Introduction to Earth Structures
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Welcome to the Intermediate Earth Structures unit. If you've ever wondered about the origins of the Universe or been interested in volcanoes, earthquakes and continental drift, you're going to enjoy this unit. Here we'll begin to learn about....
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Spooky 'Sounds' from Space
As our space craft flew by Jupiter and Saturn, instruments on board converted the radio waves into really cool and sometimes spooky sounds. Here is a link that takes you to Soundcloud where you can enjoy these and other space 'sounds.'
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As humans send out space craft to explore our solar system, some are equipped to detect and record radio waves, which are a form of light energy known as electromagnetism that can be emitted from space objects that have changing magnetic fields. You can't actually hear electromagnetic waves. But all forms of energy can be converted into other forms of energy. That's why you can convert electrical energy into light energy when you turn on a light switch. Or light energy can be converted into thermal energy (which is why the sunlight can make you feel warm) or electrical energy (Ex. when we use solar panels). AND, it's also why you can turn on your radio to convert invisible and inaudible radio waves into sound waves that you can hear.
To learn more about radio waves, check out the NASA video below. |
International Space Station
Scientists learn a great deal about our Earth and solar system by observing it from space. On Earth, we use powerful telescopes, but if the weather is cloudy, we can't see past our atmosphere. Below you can find a link that tours you through the International Space Station and allows you to track the space station's orbit around the Earth. As we proceed through the different parts of this unit, new pages and interactive games will appear. We'll start by exploring the origins of the Universe and the Big Bang Theory.
Click on the image below to take a 25 minute guided tour of the international space station with Commander Sunny Williams
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Where is the ISS right now?
Click on the image to see where the space station is at this moment and what it's looking down at. If you don't have a newer version of Java on your computer, it won't work, but you can click on this link to go to another International Space Station locator.
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