Armageddon

Title: Armageddon (1998)

Concept featured in film: Newton's 1st Law of Motion and Gravity

Location of clip:

DVD: 1:21:14 - 1:23:25

Summary of clip: This clip shows the shuttles as they are about to use the moon's gravity to accelerate toward the asteroid on the other side of the moon. The astronauts time exactly when to burn the engines to get the appropriate velocity to move around the moon using its gravity to help sling shot the shuttles to the asteroid. The shuttle measures the number of "Gs" being exerted while traveling around the moon. They reach a maximum of 9.5 Gs in 11 minutes.

Connection of flickclip to the concept: Newton's 1st law of motion states that objects in motion stay in motion unless acted on by an outside force. Once the shuttle burns its engines, it is traveling at a constant velocity. It is the moon's gravity that "catches" the shuttles and pulls them around the moon to the asteroid. Gs are also referring to what the astronauts feel as they are shot around the moon in terms of the sensation of increased gravity.

Suggestions to Teachers:

1. Suggested questions for students when viewing the clip:

a. What is Newton's 1st law of motion?
b. How does the moon's gravity pull the shuttles around to the asteroid?
c. What are Gs and what sensation do they give the astronauts?

2. This clip could be used while discussing Newton's 1st law of motion. Students can also discuss other objects that are in motion and stay in motion unless acted on by an outside force.