It is expected that students will
explain how a variety of
technologies have advanced
understanding of the universe
and solar system
Students who have fully met the prescribed learning outcome are able to:
- identify and describe a range of instruments that are used in astronomy (e.g., telescopes, spectroscopes, satellites, (Canadian satellites) probes, robotic devices)
- give examples of how astronomers use astronomical and space exploration technologies to advance understanding of the universe and solar system (e.g., using red shift (lesson plan) to support the idea of an expanding universe, using parallax to measure distance. (animation)
Resources:
Build a simple spectroscope
Build your own robotic arm with household objects
History of Astrometric Measurements: Parallax
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Planning for Assessment / Assessment Strategies
Provide any or all of the following
instruments for examination: binoculars,
reflecting or refracting telescope,
spectroscope, compact satellite dish. Using
cross-section diagrams, illustrate how
reflectors and refractors as well as radio
telescopes collect information from the night
sky.
Students should be able to draw:
- the correct arrangement of lenses for
refracting telescopes
- the correct arrangement of parabolic mirror,
plane mirror, and lens for reflecting telescopes
- the appropriate shape of dish and position of
receiver for radio telescopes
- using cross-section diagrams, the method by
which each instrument collects light rays
and/or radio waves
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Provide any or all of the following
instruments for examination: binoculars,
reflecting or refracting telescope,
spectroscope, compact satellite dish. Using
cross-section diagrams, illustrate how
reflectors and refractors as well as radio
telescopes collect information from the night
sky.
Students should be able to draw:
- the correct arrangement of lenses for
refracting telescopes
- the correct arrangement of parabolic mirror,
plane mirror, and lens for reflecting telescopes
- the appropriate shape of dish and position of
receiver for radio telescopes
- using cross-section diagrams, the method by
which each instrument collects light rays
and/or radio waves
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As a class activity, set up a gas discharge tube
apparatus. With tubes of different elements,
have students use spectroscopes or diffraction
gratings to observe the unique spectra of light
colours produced by each glowing gas.
Explain that each element produces its own
“fingerprint” of colours, and that by using
spectroscopes to observe stars, scientists can
determine which elements are burning in
those stars.
Have students draw the patterns of spectra for
each gas as well as for white light. These can be
collected and assessed for accuracy and neatness.
RESOURCES
History of the discovery of spectra
How we know what the objects in the universe are made of!
Physics Applets:
Astrophysics; Spectroscopy Suite; elemental spectra; Periodic table. Click on an element to show its line spectrum
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Have students perform research on one or
more instruments used in space to gather
information (e.g. probes, satellites, robotic
devices such as Canadarm or the Mars
explorers). (Lesson plans and activities: Mars)
They can build models or draw
accurate diagrams of the instrument studied
and present their findings to the class.
Assess student work based on
- the detail, neatness, and proper labelling in
the model or diagram
- the description of purpose(s) for the
instrument
- inclusion of information on what data have
been gathered or what important work has
been done to date by the instrument
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Explain Red Shift by demonstrating the ( activity)
Doppler Effect to students: spin a buzzer (tied
to a string) over your head in a horizontal
circle. Students should notice a clear
difference in pitch as the buzzer twirls
alternately toward, then away from the class.
Explain that to a stationary observer, waves
produced by an approaching object bunch up
and become shorter, and conversely spread
out when the object moves away. Since light
is a wave, the light produced by galaxies
across the universe is always “stretched out”
to the longer-wave red end of the visible
spectrum, indicating an expanding universe.
From this, students should be able to infer
that in the past, the universe was much
smaller. Explain that many scientists believe
the universe started as a massive explosion
called the Big Bang, with its galaxies
continuing to spread out today.
Given a variety of examples, students should be
able to describe an object’s motion as either
approaching or receding from a stationary
observer. Such examples can include (but are not
limited to) the following:
- a map view of water waves from a drifting
canoe or kayak (symmetrical shape otherwise
makes it difficult to tell direction of motion)
- the changing pitch of a train horn as it passes
a stopped car at a railroad crossing
- the red or violet shift of light patterns
produced by various stars moving relative to
Earth
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Have students place their index finger at
arm’s length in front of their face. With one
eye closed, have them line their finger up
with a distant object across the room. Without
moving, have them switch eyes and describe
what they see. They should be able to describe
that the finger appears to have shifted
position, due to the different position of their
other eye. Explain that stars in close proximity
to us also appear to shift position (relative to
more distant stars) as we revolve around the
Sun, and that by measuring the shift and
using some basic geometry skills, the distance
to nearby stellar objects can be determined.
Given the amount of apparent shift of various
stellar objects, students should be able to
qualitatively arrange the objects in order from
closest to furthest away from Earth.
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As an extension, have students use the edges
of a rectangular desk or table placed at one
end of the room to determine the overall
length of the room, using triangulation.
In their work, students should include
- a map diagram of the room and desk position,
with lines drawn to show the similar triangles
used (with appropriate dimensions) to find
room length
- calculations used based on the principle of
similar triangles to determine room length
