Water Movement in Different (Lunar) Regolith Simulants Part 2

This is the second in a series of experiments comparing water movement in regolith simulants in reduced and microgravity environments. During the first set of experiments, students tested the rate of water intake in these different simulants, tracking water movement and finding that though the water intake increased in the Mars regolith simulant and the VEGGIE growth medium, almost no movement was seen in the lunar regolith simulant (JSC-1A). Ms. Tomlin had the opportunity to test these student experiments in different microgravity environments aboard a 0-g flight. This project allows students to investigate regolith behavior on Earth, as well as consider its behavior off world.   

Index:

• Introduction
• Gravity: Simulations for Student Comprehension
• Apparatus and Procedure
• Recording Results
• Resources
• Educator Feedback
• Send a Postcard to Space!