This week we learned more about energy and how to calculate it. We learned what joules, watts and power is. We also used the results of an experiment that we did last week to get practice on finding joules, watts and power. The experiment was where we had our class run up the stairs in groups and time themselves. Using these measurements, we could find joules, watts and power.
We learned that joules are a measure of energy. You find it by doing the equation massXgravityXheight. To get watts you just divide that whole equation by the time. Finally to get the horsepower, you multiply the watts by 0.0013. We also learned that power is a rate of joules/time.
The experiment where we had people run up the stairs really helped me learn about joules, watts and horsepower. Everyone timed how fast they could run up the stairs and we put everything into the equation to get joules. It all started to make sense to me when everything had a place in its equation and we could get a number that represented the energy.
We also had an assesment this week. It was about everything that we had learned about energy. I was very thankful for the review the day before because there were still some things that I hadn't really understood up until then. Things like the fact that power is a rate and not a unit and the difference between power and work.
Sunday, April 14, 2013
Sunday, March 24, 2013
Week 24 Reflection
1. Some factors that could have made the boat sink: if the tape was not pressed on tight enough or was coming off in some places. This could expose seams that let water in.
If there were any cuts in the cardboard. This could disable the waterproof outside by letting the inside meet water.
If it was not stable enough to handle the weight of two people. This could cause the boat to sink because of the sheer weight from the people.
2. To stay afloat, you must have a wide enough base to distribute the weight of the sailors. You must also duct tape every seam so that water has no chance of getting into your boat and sinking it. Also, having a flat bottom helps to distribute the weight and make it easy to climb into and keep in balance.
3. The knowledge of the lowest center of mass is most stable is very important because the captain is in charge of directing the building of the boat, so making a design that includes that principle is essential for making the boat float.
4. Our groups boat sunk at the starting line due to small cut that had appeared in the side of the box. We didn't have any ductape to fix it with, and it ended up being our downfall. Other than that, we had a very strongly built boat.
5. I think that the best rowing technique is to have the two sailors alternate on which side they paddle. This way, it keeps the boat fairly straight.
6. What I would do differently is that I would put pieces of cardboard on the creases in the cardboard and tape them to have an even stronger frame for the boat. And pack extra ductape.
If there were any cuts in the cardboard. This could disable the waterproof outside by letting the inside meet water.
If it was not stable enough to handle the weight of two people. This could cause the boat to sink because of the sheer weight from the people.
2. To stay afloat, you must have a wide enough base to distribute the weight of the sailors. You must also duct tape every seam so that water has no chance of getting into your boat and sinking it. Also, having a flat bottom helps to distribute the weight and make it easy to climb into and keep in balance.
3. The knowledge of the lowest center of mass is most stable is very important because the captain is in charge of directing the building of the boat, so making a design that includes that principle is essential for making the boat float.
4. Our groups boat sunk at the starting line due to small cut that had appeared in the side of the box. We didn't have any ductape to fix it with, and it ended up being our downfall. Other than that, we had a very strongly built boat.
5. I think that the best rowing technique is to have the two sailors alternate on which side they paddle. This way, it keeps the boat fairly straight.
6. What I would do differently is that I would put pieces of cardboard on the creases in the cardboard and tape them to have an even stronger frame for the boat. And pack extra ductape.
Sunday, March 17, 2013
Week 23 Reflection
This week we mostly discussed how energy is transferred to different objects. We used a demonstration with a bowling ball and a string to show how energy dissapates. Also, this weeks lab was testing to get measurements on a car that bounced off of walls on each side of the track.
The demonstration showed that energy will constantly leave an object if no other force is acting on it. If you swing a bowling ball by a string and release it from a certain point, it will not return to that point because some of the energy had dissipated from it and it is not swing with as much force as it originally had.
We also learned that you can feel, hear and even see energy dissapating into another object. Like if you get hit with a ball, the bruise that you get is a result of the energy from the ball affecting the nerves in your arm. You can see energy dissipating by seeing if another object moves after being hit by something else. Hearing energy dissipate is like when you shoot a basketball and it makes a clanking sound off of the rim because you missed.
This lab that we did this week involved us measuring the distance traveled by a car on a track that bounced off of walls. We had to measure the distance within two seconds. Then we had to make LOL graphs that showed where all the energy was at the time of each of the 5 trials. This lab helped me get that the more potential you put into something, the farther it will go.
I believe that I get everything thats being taught this week. I found it really interesting that dissipated energy came in the form of sound. Actually, this whole energy unit that we're doing now is pretty interesting.
The demonstration showed that energy will constantly leave an object if no other force is acting on it. If you swing a bowling ball by a string and release it from a certain point, it will not return to that point because some of the energy had dissipated from it and it is not swing with as much force as it originally had.
We also learned that you can feel, hear and even see energy dissapating into another object. Like if you get hit with a ball, the bruise that you get is a result of the energy from the ball affecting the nerves in your arm. You can see energy dissipating by seeing if another object moves after being hit by something else. Hearing energy dissipate is like when you shoot a basketball and it makes a clanking sound off of the rim because you missed.
This lab that we did this week involved us measuring the distance traveled by a car on a track that bounced off of walls. We had to measure the distance within two seconds. Then we had to make LOL graphs that showed where all the energy was at the time of each of the 5 trials. This lab helped me get that the more potential you put into something, the farther it will go.
I believe that I get everything thats being taught this week. I found it really interesting that dissipated energy came in the form of sound. Actually, this whole energy unit that we're doing now is pretty interesting.
Sunday, March 10, 2013
Week 22 Reflection
This week is kind of hard to write about since the lowerclassmen had their tests this week. But we did investigate more about how to build our cardboard boats. We also had a lab at the end of the week that allowed us to experiment with surface area and the amount of weight it holds.
I was told this week that if we have a wide surface area on our boats, it will be able to hold and distribute the weight better. But, if it's too wide and there is not enough weight it will sit on top of the water. This will make it hard to steer since there is no water pressure. If it sits to far under the water, then it will be to hard to steer because of all of the waters force on the boat.
This lab that we did on friday was a great example of how the boat takes and distributes weight. If you had a large surface area and a strong bottom, then it would stay afloat. You had to make sure that all of the seams were sealed because water leaking in was the boats downfall.
I believe that I have an idea of what I want our boat to look like. I know that it should have a flat bottom to hold our weight. It should also sink just far enough into the water to give us enough pressure to steer.
I was told this week that if we have a wide surface area on our boats, it will be able to hold and distribute the weight better. But, if it's too wide and there is not enough weight it will sit on top of the water. This will make it hard to steer since there is no water pressure. If it sits to far under the water, then it will be to hard to steer because of all of the waters force on the boat.
This lab that we did on friday was a great example of how the boat takes and distributes weight. If you had a large surface area and a strong bottom, then it would stay afloat. You had to make sure that all of the seams were sealed because water leaking in was the boats downfall.
I believe that I have an idea of what I want our boat to look like. I know that it should have a flat bottom to hold our weight. It should also sink just far enough into the water to give us enough pressure to steer.
Sunday, March 3, 2013
Week 20 Blog Reflection
This week we spent a lot of time dicussing the topic of the centripital paths of the moon and the earth around the moon. We tried to get if the moon orbited around the earth or the sun. To demonstrate this we tried to use some kids from our class and have them move like cars passing each other in lanes.
So from all of the discussing that we did this week, we learned that the earth orbits the sun. The moon also orbits the sun. We learned that the path of the moon makes a certain "flower" shape if we trace it. It is constantly being pulled by the sun and then pulled back by the earth. So the path of the moon is not orbiting the earth, rather it's always "speeding" past the earth and then "slowing" down and getting back in the fast lane.
The demonstration that we did for this concept was we took kids from our class and we had one be the sun, and the other two be the moon and earth. We had the earth student orbit the sun at a constant speed. Then we had the moon student go on the outside and pass the earth, then move in between the earth and sun and slow down. This would continue to make the moons path.
This week was pretty successful I think. I now know that the moon, along with the earth, revolves around the sun. All of the other things that we were being taught this week I understand well, so I don't really have any questions yet. The coolest thing about this week is that we were talking about centripital motion with a car attached to a string and now we're talking about centripital motion with things as big as planets.
So from all of the discussing that we did this week, we learned that the earth orbits the sun. The moon also orbits the sun. We learned that the path of the moon makes a certain "flower" shape if we trace it. It is constantly being pulled by the sun and then pulled back by the earth. So the path of the moon is not orbiting the earth, rather it's always "speeding" past the earth and then "slowing" down and getting back in the fast lane.
The demonstration that we did for this concept was we took kids from our class and we had one be the sun, and the other two be the moon and earth. We had the earth student orbit the sun at a constant speed. Then we had the moon student go on the outside and pass the earth, then move in between the earth and sun and slow down. This would continue to make the moons path.
This week was pretty successful I think. I now know that the moon, along with the earth, revolves around the sun. All of the other things that we were being taught this week I understand well, so I don't really have any questions yet. The coolest thing about this week is that we were talking about centripital motion with a car attached to a string and now we're talking about centripital motion with things as big as planets.
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Week 19 Blog Reflection
This week, we learned more about centripital force and now how it affects planets. We learned how the planets orbit around the sun and how our moon also orbits the sun but gets pulled back by the earth. The movement of the planets is just like how things on earth move in a circle on earth.
I know that centripital force is when somethings acceleration is going towards the center of the circle but their inertia wants them to travel tangent to the circle. This is why you get the circular pattern. This is because it is now traveling in between those to directions.
The same kind of thing is happening to the planets right now. As we orbit around the sun, we are being pulled in by it, but are inertia wants it to travel tangential to the orbit. The moons orbit is a little weird because it is orbiting around the sun but it also gets pulled by the earth. So it resembles a car that is constantly trying to pass another car.
We looked at a demonstration of the planets and the moons motion on the computer. That demonstration really helped me learn what the orbit looked like. I believe that I get all thats being taught right now so I don't have any questions yet.
I know that centripital force is when somethings acceleration is going towards the center of the circle but their inertia wants them to travel tangent to the circle. This is why you get the circular pattern. This is because it is now traveling in between those to directions.
The same kind of thing is happening to the planets right now. As we orbit around the sun, we are being pulled in by it, but are inertia wants it to travel tangential to the orbit. The moons orbit is a little weird because it is orbiting around the sun but it also gets pulled by the earth. So it resembles a car that is constantly trying to pass another car.
We looked at a demonstration of the planets and the moons motion on the computer. That demonstration really helped me learn what the orbit looked like. I believe that I get all thats being taught right now so I don't have any questions yet.
Sunday, February 3, 2013
Week 18 Reflection
This week we learned about centripital force. Centripital force is an unbalanced force that is pulling towards the center. An object wants to keep going in the direction that it's headed but it is constantly being pulled towards the center by another force. Thats why if you spin a yo yo around your finger and then you let it go, it will fly in the direction it wants to go.
We demonstrated centripital force by tying up a car that moves in one direction at a constant speed to a pole that was always pulling on it. The car wanted to go straight but it couldn't because of the string that was attached to the pole. But when Mr. Abud cut the string, the car went in a straight direction.
We also demonstrated this by swinging a ball with a string and letting it go. When Mr. Abud let it go when it reached the south position, it flew west. When he let it go in the north position, it flew east. This demonstrated centripital force really well.
We did an experiment where we took a stopper attached to some weights and had a PVC pipe in between them and had to time a full period. A period is one full revolution of the stopper. We also had to measure the radius. All these measurements were to see how fast it went each revolution.
I believe that this week went well. I understand most of what was taught to me. I'm not too sure how I did on the assesment because I wasn't familiar with everything.
We demonstrated centripital force by tying up a car that moves in one direction at a constant speed to a pole that was always pulling on it. The car wanted to go straight but it couldn't because of the string that was attached to the pole. But when Mr. Abud cut the string, the car went in a straight direction.
We also demonstrated this by swinging a ball with a string and letting it go. When Mr. Abud let it go when it reached the south position, it flew west. When he let it go in the north position, it flew east. This demonstrated centripital force really well.
We did an experiment where we took a stopper attached to some weights and had a PVC pipe in between them and had to time a full period. A period is one full revolution of the stopper. We also had to measure the radius. All these measurements were to see how fast it went each revolution.
I believe that this week went well. I understand most of what was taught to me. I'm not too sure how I did on the assesment because I wasn't familiar with everything.
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