# data[].attributes.body
Projectile motion interactive from PBS Media.  Includes a 2-d launcher with multiple components that can be varied.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Explore the effects of air drag on a tennis ball launched up at an angle in this interactive simulation. This simulation uses the classic air drag model (force proportional to speed) and realistic default values for a tennis ball to simulate the distance traveled by a tennis ball at various speeds and launch angles.

# data[].attributes.body
A directed investigation of projectile motion from Phet that includes components that can be varied.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Projectile Data Lab simulation allows students to engage in hands-on data collection and analysis through the context of projectile motion.

# data[].attributes.body
A video from PBS Media that serves as an introduction to Kepler’s Laws using Earth-bound satellites.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Kepler’s Laws of Planetary Motion Described Using Earth Satellites | PBS LearningMedia

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
See the orbits of various artificial Earth satellites and how they demonstrate Kepler’s laws of planetary motion in this animation from NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio. Use this resource to observe patterns of orbital period and velocity as a function of distance from Earth—phenomena that are too big and abstract to see in a classroom—and to stimulate thinking about the universality of Kepler’s laws.

# data[].attributes.body
Video from NGSS that can introduce momentum, impulse, and elastic collision through a rebounding arrow.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This site is a curated collection of phenomena for the NGSS, along with help for how to use phenomena in 3 Dimensional teaching and learning.

# data[].attributes.body
Visualization with interactive controls from PBS Media with a rocket sled that illustrates Newton’s Second Law and Free body diagrams.

# data[].attributes.body
Full lesson plan from NSTA (reading, video, and activity) to facilitate discussion on how friction can be helpful.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Lesson Overview

After a new speed record and a dramatic crash at Talladega Motor Speedway in 1985, NASCAR needed to limit the speed of cars to race more safely the next season. Students are shown one solution to the problem: restrictor plates. Students question restrictor plates keep cars from reaching speeds of more than 200 miles per hour, which creates the need to investigate how a heat engine works. (Lesson provides teacher directions for constructing a simple heat engine using everyday materials.) Students create and use models to predict how changing variables affect the heat engine. They develop and apply ideas about chemical reactions and energy to explain how the restrictor plates introduced in the 1986 season reduced speeds of NASCAR race car engines at Talladega and other superspeedways.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Lesson Overview After a new speed record and a dramatic crash at Talladega Motor Speedway in 1985, NASCAR needed to limit the speed of cars to race more safely the next season. Students are shown one solution to the problem: restrictor plates.

# data[].attributes.body
Video from NGSS that illustrates a Prince Rupert’s Drop being shattered through a minor nick on the tail.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Prince Rupert's Drops are tadpole-esque structures formed by simply dropping hot molten glass into cold water. While the drops look pretty cool, what's even more intriguing is that they have some unique materials properties. The rapid solidification process toughens the glass

# data[].attributes.body
Interactive simulation from PBS Media that shows melting and boiling at a molecular level through particle motion.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Melting and Boiling Simulation | PBS LearningMedia

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Observe the motion and temperature of water molecules in this simulation as heat is applied to a beaker containing an ice cube. As the ice cube melts, the water molecules are freed from their trapped state and can now roam about the glass beaker as a liquid.

# data[].attributes.body
A Phet interactive to simulate fission and fusion (new and important MA state standard).

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Explore the interactions between various combinations of two atoms. Observe the total force acting on the atoms or the individual attractive and repulsive forces. Customize the attraction to see how changing the atomic diameter and interaction strength affects the interaction.

# data[].attributes.body
Video from NGSS showing a magnet’s altered descent when dropped through a copper coil.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
When a magnet falls it induces a current in the copper pipe. That current creates a magnetic field that opposes the changing field of the falling magnet, so the magnet is repelled and falls more slowly. It almost looks like it's floating through the pipe.

# data[].attributes.body
A Phet simulation that shows charged particles and charging fields through an interactive.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Arrange positive and negative charges in space and view the resulting electric field and electrostatic potential. Plot equipotential lines and discover their relationship to the electric field. Create models of dipoles, capacitors, and more!

# data[].attributes.body
A video from NASA that discusses how electromagnetic waves are used to transmit information (new and important MA state standard).

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
United Arab Emirates astronaut Sultan Alneyadi and NASA astronaut Megan McArthur discuss how communication between Earth and the space station is possible.

# data[].attributes.body
Image from NGSS that shows waves from a moving object, illustrating the Doppler Effect.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Sound may appear to be an independent phenomenon, but our perception of sound waves is affected by speed. Austrian physicist Christian Doppler discovered that when a moving object such as a siren produces sound waves, the waves bunch in front of the object and disperse behind it. This induced wave d

# data[].attributes.body
A Phet simulation that creates a visualization of sound waves and their interactions.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This simulation lets you see sound waves. Adjust the frequency or volume and you can see and hear how the wave changes. Move the listener around and hear what she hears.

# data[].attributes.headline
How does temperature affect the speed of sound

# data[].attributes.subject
How does temperature affect the speed of sound

# data[].attributes.body
A reading from Wonderopolis that discusses how the speed of sound in air is dependent on ambient temperature.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Today's Wonder of the Day was inspired by JIHAI. JIHAI Wonders, " Why does the temperature effect the speed of sound? " Thanks for WONDERing with us, JIHAI!

What's today's temperature where you live? The rising and falling of temperatures affects many parts of life. Warm days might welcome you outside to play a game with friends. Humid or rainy afternoons make this more difficult. Cold, snowy days can provide their own sort of fun!

Did you know temperature can even change the speed of sound? It's true! Are you WONDERing how? Let's start by talking about what sound is. Sound waves are made by vibrations . The waves can't travel through a -they rely on the of any given . These carry sound waves from their to your ears!

What does temperature have to do with this? You may have learned a bit about this topic in school. Heat is a form of -the faster a 's move, the higher its temperature is. When these move slower, the temperature cools.

Look around you. Everything you see is made from : computer screens, house plants, pieces of paper, and even your own body! The air you're breathing also contains . The temperature outside on any given day is determined by the speed of air .

On warm days, air move faster. That means they also carry sound waves faster, increasing the speed of sounds. Can you guess what happens on the coldest winter days? If you think sound travels slower, you're right! Air move at a slower pace when the temperature is cold, so they carry sound waves at a slower pace as well.

Of course, speed isn't everything. Have you ever noticed that you're able to hear sounds from farther away on cold days? It's not just your imagination! While sound moves faster in warm air, it doesn't travel as far as it does in colder temperatures.

Temperature isn't the only thing that affects the speed of sound. For instance, humidity also has an . By making air less , low humidity helps sound waves move faster. Air pressure can also make a difference.

The next time you're looking for a fun outdoor activity, try experimenting with sound. Note the air temperature, and then invite some friends to help you see how far and fast different sounds can carry. Have fun learning more about how sound waves travel!

NGSS.PS4.A, NGSS.PS1.A, NGSS.PS3.A, CCRA.R.1, CCRA.R.2, CCRA.R.4, CCRA.R.10, CCRA.L.3, CCRA.W.4, CCRA.W.7, CCRA.W.8, CCRA.L.6, CCRA.SL.1, CCRA.SL.2

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How Does Temperature Affect the Speed of Sound?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
We don't know about you, but we love the SOUND of another great Wonder of the Day!

# data[].attributes.body
A video from NGSS showing the inversion of an image through a glass of water.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This site is a curated collection of phenomena for the NGSS, along with help for how to use phenomena in 3 Dimensional teaching and learning.

# data[].attributes.body
Reading, videos, and links from NASA showing how starlight can be examined in order to identify exoplanets.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Exoplanet Exploration: Planets Beyond our Solar System

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Welcome to Exoplanet Watch! We're glad you're here! See our How to Get Started page.

A citizen science project, sponsored by NASA's Universe of Learning, we help anyone (yes, you!) gather data about exoplanets, planets outside our solar system. Then analyze that data, submit your results into a NASA database, AND get credit for your work in scientific papers!

No telescope? No problem! Use our remote robotic telescopes.

Become an Exoplanet Watcher!

Join our Slack to meet other Exoplanet Watchers, ask questions, troubleshoot problems, and more. Beginners are welcome!

When you look up into the night sky, do you wonder what's out there beyond our solar system? Come help scientists learn more about the exoplanets in our galaxy!

Anyone can participate! The Watchers community teaches you everything you need to know step by step. No telescope? No problem! You can use our robotic telescopes to request data to analyze even on a mobile device.

When an exoplanet orbits in between its star and the Earth, this "micro-eclipse" blocks a small percentage of the starlight. Graphing the brightness over time, there will be a dip in the "light curve" which can oftentimes be less than 1%! Our open-source, cloud-based software, EXOTIC, takes in your raw images/data (from your telescope or ours), then "reduces" them into a light curve to find that dip.

You'll be able to upload your results into our NASA pipeline to help scientists learn more about that exoplanet system. A unique identifier makes sure you get credit for your observations whenever scientists use your data. As of March 2024, Exoplanet Watchers have studied over 400 different exoplanets, and created over 6,000 light curves.

With your help, Exoplanet Watch will:

Make the best use of larger telescopes - more accurately predict the next transit event for follow-up with space-based telescopes (e.g., the Hubble Space Telescope and the James Webb Space Telescope) or large ground-based telescopes

Discover new exoplanets - using transit timing variations to infer the existence of an additional exoplanet in a extrasolar system

Monitor stellar variability - changes in a star's brightness caused by spots (dark regions) and plages (bright regions) of an exoplanet's host star can be measured

Confirm new exoplanets - help confirm the existence of newly discovered exoplanets

By studying exoplanets, you can help answer NASA's three big science questions about the universe:

How does the universe work?

How did we get here?

Are we alone?

As an Exoplanet Watch citizen scientist, you will:

Learn how science is done from beginning to end, collecting data, processing it, sharing it, and reading papers that incorporate it

Observe transiting exoplanets (if you have a telescope), or request data from other people's telescopes (if you do not) using our data checkout system

"Reduce" and analyze your data, using our free, open-source EXOTIC software, to create your own transiting exoplanet light curves

Upload your results to the American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO) Exoplanet Database

Have your light curve included on the Exoplanet Watch's Results webpage

If your observations or light curves are used in a scientific paper, your name will be listed as a co-author on the paper, and you will get credit for participating in scientific research

Meet astronomers who study exoplanets professionally and collaborate with other citizen scientists in our bi-weekly meetings and on our Slack

Sounds great! How do I participate?

Head over to our How to Get Started page to learn more and get started!

Also:

Subscribe to our Monthly Newsletters, which include exoplanets to observe, new project features, information on topics that will be covered in our bi-weekly meetings, a featured member of the month and astrophoto of the month, and links to exoplanet resources.

Learn more about the science behind Exoplanet Watch from our Background Information and Resources

Contact us on Slack or via email if you have questions that aren't covered in our Frequently Asked Questions page

We're always open to suggestions on how to make Exoplanet Watch a more interactive and inclusive project and community. You can comment anonymously via our feedback form.

NASA's Universe of Learning materials are based upon work supported by NASA under award number NNX16AC65A to the Space Telescope Science Institute, working in partnership with Caltech/IPAC, Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian, and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

This project complies with the Paper Reduction Act via Office of Management and Budget Control Number 2700-0168.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.authors[].name
Rob Zellem, Rachel Zimmerman Brachman, Jeff Nee

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Overview | What is Exoplanet Watch? - Exoplanet Exploration: Planets Beyond our Solar System

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
NASA's Exoplanet Exploration Program, the search for planets and life beyond our solar system.

# data[].attributes.body
A reading from Wonderopolis on how the human eye processes light and why we cannot see ultraviolet light.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Think of the brightest colors you've ever seen. Maybe you've stared into a crisp blue sky. Perhaps you picture bright green grass. You might even think of a beautiful sunrise or sunset.

If you've been WONDERing with us for a while, you know where the colors you see come from. They're made by waves of light bouncing off other objects. But would you believe there are some light waves that can't be seen by the average human eye?

It's true! Generally, humans can see light with wavelengths between 380 and 700 nanometers (nm). All the colors of the rainbow-from red all the way down to violet-fall within that . But ultraviolet (UV) light has wavelengths shorter than 380 nm. That means they go undetected by the human eye.

Are you WONDERing where the name "ultraviolet" comes from? You might already know that violet light has the shortest wavelength of all the colors. That means it travels faster and has more energy than the other colors of light. The prefix "ultra-" means "beyond." UV light waves move faster than violet ones. So, "ultraviolet" means this type of light is beyond violet, which is the fastest color we can see.

Just because humans can't see UV light doesn't mean it doesn't affect us. Most of the UV rays are by the Earth's atmosphere . However, those that reach us can cause sunburn and other damage. This is one reason why the ozone layer is so important. Without it, more UV light would reach the Earth's surface.

Is UV light invisible to everyone? Actually, no. People with a condition called aphakia can see UV light waves. Those with aphakia are missing an eye lens, often due to surgery or . The lack of this lens enables them to see beyond the of light, but it also causes blurry vision and farsightedness.

Additionally, some animals can see UV light. Scientists have known for a long time that bees have this ability. Many birds and reptiles can, too. Until recently, experts believed that UV light was invisible to all mammals. However, a recent study found that most mammals probably can see these waves of light, including dogs, cats, and reindeer. It found that the lenses in their eyes allow UV light to pass through.

How about the other end of the of light? Red light has the longest wavelength commonly to humans. Light with longer wavelengths than red is called infrared. Scientists once believed no one could see infrared light. However, experts today think many humans can do so, especially if more than one infrared hits the eye at once.

How do you think the world might look different if you could see UV light? Would you see a deeper shade of violet? Maybe it would be a whole new color altogether!

NGSS.PS3.A, NGSS.PS4.A, NGSS.PS4.B, CCRA.L.3, CCRA.L.6, CCRA.R.1, CCRA.R.2, CCRA.R.4, CCRA.R.10, CCRA.SL.1, CCRA.W.2, CCRA.W.4, CCRA.W.9, CCRA.L.1, CCRA.L.2, NCAS.A.1, NCAS.A.2, NCAS.A.3

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Can you catch today's Wonder of the Day? It moves at the speed of LIGHT!