Doppler shift Lesson Plans

Students watch a video on sound waves and Doppler shift. In this physics lesson, students calculate time, period and wavelength. They take the quiz to demonstrate mastery.

Young scholars examine and explain how the distance to nearby stars can be measured by the parallax method, discuss the role of women in the history of American astronomy, form their own opinions of the importance of Harlow Shapley and Edwin Hubble in the history of astronomy, and examine and explain the Doppler shift and especially the significance of the red-shift.

Learners explain why a transiting planet causes a periodic dimming in the light from its parent star. They determine the radius of a planet, and its orbital distance, by analyzing data and manipulating equations. Students compare the results obtained for the extrasolar planetary system to our own solar system, and they discuss the major differences.

Students use an ordinary toy to reveal the Doppler effect. The connection is also made to moving cars, and to the shifting of the lines in the absorption or emission spectrum when the distance between a star and Earth is increasing or decreasing.

Students study waves and their characteristics.  In this wave lesson students calculate the speed of waves, wavelength and the period. 

Tenth graders explore the structure and content of galaxies. Through discussion, lab, and hands-on activities, they discover the general structure of the three types of galaxies as well as the effect they have on the structure and function of the universe. Two lessons are included.

Young scholars work with a real optical spectrum of a gamma ray burst afterglow taken at the Keck Observatory. They measure the shifts of spectral lines, deduce the velocity of the astronomical object, and then use Hubble's Law to get its distance. These activities reinforce basic physics concepts (light, the electromagnetic spectrum) and chemistry concepts (spectral lines, spectroscopy).

Students explore how ground-based tracking and onboard measurements are performed as means for navigation on unmanned vehicles in space.

Students identify the different factors affecting the size and shape of ocean waves. In this math lesson, students calculate wave speed and wavelength given a mathematical formula.

Fifth graders accurately measure the distance to eight points on an uneven surface by conducting a simulation of sattelite altimetry. They create a two-dimensional model of the simulated ocean surface by graphing data from the Radar Run activity.