Topic outline

  • 1. Overview of Session

    Space is not empty, but full of plasma and particles that you never expected to be there. "99.9 percent of the Universe is made up of plasma," says Dr. Dennis Gallagher, a plasma physicist at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center. The magnetosphere surrounds and protects the earth from stellar plasma with a complex system of interacting electric and magnetic fields, electric currents and charged particles. Rockets, satellites and the International Space Station fly in plasma. Join us in learning about the exotic phenomena that surround the earth. Learn how the Earth’s magnetic field protects us from the hazards of space environment. This STEAM* workshop provides K-12 teachers with the background and activities to excite students to continue studying electrostatics, a wide application in many emerging fields of industry.

    Presented:  3/7-9 2019

    Presenter:  Frances Dellutri 

    Event: GHOU Asian Conference

    Attendees: Nepal and international Teachers  of students grade 8 - 12

    Topics:

    Science:  Physics: force and motion, electrostatic effects, solar system, Aurora

    Scientific Investigation, Data Collection and Analysis

    Biology: Human Physiological effects of electrostatics in space.

    • CCSS  logoNGSS  logo US Standards are followed in this session "Electrostatics in Space"

    • The resource list included in this session was used to construct the session, "Electrostatics in Space!"  Each day more discoveries are made to help explain and encourage more exploration into the behavior and effects of electrostatics in space.  The Enterprise In Space Education Team welcomes your input that might enhance this resource list.  There is an opportunity to log your findings found at the bottom of this Workshop.

    • The Agenda involves introductions and investigations of concepts, presentations, graphics, and activities to help attending teachers gain the information, skills, and tools to feel comfortable bringing information on the behavior an effects of electrostatics in space to their students.

  • Particles, Particles, Everywhere!

    Registrants to the session will begin to consider the cosmic activity that has a significant behavior and effect that humans must learn to take into account as the exploration of space continues.....

     Registrants will learn how to prepare a demonstration and individual student cloud chambers to observe the presence of particle paths made by cosmic rays to reinforce the idea that Earth is being bombarded by particles from cosmic rays. Our sun and other stars contribute to the particles that are seen in a cloud chamber.

    Science Buddies

    •   This PowerPoint is complete with notes to explain each slide.  At the Nepal presentation, a video was used to demonstrate how to make a Cloud Chamber to monitor the ionization of alcohol by Galactic Cosmic Rays.  The tracks could be seen in the Chamber. Videos are also available in this lesson of the Academy.

    • Printed instructions as well as a video demonstrate how to make a Cloud Chamber that will show the path the charged particles form cosmic rays have taken through a saturated isopropyl  alcohol environment.

       An instructional video can be found at the following link:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xky3f1aSkB8  or  or click on the actual video.   



    • Plastic Cup with felt being made ready for chamber

      Individual Cloud/Particle Chambers are a great way to engage older students and have them understand the effect that different particles have on an alcohol cloud. Safety precautions with goggles, gloves, and a responsible group is important in this exercise.

      This video can be found at:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=400xfGmSlqQ   or click on the actual video.

    • Tracks made by different particles originating from cosmic rays.Information is provided to help identify and describe the different particles that create the ionized paths in the cloud chamber.

  • 3. The Origination of Particles/Plasma.

    Picture of sun prominence and solar windA presentation explains the origin of particles/plasma found in space.  The presentation touches on CME's (Coronal Mass Ejecta), GCR's (Galactic Cosmic Rays), and SPE's (Solar Particle Events).  

    Participants engaged in observations of ionized gas or plasma while experimenting with plasma globes.  

    All activities can be used in the classroom.

    SOHO image

  • 4. The Aurora

    The Aurora BorealisHundreds of years ago, auroras were a source of fascination and superstition. The shimmering, shifting, curtain of colored light that seemed to float on the air prompted legends and stories to be created by people living in the high northern regions.  Most of the time the aurora seen in the sky were white-green in color.  Sometimes, great red auroras were seen and those living in the lower latitudes thought these auroras brought omens of war or destruction.

    As people began to become curious about the aurora and study it, theories developed. Some thought that auroras were reflected sunlight from the arctic ice, others thought it was firelight from the edge of the world. We know a lot more about the aurora today, but still have a lot of questions. Scientists, like those involved in the FAST satellite program and the sounding rocket campaigns, are solving the pieces of the aurora puzzle.

    A fantastic website that explains the aurora can be found at:


    http://sprg.ssl.berkeley.edu/aurora_rocket/aurora/aurora2.html

  • 6. Fun Flyers !

    Participants experiment with a battery charged electric field and the manipulation of Mylar films through the air. The use of electrostatic charge to  control the Mylar figures is a great application to understand electrostatic charge.

  • 7. Physiological Effects of Electrostatics on Humans

  • 8. Reflections and Feedback

    Please let us know your thoughts about this workshop by using the discussion forum below

    • What was your favorite activity? 
    • What was the most important part of the workshop for you? 
    • Are there any areas that need improvement? 
    • How was the length of the workshop? 
    • Any additional comments


    After you use the discussion forum, please answer the BRIEF survey questions in the link below.

    Thank You!!!