Craters Final Astronomy Lab

Lunar Crater Categorization In 1978, Chuck Wood and Leif Andersson of the Lunar & Planetary Lab devised a system of categorization of lunar impact craters. They used a sampling of craters that were relatively unmodified by subsequent impacts, then grouped the results into five broad categories. These successfully accounted for about 99% of all lunar impact craters.

The LPC Crater Types: ALC — small, cup-shaped craters with a diameter of about 10 km or less, and no central floor. The archetype for this category is 'Albategnius C'.

The LPC Crater Types: BIO — similar to an ALC, but with small, flat floors. Typical diameter is about 15 km. The lunar crater archetype is Biot.

The LPC Crater Types: SOS — the interior floor is wide and flat, with no central peak. The inner walls are not terraced. The diameter is normally in the range of km. The archetype is Sosigenes crater.

The LPC Crater Types: TRI — these complex craters are large enough so that their inner walls have slumped to the floor. They can range in size from km in diameter. The archetype crater is Triesnecker.

The LPC Crater Types: TYC — these are larger than 50 km, with terraced inner walls and relatively flat floors. They frequently have large central peak formations. Tycho crater is the archetype for this class.

The LPC Crater Types: Beyond a couple of hundred kilometers diameter, the central peak of the TYC class disappear and they are classed as basins.

Question How do the variables of velocity, size, and meteor angle to surface affect the outcome of resultant craters?

Hypothesis Develop a hypothesis about the outcome of your experiment based on your observations, reading, and experience

Your Lab You collected data on: –Speed of the impact (depending on height you dropped your clay ball) –Angle of impact (depending on how far back you were) –Size of meteor (depending on whether your clay was 1, 2 or 3 pieces)

Finish Collecting Data Collect your data Return all your equipment If you have finished your collection, you may spend time with the resources

Analyze Your Data You collected 3 trials of a single variable, then collected 3 trials of the next variable, and so on. Find the mean of each of your variables. –Add three trials and then divide by

Analyze Your Data First, let’s look at how our data varies around the mean

Analyze Your Data Next, let’s start picturing our data using averages –Does this make sense?

Analyze Your Data How about this graph?

Analyze Your Data Or this one.

Conclusions What is your answer about the size, depth and ray length as the velocity increases? If you have any unusual data, give an education guess what happened (most likely, human error)

For This Lab… Produce an 8½ x 11” or larger “poster” of this experiment Introduction: Background on craters (tell me how they are formed) List your citations Methods: Describe your experimental design (include your hypothesis) Results: Include both a table and graph of your data Discussion: Tell me what you learned

Be Creative

Have Fun

What Did You Learn

Include 4 Sections