![CRATERSFB CRATERSFB](http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-mgmH9iA2kU4/Vk2-KS_PN3I/AAAAAAAAS1A/NbOQLXUWRBk/CRATERSFB_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800)
Objective:
1. To identify the type of surface where craters are formed.
Materials Needed:
![DSC_1008 DSC_1008](http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Uj3aEk5lOzQ/Vk2-LFWQBvI/AAAAAAAAS1Q/hwrj7qcxufw/DSC_1008_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800)
Procedure:
1. Lay the soft material in the ground like a newspaper a rug or a towel.
2. On top of it, lay the foil.
![DSC_1011 DSC_1011](http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-E3eHjSWanYs/Vk2-MJiBZII/AAAAAAAAS1g/97AcMmfM5Lg/DSC_1011_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800)
3. Stand at the edge of the foil and drop the ball or rock at the center of the foil. Note be decided to use the mini basketball because we realized that golf balls made a small impact.
![DSC_1014 DSC_1014](http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-_AGgwLs-Jqg/Vk2-NF6jw9I/AAAAAAAAS1w/FjVgOmL9L34/DSC_1014_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800)
4. Repeat this process on a hard floor. This time it was Vito’s turn to drop the ball.
![DSC_0134 DSC_0134](http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-lNoJ1ZaeIVM/Vk2-OcgOx5I/AAAAAAAAS2A/N16KZuCCk0o/DSC_0134_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800)
5. Examine both pieces of the foil.
![DSC_0143 DSC_0143](http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-vpRXxSLxadI/Vk2-PmKiWUI/AAAAAAAAS2Q/QsG0aFvvyKk/DSC_0143_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800)
The ball that was dropped in the foil on a soft surface (first image below) made a larger impression compared to the foil lying on a hard floor (second image). You can immediately see the impression when the ball is dropped in a soft surface! Look at them, they look like craters!
![DSC_0011 DSC_0011](http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-TIL0FKMpoCo/Vk2-QubpS1I/AAAAAAAAS2g/BT4tKG6wRBk/DSC_0011_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800)
You can barely see an impression here, but Vito did dropped the ball a few times.
![DSC_0132 DSC_0132](http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-r84oZqtVIwQ/Vk2-RRpDVoI/AAAAAAAAS2w/kNX7qmqtwG0/DSC_0132_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800)
The ball that was dropped in the softer surface sank, allowing more of the ball to be pressed against the foil. In effect, this created those “holes” in the foil. This is similar to the case of a meteorite (stone or metal in space) when striking a soft surface, it creates a larger imprint that are shaped like holes called craters. Craters are best formed when meteorites strikes soft, powdery surfaces like that in the moon! Why not check out real pictures of the surface of the moon from NASA!
You might also want to check our previous science experiments:
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![Forming CratersPIN Forming CratersPIN](http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-eO_zER027Xw/Vk2-SbVdH-I/AAAAAAAAS3A/QhHxUX-91-Y/Forming-CratersPIN_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800)