Megan+F

=__Megan F's Physics Page__=

**Scientific Imagination Reflection; 12/15**
The authors of this piece introduce the relationship between imagination and science. What appears to be a description of electric and magnetic fields is actually the intricacies of imagination being handled in the realm of science. Electric and magnetic fields are used to describe that science is not always concrete. Often in science facts are not available and scientists are left to use their imaginations as sources. However, imagination is difficult in the world of science. It is something that is not tangible, something completely new yet at the same time it has to make sense under the general laws of science; a very necessary component to science but one of the trickiest.

Projectile Motion Reflection; 11/1
When firing a ball the larger the distance the the ball has to travel, which does depend on the height, the longer the time it takes to travel that distance and vice versa. The horizontal speed is measured in distance per time (usually meters/second). The faster the speed, the shorter amount of time. The same relateds to distance traveled. The smaller the distance, the faster the speed. The vertical speed is also measured in m/s but a different element is considered. A free-fall object is known to have a speed of 9.8 m/s due to the force of gravity.

Calorimetry Lab Reflection; 10/14
We found the heat of the fusion by cooling hot paraffin until it solidified. The opposite process would be to heat the paraffin until it melted. The advantages of this process would be that the temperature at which paraffin melts is known and the starting temperature can also be easily found. Some disadvantages could be that it would be difficult to have a closed system while adding heat. Also, the heat added would have to be calculated.

First Two Laws od Thermodynamics; 10/11
The first law, that energy is conserved, easily applies to all the labs considering energy that we have done. With the collisions lab this law was demonstrated when the two carts collided. In every collision, despite the type of collision, the energy was conserved. This was proved when the potential and kinetic energy were found and they were equal. The second law, that energy always goes from more useful to less useful forms, is also demonstrated in the collison lab. The carts begin with potential energy; this energy contains all of this energy that is waiting to be released. Once it is released it transforms to kinetic energy. Kinetic energy has no more to give therefore "it cannot be recoverd to preform useful work." The "energy on a ramp" lab relateds to the laws much like the collision lab. At the top of the ramp the object has potnetial energy. This energy has not yet been released and has the anility to transform into motion. Once the object is released and travels down the ramp, the energy turns into kinetic energy where it has no more to give; hence the second law of thermodynamics. Also, in this lab, when calculated, the potential and kinetic energies of the object(s) were equal supporting the first law of thermodynamics. The rollar coaster lab was much like the other labs but it consists more of a cycle. The energies were constantly transforming from potential to kinetic. This, I believe, points out a flaw in the second law of thermodynamics. This is because the energy transforms from potential to kinetic and then back to potential. Therefore, the energy is no less useful when it is in kinetic because it can transform back into potential. But, the law stands true because the energy is not any more use while it is still kinetic. As for the first law, just as the first two labs, when the potential and kinetic energies were calculated they were equivelent. The calorimetry lab differs from the other three labs. It does not involve potential and kinetic energy but heat which is another form of energy. However, the laws still hold true. Heat can be transformed from one substance/object to another but the overall heat stays the same. Heat lost from one substance is equivelent to the heat gained by the other substance; this is one example of conservation of energy. The second law can be seen when heat is added and the molecules become excited but once that change has taken place there is no more "excitement" and it slowly becomes less excited once the heat is removed or transferred.

Heat, Kinetic Energy, and Temperature; 10/5
Heat, Kinetic Energy, and temperature are all directly related to eachother. This chapter, __Temperature, Heat, and Expansion__, further explains these relationships.The relationship between temperature and heat is fairly simple and recognizable. Temperature measures heat. It is "the quantity that tells how hot or cold something is compared with a standard."

Heat and kinetic energy go hand in hand. In a way, heat is a measurement of kinetic energy. "Heat is [kinetic] energy transferred from one substance to another by a temperature difference."

So, if temperature and heat are related, and heat and kinetic energy are related, how are temperature and kinetic energy connected? "Temperature is proportional to the //average// kinetic energy of molecular transitionalmotion." This is not to be confused with actual kinetic energy. Temperature is only directly related to the //average.//

Energy; 9/27/09
In the article, the other explains the definition of each element: work, potential enregy, kinetic energy, and the conservation of energy. Work is the relation between the force and distnace of an object. Potential energy is the amount of the energy in the stored state before it is released. Kinetic energy is the amount of energy in motion. The ;law of the conservation of energy states that energy can neither be created nor destroyed but it can transform into another form.

Potenial energy and kinetic energy are directly related especially when considering the conservation of energy. Potential and Kinetic energy are just different forms of energy. When an object is moving the energy changes from potential to kinetic and then back to potential when it comes to rest. The conservation of energy law provids that the energy can change form but the quantity is the same. This is true when energy changes between potential and kinetic.

Work comes into play when the object is in movement, therefroe, it is directly related to kinetic energy. Work is the quantity of the force and the distance and all movement invlolves it.

Systems and Momentum; 9/21/09
1) According to physicists, a system is " any object or set of objects that we wish to consider. Everything else in the enviroment [is referred to] as its 'enviroment' or 'surroundings'." They also catorgorize them into 'closed' and 'open' systems. A closed system is where mass neither entors nor leaves, but "energy may be exchanged witht he environment." An open system is where both mass and energy may enter or leave.

2) Personally, I think the physicists' definition is too broad. To me, in order to be a system an object or set of objects must relate top eachother in a way that creates some sort of change or energy. I do, however, agree with the their definitions of a closed system and an open system.

3) As the reading states, "both force and time are important in changing momentum." A closed system allows the force to be more of a constant. With an "open" system the forces and elements change, which, in turn, changes the momentum. If the "forces are internal to the system comprising the" objects and momentum, it doesn't change the momentum. "In the absence of an external force, the momentum of a system remains unchanged."

The Clock Lab; 9/15/09

 * How was the process of designing and testing a clock similar to the scientific method as discussed in class? ---While designing and testing our clock we used most steps of the scientific method. Each of us had preconceptions as to how the clock would work and we used those to create preconceptions and a hypothesis; however, our hypothesis was not necessarily very "official" as it was not written down but simply included in our thought process. Those steps led to experiments, observations, and patterns which in turn led to a conclusion about our clock and it's workings.
 * How did it differ? Our process didn't differ much from the scientific method. It wasn't necessarily in any particular order or written down, but it doesn't have to be in order to be classified as the scientific method. We didn't, however, develop an theories or laws which can be included in the scientific method.
 * What "steps" in the scientific process were present and which were missing? Most elements of the scientific method were present such as preconception, predictions, hypothesis, experiments, observation, patterns, and a conclusion. We did not discover any theories or laws in our process.
 * Was there a part of the activity that is not a part of the scientific process? -I don't think that there was any part of our process that was not part of the scientific method. The only thing was that we did repeat a couple of elements such as changing our experiments and predictions due to different patterns and observations.

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Bridgman's opinion is clearly stated from the very beginning of this article; he is neither a strong believer in the scientific method nor is he of a mandatory form that must be followed by all scientists. He argues that a scientist, "does not base his criticism on such glittering generalities." He disagrees with the formality of the scientific method and often refers to it as generalities. Bridgman states that a scientist is more interested in, "criticism [that] is specific, based on some feature characteristic of the particular situation." He is very keen on specific scientific methods, not those that relate to every possible scientists doing any possible experiment.======

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Similar to the previous author, Bridgman speaks of pursuing the truth and in doing so, checking and verifying. He speaks of the fact that the, "checking must be exhastive, for the truth of a general preposition may be disproved by a single exceptional case." Both authors mention the same elements, they are both merely in different forms. Bridgman's is very relaxed and simply seems to believe that all experiments have these elements in common and they are somewhat necessary but they are found in different forms. A personal bias is also frowned upon much like the previous author. Bridgman believes that these elements are the "essence" of the scientific method but do not define it.======

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Bridgman's overall point is that, "there are as many scientific methods as there are individual scientists," and that no outsider can provide any guidelines or "generalities" to the given scientists. His point argues completely with the other author's opinion and is much more "free" than confined. I believe that Bridgman's idea is a large exaggeration but an essence of truth can be found within it.======

Scientific Method; 8/29/09
====The author of this section began by stating that, "a few basic steps taken together can be said to compromise the scientific method." However, as the section continued he said little of the scientific method as a whole. The author slowly walked through each step that he believed was significant to the scientific method. It was very easy to focus specifically on each step and its importance. One step flowed into the next easily showing the relationship between them. He began with observation and how by learning more about our world we must look at our surroundings. By observing our world, patterns and regularities can be recognized. The author then continued by explaining how observations and patterns can be summarized into a hypothesis. Once a hypothesis is created it is tested to produce a sort of answer whether it is confirmed or denied. Depending on the results, the process may begin all over again.==== ====I think that the author really wanted to emphasize the flow of the scientific method and that it is not a constricting set of steps or rules. There is neither a beginning nor ending in the process. It is simply a continuous cycle that may never end. The scientific method is a general set of guidelines that is used when making a discovery or testing any theory. The author believed that, generally speaking, the scientific method is always used.====
 * ==Reflection on 1 2 3; 8/28/09== ||
 * 1) I have never worked with any spaces such as a wikispace. However, I am very fimiliar with wikipedia but have never edited it or anything. I pick things up fairly quickly though and this seems pretty simple.

2) I can get internet at home, but it is not very reliable. It makes it a little difficult for me to access the internet easily, but I always find a way. I will probably be using the schools computers and local libraries and such.

3) I think this site is very useful due to how much information it holds and how easy it is to access it all. ||

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