RitaH

Rita H's Physics Page

__Reflections__
(1) I have used online tools, such as facebook, for social networking. I used a blog sporadically, for a French class. I use Wikipedia but do not edit it. (2) I have high speed internet access (3) The most valuable aspect of using wikispaces as a class tool will be the collaboration and instant communication. _ Begin by cutting and pasting this table format from a previous entry. Enter the text of your reflection here. The typical reflection will be several sentences long, but will vary considerably based on the assignment. Reflections will always include either a link to another site, a reference to a reading assignment, or a link to a lab report that the reflection is based on. ||
 * ==First Login & Setup== ||
 * 8-28-09

The Scientific Method - Reflections on Natural Analysis as an Art Form
Newton has been regarded as one of the fathers of modern science, because it was he who codified the interplay of observation and theory into a scientific method. His development of the clockwork universe theory was influenced by past work in the field, work which first exemplified revolutionary research. The five-part modern scientific method has roots in the 17th and 18th century, where cycles of making observations, devising theories and making more observations first became part of a codified scientific method. Newton’s usage of this technique allowed him to discover the theory of motion that fuels current knowledge of physical phenomona today.

It is important to note that, contrary to popular opinion, scientists are not unbiased observers of nature. In fact, they often behave more like fortune tellers, in describing the expected outcome of a situation. However, if the outcome is different then expected, a scientist must be willing to change their views to incorporate this new research. This process of adaptation is known as the aforementioned revolutionary research. In this model, old notions are not automatically discarded with new research, they are corrected and used as a potential springboard for new work. Newton, himself, used Kepler’s laws of planetary motion, which he proved could be derived from universal gravitation and the laws of motion. In that same vein, Albert Einstein incorporates the work of Newton, Kepler, and Galileo into his theory of general relativity—expanding on a theoretical framework that could further explored by a future physicist who realizes the final unified field theory.

True revolutions—absolute abandonment of a previous thought processes—are rare in science, because data tends to describe universal phenomona. Therefore, the conclusions reached about observed data tend to lead to a finite number of logical conclusions. The future of science research leans toward an interdisciplinary approach that will incorporate new abilities to manipulate the sciences of the very large, and the very small. The inquiry-based scientific method will still be used to guide our scientific explorations, but will ask questions less related to enhancing knowledge in specific disciplines, and more about how to integrate seemingly unrelated fields. As our technological prowess increases, the necessity of research that can simultaneously consider systems at each organizational level is needed. The development of a DNA-like nanoparticle matrices that works as circuit boards can lead medical practitioners to use cutting edge research combining therapies on the atomic scale, which involves the principles that fuel sustainable resource usage based on new green molecules. But I digress, which is to say, that the next frontier in science, (besides explorations into the human brain), is the convergence of research into a holistic understanding of our world, rather than the gradual accumulation of knowledge in one concentration.

The questions will maximize the revolution.

**Simple Harmonic Motion Independent Reflection**
> > > The process of designing and testing a clock did not seem to me extremely similar to the scientific method as discussed in class, because, as the author of "On the Scientific Method" asserts, science is a way of thinking critically to solve a problem, not a conscious attempt to ask questions invoking words like "theory" "law" "hypothesis" "observation" and "fact". > I started by using a method that I could attempt alone, and mentally designed a reasonable starting point. After that, I tested points that I felt would yield a specific result-- which I suppose somewhat mirrors testing a hypothesis. Nevertheless, I do not consider myself to be such an avid user of the scientific methods that I can say my conclusion about mass and time is akin to a theory. > The activity differed from a formalized scientific method, in that it did not present unexplained data, or a natural preconception. I had previous knowledge of the principles that would govern the behavior of the spring system. > > > Initial Observation > Hypothesis (present) > Theory (absent) > Evidence (present) > Scientific Law (overarching principles are obviously present, but are not consciously stated here) > > > I thought that some of the ways that we collected information-- such as making videos, wasn't a part of the traditional scientific method.
 * How was the process of designing and testing a clock similar to the scientific method as discussed in class?
 * How did it differ?
 * What "steps" in the scientific process were present and which were missing?
 * Was there a part of the activity that is not a part of the scientific process?

=__Motion Reflection__=

What is a system according to physicists? How is this definition different from your definition (your original definition)? What does the concept of "closed" or "isolated" system have to do with conservation of mass? What about conservation of momentum?

A system is an object or set of objects that one wishes to consider. My original definition of a system pertained to a chemical or biological system, in which products and reactants have interacted to transfer energy. The concept of a closed/ isolated system is important because it allows no mass to exit the system, and no energy to leave it, respectively. The conservation of momentum is adhered to, because there are no forces to disrupt that momentum. The internal forces in a system add up to zero, because of Newton’s third law. No unaccounted-for change in velocity would be observed.

For this reflection, I wasn’t sure how much you wanted us to write-- and if you want me to answer in greater detail, I can do so. I have read all the packets (I wasn’t sure which one you meant, so I read every single one) and understand the concepts.

__Energy Reflection__
For the weekend of 9-26: Read sections 8-1, 8-3, 8-4, 8-5, 8-6 in your handout.

How are work, KE, PE, and the law of conservation of energy related? Pay specific attention to the concept of work.

Work is a measure of Force multiplied by its length of duration, when that quantity is distance. Energy is a measure of Force times time, which displays itself more readily in observing KE. The PE of a system or object measures its height and mass as the determinants of its available energy. The total force that a system can exert in a theoretical situation in which energy is totally conserved is the mechanical energy. The Law of Conservation of Energy directly deals with the forces at work in a system. It states the the amount of energy in a closed system remains constant. Energy can refer to the mass-energy (potential energy as the energy of matter) or the energy (kinetic) used when an object is in motion. A closed system is required to observe the Law of Conservation of Energy.

__Temperature Reflection__
For the weekend of 10/3: Read sections 21-1, 21-2, 21-4, 21-5, 21-6 in your handout. Describe the relationship between kinetic energy, heat, and temperature.

Kinetic energy is defined as the energy of motion. The average kinetic energy of a substance comes from the internal movement of the atoms within molecules. An object moving on a straight path has pure energy of motion, an object that is rolling contains rotational energy. Kinetic energy can also become thermal energy-- which is felt when heat is transferred. Heat is a temperature differences between the average kinetic energies of two substances. Objects in thermal contact transfer energy between each other, due to a difference in heat. Heat always flows from the object with a high temperature to the object with a lower temperature.

__Energy Reflection__
Think about how the two "rules" of energy apply to your labs; collisions of carts, mechanical equivalent of heat, energy on a ramp, roller coaster, and calorimetry.

In the collisions of carts lab, energy did not appear to be conserved, until the system was viewed as larger than the two individual carts. Energy was shown to go from more useful to less useful forms, as energy dissipated and the system lost kinetic energy. The mechanical equivalent of heat lab showed neither concept with data conclusively, but it can be observed that the kinetic energy inputted by shaking the sand went to a less useful heat, which was dissipated by an equilibration of temperature. The energy on a ramp law displayed the conservation of energy more completely, because the system was confined to a narrow data set which allowed the before and after analysis to be maximized for accuracy. The energy was rather conserved for the car and the ball, but was shown to go from useful forms, KE, to less useful forms, the dissipation upon impacting a surface. The roller coaster lab showed most definitely that energy conserved throughout an entire system is often visibly lost upon collecting data concerning two related objects. Energy was shown to go from more useful to less useful forms-- particularly in the disparity between potential energy and kinetic energy that were most likely due to the system's heat energy, the energy of rotation, the energy of friction and of gravity working on the roller coaster along its course. In the calorimetry lab, the energy was not completely conserved between the water and the calorimeter, due to the inability of the container to ensure that no heat leaks into the surrounding atmosphere. Energy is conserved with the entire system, but this means that some heat energy will be lost to the room, and depending on the temperature of the room, could affect the data concerning heat exchange and temperature measurements. Energy obviously goes to its less useful state, dissipating throughout the room.

__Calorimetry Lab Reflection__ The heat of fusion can be measured by heating paraffin until it melts or cooling hot paraffin until it solidifies. The opposite processes for measuring this heat value would in our case be heating paraffin until it melts. The disadvantages of this process are mainly the length of time needed to heat up paraffin until it melts. Also, the time intervals of paraffin's phase change were most clearly seen on piece wise graph that started at a high point. The advantages of this method would be the ability to check accuracy against a calculated value.

=__Part III - Greenhouse Effect Lab__=

The "greenhouse effect" affects temperature on earth by increasing it. The heat energy of the sun is trapped by the greenhouse gases, H2O, CO2, CH4 and N2O. This was evidenced in our lab when glass panes were added to the greenhouse, causing its temperature to go from -2 oF to 131 oF. The infrared protons are reflected back to earth. The "greenhouse effect" is similar to blankets on a bed, because radiated heat is not allowed to escape from its confines, meaning it remains close to the source of the heat. A person using blankets in bed does not get warmer because of the warmth of the blanket, but rather they are allowed to keep their own body heat. The body heat is kept contained by more blankets, much like more glass panes causes the temperature to rise. The "greenhouse effect" is neither good or bad for the earth when viewed as a natural phenomena, however, when the "greenhouse effect" is ineffective, a cooling effect is observed. When the "greenhouse effect" is uncontrolled, the earth warms up too much, which has dangerous effects on the ecosystem. The negative effects of this are seen as earth's atmosphere, its temperature regulation system, change its overall temperature. This is seen in step 33, in which other periods of earth's history and clouds are observed.

__Links__
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