For this experiment, you need a picture of the moon that shows craters, 13-inch-by-9-inch baking pan, craft stick, golf ball, marble, four toothpicks, adhesive tape and fine sand.
Observe the craters in the picture of the moon's surface, then create your own "craters." Make the surface of the moon by filling the pan with sand. Smooth the top of the sand with the craft stick, and place the pan on the floor. Make four "flags" using small strips of paper. Label one flag "GB Knees," another "GB Face," a third "M Knees" and the last one "M Face." Tape the flags to the toothpicks. Stand near the pan, and hold the golf ball "meteor" at the height of your knees. Drop the meteor, and mark the crater with the "GB Knees" flag. Stand with the "meteor" at face height, and drop it into the pan. Mark this crater with the "GB Face" flag. Repeat the process with the marble. What are the differences, and similarities of the four craters. What hypothesis can you form about the moon's craters?
Scientists believe the universe is steadily expanding. This experiment will demonstrate how the distance between the Earth and the stars is affected by expansion. You need a medium or large white, round balloon, a ruler, a clothespin, and three different colors of permanent markers.
Blow up the balloon (the "universe") until it is the size of an egg. Twist the end of the balloon and secure it with the clothespin. Make a dot to represent the Earth, and write a key for the color you used (Earth = ____). Use a different color, and make a dot, 1 inch away from the Earth. This is a nearby star. Make a color key for the star. Use the third color to make dots all over the balloon for other stars. Remove the clothespin, and blow up the balloon to the size of your head to represent the expanding universe. Twist the end, and secure it with the clothespin. What happened to the distance between the Earth and the nearby star? What about the distance from the earth to the other stars?
For an experiment to see what would happen if gravity did not hold the moon close to the Earth, you need 24 inches of string, a paper towel and adhesive tape.
Make a ball to represent the moon by crumpling the paper towel. Tape the "moon" to one end of the string, representing gravity. You are the "Earth." Swing the "moon" around, over your head. "Gravity" keeps the moon in orbit around the "Earth." Keep spinning the "moon," and let go of the string. What happens? All planets and moons have their own gravity to keep them in place in the universe.
Your weight on other planets, and moons, would be different than your weight on Earth. That's because the force of gravity varies with the mass of the planet or moon. More gravity means you will weigh more.
Find your estimated weight on the moon, and on Jupiter. Weigh yourself at home, and write it down. Bring the paper to class. On the moon, you would weigh about 1/4 your weight on earth. Multiply your weight by .25. On Jupiter, you would weigh about 2 1/2 times your Earth weight. Multiply your Earth weight by 2.5.