CITY SCIENCE STARS: Space Olympics

Science Skills

SPORTY SPACESUITS Why do astronauts need spacesuits? How can we adapt them for sport? Keep in mind that the Moon… … can get very hot and cold … has very low gravity … has no air to breathe … gets a lot of direct sunlight … has no water to drink … has no toilets!

SPORTY SPACESUITS Key spacesuit talking points Pressurised suit to protect astronauts from vacuum of space (causes gas in lungs to expand) Visor to protect astronauts’ eyes and faces from the strong light and UV rays from the sun Maximum Absorbency Garment (space nappy) as there are no toilets in space/on the moon

SPACE OLYMPICS Planets: Earth, Mars, Saturn, Venus, Neptune Sports: football, high-Jump, outdoor swimming, weightlifting Environment: gravity, temperature, weather, visibility

REPORT FINDINGS 1. What would high-jump be like on Mars? A – jump higher than on Earth B – jump lower than on Earth C – the same as on Earth

REPORT FINDINGS 1. What would high-jump be like on Mars? A – jump higher than on Earth B – jump lower than on Earth C – the same as on Earth On Mars, the gravitational pull is less than on Earth (as the planet is less massive). The mass of the athlete would not change (he/she contains the same amount of matter) but their weight becomes less as the gravity pulling then to the centre of Mars is less.

REPORT FINDINGS 2. What would football be like on Saturn? A – easier to control than on Earth B – harder to control than on Earth C – the same as on Earth

REPORT FINDINGS 2. What would football be like on Saturn? A – easier to control than on Earth B – harder to control than on Earth C – the same as on Earth It is very windy!

REPORT FINDINGS 3. What would weightlifting be like on Neptune? A – easier than on Earth B – harder than on Earth C – the same as on Earth

REPORT FINDINGS 3. What would weightlifting be like on Neptune? A – easier than on Earth B – harder than on Earth C – the same as on Earth On Neptune, the gravitational pull is less than on Earth (as the planet is more massive). The mass of the athlete and the object being lifted would not change (he/she contains the same amount of matter, as does the object) but their weight and that of the object becomes greater as the gravity pulling then to the centre of Neptune is greater.

REPORT FINDINGS 4. What would outdoor swimming be like on any of these planets? A – easier than on Earth B – harder than on Earth C – the same as on Earth D – impossible!

REPORT FINDINGS 4. What would outdoor swimming be like on any of these planets? A – easier than on Earth B – harder than on Earth C – the same as on Earth D – impossible! Water freezes at 0°C, so water on the surface of Mars is frozen solid. Neptune is thought to have water below its clouds in a fluid form that is somewhere between a liquid and gas (called a supercritical fluid) – you can, but do not need to explain this to the children and it is fine to work on the principal that it is simply too cold for liquid water to exist. No water has been detected on Saturn. If there were any, it would be frozen solid. Water evaporates at 100°C, so if there were any water on Venus (there isn’t), it would be a gas. Many scientists believe that liquid water once covered Mars and Venus. Water is not present on Venus today. Water exists on Mars today as ice and as vapour in the atmosphere. It is present in liquid form below a large glacier. One of Saturn’s moon’s, Enceladus, has an ocean of water below its surface and has produced geysers of water.

KEEPING FIT IN SPACE Why do astronauts ‘float’ around on the space station? There IS gravity on the space station but because it circles the Earth at great speed, the astronauts are constantly in ‘free fall’. They are basically moving downwards towards the Earth and forward around the Earth with forces that are equal, so they are not pulled in one particular direction and float instead.

KEEPING FIT IN SPACE What sports could you play on the International Space Station? need 2 hours of daily exercise weightlessness in freefall not much space on the ISS!

KEEPING FIT IN SPACE Of great importance to prevent loss of bone and muscle mass. Astronauts exercise for around 2 hours every day. They can’t lift weights in the same way as on Earth – it’s a lot easier, so doesn’t provide a similar workout – so their equipment is specially designed.

WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED? Why astronauts need spacesuits How to design sporty spacesuits How sports might be different on other planets Why it is important for astronauts to exercise

Primary Science Specialist sarah.eames@pstt.org.uk Alex Evans LCFC STEM Coach alex.evans@lcfc.co.uk Sarah Eames Primary Science Specialist sarah.eames@pstt.org.uk