From Crater to Classroom: Modeling the Chicxulub Impactor for High School Physics

The Chicxulub impact event rocked the Mesozoic landscape and has completely shaped our world today. One of the first questions asked about the event is how big was the impactor and is it likely to happen again soon? While it is up to Astronomers to determine the occurrence of impactors on earth, we can come up with rough estimates of their characteristics in the classroom. By exposing students to the Physics that dictate crater size they can make estimates of one of the most existential threats to life as we know it. Students were tasked with determining how the size, speed, mass, density, and angle of the impactor affected the crater diameter, depth and ejecta distance. By assigning slightly different variables to each student and aggregating their data with google sheets, the class collaboratively derived a formula for estimating the original characteristics of the Chicxulub impactor. Students can investigate drag forces, energy, impulse and kinematics while conducting this research and this study is made to be reproduced with low costs and can be done by highschool students. Thus, providing students with the real world example to test their theories of Physics concepts (kinematics, dynamics, and energy transfer). Bring planetary science to life in your classroom with this engaging and impactful experiment.