Friday, May 9, 2014

Rube Goldberg Reflection


     Our task was to create a Rube Goldberg device to trigger something as simple as opening a book, making a coffee, or even just turning on a light. Our idea for our Rube Goldberg device was to have it turn the page in a book, using 15 steps. We started by drawing our design, and then we started building it. We started with dominoes as our first step, triggered by a swinging pendulum. The dominoes then went on to knock a marble out of its track, which went down a slide, knocking a weight off the table. this weight was then supposed to trigger a series of events which eventually ended with a piece of string pulling the page over.

     We were unable to actually finish our Rube Goldberg because of the fact that other classes and groups kept taking parts from our project making it impossible to make any progress. Our group worked pretty well together. We all participated, and helped each other through every step in the project. I liked the idea of the project and I wouldn't mind doing something like it again in the future.

Friday, April 11, 2014

Rube Goldberg and Simple machines

Journal Entry: Energy Transfer and Simple Machine Learning


Inclined Plane
A plane is a flat surface. For example, a smooth board is a plane. Now, if the plane is lying flat on the ground, it isn't likely to help you do work. However, when that plane is inclined, or slanted, it can help you move objects across distances. And, that's work! A common inclined plane is a ramp. Lifting a heavy box onto a loading dock is much easier if you slide the box up a ramp--a simple machine. 
A wedge
Wedge
Instead of using the smooth side of the inclined plane, you can also use the pointed edges to do other kinds of work. For example, you can use the edge to push things apart. Then, the inclined plane is a wedge. So, a wedge is actually a kind of inclined plane. An axe blade is a wedge. Think of the edge of the blade. It's the edge of a smooth slanted surface. That's a wedge!
A Screw
Screw
Now, take an inclined plane and wrap it around a cylinder. Its sharp edge becomes another simple tool: the screw. Put a metal screw beside a ramp and it's kind of hard to see the similarities, but the screw is actually just another kind of inclined plane.  to help you visualize. How does the screw help you do work? Every turn of a metal screw helps you move a piece of metal through a wooden space. And, that's how we build things! 
A lever
Lever
Try pulling a really stubborn weed out of the ground. You know, a deep, persistent weed that seems to have taken over your flowerbed. Using just your bare hands, it might be difficult or even painful. With a tool, like a hand shovel, however, you should win the battle. Any tool that pries something loose is a lever. A lever is an arm that "pivots" (or turns) against a "fulcrum" (or point). Think of the claw end of a hammer that you use to pry nails loose. It's a lever. It's a curved arm that rests against a point on a surface. As you rotate the curved arm, it pries the nail loose from the surface. And that's hard work!
A wheel and axle
Wheel and Axle
The rotation of the lever against a point pries objects loose. That rotation motion can also do other kinds of work. Another kind of lever, the wheel and axle, moves objects across distances. The wheel, the round end, turns the axle, the cylindrical post, causing movement. On a wagon, for example, the bucket rests on top of the axle. As the wheel rotates the axle, the wagon moves. Now, place your pet dog in the bucket, and you can easily move him around the yard. On a truck, for example, the cargo hold rests on top of several axles. As the wheels rotate the axles, the truck moves.
A pulley
Pulley
Instead of an axle, the wheel could also rotate a rope or cord. This variation of the wheel and axle is the pulley. In a pulley, a cord wraps around a wheel. As the wheel rotates, the cord moves in either direction. Now, attach a hook to the cord, and you can use the wheel's rotation to raise and lower objects. On a flagpole, for example, a rope is attached to a pulley. On the rope, there are usually two hooks. The cord rotates around the pulley and lowers the hooks where you can attach the flag. Then, rotate the cord and the flag raises high on the pole.



















Friday, March 28, 2014

Newtons laws Assessment

1. What are the relationships between forces and motion? 

Force is the amount of pressure applied. motion is a movement.
Ex: Swinging a hammer is an example of force. Hitting a nail is an example of motion.

2. What are the variables that affect motion and force? 

Initial speed, acceleration, and friction are the variables that affect motion and force.

3. How does Newton’s three laws describe the motion of a moving 
object? 

objects in motion stay in motion unless some force is applied. The objects weight, acceleration, and the force applied affect the force and motion.


4. How does gravity impact objects?

it can effect the speed, velocity, and direction in which the object moves.

Friday, January 10, 2014

Chemistry of Life


The chemistry of life is important to us because our bodies depend on certain things in order to survive. Proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, oxygen, carbon, hydrogen and nitrogen are necessary for our bodies in order for them to function properly.

Friday, December 6, 2013

chemical reactions

We placed steel wool over a bunson burner, and as a result it slowly deteriorated. The steel wool turned a blueish color.

We placed a nail in copper chloride and it turned a reddish brown color, because it stripped the ions.

Friday, October 25, 2013

Flame lab explanation

The flame test is used to determine the identity of an unknown metal or metalloid based on the color the salt changes the flame of the bunsen burner. The heat from the flame excites the ions and makes it change colors. The light spectra can be used to determine the identity of some elements.

Monday, October 7, 2013

video reflection

At first in the video he was talking about how things in the universe start off really complex and get more simple as time goes on.  He then went on to talk about how all matter in space was created 16 billion years ago. This is known as the Big bang theory. Immediatly after the big bang happened particles were cooled and formed, creating subatomic particle clouds that formed  stars and galaxies.