http://www.merlot.org:80/merlot/ A search of MERLOT materials Copyright 1997-2013 MERLOT. All rights reserved. Sat, 18 May 2013 05:24:33 PDT Sat, 18 May 2013 05:24:33 PDT http://www.merlot.org:80/merlot/images/merlot.gif http://www.merlot.org:80/merlot/ 44 34 http://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewMaterial.htm?id=84027 This is an interactive, online exploration in which students use actual data from the Hubble telescope to learn about random sampling, bias, and statistical variability. http://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewMaterial.htm?id=500959 An astrobiology activity meant to be done in a 3 hour laboratory session (or possibly over 2-3 class sessions). The students work in groups to analyze the radial velocity curve of the star HD4308 which wobbles with a 15.56 day period. In the end the students determine if the planet which is causing this wobble is likely to support life similar to Earth on its surface. The activity draws on concepts such as Kepler's law, momentum conservation, the habitable zones around stars, spectral class, escape velocity, and thermal motions.