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Physical Geology 2018-19

Course Description

This page will contain news, links, and assignments for Mr. Kirschman's Physical Geology class.  

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6/3/19: Final Study Guide Spring 19

1.  Put together your last notebook - 5/6 - 5/31/19
2.  Attached Study Guide - Can use 1 pg. of notes on test
3.  Extra Credit - PLATO Mastery Tests - Gravity and the Universe, The Earth in Space, Exploring Waves, Light and the Universe
4.  Make sure to turn in your Physical Geology Textbook - 50 pts.  

5/31/19: The Doppler Effect

1.  Review waves
     Draw a weak, slow wave -  What would it look like?  Sound like? Feel like?
     Draw a strong, fast wave-  What would it look like?  Sound like?  Feel like?
     How do visible light waves work?  What color has slow frequency waves?           What color has fast frequency waves? 
 
2.  Doppler Effect Simulation
 
   
     What are the lines coming from the Sun?  What can these lines represent?
     Describe the waves when both the sun and observer are still.  What could change this?  
     What happens when the...
     Sun moves toward the observer? 
     observer moves toward the Sun?
     Sun moves away from the observer?  
     observer moves away from the Sun?
 
3.  Examples of the Doppler Effect - Draw and explain
 
     A.  Ambulance Siren -  Sound waves moving toward and away
     B.  Police Radar-  Radio waves from radar gun
     C.  Motion of Stars and the Universe-  Visible light spectrum

5/28/19: PLATO Exploring Waves

Read the PLATO tutorial for exploring waves.  
Write one sentence summary for each slide.  
Take the mastery test
turn in notes to sub.  

5/21/19 - N.E.O. Defense Project Instructions

This project is a typed document that uses data to explain the purpose of the N.E.O. defense project.  You will use Kepler and Newton's Laws to collect data that illustrates how important this program is for the survival of humanity.  Use the Attachment to complete project Part 1-4.  If you are working in a group, it needs to be clear that you were collaborating and using class time productively. 

5/16/19 - N.E.O. Defense Project

Read all of the tabs on the following links and answer the questions
 
 
Introduction: What are all the types of space rocks?  What are Near-Earth Objects?  Describe potentially hazardous objects
 
Size Matters:  How often does Earth get hit by space rocks?  What size rocks are not very damaging?  What size rocks are very dangerous?  
 
Location: How does the orbit of space rocks change, making them dangerous? 
 
The Early Bird:  What data is measured from N.E.O.s?  What is NASA's goal for tracking N.E.O.s?  What could be done to move an N.E.O.  off of a collision path with Earth?  
 
 
    Read the "Life on Earth" and "Target Earth" tabs.  Describe the history of space collisions on Earth?  How often do they happen? 
 
     
 
     Choose two from the "videos" tab and summarize
     
 

5/13/19 - Gravity and the Universe

1.  PLATO Tutorial - Gravity and the Universe.  
     Complete questions in your notes. 
2.  Complete Lesson Activity "What is Gravity?" 
3.  Complete Lesson Activity: Modelling Gravitational Forces
4.  Summary:  Discuss ALL of the ways that GRAVITY controls motion of object in the universe.  How does it affect satellites, comets, moons, planets, stars, galaxies, etc.  

Orbital Motion Demonstration

Complete the attached lab demonstration in class.  Write down the Orbital Speed Worksheet data in your notebook.  
 
Collect data on mass (weight of the stopper /washers), length of orbit (string), and revolutions per 20 seconds (# of time the string went in a circle).  
 
Be prepared to discuss and complete problems predicting the motion of objects using Newton and Kepler's Laws. 

5/8/19: Earth in Space: Orbit Simulator

1.  Go to
 
2.  Click "Model" 
 
3.  Using the simulator, conduct the following experiments: 
 
Normal 
Earth and Sun 
Check Gravity Force
Check Path 
 
      A.  How does the STAR MASS Affect the ORBIT TIME? (Compare Sun and 1.5 X Sun)
      B.  How does the PLANET MASS Affect the ORBIT TIME?  (Compare Earth and 1.5 X Earth)
   
Conclusions:  
How does the MASS Affect the GRAVITY FORCE of a space object?  
How does GRAVITY FORCE Affect SPEED or VELOCITY of a space object?