IMS GAMMA-RAYS (X-RAYS) LAB NAME(S): ______________________
COMPTON GAMMA-RAY OBSERVATORY DATE: ____ PERIOD: ________
Academic Standards: 3.1, 3.2, 3.4, 3.5, 3.6
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ACTIVITY #1A:
MATRIX: DEMONSTRATE HOW THE NUMBER OF COUNTS IS ASSIGNED TO A PIXEL OR A
PREDETERMINED LOCATION ON THE DETECTOR.
PENNIES WILL REPRESENT THE PHOTONS, AND THE EGG CRATE
SEPARATORS REPRESENT THE RECEIVING INSTRUMENT ON THE SATELLITE. STUDENTS WILL
TRY TO DETERMINE THE MINIMUM NUMBER OF DAYS OF DATA NEEDED TO FIND THE SOURCE.
COST IS ASSOCIATED WITH COLLECTING DATA, HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS ARE
SPENT EACH DAY COLLECTING DATA, SO FINDING A SOURCE IN THE LEAST AMOUNT OF TIME
IS IMPERATIVE TO ASTRONOMERS.
- FIVE GROUPS OF STUDENTS WITH 20 PENNIES EACH DROP
FROM A CERTAIN HEIGHT TO THE EGG
CARTONS. EACH GROUP REPRESENTS A DAY OF DATA COLLECTING (LAYERING EFFECT).
- STUDENTS TOSS 20 PENNIES INTO THE CRATE. COUNT THE
NUMBER OF PENNIES (PHOTONS) IN
EACH CUP AND FILL IN THE CORRESPONDING 6 X 5 GRID ON YOUR CALCULATOR AND
ON THE
PLASTIC OVERHEAD FOR YOUR FELLOW SCIENTISTS.
- UTILIZING THE MATRIX PROGRAM HANDOUT AND THE TI-83
STUDENTS WILL ADD 5 MATRIXES TO
DETERMINE IF A SOURCE HAS BEEN LOCATED.
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ACTIVITY #1B: BINNING: ASSIGN COLORS TO THE FINAL DATA
(MATRIX) IN THE PENNY TOSS
0-3= BLACK; 4-8= DARK GRAY; 9-13= LIGHT GRAY; > 14 = WHITE.
QUESTIONS:
1) HOW MANY SOURCES LOCATED? __________________
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2) WHEN DID THEY APPEAR IN THE DATA?
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ACTIVITY #2: DEMONSTRATE HOW THE DATA ARE CONVERTED INTO COLORS OR SHADES WHICH ALLOWS US TO VIEW AN IMAGE OF A COSMIC SOURCE.
- STUDENTS WILL USE DATA FROM THE CGRO COLLECTED OVER 4 HOURS, 1 DAY, AND 4 DAYS.
- STUDENTS WILL DETERMINE THE MINIMUM NUMBER OF DAYS
NEEDED TO DETERMINE THE
LOCATION OF A SOURCE.
-START WITH 4 DAYS DATA AND ADDING MULTIPLES OF 4
HOURS, 1 DAY OR 4 DAYS UNTIL
STATISTICAL SIGNIFICANCE IS ACHIEVED.
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3) HOW MANY SEPARATE SOURCES SHOWED UP IN THE DATA SET? __________________
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4) WAS THE 4 HOUR SET OF DATA USEFUL IN ANY WAY? _______________________________
(COMPARE WHAT YOU GET IF YOU TAKE 6 TIMES 4 HOURS VERUS 1 DAY.)
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ACTIVITY #3:
THE FINAL PICTURE: USE THE
SCALE ON THE BACK OF THIS FORM TO CREATE AN
IMAGE ON 9 DAYS AND 14 DAYS WORTH OF DATA.
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QUESTIONS:
5) HOW MANY SEPARATE SOURCES SHOWED UP IN THE FINAL DATA SET? __________________
COMPTON GAMMA-RAY OBSERVATORY:CGRO