Plasticity Lab

In science class we recently did a lab on plasticity and how it relates to the earth's mantle. First, we gathered our materials: cornstarch, water, two small beakers, a spoon, a tray, an eyedropper, and food coloring. After that we put cornstarch in one beaker and water in the other. Then we put the water, and food coloring into the beaker with cornstarch in it and stirred it until it made an unusual substance. When I rolled the substance between my palms it became a solid ball, sort of like play dough. However, the moment I stopped applying this heat and pressure to the substance it melted in to a liquidy gel-like material. I would describe this mixture as both a solid and a liquid. I have never seen anything like it before. When I put my finger in slowly it sunk into the mixture but when I put it in fast it did not. The reason that this relates to the earth's mantle is because the plasticity demonstrated by this lab is also the plasticity that is present in the upper part of the earth's mantle. All in all, this was a very fun and interesting lab.

October Sky

Recently I have watched the movie October Sky in school. In this movie a poor boy- Homer- lived in a small mining town. The only way to get out of the town was to get a football scholarship and Homer was not very good at football. However, Homer has bigger plans and ambitions than working in the mines for the rest of his life. After seeing Sputnik shoot across the sky, Homer gets interested in rocket building and wins a scholarship based on academic achievement against the odds. He makes a future for himself and accomplishes his goal of helping make full sized rockets when he joined the N.A.S.A. program. There were many connections to science and math in this intriguing movie. Homer must use a complicated series of science and math to build his rockets and make sure that they shoot into the air not fall back down or explode. He was inspired to start building these rockets when the Russians built the Sputnik satellite and Homer saw it. Homer did not want to end up working in the family business, coal mining, because of health dangers such as the risks of cancer, black lung disease, and accidents. At first authorities thought that one of his rockets caused a forest fire but by making a mathematical equation Homer realized that his rocket could not have landed where the authorities said it did and he found it sitting in a nearby stream, proving that his rocket in fact, did not start the forest fire. Homer entered his rocket in a science fair and he won, earning himself a scholarship so that he could go to collage. However, it was not just science and math that were demonstrated in this movie, there were many displays of character education. It took cooperation for Homer and his friends to become a rocket building team. It was very assertive of Homer's mother to stand up to her husband when he did not support Homer's decision to build rockets. Even though his father did not respect Homer's decision to build rockets, Homer was always very respectful to his father and showed a lot of self-control. Homer's father only respected Homer when he was working in the mines. Homer showed empathy towards his teacher when he found out about her illness. Homer was a kind person who had a dream and was determined to persevered to the end until he accomplished that dream. Personally, I thought that October Sky is a good movie and that Homer is an ideal example of if you follow your dream and try hard you can accomplish your goals.

Genetic Disorder Response Blog

I read ILuvShockey's blog on Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease. The blog was very interesting and I learned a lot from it. As it states in the blog, people with Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease have weakened lower leg muscles, and disabilities of the hands and feet. This disease also affects motor and sensory nerves. Because of this, people with Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease have serious trouble doing everyday tasks such as getting dressed or brushing their teeth. There is no known cure at the present time but I hope they find one. However, there are treatments that can help people with this disease. It is extremely sad that some people have to go through so much trouble just to live their everyday life.

Turners Syndrome

Turners Syndrome is one of the many genetic disorders in the world. A genetic disorder is a condition caused by an absent or defective gene. Female’s genes are XX and male’s genes are XY. Turners Syndrome occurs when a female is missing one X gene or when one of the X genes is incomplete. It can also occur when some of the cells have two X genes and some cells have one. This disease affects only females. Unfortunately, one in every two thousand five hundred female births worldwide have this condition. Sadly, ninety-eight percent of unborn babies with Turners Syndrome die before birth. This disease was discovered in 1938 when Henrey Turner had seven patients come to him with dwarfism and lack of develpment.

There are many symptoms and possible complications that result from having Turners Syndrome. People with Turners Syndrome often have behavioral problems, learning disabilities, clumsiness, and poor coordination. Having a low hairline, drooping eyelids, a short neck, a broad chest, extra skin on the neck, hand swelling, and foot swelling are physical signs of this disease. It is also extremely common for people with Turners Syndrome to be very short. Girls with this tragic disease often have serious health complications such as kidney problems, developmental delay, scoliosis, heart defects, lack of ovaries, infertility, and skeletal problems. Unfortunately, there is no cure for Turners Syndrome. However, there are treatments. Growth hormone injections can help girls with Turners Syndrome grow taller and estrogen replacement therapy can help them to live a more normal life.

Overall, it is so unfortunate that some people have to live with a disabling disease such as Turners Syndrome. I cannot imagine what it would be like to have a genetic disorder such as Turners Syndrome. Learning about the people who have to face complications and struggle just to get through everyday life made me realize how lucky I am. All in all it is extremely sad that some people have to go through so much trouble just to live a normal life.

http://www.medicinenet.com/turner_syndrome/article.htm

http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/t/turner_syndrome/symptoms.htm

Socail Studies Blog- State

Lately in Newark there has been an outburst of crime, particularly shootings. On the night of February twenty-fourth five people in a West Ward housing complex were shot. That makes the weekly total of people injured by gunfire in Newark fifteen people. The shootings took place a little before 9:30 p.m. in Georgia King Village. The police have no suspects, leads on a motive, or arrests. These sort of things are not uncommon, though, this was the third multiple shooting incident in less than a week. It is awful that there is so much violence in the world and somebody should be trying to lower crime rates.

http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/jersey/index.ssf?/base/news-12/123553954738630.xml&coll=1

My Roller Coaster Website

The Racer

Class Response Science Blog #2

Recently in Science class we have been building roller coasters out of everyday supplies such as soda bottles, cardboard boxes, and paper towel rolls. Then we would see if a marble could get all the way through the roller coaster. These roller coasters displayed friction, force, and Newton's three laws of motion. Friction slowed down the marble as it was progressing through the roller coaster because friction is when the imperfections and ridges on objects rub against each other causing the objects to slow down. The marble used force as it was being pushed down the roller coaster because force is a push or a pull. Newton's first law of motion is shown on my roller coaster because the car keeps moving until it is slowed down by friction and then finally stopped at the end of the roller coaster. This is because Newton's first law of motion says that an object in motion will stay in motion and an object at rest will stay at rest until an unbalanced force is acted upon it. According to Newton's first law of motion the marble would have continued moving through the roller coaster forever had it not been acted upon by friction. Newton's second law of motion is shown on my roller coaster because the amount of force of the marble is equal to the the amount that the car accelerated times the mass of the marble. This is because Newton's second law of motion says that force equals mass times acceleration. Newton's third law of motion is shown on my roller coaster because the marble is exerting force on the roller coaster and the roller coaster is exerting force on the marble. This is because Newton's third law of motion says that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. As you can see, my roller coaster is a perfect example of an easy way to display many elements of science.

Local Current Event S.S. Blog- SB Students Witness histori Moment

The morning of January 18, 2009 a group of forty-four students from South Brunswick High School and six chaperones left for Washington D.C. to see the Presidential Inauguration. During their four day trip they visited many locations such as monuments and the National Portrait Gallery. The trip was expensive at five hundred and twenty five dollars per student but they felt that it was worth it to see that influential moment in history in person. The group had to wake up at four in the morning and it was extremely cold but in the end it was worth it. Many students were touched by President Obama's speech. For instance, junior Saadia Ahmad said ”So much of what he said I felt applied directly to me. I felt what he said and I was shivering, but not from the cold. When you’re moved by something and it gets to you, it just makes you think everything applies to your own life and you want to try to make a difference.” Saadia also said ”The whole time I knew that this was something really important. I just focused on everything that happened so when I look back on this in 20 or 30 years I’ll remember how I felt that day. It’s something that I always want to remember.” All in all, this trip was defiantly a day that all forty-four students will remember.

http://www.centraljersey.com/articles/2009/01/28/south_brunswick_post/news/doc4980d5734f93c267502322.txt

Current Event Science Blog

Mount Redoubt, a volcano in Alaska, is expected to erupt extremely soon. In fact, scientists predict that this could happen within days or weeks. Scientists expect this because there have been a lot of little earthquakes and the magma is nearing the surface. This is a risk because Mount Redoubt is only about one hundred miles southwest of Anchorage. When the volcano erupts it could send huge clouds of ash all over Alaska. Judging from past eruptions this ash could shoot up to forty thousand feet in the air. Ash is mostly made of silica which is similar to tiny pieces of glass. The ash would take about three hours to reach Anchorage. Ash could be a concern because ash can be dangerous to breathe in and can damage cars if it gets into the engines. A dangerous effect of ash is that it can get ruin or stall the engines on planes. That is why no planes will be allowed to fly in the area if the volcano erupts.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/science/02/02/alaska.volcano/index.html

Class Response Science Blog

Right now in science class we are learning about refraction, reflection, and the electromagnetic spectrum.

Refraction is when energy changes speed as it travels from one matter to another causing the energy to change direction. Refraction only happens when the energy hits the new matter at an angle. This is why it is hard to continue riding a skateboard in a straight line when you go from riding it on the sidewalk to riding it on the grass. This is also why images appear to be broken when they are partially under water and partially in the air.

Reflection is when an image reflects off a surface back into your eye reflection happens every time you look into a mirror or any reflective surface.

The electromagnetic spectrum is the range of all the possible radiation frequencies. It includes radio waves, microwaves, infrared rays, visible light, ultraviolet rays, x-rays, and gamma rays. Radio waves have the longest wavelength and gamma rays have the shortest wavelength. Visible light takes up only a very small portion of the electromagnetic spectrum but it is the only part of the spectrum that our eyes can see.

Social Studies National Blog- Presedential Inauguration

On Tuesday November 20th president-elect Barack Obama was inaugurated. At the National Mall Obama made his inaugural address and took the oath of office officially becoming the president of the United States of America. Then there was a parade then an inaugurational ball. President Obama is the first African American ever to become president so this was an extremely important moment in history.

President Obama gave an well written and very inspiring inaugurational address. It was really nice that he mentioned helping poor nations because I think that charity is important. One of my favorite lines from his speech was " Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real, they are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this America: They will be met." I liked this quote because it shows that he plans to do something about the crisis America is in and I think that it was really well said. I also think it was good that he mentioned some of the things he planned to do for our country because they were all good ideas. He also mentioned the problems America has to face and that "This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed, why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall. And why a man whose father less than 60 years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath." because these are important parts of his presidency. All in all, Obama's speech was well written and very inspiring.

http://media.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/documents/Obama_Inaugural_Address_012009.html

On Tuesday January 20th in front of about one and a half million people Barack Obama officially became president of the United States of America at the National Mall. Obama is the first African American president and has huge challenges to face. but Obama says that America will get through the tough times and that "Greatness is never a given. It must be earned." The crowd at the National Mall was so huge that some people were more than a mile away from the swearing in ceremony and had to watch it on huge televisions all over the National Mall. This is a huge and important event in America's history

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/01/20/obama.inauguration/index.html

In my opinion the inauguration of president Obama was important event in our history and it is wonderful that we finally have an African American president. I also think that Obama's speech was really good, inspirational, and well written. I know that Obama has many challenges to face and I hope that he solves them. I think that Obama is going to be a great president.

Current Event Science Blog

Nowadays designers are incorporating technology in to their clothing more and more often. An example of this new technology is the M-Dress this dress doubles a a telephone and when it rings you raise your hand to answer the phone. This dress works with any standered SIM card and was produced by UK firm CuteCircuit. Jane McCann who is the director of Smart Clothes and Wearable Technology at the University of Wales predicts that in the near future clothing could have functions such as helping you find your way somewhere, telling you how fit you are, telling you where someone is, or telling you whats on at a museum or club. She also says that while the fitness industry has made alot in the way of wearable tachnology the fashion industry is lagging behind. McCann also predicts that custmization will become popular. Thefashion industry typically uses technology for looks not function. All in all, in the next ten years clothing could be for alot more than just wearing.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/science/10/24/future.fashion/index.html

Current Event Blog #2

Scientists have found a creature that there has not been a live sighting of in over eighty years. Some people thought that the wide eyed primate had gone extinct. The scientists found this creature called pygmy tarsiers or Tarsius pumilus at the Lore Lindu National Park on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi. Pygmy tarsiers have a huge resemblance to the electronic toy called Furby. They have dense fur, large protruding eyes, and they weigh about fifty kilograms or one point seven ounces. The pygmy tarsier has claws instead of fingernails which is unusual for a primate. The pygmy tarsiers features are similar to the Philippines tarsiers features except that the pygmy tarsier is only half the size of the Philippines tarsier. All in all, the pygmy tarsier is a very interesting creature.

Right now in class we are learning about symbiotic relationships. Symbiosis is a close relationship between two organism where one organism lives near, on, or even inside another organism. In symbiosis at least one organism has to benefit from the relationship. There are three types of symbiotic relationships: Mutualism, commensalism, and parasitism. Mutualism is when both organisms benefit from their symbiotic relationship. Commensalism is when one organism benefits from the symbiotic relationship and the other organism is not harmed. Parasitism is when one organism benefits from the symbiotic relationship and the other organism is not harmed. An example of mutualism would be honey bees and flowers because both the honey bees and the flower benefit in this relationship. An example of commensalism would be humans and the mites that live at the base of your eyebrows because the mites are helped by this relationship and the human is not harmed or helped. An example of parasitism would be a dog and a flea because the flea is helped but the dog is harmed. All in all, I think that symbiosis is a very interesting topic to learn about.

Is scotch tape also an x-ray?

Scientists have discovered that scotch tape can make x-rays. Fifty years ago Russian scientists found that you can get evidence of x-rays from peeling tape off of glass. Now scientists have found that you can get a lot of x-rays if you peel scotch tape in a vacuum; in fact some researchers even made an x-ray of their fingers using that method. The tape did not make any x-rays where there was air though. In a new study the scotch tape was peeled off the roll at about one point two inches per second and pulses of x-rays, that were about one billionth of a second long each, came from very close to where the tape was being peeled. Then the electrons jumped from the top of the tape to the sticky part which was about two thousandths of an inch apart and slowed down. When they slowed down it caused x-rays to come off the tape. People are thinking about how this new discovery could be used to make an inexpensive x-ray machine for where electricity is to expensive or to hard to get. Jamies Hevezi says that this new discovery is "a very interesting idea, and I think it should be carried further in research."

Class Response Blog- Ecology

In science class we are learning about ecology. Here are a couple of important terms we are learning about:
environment- all of the living and nonliving things that an organism may interact with
ecology- the study of the relationships of living things with one another and of living things with their environment
ecosystem- a unit that consists of all the living and nonliving that interact with one another in a given area
community- the part of an ecosystem that is living
population- a group of organisms that are in the same species and that live in the same area
habitat- the place where an organism lives and gets the resources it needs to survive
producer- an organism that can make its own food by using a source of energy to turn raw materials into food
consumer- an organism that is not able to make its own food
decomposer- an an organism that breaks down dead organisms bodies into simpler substances
food chain- a representation of a series of events when food energy and matter are transferred from one organism to another
food web- a diagram that has many overlapping food cahins in it

Conduction, Convection, and Radiation

The three types of heat transfer in the atmosphere are conduction, convection, and radiation. Conduction is when heat energy directly transfers from one substance to another. An example of conduction would be when air comes into contact with the warm ground the air is heated. Soil, water, and air and poor conductors of heat, however, so conduction has a minimal effect in heating the land, ocean, and atmosphere. Another type of heat transfer is convection. Convection is when heat is transferred through a liquid (gas or liquid) such as air. An example of convection would be the air near the earths surface is heated is gets less dense and rises while cooler air from above sinks. The last type of heat transfer is radiation. Radiation is when heat energy is transferred through empty space. Radiation does not need a solid, liquid or gas to go through so it can travel through a vacuum. An example of radiation would be when heat from the sun travels to the earth. These are the three ways for heat to be transferred.

Wind

Recently in Science we have been learning about wind. Wind is caused by changes of temperature in the atmosphere; land heats up faster than water but water holds temperature better than land. The two major types of wind are global winds and local winds. Global winds go in a particular direction while local winds can blow any way. One type of global winds are trade winds. Trade winds are warm, steady breezes that occur between 0-30 degrees latitude. When the trade winds coming from the north and the south meet they create an area of calm around the equator called the doldrums. Between 30-60 degrees latitude are the prevailing westerlies that cause most of the weather in the United States and Canada. At around 60 degrees latitude are the polar easterlies where the atmosphere cools causing cold winds. The directions of the global winds are often determined by the Coriolis effect. The Coriolis effect is caused by the earths rotations and makes things in the northern hemisphere veer to the right and things in the southern hemisphere to veer to the left. However, local winds are caused when the atmosphere is heated unequally and can go in any direction not just one. Land breezes cause sea breezes and land breezes. Either way, wind is a big part of our everyday lives.

Social Studies: Imacpts from Technolgy

I think that the piece of technology that has made the biggest impact on our lives is the computer. Without the computer you could not email or IM so it would be harder to contact people from all over the world. Also, without the computer you could not type things so you would have to write them or use the much more inconvenient typewriter. Another reason the computer is very important in our daily lives is that the computer is the only way to get the Internet to look up information. Without it you would have to buy a set of encyclopedias or go through other inconvenient measures to find out what you need to know. Because of this and other reasons the computer is one of the most important pieces of technology in our lives.

Elements

Lately in science we have been learning about atoms and the periodic table of elements.

Here are some of the elements symbols that we should know:
O=oxygen
H=hydrogen
He=helium
C=carbon
N=nitrogen
Ne=neon
Na=sodium
Mg=magnesium
Al=aluminum
S=sulfur
K=potassium
Ca=calcium
Fe=iron
Ni=nickel
Cu=copper
Zn=zinc
Ag=silver
Sn=tin
I=iodine
Au=gold
Hg=mercury
Pb=lead
Cl=chlorine

Also, we have been learning about atoms. Atoms contain protons and neutrons in its nucleus. Around the edge of the nucleus are electrons zooming around the in the orbit. A nucleus compared to an entire atom has been compared to a bee and a football field, the bee being the nucleus and the football field being the atom. There are always the same amount of protons in a nucleus but the amount of neutrons can differ slightly. For example, oxygen will always have 8 protons but it can have 16, 17, or 18 neutrons. Usually oxygen has 16 neutrons though so if you subtract the number of protons (8) by the number of neutrons (16) you get the number of electrons (which would be 16-8 or 8). That is what we have been learning about in science lately.