-hot as it is pulled toward the planet’s surface. As a meteoroid burns up, it is called a METEOR. Does anyone know the other name for a meteor? Shooting Star!

METEROIDSMETEORSCRATERS METEORITES … what METEROIDS, METEORS, and CRATERS are, but what about METEORITES ? METEORITE A METEORITE is the piece of the meteor that crashes into the planet and leaves a crater.

… do meteors burn as they travel through the atmosphere? We are going to complete two activities to figure out why: the Pencil Activity and the Paper Demonstration.

… causes a meteor to burn up? Gravity and Friction!

Rock and Metal Wait a second… can metal burn? Let’s find out. Cue Meteor Activity.