Rachelle+C's+Page

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__Reflections__
In this article the author discusses radiation that is solar radiation that reaches us through way of the suns rays. The author talks about how there may be a lot of radiation that starts in the atmosphere, however, throughout its journey to earth about one-half of its radiation is absorbed (by the o-zone). So from this we can conclude that much solar radiation is lost due to a different temperature atmosphere. The solar radiation as a whole is made up of a package of Photons. Now as these photons are traveling to earth they are also being absorbed (as mentioned above). As the o-zone takes away from the solar radiation photons, it adds to the overall average temperature of the world. This gives explaination to why our average temperature of the world has fluctuated so much in years past. __Reflection 11: Scientific Imagination__ In this packet, there are three different explanations or interpretations to why it is so hard to see or observe certain scientific things. Basically the whole packet is providing evidence to say that scientists see and imagine things differently and that is why they are able to achieve and conduct great experiments. At one point, one of the authors describes the electromagnetic field as invisible angels. For the sake of science we have to just imagine it is there. You cannot see the electromagnetic field, just like you cannot see the invisible angel, therefore we have to just imagine both of them. We have to imagine the electric waves.
 * ==Reflection on Topic; Date Published== ||
 * __Reflection 12: AGENTS OF CLIMATE!__

__Reflection 10: Firing__ a.) The height at which the object is fired from affects the time it takes to hit the ground because if you are going to a certain point, the higher you raise the height, the longer it takes for that object to get to the designated point. For the distance traveled, the object's velocity determines how fast it will get to a certain spot. The greater the distance the object needs to travel, the longer it will take to get there. The horizontal speed affects the time it takes for the object to hit the ground because as the object is traveling horizontally, it takes longer for the object to come down to the targeted spot. Horizontal speed keeps the object on a given track and does not allow outside error to invade. A vertical speed (hypothetical) affects the time it takes to hit the ground because the projectile (object) has to "go up before it can go down". Therefore the object has to travel upwards until it has reached the point where it is absolutely motionless for a moment in time and then travel back downwards. This vertical speed affects the distance traveled because if you shoot the projectile upwards it has a farther and farther distance to travel and also causing it to take longer to reach the final destination point.

__Reflection 9: Calorimetry Lab Reflection__ If we chose to heat up the paraffin by melting it to find the heat of fusion, we would be able to measure the pure paraffin melting. However, if we did it this way it would take much more time because we would also have to measure the temperature of the water that the paraffin was exposed to and it would not be as efficient. This also creates a lot more room for error because there are more calculations being accounted for; therefore it is more likely for a mistake to occur. Also, it was hard enough for us to try to maintain a closed system because everytime we had to use the tongs to transfer the paraffin filled test tubes from the boiler to our calorimeter, we lost heat). Therefore it would be very difficult to try to create a closed system, especially given the conditions we have.
 * Reflection Prompt: You measured the heat of fusion either by heating paraffin until it melted or by cooling hot paraffin until it solidified. Describe the opposite process for measuring the heat of fusion. What advantages would this other technique have?**

__Reflection 8: Energy__ Question: The two "rules" of energy state that energy: is always conserved and always goes from more useful to less useful forms. 1.) For the collisions of carts lab there was work being done between the two carts, which is the change in Kinetic Energy. The energy of the carts would go from cart to cart when they bounced off of eachother (going from more useful to less useful forms). The energy between the carts may be transferred but the energy is neither lost nor gained. 2.) For the Mechanical Equivalent of Heat Lab, the energy was in the heat. It went from the hotter to cooler object and was still conserved. 3.) In the Energy on a Ramp Lab, we examined the energy of the ball and cart as they rolled down the ramp. Though the energy was conserved within both objects, the energy was transferred within each object on the ramp. 4.) During the Rollercoaster Lab, the potential energy is greatest at the top of the hill. As it continues down the hill, the kinetic energy comes into play. The energy goes from the more useful (potential) to less useful (kinetic) forms. The energy was still conserved. 5.) In the calorimetry lab, the energy was represented through the heat. The heat transferred from being highest in the paraffin, to being highest in the ice. The energy transfer betwen the two substances conserved energy.
 * In all of these labs, as expressed above, energy was conserved and moved from more useful to less useful forms.*

__Reflection 7: Ch. 21 Reading__ Q.) Describe the relationship amongst heat, kinetic energy, and temperature.

Everything that exists is made up of matter. In each of the three matter states (solid, liquid, gas) the matter is made up of molecules. These molecules, or atoms, move randomly and spontaneously, causing them to have kinetic energy. Temperature correlates with the motion of the molecules in matter within a substance. Temperature is the measure of the average kinetic energy within a substance. Heat is related because heat is the energy that is transferred from an object to another. This occurs because of a TEMPERATURE difference between them. //To sum it up!:// Everything has matter; matter's spontaneous movement causes kinetic energy. The average kinetic energy of a substance is measured using temperature.The temperature change between two objects cause energy transitions called heat.

__Reflection 6: Engery Readingss Chapter 8__ Q.) How are work, Potential Energy, Kinetic Energy and Law of Conservation of Energy related?

They are all related because they all relate to the motion of an object. Kinetic Energy is the motion of the object. The work is the force and distance to which the motion of the object is going. The potential energy is the energy that is stored by an object of it's position, where it is held in readiness. And finally, the law of conservation of mass states that within this object energy cannot be created or destroyed. This designates the motion of the object by stating the energy of it will not be created or destroyed.

__Reflection 5: System Readings.__

1.) According to physicists a system is a set of objects that we choose, and wish to consider, that may interact with eachother. I said that a system is a set of objects that work together and contributes to the function of the other objects. Theses definitions are similar to eachother. Both stated that they were objects that were interacting with eachother. 2.) What does the concept of "closed" or "isolated" systems have to do with conservation of mass and conservation of momentum? A closed system is when no mass enters or leaves. Energy may be transferred within the environment though. An isolated system is virtually the same thing, as no energy passes through the boundaries. This relates to the Conservation of Mass because mass is neither gained nor lost out of the boundaries. The closed/isolated systems apply to the Conservation of Momentum because the Conservation of Momentum states that "in the absence of an external force, the momentum of a system remains unchanged," - Momentum Article 7. Therefore, seeing how no force is leaving or coming in the boundaries, the momentum is being conserved within the isolated system.

__Reflection 4: Independent reflection for the Clock Lab:__ 1.) The process of designing and testing a clock was similar to the scientific method that we discussed in class, in the sense that by designing the clock, we made a hypothesis as to how we thought the clock would work and designed it based on the hypothesis. Then we were testing the clock, and when the clock/ our hypothesis was unsuccessful we used the observations and data that we had collected to construct a new hypothesis and then tested the new one, in hopes of success. 2.) It differed because in class we discussed that we may have many pre-lab facts and knowledge. For me this was not the case. I knew that we had to get it so that it was 1 occilation/second, and that is all the information I had. 3.) In this lab I used all of the scientific method steps except for preconceptions or predictions at first. After I saw a pattern, we could make predictions. We made a hypothesis, tested it, and when it was unsuccessful, we pinpointed the flaw and created a new hypothesis. 4.) I personally did not make preconceptions, especially during the pre-lab.


 * Please note that the link for this lab is at the bottom of this page*

__Reflection 3: The Scientific Method Questions:__

6.)The Scientific Method steps are essentially a process that helps us and guides to answer our hypotheses or questions. First steps is making __observations__. We make observations to get a better feel for what exactly we are looking for when trying to form a hypothesis. Once we have formed a hypothesis from certain patterns that we see in our observations, we design an experiment that will best execute the test of the hypothesis. The experiment is then performed and the data is collected. We then reflect on the data and how it corresponds with our original hypothesis. We then organize our gatherings and come up with a conclusion as to whether the hypothesis was accurate or not. 7.) The hypothesis in the Scientific Method is the question or statement that is trying to be answer or proven. Theories are ideas/statements that are tested many times effectively and proven to be correct. Predictions come in the scientific method before you can see what is going to happen. Predictions are your guess as to what will happen. 8.) The difference between an observation and an experiment is that an observation is something that you notice that will somehow effect the hypothesis or question. Whereas an experiment is seminal from the observations, it that it is formed from the observations and is the actual test designed to see if the hypothesis is accurate or not. 9.) The term scientific cycle may be a good substitute for scientific method because it works as a cycle, in that, if the hypothesis is proven incorrect, you fix the error in a certain area and begin the process again.

__Reflection 2: The Scientific Method Packet__ The author of this article gave a lot of real life examples of the scientific method. He stated that our goal is to learn as much as possible about the world around us. When describing the observation step of the Scientific Method, the part that stuck out to me the most was when he mentioned that there is a difference between observations, when nature is observed without changing anything, and then there are experiments, where you change some part of nature and observe that. This was interesting to me because I think that many times observations often result in the formation of an experiment, but this is not always the case. Something I admired in this article is that with every step of the Scientific Method, the author provided an example that was an "Ah-hah" moment, something that made it just click in your mind. My favorite quote of the packet was on page 7, when it is stated that, "Every law and theory of nature is subject to change, based on new observations." I think this so incredibly sums up theories in general because, even the most concrete theories are constantly getting tested and trying to find a new flaw in them. And even the most concrete theories are subject to change at the smallest mistake or new experiment.

__Reflection Number 1:__ I have never used wikispace. I have used wikipedia before and I like it. I have internet access on my laptop and my house computer is getting fixed tonight so i should be okay. I think that wikispace will be useful because we can more easily share information with our classmates/lab partners. For example if we need to view something we will not have to wait for the next day at school we can just log in to wikispace. ||

__Links__
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