JC+S

= JC's Physics Page =

= = = = ​ In this article, the strongest point expressed was that it is nearly impossible to imagine an electric or magnetic field. Unlike invisible angels, the example given by the writers, electric and magnetic fields cannot be imagined, simply because one has never seen them before. The writer talks about how these fields can be described moving through space, and he is able to demonstrate, but the picture imagined in his head is very vague and shadowy. Since these ideas are s hard to imagine, a mathematical approach may be taken.
 * __Scientific Imagaination Reflection; 12/15/09__**

__** Energy Reflection; 9/27/09 **__

//Work, potential energy, and kinetic energy are very much related. Lifting something against gravity explains the concept of work, which is represented as force x distance. Potential energy is energy that is stored, and the held in readiness. Kinetic energy is when an object is moving (in motion). All of these energies relate to eachother in that they can all work together in doing something, and they can all have an effect on eachother. The law of conservation of energy is related to all of this by saying energy cannot be created or destroyed, but it can change to any of these energies. An example of how all of these concepts are related can be demonstrated by a slingshot. Work is performed by pulling (say there's a rock in the slingshot) the rock back causing the rubber band to stretch, which gives the rubber band potential energy, and then when the rock is released it is shot, which is kinetic energy since the rock is then in motion.// = =


 * __Systems Reflection; 9/27/09__ **

//The physicists definition of a system in the article is "A set of objects that are chosen and may interact with eachother," which is very close to the definition of a system that was heavily disputed in class, which was "a collection of objects that may interact." However, i disagree with these definitions for a couple of reasons. Reason one is that in chemistry class last year we were taught a system is simply everything under your consideration, which means there is no need for a collection of objects, there can be just one. Reason two is that objects do not need to interact to be a system, and how would this be possible anyways if there was only one object? My definition of a closed (isolated) system would be a system where there is no outside influences or forces changing or interacting the system. The concept of a closed system has very much to do with conservation of mass. Its easiest to explain this with an example, and i'll use the example of a burning match in a sealed jar. If you weighed the jar with the unburnt match it would be the same as the weight of the jar when the match was burnt. This is because since the jar was sealed with a lid, no mass could escape, and instead it was changed into another form of mass whih made up for the lost mass of the burnt match. I also believe the concept of a closed system has very much to do with conservation of momentum. This is because if the system is not closed, external forces such as you pushing, or the air pushing, would contribute to the change in momentum. If the system is closed than no external forces would be able to effect the system and momentum would be conserved.//

= __Clock Design Lab Reflections; September 14, 2009__ = //**1. How was the process of designing and testing a clock similar to the scientific method as discussed in class?**// //It's similar because you predict (subconsciously I think) what may happen if you try something with the design. You then will test the experiment and observe what has happened or is happening. Either before or after you have tested the design you could form a hypothesis that explains why or what you think is happening with the system. If one way you tested the clock didn't work you would try again with another, which is like the scientific method because it's cycling over and over until you come up with a way that works.

I can't really think of any ways in which this lab differed from the scientific method because i think designing the clock demonstrates the scientific method in that you test the system over and over until you come out with the result you need. // = = = = = //3. What "steps" in the scientific process were present and which were missing? // = // I think all steps of the scientific proccess were present in this lab because whether you think you did or not, all of the "steps" were taken at some point. // = = = = = //4. Was there a part of the activity that is not a part of the scientfic process? // = //The scientific proccess includes laws, and I don't believe we took this lab far enough to create a law. There would have had to be much more testing in order for the clock designing we did to become any sort of law.//
 * 2. How did it differ? **

** __Review Questions__ **

//6.) The scientific method has four steps and they are observation, hypothesis, prediction, and testing. A prediction is saying something about what's going to happen in advance. A hypothesis is an educated guess that is confirmed by observations. When you are observing, you are watching and see details, behaviors, etc. Testing is doing the actual experiment that you can base the previous three steps on.

7.) A hypothesis is a "tentative educated guess" about how osmething works. A theory is a description about somethingbased on a large number of tests. A prediction is something you say in advance, and then you would observe it to see if it behaved as predicted.

8.) The difference between an observation and an experiment is an experiment is a procedure done, and observations are details or behaviors you see from the experiment.

9.) Scientific Cycle may be a good substitute because you could do any of the steps more than once, and some steps more than others, over and over agian and they run in sort of a cycle motion.//

** __Reflections The Scientific Method; August 30, 2009__ **

//From this article, I learned that the Scientific Method is composed of steps. These steps don't necessarily have to be taken in a certain order, but they are all taken eventually. These steps that are taken include an observation, hypothesis, prediction, and testing. The Scientific Method can be looked at as a "never-ending cycle." It's known as a never-ending cycle because one thing leads to another, which then leads to another.//

** __Reflection on Topic; August 28, 2009__ ** // 1.) I like to use online tools like wikispaces because I think they're an easier way of spreading information. I don't use online tools like this very much but i'm sure this website will be very useful. 2.) Outside of school I have as much access as I need to the internet. 3.) I think the most valuable aspect of wikispaces will be the ability to send in our typed labs instead of printing them off at home, or having to bring them in on a flash drive and going to the library to print them. //

= =

__Links__
[|//Hartford School District//] //(Check here for important announcements)// [|//http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/HFrame.html//]