Name _______________________________________________ Date ____________

Impact Craters Activity

Set up at each lab bench is one square plastic container (8 cube) filled with tan sand, topped
with a thin layer of colored sand. This represents the Moons surface
Each groups needs:
Meter stick
3 Marbles
Small ruler
Science notebooks
Procedure:
1. Using your meter stick, measure 30 cm above the moon surface.
2. Place the marble next to the 30 cm mark then let the marble fall straight down. Be careful,
move the ruler out of the way so that the marble does not hit it. Dont remove the marble!
3. Measure the diameter in cm, depth, and the length of longest ray in cm.
4. Repeat 2 more times for 30 cm.
5. Add up the total and determine the average.
6. Repeat steps 1-6, this time using 60 cm.
7. Repeat steps 1-6, using 90 cm.

8. Repeat steps 1-6, using cm of your choice.

9. Graph and answer questions at end.
10. After graph is complete and worksheet is complete, choose an item from the box at the front
of the classroom and use it to make a crater at 60cm. Make a hypothesis; will the crater be
circular? Will the crater be deep or shallow? Will there be a lot or a little ejecta?

Drop Height

Diameter of crater
(cm)

Depth of crater
(cm)

Length of ray
(cm)

Notes (shape of
crater, crater
overlap)

30 cm Trial 1
30 cm Trial 2
30 cm Trial 3
60 cm Trial 1
60 cm Trial 2
60 cm Trial 3
90 cm Trial 1
90 cm Trial 2
90 cm Trial 3
Non-spherical Trial 1
Non-spherical Trial 2

Analysis/Results:
1. Which drop height had the largest average diameter? _______ cm with ________ cm.
2. Largest average depth? __________ cm with ____________ cm
3. Longest ray? __________ cm with ___________ cm

4. How can you explain what happened for questions # 1, 2, & 3? _________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

5. Where did the rays come from? Explain in detail. ____________________________

_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

6. In this experiment, we used marbles that were still intact after impact, what do you think
happens to real meteors after impact? ______________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

7. What would happen if the meteors hit at an angle? Try it if you are done! _________
_____________________________________________________________________