Test 1

Here is the FINAL copy of my song...I made it slower to change the wavelengths...and I made the pitch higher and lower on my other copy.  The slow parts are easy to hear, but the high and low parts I wrote on my other blog post.  Here is a link to my song!!

http://www.aviary.com/online/audio-editor?fguid=20892384-540f-11e0-8f7f-1231390ec091#

Song Edits

Sleepy Head.egg on Aviary.

For our science project we had to find five points of frequency and five wavelengths in a song and edit them/change them so that they sounded different.  I chose the song Sleepy Head by Passion Pit.  For mine, the wavelengths were really small, so I made the wavelengths that were all on the same note so that you could tell that it was changed in the song more easily.  Below are the times that I changed the wavelengths.

8-9 seconds: pitch lower
13-14 seconds: pitch lower
18-19 seconds: pitch lower
21.5-23.5: pitch lower
26-28: pitch lower

It doesn't sound very good, but the pitches are changed!  

Parachute Launch

On Friday, we attempted to launch the weather balloon with the camera and the Flip camera.  Sadly, the weather balloon had tons of holes in it, so we couldn't send up the container.  We had to just sent up our parachute, Flying Fergie, all by itself.  Because there was no GPS tracker, we probably won't ever see it again, but it was fun to  make it and we all got a great sense of accomplishment from overcoming all of our last minute problems, and making a functioning parachute!!  I think that the plan from now on is to launch one container and/or parachute each Friday with the iPhone and Flip and then go and get it for the next test run the following Friday.  I think this sounds like a very good plan and I am glad that this whole project isn't over yet!!!  I will let you know how it goes on these Fridays:)

Parachute

Hey guys!! So, our material finally came in and it looks very good and VERY PINK:) Over the past week when Gabby was gone, I did spill hole research (before the material came in.) Then, I cut the spill hole for the actual parachute.  I tried to do the math, but it did not work AT ALL, so I just made it the size of a quarter, so we can make it bigger if we need to.  Then, I made a test parachute that was really small.  I attached a lot of orange string to the sides of the parachute and then taped the other ends to a tennis ball.  At first, I had only four strings, but it didn't work because the sides that weren't attached to string flapped up (so it looked flat.) I ended up attaching four more strings (8 in all.)  We went to the bleachers and tested it and it worked really well!!! It worked really well and it deployed very quickly.  Since it went so well, we think that that is going to be a smaller version of the actual thing.  We will have it done by Monday or Tuesday of next week and then have a couple of days to test!  Everything is going so well with the parachute and we are all very excited!!!

Spill Hole Research

Hey guys! So, since Gabby is gone and our material isn't in yet, I was doing research today about the spill hole and its size.  Every time we did a test run, the spill hole seemed to be too big.

We aren't sure whether or not to even use a spill hole...because we might just scrunch the top of it so that there is more air resistance (because it isn't so smooth.)

I was doing research (on the website below) and it said that the spill hole was about 20% the diameter of the actual canopy.  It is only about 4% of the area, so very very small.

http://www.fruitychutes.com/how_to_make_a_parachute.htm

February 16th ~ Video

Hey guys!  Here is a link to the video of us testing the parachute model.  It wouldn't load into iMovie, so it is about seven minutes, so definitely fast forward through some parts:) We are hoping our material comes in soon so we can start building the actual thing!

Parachute Testing

February 16

Hey everybody!  Today the people in 1st period who are in our group (Maybry, Elizabeth, and Gray) made a parachute and attached it to Ashley's group's container.  They tested it this morning, and then we tested it again.  It worked pretty well, and tells us a lot about how to make the actual one.  The only thing that was that the spill hole was a little bit too big.  If it was smaller, it would have slowed down even more than it already did.  We will upload the video tomorrow during class...after we edit it because it is a little bit toooo long:) We figured out that the spill hole's size is extremely important to the parachute.

We will keep you updated!

Camera Into Space

Right now in science class we are working on sending a camera into space.  We divided up into teams and Gabby, Maybry, Gray, Elizabeth, and I are working on the parachute.  We have been doing research and coming up with what materials we are going to use.  We have a google doc page up that we are working on since we are in different classes.  We have a few ideas about the design and material...

Material: a type of "rip-stop" nylon that is specially used for parachutes, rope that is fairly thick to be able to support it.

Design:

:


Hopefully we will have some more updates soon...maybe pictures of the test runs:)

Balloon Racer

We finally got our balloon racer to work!!!  Here are the calculations...

Mass: 100 grams

Acceleration: 0.24 m/s *squared*

Total net force: 24 N

Pictures:

I was not too happy with Gabby at the moment...

I think that we built like three different cars...and Gabby broke one!!!


















Description: Our balloon racer's body was made out of styrofoam and the wheels were CD's.  To secure the wheels, there were Gatorade tops that kept them in lign.  There were wooden dowels that were the axels for the wheels.  At first, the body was made of cardboard, but it wasn't sturdy enough.  It was also too heavy.  The last thing that we did was put weights (20 grams) on the front to make sure that it went straight.  

Test 10 ~ Objective 6

Objective 6:

1. acid: something that reacts with a base to neutralizes its properties, something that tastes sour, something that reacts with an active metal to liberate hydrogen gas, and something that conducts electricity

2. neutralization: a chemical reaction when an acid and a base react to form salt

3. indicator: a halochromic (when the pH changes, the color also changes) chemical compound that you can add to a solution little by little to see the pH of a solution can be indicated visually

4. corrosive: if something is corrosive, then it will destroy or severely damage another thing when it comes into contact with it

5. hydroxide ion: the negatively charged ion in a water solution of a base (they type of ions that are formed when bases are dissolved in water)

Cites:
http://www.zellescienceblog.blogspot.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neutralization_(chemistry)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PH_indicator
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corrosive_substance
http://www.yourdictionary.com/hydroxide-ion

Test 10 ~ Objective 5

Objective 5:

1. The two parts of digestion are mechanical and chemical.

2. Mechanical digestion requires "manual" labor, like by chewing.  Chemical digestion is when there is hydrochloric acid in your stomach and small intestine.

3. Well, if someone can't chew their own food, then their body can't preform mechanical digestion, so their body has to preform a lot more chemical digestion, which could maybe be overworked.

4. The pH in your mouth is 7.  The pH in your stomach is 1.5 .  The pH in your small intestine is 8.

5. Different enzymes work better with different pH values, and enzymes evolved in digestion can effect reactions within and outside of cells.

Cites:
www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/biology/.../digestive/index.shtml
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_difference_between_mechanical_digestion_and_chemical_digestion#ixzz16btmgJUm
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_ph_in_your_mouth
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_pH_of_the_stomach
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_ph_of_your_small_intestine
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_is_pH_important_during_digestion

Test 10 ~ Objective 4

Objective 4:

1. The common ion found in all acids is H+.

2. When acids and bases dissolve in water, acids form hydrogen ions (hydrogens that have lost their electron), and bases form hydroxide ions.

3. The ions that the acid NHO3 will form after being dissolved in water are H + NO3.

4. A substance's pH tells you the amount of H+ ions there are in it.  If the pH is higher lower that 7, it is an acid, and if it is higher, it is a base.

5. When the pH is low, the concentration of hydrogen is higher.... so the pH of 3 would have more hydrogen ions.  Basically, when the pH is lower than 7, there are more hydrogen ions that hydroxide ions (because anything with a pH lower than 7 is an acid, and when acids dissolve in water, they form hydrogen ions... so there are more.)  Similarly, when the pH is higher than 7, there are more hydroxide ions than hydrogen ions for the same reasons.

Cites:
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_ion_is_present_in_all_acidic_solutions
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_happens_when_acids_and_bases_dissolve_in_water
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080108190009AA0Uied
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090102141813AAr1kRp
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_solution_has_a_greater_concentration_of_hydrogen_ions_a_solution_with_a_pH_of_3_of_a_pH_of_7_Explain

Test 10 ~ Objective 3

Objective 3:

1. The four properties of acids are that they are sour tasting, conduct electricity, they react to a base to neutralize its properties, and acts reacts with active metals to liberate hydrogen gas.

2. The four properties of bases are that they are bitter tasting, conduct electricity, they react to acids to neutralized its properties, and feels slippery to the skin

3. You can use the litmus paper by pouring the acid or base onto it, and you can see wether it is an acid or a base by what color the paper turns.  If it turns red, it is an acid, and if the paper turns blue, it is a base.

4. You can tell if a food contains acid because it will taste sour (like I said in number one.)  An example of a drink that contains acid is orange juice, and it can be very sour.  

5. It is important to wear gloves when you are spreading fertilizer in the garden because there are chemicals that will burn or irritate your hands.  Maybe there are acids in the fertilizer that could burn you.

Cites:

http://plaza.obu.edu/corneliusk/ps/chem/a_b.pdf 

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_can_you_use_litmus_paper_to_distinguish_an_acid_from_a_base 

http://homegarden.me/why-is-it-wise-to-wear-gloves-when-spreading-fertilizer-in-a-garden/ 

Test 10 ~ Objective 2

Objective 2:


1. Concentration is the measure of how much of another substance is in a different substance. To measure, you need to know the ratio of the solvent to the solute.


2. Solubility can be useful in finding the substances because it is a characteristic of common matter.  The common characteristic of solubility can be used to figure out how much of a certain substance can be dissolved in the solvent.  So, if you know the solubility, then you know how much of a solute can be added to the solvent until it is at its maximum concentration, which I talked about in the first question.  


3. The three factors that affect solubility are temperature, pressure, and polarity.


4. Heat is needed to break the bonds that holds the molecules together, and solubility depends on heat.


5. Solubility is helpful in seeing the substances because you can see how much of something is able to be dissolved in it.


Cites:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concentration

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Why_is_solubility_useful_in_identifying_substances
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solubility

http://www.solubilityofthings.com/basics/factors_affecting_solubility.php 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solubility#Temperature

Test 10 ~ Objective 1

Objective 1:

1. In a solution, the solute particles have much smaller molecules than colloids and suspensions.  It is a "homogeneous mixture" (is uniform in composition) of more than on substance.  A few examples are salt, water, and sugar.  Colloids are dispersed evenly throughout a substance.  An example of this is milk.  Suspensions are also homogeneous fluids that are too big for sedimentation.

2. When a solution is formed, the particles of the solute leave each other and become part of the solvent.

3.  The solute lowers the freezing point of water because it is applied to a colligative property, which means that it depends on the number of dissolved particles in a substance, not the actual identity of the solutes (an example is the freezing point of salt water is lower than the freezing point of water because the salt dissolves into the water.)  It will raise the boiling point for the same reason.

4. You would make a solution because the food coloring is obviously UNIFORMLY spreading through the water to make it blue.

5.  The solute lowers the freezing point of water because it is applied to a colligative property, which means that it depends on the number of dissolved particles in a substance, not the actual identity of the solutes (an example is the freezing point of salt water is lower than the freezing point of water because the salt dissolves into the water.)  It will raise the boiling point for the same reason.

Cites:
http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/sci/A0861175.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solutions
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colloids
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/suspensions
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_happens_to_the_solute_particles_when_a_solution_forms
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/You_mix_food_coloring_in_water_to_make_it_blue_haveyou_made_a_solution_or_a_suspension
http://www.chemistryexplained.com/Ce-Co/Colligative-Properties.html

Test 9 ~ Objective 5

Objective 5:

1. Heat engines use thermal energy by expanding the gas.  It causes the pistol to move down, so it lights the spark plug.  They also turn it into mechanical energy.

2. Internal combustion engines are when the burning (combustion) of the fuel happens when the air gets into a combustion chamber.  They use radiation for thermal energy.  External combustion engines use the external heat to "energize" an internal fluid.  These two are alike because they both use heat to run.

3. I think that modern cars use the internal combustion engines because these engines use a very common resource (air) to run, so it costs less money.

4. Unlike what we think, the refrigerator takes out all of the hot air, rather than putting cold air inside.  This causes it to be cold.

5. A compressor in a refrigerator is the motor to the cooling system.  This usually only runs when the thermostat of the refrigerator tells it to.  If there was no compressor, all of the food would get hot because it wouldn't run when the thermostat told it to.


Cites:
http://www.ehow.com/how-does_4926292_car-engine-piston-work.html http://wiki.answers.com/Q/In_a_heat_engine_what_happens_to_thermal_energy_that_is_converted_from_chemical_energy
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heat_engine
http://www.alternatefuelsworld.com/heat-engines-part-3.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internal_combustion_engine
http://www.repairclinic.com/Refrigerator-How-Things-Work?red=#acompressor

Test 9 ~ Objective 4

Objective 4:

1. Temperature causes matter to change state (if it warms up, it gets closer to a gas, and if it gets cooler, it gets closer to a solid.)

2. As thermal energy increases, the matter begins to eat up.  If it is a solid, it becomes a liquid.  If it is a liquid, then it becomes a gas.

3. The temperature of matter stays the same because all of the temperature's energy is being put into the matter because it is changing its' state.

4. A solid melts because of the thermal energy acting on it.  It causes the molecules to heat up and to start bouncing around.  It basically expands and then melts away.

5. You have to poke holes in potatoes because they have so much water inside of them.  When it gets really hot, it turns into steam.  If the steam doesn't have a way out, it might explode.... so you poke holes in it to prevent it from exploding.  

Cites:

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_causes_matter_to_change_state

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_happens_to_the_particles_of_a_solid_as_the_thermal_energy_of_the_substance_increases

http://www.ansleydevore.blogspot.com/

Test 9 ~ Objective 3

Objective 3:

1. The three types of heat transfer are conduction, convection, and radiation.

2. Heat moves from places where there is a lot of heat to places where there isn't a lot of heat (from high concentration to low concentration.)

3. Conductors make it easier for energy to pass through them, and insulators (most solid matters) make it harder for energy to go through them.  

4. A copper pipe would work better as a conductor because it has a lot of free electrons that can make the energy flow quicker and more efficient.  Their electrons are in a cloud, so they aren't tightly packed.

5. If I were in the forest, I would build a fire instead of putting up a tent.  If I made a tent, that would be conduction (atoms are in close proximity).  This would help me because I would be insulated, which can be, in some ways, the best form of heat.  If I built a fire (which I would), then that would be radiation (comes from the sun and travels in waves).  The fire would give off warm air, which would help to keep me warm.

Cites:
http://www.tapinsulation.com/heat.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heat_transfer
http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/electric/conins.html
http://www.highsierraadventures.com/skills/survival.htm

Test 9 ~ Objective 2

Objective 2:

1. Thermometers measure temperature by telling how fast the particles inside of the object are moving.  Thermometers use mercury, which expands when it gets hot and gets smaller when it cools down.

2.  Kelvin and Celsius scales are the same because, although they have different zero points, they still have the same intervals, or degrees.  They are different because they are on different scales (288 degrees Kelvin = 15 degrees Celsius = 59 degrees Fahrenheit.) Also, Kelvin isn't really a "degree" of temperature, like Fahrenheit and Celsius.

3. 5 degrees Celsius = 41 degrees Fahrenheit

4. 860 degrees Fahrenheit = 460 degrees Celsius

5. The temperature needs to be raised by 209,000 K.

Cites:
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_do_thermometers_measure_temperature
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temperature_measurement#Comparison_of_temperature_scales
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_are_the_three_temperature_scales_alike
http://geography.about.com/c/ht/00/07/How_Convert_Celsius_Fahrenheit0962932697.htm
http://www.ansleydevore.blogspot.com/ (hahah... since you used mine, I can use yours... that last problem.... whewww!!!!)

Test 9 ~ Objective 1

Objective 1:

1. The three common temperature scales are Fahrenheit, Celsius, and Kelvin.

2. Thermal energy is ALL of the energy of the particles that make up an object.  Temperature is the measure of how fast or slow particles are moving inside of an object.  Heat is the transfer of thermal energy from different objects.  Thermal energy is related to heat because heat measures the transfer of thermal energy.  Thermal energy relates to temperature because temperature measures how much thermal energy a particle has.

3. Specific heat is the amount of heat that is needed to raise the temperature of an object.  An example of something that has a high specific heat is water, because, since it has such strong hydrogen bonds, it needs more energy (heat) to spread the hydrogens out.

4. An ice cube melts in your hand because it is very cold and its particles aren't moving very fast and, when it is put in a human's hand (has heat because of our body heat), it causes the ice cube to get warmer, and it reacts to heating up by melting.

5. One reason some objects get hotter more quickly than others is their "specific heat capacity," or how much heat is needed to raise the temperature of an object (if it has a high specific heat capacity, then it needs more energy to raise its temperature.)  Another reason is how much moisture is in an object.  For example, you can put some plastic dishes in the microwave because they are made with less water and moisture, so they have a higher specific heat (so they can stay in the microwave longer without getting too hot.)

Cites:
http://abyss.uoregon.edu/~js/glossary/temperature_scale.html
http://www.bristolaggie.mec.edu/school/Velozo/Chapter6.htm
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Why_does_water_have_a_high_and_specific_heat_capacity
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100125182103AAM1DPs