Sunday, May 30, 2010
Sunday, May 16, 2010
From Space To Sea
Lately, some of NASA's missions have been underwater instead of space. NASA is experimenting, or recreating, some of the same experiences, from space, underwater. It is called NEEMO. The latest mission was launched on May 10th. A group of 6 scientists, lab technicians, and astronauts will "live" in Aquarius Underwater Laboratory for 14 days. This Lab is located near Largo, Florida and is 62 feet below the ocean's surface.Aquarius will give the squad a chance to test low-gravity surroundings, just like the moon and the planets. Furthermore, another experiment is what it feels like to live in a tiny, detached environment for a lengthy period of time. The most important idea is to learn to work as a team. This will help the astronauts when they go on space missions to the ISS or the moon. Lastly, they crew is also studying a the marine life.
"Even though we are working on stimlating a space mission, we are alsoWearing special equipment, the squad will perform 24 "spacewalks" underwater. They will treat the equipment and the drive the vehicals as if they were on the moon. Wearing special diving suits the team will adjust the gravity just like it is in space. These experiments will help NASA design better spacesuits for the future. NASA hopes to learn very much by this experience.
evaluating the underwater envioronment and looking at the health of the coral
reef," says engineer Heather Paul, who is part of the shore-based crew.
www.timeforkids.com/TFK/kids/news/story/0,28277,1988927,00.htmlhttp://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/technology/diving/aquarius/media/aquarius_port_side_600.jpg
http://www.sti.nasa.gov/tto/Spinoff2006/images/p092-0109_img_20.jpg
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Air Pressure (Read About It)
Answers
1a. Air pressure is the result of the weight of a column of air pushing down on an area.
1b. Increasing the density of a gas affects its pressure because the mass of the air is its density, so when they density is increased the mas increases. When the mass increases so the pressure.
2a. Two instrument used to measure air pressure are Mercury Barometers and Aneroid Barometers.
2b. The units commonly used to measure air pressure are millibars and inches.
2c. About 922 millibars equal 27.23 inches of mercury.
3a. Altitude, or elevation, is the distance above sea level, the average level of the surface of the oceans
3b. As altitude increases, air pressure decreases and so does density. The air has less weight pressing on it as the altitude increases. The density decreases because the molecules are farther apart at higher altitude.
3c. If I carried a barometer down a mine shaft, I would expect the air pressure to increase because the lower the altitude the higher the air pressure and density. The mine shaft is a book on the bottom of the pile, so it has to carry the weight of the other books on top of it. Air pressure is just like that, it increases when the elevation is lower and decreases when the elevation is higher. A mine shaft is below sea level, so I would expect the density and air pressure to be higher.
Heat Transfer Activity (Interactive)
When I learned about conduction, convection, and radiation in class I wasn't sure I understood what they were. This activity helped me understand the terms and their meanings more clearly. To begin with, I learned that convection is when heat is transferred by a liquid/fluid such as water. Furthermore, conduction, I learned, is when heat is passed by touching a substance. Lastly, I learned that radiation is when heat moves without having to touch or transfer through an object. An example is Space, heat travels in outer space without having to touch an object. Like when UV rays travel from the Sun to the Earth they don't have to transfer through a fluid or touch an object. They just come, this is probably called radiation. This activity was funny and enjoyable to do. That is what I learned from doing this activity.
Temperature Game (Interactive)
There are numerous facts that I learned about temperature when doing the interactive activity. To begin with, I learned that temperature is really the rate at which the atoms or molecules move in a substance. Next, I learned that when we measure temperature, we are actually measuring the rate at which molecules or atoms are moving in the substance. Furthermore, I read that there is a third temperature measurement scale called Kelvin. The degree symbol, I comprehended, is not used in the Kelvin scale and the scale is mostly used by scientists. Moreover, I learned that space is -270 degrees C! I never imagined space being that cold. Lastly, I acquired, that Death Valley is 56 degrees C!! It must be very hot there, for I can't imagine 56 degrees C. That's the knowledge that I acquired after doing the temperature game.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Physik
A book I am reading is Physik by Angie Sage. This book connects to science very clearly. In this book Septimus Heap is pulled back in time 500 years by force, where he learns the art of Physic. When he is back in his own time he makes an antidote for a Sickness that is lingering in his own time. He successfully accomplishes his task of making a potion to help prevent the Sickness. He is technically a physician. Physic has everything to do with science. Physics involves formulas, equations, chemicals, and solid substances. All these terms were taught by my science teacher, so they have everything to do with science. Ultimately, this book is clearly related to science.Sunday, March 21, 2010
Chile's Earthquake
It might seem impossible, but an earthquake actually moved numerous cities in South America. The 8.8 magnitude earthquake that hit Chile moved the Chilean city of Concepcion for about at least 10 feet to the west. This 5th most powerful quake measured shifted other parts of South America as well. For example: Buenos Aires 1 inches to the west, Chile's capital, Santiago, 11inches to the southwest, and greatly moved the cities of Valparaiso and Mendoza, Argentina, too. The earthquake occurred off the coast of the Maule region of Chile. The Nazca tectonic plates and the South American plates rubbed together to create tension between them. Not only did the earthquake moved cities, it also permanently changed the axis and the rotation of Earth. Scientists say that an average day on Earth should have been shortened by 1.26 microseconds after the earthquake. Furthermore, the 7th strongest earthquake in the recorded history, has now permanently changed the Earth's axis by 3inches. The scientists say that the rotation might smooth out, but it is too early to tell.
All earthquakes have had a huge impact on the whole world. I am just really worried that is natural forces like these keep reoccurring it might destroy Earth totally. Whatever is causing all these earthquakes and other natural disasters has to be put to a stop because I have noticed that earthquakes are occuring very frequently. That's why this force should be put to a stop.
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