The Engine of Life

TL;DR

This educational activity demonstrates how radiation power affects planetary habitability using simple analogues, helping students understand climate, habitable zones, and exoplanetary systems.

Contribution

It introduces a hands-on model linking radiation received to planetary habitability, combining physical demonstration with exoplanetary system reconstruction.

Findings

Motor stops at the habitable zone boundary

Students learn about radiation and habitability through modeling

Reconstruction of exoplanetary orbits enhances understanding

Abstract

This activity has been developed as a resource for the "EU Space Awareness" educational programme. As part of the suite "Our Fragile Planet" together with the "Climate Box" it addresses aspects of weather phenomena, the Earth's climate and climate change as well as Earth observation efforts like in the European "Copernicus" programme. This activity uses a simple analogue for the power of radiation received at a given distance from a star. A photovoltaic cell is connected to an electric motor. Depending on the power received on the cell, the motor begins to move. It changes also its speed with respect to the distance between the cell and the lamp. This can be interpreted as a model for a planetary system and its habitable zone. The "engine of life" moves as soon as the receiving power is big enough to sustain its operation. The distance, where the motor stops, can be interpreted as the outer edge of the habitable zone. As a second activity, the students will reconstruct the orbits of a real exoplanetary system by drawing a scaled model. In addition, they will calculate and superimpose a realistic circumstellar habitable zone and discuss its elements.