Physics
Scientific paper
Dec 2009
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2009agufmed54a..06r&link_type=abstract
American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2009, abstract #ED54A-06
Physics
[0343] Atmospheric Composition And Structure / Planetary Atmospheres, [0845] Education / Instructional Tools, [5405] Planetary Sciences: Solid Surface Planets / Atmospheres, [6210] Planetary Sciences: Solar System Objects / Comets
Scientific paper
We will demonstrate interactives and animations from the Windows to the Universe web site (www.windows.ucar.edu) covering three topics: cometary orbits and tails, orbit shapes and orbital motions, and virtual ballooning to explore planetary atmospheres. The comet interactive illustrates the range of shapes and sizes of cometary orbits, the formation of tails when a comet nears the Sun, and the orientations of the dust and ion tails. Our suite of animations and interactives about orbits and orbital motions help learners understand the shapes (eccentricity) and sizes (semi-major axis) of orbits as well as variations in orbital velocity from perihelion to aphelion. Our Mars orbit interactive illustrates the variations in distance between Earth and Mars as the planets orbit and at successive oppositions (closest approaches), which has influenced the history of both telescopic observations of the Red Planet as well as the timing of space missions to Mars. The virtual ballooning interactive enables students to explore the structures of atmospheres by launching virtual weather balloons that send back data on the variation of pressure and temperature with altitude. Learners set the altitude ranges and sampling frequencies for their balloon-borne virtual instruments and collect data over the course of four flights. Students learn about the pressure variation with altitude, temperature vs. altitude relationships in different atmospheric layers, and how to be thoughtful and selective during experimental data collection. Students can explore the atmospheres of Mars, Venus, and Titan as well as Earth.
Genyuk J.
Johnson Mark R.
Russell R. M.
No associations
LandOfFree
Interactives: Comets, Orbital Motions, and Virtual Ballooning to Explore Planetary Atmospheres does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.
If you have personal experience with Interactives: Comets, Orbital Motions, and Virtual Ballooning to Explore Planetary Atmospheres, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Interactives: Comets, Orbital Motions, and Virtual Ballooning to Explore Planetary Atmospheres will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1776615