Space Rock Kit
This kit contains a comprehensive range of meteorites and related material selected to be useful in a wide range of science teaching. The collection is supplied in a display tray with each sample housed in individual labeled, clear plastic boxes.
Link to activities on space rocks here
Below is a summary of the content of the kit.
Carbonaceous chondrite
This is an example of the oldest material ever found – 4.56 Byrs and contains inclusions created in the super nova proceeding the solar system. Other than hydrogen and helium, the proportion of elements they contain is identical to that of the Sun. More than 70 different amino acids, the building blocks of proteins, have been found in these space rocks.
Science – origin of solar system, elements, nucleogenesis, isotopes, radioactivity, amino acids, origin of life.
Indochinite tektite
The Earth has been hit by asteroids many times in the past. One such encounter melted a large portion of the crust and splattered the globe from the Himalayas to South Australia with these globules of rock glass. The idea that these objects have a lunar origin is thought very unlikely.
Science – Energy, asteroid impact of Earth, igneous rocks.
Nickel iron
Radioactive isotopes (Al 26) in the early solar system created enough heat in large asteroids to melt and differentiate them.
Science – show content of planetary cores
Crushed fragment of Lunar meteorite
Radiometric dating and isotope analysis match these meteorites to samples brought back from the Apollo missions and reveal their lunar origin.
Science – Earth/Moon positions, igneous rock
Fragment of Martian meteorite.
Radiometric dating and isotopic analysis carried out by space probes like Viking and Pathfinder, match these meteorites to sample analysed on Mars by probes to the red planet.
Science – Planets, igneous rock
Tatahouine Achondrite
Vesta is one of the few intact differentiated asteroids. This meteorite has the same unique reflection spectra as the crust of Vesta, giving evidence for its origin.
Science - show mantle/crust differentiation – identification of asteroid origin through differential reflection.
Sample of KT boundary clay
The most famous Earth/asteroid impact saw the end of a large proportion of Life, including the dinosaurs, 65 million years ago. The telltale element signature of iridium from the asteroid was deposited out of the dusty atmosphere and is found in this clay which divides rock deposits of the Cretaceous and Tertiary periods.
Science – asteroid impact of Earth, atmosphere and weather, evolution. elements.
Chondrite
Meteorites enter the atmosphere from space at a temperature of less than -200 oC and a speed of up to 70km/s. Friction with the atmosphere heats the surface of the rocks to boiling point in a few seconds. By the time the meteorite hits the Earth a minute or so later (at 150-250m/s), most of the heat has been conducted inside and the meteorite is only just warm to the touch. Chondrites are made of small spheres (chondrules) that clumped together in the early solar system. The Earth would have originally formed from material like this
Science – Origin of solar system, atmosphere, orbits, kinetic energy, friction.
Pallasite
This type of meteorite is composed of a nickel/iron matrix with olivine inclusions. It is thought to have originated from the core/mantle boundary of differentiated asteroids.
Science – internal structure of the Earth
Schools and individuals not able to borrow these kits can purchase their own study set from Space Rocks