This activity was prepared by David Walker (LASA High School) and Rose Cory (University of Michigan), based on work conducted at Toolik Field Station in Alaska. The purpose is to introduce students to Van Krevelen diagrams, which are used to interpret results of high resolution mass spectrometry and characterize the compound classes present in complex organic mixtures. Students will
The work of professor Bryon Crump, graduate student Natasha Christman, and PolarTREC teacher David Walker is highlighted in the weekly newsletter of the Oregon State University College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences (On the Horizon).
This lesson plan transports students to two field sites outside of Fairbanks, Alaska to investigate the interconnected relationships between climate change and permafrost. Students will use authentic field data from site photographs, soil temperature, and thaw depth measurements to draw inferences. An ESRI StoryMap, faux field journal, and 360 site images are used to engage students in the inquiry
Oftentimes called “ghost particles,” neutrinos can travel through nearly everything (the sun, the earth, you!) undetected. Because they are nearly massless, gravitational fields do not affect neutrinos; Similarly, because they are chargeless, electric and magnetic fields do not con affect neutrinos. This lack of interaction is advantageous for IceCube researchers – when they detect a neutrino, it is a
In this lesson, students will be introduced to the Standard Model, learning key vocabulary such as Fermions, Hadrons, Mesons, Baryons, Quarks, Leptons, particles, and anti-particles. In particular, students will come to understand what a neutrino is and why it is such a unique particle. This understanding connects to the IceCube Neutrino Observatory’s search for neutrinos in an effort to