INVESTIGATION OF IMPACT CRATERINGOBJECTIVEThe purpose of the lab is to determine how impact craters are formed and what variablesdetermine the size and shape of the craters.INTRODUCTION What is an impact crater?An impact crater is a roughly circular, hollowed out hole made by an impact event.Thecircular shape is due to all the material being pushed out as a result of the explosion uponimpact.Most impactors are not spherical or have a circular shape.The force of the objecthitting the surface causes the circular shape.Craters are the most common surface features onmany of the terrestrial planets and our moon. What happens when an impactor hits?When an impactor hits the surface of a planet, the energy from that collision will producea shockwave.The shockwave fractures the rock and excavates a large hole, larger than theimpactor.The impact will eject material from all directions we refer as ejecta.The impactoritself shatters into smaller pieces, may melt, or vaporize. Major parts of a crater: 1 Some common termsDifferent kinds of craters you may see:2