Threats to Earth

P2g part 1 & 2

 Objectives
In this lesson we should learn:
about the properties of asteroids
how asteroids have affected Earth in the
past
 Outcomes
Foundation Paper
You should now be able to..
State that large asteroids have collided with the
Earth in the past and describe some of the
consequences and evidence of such collisions
State that asteroids are rocks and describe that
asteroids are left over from the formation of the
Solar System and where they can be found.

Higher paper
Explain why the asteroid belt is between Mars
and Jupiter: the large gravity of Jupiter disrupts
the formation of a planet
 The asteroid
Gaspra, found
in the Asteroid
Belt between
Mars & Jupiter
Asteroid Ida with its moon
Dactyl
 Asteroids
Asteroids are large rocks left over from the formation of
the Solar System
They are mostly between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter

Asteroids (large rocks) have collided

with the Earth in the past causing:
- craters,
- ejection of hot rocks,
- widespread fires,
- sunlight blocked by dust,
- climate change,
- species extinction
 Collisions?
The evidence for past collision on Earth
includes:
- craters
- layers of unusual elements in rocks
- sudden changes of fossil numbers
between adjacent layers of rock.
 Rocks
Asteroids are small ______________ which orbit the
Sun
______________, Mars
mainly between ______________ and
Jupiter
______________. Occasionally, a long time ago,
Asteroids are thought to have struck
______________
Earth
______________, craters
forming large ______________ and huge
dust
amounts of ______________ water
and ______________ vapour.
An enormous asteroid is believed to have hit
Earth
______________ million
65 ______________ years ago, leading to
extinction
the ______________ dinosaurs
of the ______________.
sunlight
______________ atmosphere
could not penetrate the ______________
temperatures fell, causing ______________
so ______________ climate change.

Asteroids atmosphere climate comets

craters dinosaurs dust Earth
extinction Jupiter Mars meteors
million Neptune rocks Saturn
snowballs Sun sunlight temperatures
water
 Outcomes
Foundation Paper
You should now be able to..
State that large asteroids have collided with the
Earth in the past and describe some of the
consequences and evidence of such collisions
State that asteroids are rocks and describe that
asteroids are left over from the formation of the
Solar System and where they can be found.

Higher paper
Explain why the asteroid belt is between Mars
and Jupiter: the large gravity of Jupiter disrupts
the formation of a planet
 Objectives
In this lesson we should learn:
about the properties of comets
how astronomers are monitoring the
danger from near-Earth asteroids and
comets
 Outcomes
Foundation Paper
You should now be able to..
Describe that a comet is made from ice and dust, the tail
of a is a trail of debris and that comets have highly
elliptical orbits
Describe that the speed of a comet increases as it
approaches a star
Describe a near-Earth object (NEO) as an asteroid or
comet on a possible collision course with Earth and how
NEO may be seen with telescopes and that observations
can be used to determine their trajectories
Higher paper
Explain why the speed of a comet increases as it
approaches a star: the strength of gravity increases
Suggest and discuss possible actions which could be
taken to reduce the threat of NEOs
 Halleys Comet
Reappears every 76 years
Image from 1986
Hale-Bopp as seen from
Craig County, VA in 1997
Hale-Bopp
as seen
from
Alexandria,
VA in 1997
Hale-Bopp as seen from
Wyoming in 1997
Yerkes
Observatory
 Comets
Comets are balls of rock and ice, with trails of
debris blown outward by the Sun
They have highly elliptical orbits and speed up
as they approach the sun
The trajectories of observed objects
can be predicted accurately
If an asteroid (or comet) on a collision course
with Earth is spotted early enough, it may be
possible to alter the trajectory of the asteroid
Threats to Earth

1. How can asteroids and comets be seen?

2. What is the difference between a comet

and an asteroid?

3. What can be done to protect us from

asteroid impacts?
Threats to Earth
Answers
1. How can asteroids and comets be seen?
With telescopes,
because they reflect light from the Sun.
2. What is the difference between a comet
and an asteroid?
Asteroids are large rocks usually in orbit
between Mars and Jupiter. Comets are ice
and rock found in very elliptical orbits.
3. What can be done to protect us from
asteroid impacts?
Detect them early
and then alter their course.
 Outcomes
Foundation Paper
You should now be able to..
Describe that a comet is made from ice and dust, the tail
of a is a trail of debris and that comets have highly
elliptical orbits
Describe that the speed of a comet increases as it
approaches a star
Describe a near-Earth object (NEO) as an asteroid or
comet on a possible collision course with Earth and how
NEO may be seen with telescopes and that observations
can be used to determine their trajectories
Higher paper
Explain why the speed of a comet increases as it
approaches a star: the strength of gravity increases
Suggest and discuss possible actions which could be
taken to reduce the threat of NEOs
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