Featured Resources
Classroom-Ready Activities
Science Olympiad Webinar
Science Olympiad JS9 Guide
Space Math @ NASA
NSO Tests 2025
- RFTS UTX Invitational Test
- UTX Astro Invitational
- UTX Astro Walkthrough
Informal Education
Background
Interactive Games
Space Scoop
STOP for Science
Chandra Podcasts
Printable Materials
Resource Request
Educators' Comments
Evaluation Form
Education Collaborations
Passport to Knowledge
Space Place
Web Shortcuts
Chandra Blog
RSS Feed
Chronicle
Email Newsletter
News & Noteworthy
Image Use Policy
Questions & Answers
Glossary of Terms
Download Guide
Get Adobe Reader
Supernova-Related Demonstrations

The three major phenomena associated with supernovas explosions can be demonstrated with easily available and inexpensive materials. The imploding can and basketball/tennis ball demos are commonly used in physics classes; however they are not usually associated with core contraction and the detonation of stellar atmospheric layers. The most difficult concept for students to understand is density. The angel cake and cellophane is a good approximation of the amount of material that remains in the core and its size, and the amount of material that gets blown away. Since all supernovas remnant images show all the beautifully colored materials that have been blown away from the star and the core cannot be seen - students have a common misconception that the star has literally blown itself apart, which is not the case.

  • High School
    • Core Contraction (Imploding Can) html | pdf
    • Ejection of Atmospheric Layers (Basketball/Tennis Ball) html | pdf
    • Core Density (Angel Cake/Cellophane) html | pdf

These demonstrations were written by Donna Young, Wright Center Research Associate, Wright


Horizontal Bar
Note: PDF files require Adobe Acrobat Reader, a free plug-in.
See our Download Center for help.