gravity

In this investigation, students measure distance and time in order to calculate the acceleration of a falling object. The investigation...

In this recorded professional learning session, Greta Dromgool and Ted Cizadlo will build your confidence to teach about the Physical...

Gravity is a force that attracts all objects towards each other. People are attracted towards the Earth and the Earth...

This Connected article explores the science and technology behind the amazing achievements of Rocket Lab. From New Zealand’s first launch of a rocket into space in...

A significant part of our nightscape, the Moon has been the subject of myths, alternative conceptions and conspiracies for decades. Let’s take a look at some...

Our Solar System, and all other star systems, form from a collapsing nebula. Often called stellar nurseries, nebulae are the birthplace of stars. They are made...

In November 2014, the European Space Agency (ESA) Rosetta Mission landed a space probe called Philae onto the surface of Comet 67P, while Rosetta continued to...

‘Interplanetary spacecraft navigation using pulsars’ might sound like the title of a Star Trek novel but is actually a 2013 scientific paper by a team of...

On 15 February 2013, a meteoroid survived its descent into the Earth’s atmosphere over Ural Russia, where it broke the sound barrier and exploded near the...

Educational research has shown that students develop intuitive ideas and beliefs about natural phenomena. As students learn more about their physical environment, they tend to interpret...

Position: Associate Professor, University of Canterbury. Director of Gateway Antarctica. Field: Atmospheric physics Dr Adrian McDonald is a senior lecturer with the Physics and Astronomy Department...

Position: Senior Research Engineer, Field: Electronic systems in harsh environments, Organisation: University of Canterbury Most parents have dreams for their children, and Kelvin Barnsdale’s father was...

If you think it is hard to keep your bedroom tidy, spare a thought for the space around our Earth. There are over 100 million particles...

Launching a satellite into orbit requires consideration of a number of major science ideas. These include gravity, circular motion and atmospheric drag. Atmospheric drag Satellites need...

A satellite is anything that orbits around a larger object. A natural satellite is any celestial body in space that orbits around a larger body. Moons...

Communications satellites are used to send and receive radio signals for television, phone or internet communications. Large concave reflectors called satellite dishes are normally used to...

An artificial satellite is an object that people have made and launched into orbit using rockets. There are currently over 3,000 active satellites orbiting the Earth....

Gravity is a force that attracts all objects towards each other. People are attracted towards the Earth and the Earth towards people, the Moon and the...

A satellite is anything that orbits around another object. Moons are natural satellites that orbit around planets, whereas artificial satellites are objects that people have made...

An inquiry approach is a method often used in science education. The question bank provides an initial list of questions about satellites and places where their...

See some key dates relating to early discoveries about natural and artificial satellites in this timeline. 6th century BCE – Ancient Greek geocentric model Ancient Greek...

Learning about natural and artificial satellites involves ideas of gravity, circular motion and radio communication. Discover some of the many uses of artificial satellites in New...

Flight was a topic our writer Barbara Ryan enjoyed teaching. "We got really involved – twice I invited Patrick Monro (inventor and flight enthusiast) to come...

People have long had an obsession with flight. Characters from legends and fairy tales often have the surprising ability to take off from the solid Earth...

One of the requirements for heavier-than-air flying machines is a structure that combines strength with light weight. This is true for birds as well as planes....

For a plane or bird to fly, its wings must produce enough lift to equal its weight. Most wings used in flight are a special shape...

A bird is designed for flight. The combination of light weight, strength and shape, as well as precision control, is largely responsible for giving birds their...