[meteorite-list] How to Talk to Kids about Meteorites

From: bernd.pauli_at_paulinet.de <bernd.pauli_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Tue Nov 2 13:27:54 2004
Message-ID: <DIIE.0000003600002BA7_at_paulinet.de>

> A few nights ago I gave a talk to an elementary school about meteorites.
> I think they were pretty fascinated, but I felt inadequate trying to answer
> one of their questions: I didn't know off the top of my head how scientists
> can tell how old Allende is(or any of them for that matter).

> Someone asked me if it was through Carbon-Dating, and I knew that
> wasn't it. Is there a simple explanation for this age group? Should I get
> in to radio isotopes and the half-life of elements? I'm desperately trying
> to avoid that Krispy Kreme look. You know....glazed!

Hi Anita and List,

How about comparing a meteorite to a bottle of mineral water, soda, a
glass of coke, or something like that. When you open a fresh bottle, you
see lots of bubbles rising to the surface. The drink is fresh and "young".

Kid will surely be able to tell the difference between a fresh glass of coke
and a flat one. No more bubbles, no flavor, in other words * o l d *.

Then you could tell them that there are teeny particles in a meteorite that are
like these bubbles. The older the meteorite, the less of these bubbles (which
scientists call isotopes) will be left.

A very intelligent kid would then perhaps like to know how scientists know how
many of these "bubbles" there were in the very beginning. Maybe you could now
resort to another simile:

Suppose a kid has 100 cents that his grandpa gave him or her. He or she
buys candies (1 cent each / 1 cany per day) but does not eat them (and
grandpa knows that they are 1 cent each). After some time there are 60
cents left and 40 candies on the grandkid's table. Then there are 20 cents
left but 80 candies on the table. Whatever happens to the money, as long
as the grandchild does not eat the candies (i.e. as long as they do not dis-
appear completely), anyone else, by just looking at the number of candies
on the table, will always be able to tell how much money there must have been.

And these tiny particles in meteorites (isotopes) do not disappear either, they
only look different -- 1-cent coins change into sweets ...

Hmm?!?

Bernd
Received on Tue 02 Nov 2004 01:27:52 PM PST