Meteorites and Their Impact

Summary
In this science lab, students will recreate the crust of the earth out of clay and use steel bearings to simulate the impact of meteorites crashing into the earth.

Objectives
• Students will simulate the impact of a meteorite on the surface of the earth.

Suggested Grades
4th Grade
5th Grade
6th Grade

Excerpt
A recovered meteorite is called either a fall or a find. It is called a fall when someone actually witnesses the event and recovers the meteorite, but this is rare. On average, there is one meteor fall per year in North America. A find is a meteorite that is discovered long after it hits the earth with no witnesses. A study in 2001 estimated that a recoverable meteorite hits the earth at a rate of one per million square kilometers per year.

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