Applied Science - Built Environment (6)
Pre Lab

   
OBJECTIVES:
  • Exploring living requirements of space.
  • Investigating the advantages of space exploration.

VOCABULARY:

  • astronaut
  • weightless
MATERIALS:
  • video tape or clips of Toys in Space
  • Internet

Students view a video on toys in space.

BACKGROUND:

Astronauts are people who go into space. They have many different professions on Earth. For example, an astronaut can be a medical doctor studying the effects of microgravity on the human body. Astronauts living in space do most of the same things they would do on Earth. They eat, sleep, and attend to personal hygiene just as we do on Earth. However, the requirements in space are different from Earth. It is easy for us to eat and sleep, but a "job" out in space. Eating and sleeping in space is different because of "weightlessness." The astronauts have to be careful with their food, or it can float away. They have to strap themselves in a place while sleeping or they could float away.

Astronauts brush their teeth, take sponge baths, and go to the bathroom in space. Because of the weightlessness, they have to be very careful about containing wastes so they can bring it back to Earth for proper disposal.

PROCEDURE:

  1. View the video on "Eating and Sleeping in Space" provided on the video tape in APPLIED SCIENCE - BUILT ENVIRONMENT (6) or purchased through resources below. This also will help students prepare for lab which asks students to predict what certain toys in space will do.

http://core.nasa.gov
You can purchase videos and other educational material from NASA or related agencies.

http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/space/photos/videos/
You can download video free from this site. Not only Toys in Space but other video that may be useful.

  1. After the tape, you may want to ask students if it seems like fun or very confining to be in space? Don't be surprised if many students prefer to stay on Earth. It seems fun for a while, but when you really think about it, an astronauts' job is hard work.
      
  2. You may ask students why are we exploring space? First, we need to know what resources may be available for humans in the centuries to come. However, scientists are investigating the possibility of products that can be built in space that might help humans. The ultra vacuum of space is used to student new microelectronic advances including compound semiconductors, synthesizing metallic waters, and high temperature superconductors. Medical research is trying to understand protein crystals in space that might lead to understanding viral diseases. The production of zeolites in space produces a better crystal for use in kidney dialysis machines, solar energy panel, and other medical and industrial uses.

[Dictionary] 
[Back to Applied Science Grid]  [Back to Built Environment (6)]