Watch alpha particles escape from a polonium nucleus, causing radioactive alpha decay. See how random decay times relate to the half life.
Elementary grade students investigate heat transfer in this activity to design and build a solar oven, then test its effectiveness using a temperature sensor. It blends the hands-on activity with digital graphing tools that allow kids to easily plot and share their data. Included in the package are illustrated procedures and extension activities. Note Requirements: This lesson requires a "VernierGo" temperature sensing device, available for ~ $40. This item is part of the Concord Consortium, a nonprofit research and development organization dedicated to transforming education through technology. The Consortium develops digital learning innovations for science, mathematics, and engineering.
Build your own miniature "greenhouse" out of a plastic container and plastic wrap, and fill it with different things such as dirt and sand to observe the effect this has on temperature. Monitor the temperature using temperature probes and digitally plot the data on the graphs provided in the activity.
Explore how the Earth's atmosphere affects the energy balance between incoming and outgoing radiation. Using an interactive model, adjust realistic parameters such as how many clouds are present or how much carbon dioxide is in the air, and watch how these factors affect the global temperature.
Make your own miniature greenhouse and measure the light levels at different "times of day"--modeled by changing the angle of a lamp on the greenhouse--using a light sensor. Next, investigate the temperature in your greenhouse with and without a cover. Learn how a greenhouse works and how you can regulate the temperature in your model greenhouse.
Students will be given a chance to place their hands on two different objects and then predict on which an ice cube will melt more quickly.
Students will make a prediction as to what will happen when balloons filled with air and with water are held over a candle flame.
Determine the Type of heat transfer happening in a variety of demonstrations and identify instances of each type of heat transfer in their lives.
Create a laser by pumping the chamber with a photon beam. Manage the energy states of the laser's atoms to control its output.
How do microwaves heat up your coffee? Adjust the frequency and amplitude of microwaves. Watch water molecules rotating and bouncing around. View the microwave field as a wave, a single line of vectors, or the entire field.
Video Description: In this close-up video, Dr. Egle Cekanaviciute, Space Biologist, shares how she studies radiation and its effect on human brain cells. Dr. Cekanaviciute stresses the importance of balancing work with other interests. Video length: 3:10.NASA eClips Ask SME: Close-up with a NASA Subject Matter Expert videos are professionally developed to capture a glimpse of NASA SME's personal interests and career journeys. Each can be used to spark student interest and broaden their ideas of the STEM workforce. Additional videos in this series can be found by searching GoOpenVA using "NASA eClips Ask SME".
Video Description: Balancing Earth's incoming and outgoing energy is like balancing an equation. When both are equal, Earth's energy is in balance. Learn more about how changes in this balance may impact Earth. Video Length: 2:56.NASA eClipsTM is a suite of online student-centered, standards-based resources that support instruction by increasing STEM literacy in formal and nonformal settings. These free digital and downloadable resources inform and engage students through NASA-inspired, real-world connections.NASA eClips Real World segments (grades 6-8) connect classroom mathematics to 21st Century careers and innovations. They are designed for students to develop an appreciation for mathematics through real-world problem solving.
Video Description: Earth's energy balance is very delicate. Small changes may have a big impact. How might changes in Earth's land and atmosphere impact this delicate balance? How might this knowledge be used to help us take better care of Earth? Video Length: 2:31.NASA eClipsTM is a suite of online student-centered, standards-based resources that support instruction by increasing STEM literacy in formal and nonformal settings. These free digital and downloadable resources inform and engage students through NASA-inspired, real-world connections.NASA eClips Real World segments (grades 6-8) connect classroom mathematics to 21st Century careers and innovations. They are designed for students to develop an appreciation for mathematics through real-world problem solving.
Video Description: Have you ever wondered what living in space would do to your body? In this Real World video, learn how NASA scientists study cells on Earth to learn how to protect astronauts from radiation during space flights. Dr. Egle Cekanaviciute describes changes in cells and cell organelles. She also compares quantitative and qualitative data and demonstrates how to calculate the percentage of mutated cells. Video length: 6:35.NASA eClipsTM is a suite of online student-centered, standards-based resources that support instruction by increasing STEM literacy in formal and nonformal settings. These free digital and downloadable resources inform and engage students through NASA-inspired, real-world connections.NASA eClips Real World segments (grades 6-8) connect classroom mathematics to 21st Century careers and innovations. They are designed for students to develop an appreciation for mathematics through real-world problem solving.
How does energy flow in and out of our atmosphere? Explore how solar and infrared radiation enters and exits the atmosphere with an interactive model. Control the amounts of carbon dioxide and clouds present in the model and learn how these factors can influence global temperature. Record results using snapshots of the model in the virtual lab notebook where you can annotate your observations.
Broadcast radio waves from KPhET. Wiggle the transmitter electron manually or have it oscillate automatically. Display the field as a curve or vectors. The strip chart shows the electron positions at the transmitter and at the receiver.
I created this google document to use as a weekly homework assignment for my students. It covers thermal energy concepts such as convection, conduction, radiation, phase changes, and temperature conversions. It could be assigned in google classroom or printed out and given as a hard copy. It could also be adapted to be used as classwork, a quiz, enrichment, reinforcement, extra credit or a warm-up.
Please edit to fit your student needs and teaching style.