Electromagnetic Device
I created an electromagnetic device that was meant to mirror the properties of a maglev train on a very simple premise. I used the basic properties of magnetic poles in order to allow the “train” to move on the rails with a minimum amount of friction by creating both the platform and train with the positive poles facing towards each other so that they push away from each other, based on the idea that opposites attract, and therefore similar poles push away from each other. (No, the phrase “opposites attract, was not made only from rom-coms.) This has the effect of minimizing friction. When coupled with my electric motor, which had a small fan attached to it, the train was able to move forward, something that, due to the size of the fan and lack of power in the motor, would have been impossible without the magnets minimizing friction.
Lemon Battery Project:
A lemon releases electricity through a chemical reaction that takes place because of the zinc alloy, the copper, and the electrolytes stored inside the lemon. The cathode produced by this chemical reaction travels through the conductor (wire) into the multimeter where it is then measured and becomes an anode. In order to complete this experiment you must have a lemon, a multimeter, a form that contains zinc alloy, and copper of some sort (penny, wire).
Rube Goldberg Machine:
In our modern society, humans are simultaneously complicating and simplifying their lives through the use of technology, machines, and other inventions. With these new inventions come new problems. Rube Goldberg initially developed his complex machines to critique the over-complication of simple tasks through technology- he accomplished these critiques by combining mechanical works of art with pointed satirical messages and narratives. Satire has exploded in recent years as a way to engage people with humor, but still drive them towards action. This project worked to combine the mechanical engineering construction of the Rube Goldberg Machine with the sophisticated satirical techniques necessary to critique a modern issue of my choice, namely, the complete fumble that was the Trump Administrations way of dealing with COVID-19.
The law of conservation of energy is one of the basic laws of physics, and states that energy can change from one form to another, but cannot be created or destroyed. This law can be seen most notably in the ball sitting on top of the inclined plane at the beginning of the Rube Goldberg Machine (RGM), when this ball is hit by the lever and is pushed down the inclined plane, turning the ball's energy from potential to kinetic.
Energy transfer relies on the idea of conservation of energy, if energy cannot be created or destroyed, it stands to question where the energy goes, in the case of the ball example that we used above, energy transference is the terminology that describes the shift from potential energy to kinetic.
There are six simple machines (inclined plane, screw, lever, wheel and axle, pulley, and wedge) all of them meant to allow someone to accomplish work (W=Fd) more with less force required from the person themselves. In my RGM, my six simple machines are represented using different objects such as a wood ramp (inclined plane), pulley (pulley), little toy wagon (wheel and axle), clear tube (screw), wood cutting (wedge). I chose to do two challenge steps, the first being the 720 spiral, primarily because it also counted as a screw, and the shadow box, because it seemed obvious to me how I should incorporate the satire of COVID-19 and the vaccine process into that aspect of a RGM.
My number one takeaway from this project is probably related to the pulley system because I’ve always been interested in how pulleys create three to one or more weight lifting systems, and I feel that it has the capability to be practical in the future for me. I experienced my greatest challenge during the process of building the RGM primarily because of a lack of motivation that was then given to me by the upcoming deadline. My greatest strength during this project was my previous knowledge as to the technical skills necessary to create a polished final piece such as how to use table saws and use screwdrivers which allowed for me to create my work out of scrap wood rather than cardboard.
Energy transfer relies on the idea of conservation of energy, if energy cannot be created or destroyed, it stands to question where the energy goes, in the case of the ball example that we used above, energy transference is the terminology that describes the shift from potential energy to kinetic.
There are six simple machines (inclined plane, screw, lever, wheel and axle, pulley, and wedge) all of them meant to allow someone to accomplish work (W=Fd) more with less force required from the person themselves. In my RGM, my six simple machines are represented using different objects such as a wood ramp (inclined plane), pulley (pulley), little toy wagon (wheel and axle), clear tube (screw), wood cutting (wedge). I chose to do two challenge steps, the first being the 720 spiral, primarily because it also counted as a screw, and the shadow box, because it seemed obvious to me how I should incorporate the satire of COVID-19 and the vaccine process into that aspect of a RGM.
My number one takeaway from this project is probably related to the pulley system because I’ve always been interested in how pulleys create three to one or more weight lifting systems, and I feel that it has the capability to be practical in the future for me. I experienced my greatest challenge during the process of building the RGM primarily because of a lack of motivation that was then given to me by the upcoming deadline. My greatest strength during this project was my previous knowledge as to the technical skills necessary to create a polished final piece such as how to use table saws and use screwdrivers which allowed for me to create my work out of scrap wood rather than cardboard.
Photographs Of Physics
What is the nature of light? What is the nature of a photograph? How is the study of optics relevant today? These are the questions that we were asked at the beginning of this semester and the questions that throughout the course of this project we have answered and, even more impressively, begun to actually understand. In order to accomplish this we have read numerous articles, watched videos on the origin of the concept that is quanta, with a small lapse into a video of Pirates of the Caribbean, and studied concepts such refraction, reflection, diffraction, and mirages. We researched the uses of synchrotrons and its relevance today, and created things such as a homemade pinhole camera in order to further understand the nature of photographs.
Refraction: As The Sunflower Sets
The physics phenomenon demonstrated in the photograph is refraction, which is why the sunflowers appear upside down in the wine glass. Refraction is the deflection from a straight path undergone by a light quanta or energy wave when it passes from one medium, such as air in the aforementioned photo, through another medium, such as a glass of water which causes the velocity to change and the direction of the light quanta to shift. Because of the unique shape of the wine glass the refraction causes the view behind the glass to become its inverse.
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Reflection
My greatest strength during this unit was understanding the concepts, and being open minded towards the new information that was presented to me and trying to find ways to link the information to my life. An example of this was during the refraction portion of the unit, I used the information that I was given, and read content outside of school in order to be sure that I completely understood the concept, due to the fact that it was something I had been interested in throughout the past. I learned throughout this process that refraction is the result of a wave passing through one medium into another and the consequential shift of direction that occurs due to the sudden change in speed.
My biggest challenge during this unit occurred after we transitioned from 2 days a week in school and two days online to all online school. I found it extremely difficult to stay engaged and, through no fault of Tina's, the platform made it difficult to encourage my paying attention. For a while I struggled to remember the schedule. This primarily showed itself through my tardiness to classes that I otherwise would have been able to attend. I fixed my tardiness issue, by discussing every time I missed a class, exactly what work I needed to do with Tina and setting alarms until I was able to self regulate the time and get to all my classes when I was supposed to be there. If forced to respond to this situation again, I would make sure to set alarms and reminders for classes as soon as the schedule is given in the future.
My number one takeaway from this unit was how a photograph is taken. In the technologically based world that we live in now, it is impossible not to wonder at how photos are made, and although the technology is different the general ideas are similar. Where this learning can be seen in my work is my pinhole camera. I made a pinhole camera out of an altoids can, and although the images didn’t turn out as much as I might have hoped, it still helped to cement the ideas that we had been studying throughout the course of this unit, and allowed me to understand the reason that images appear as though a mirror version of the real thing. Pinhole cameras rely on the fact that light travels in a straight line, which is why the image appears on the photographic paper as though it is the inverse of the image you were taking. The light is forced through a very small hole and if the light is going in a straight line the top of the image will appear at the bottom of the photographic paper. This is also similar to why when you take an image with your phone the image is an inverse of the real thing.
I grew as a scientist during this project through my ability to apply previous knowledge into current situations. For example, I had studied sound waves in previous years and although not the same, I was able to apply my previous knowledge of waves to my understanding of light and how it travels. I was able to apply this knowledge to understand terms such as longitudinal waves and transverse waves, crest troughs, and frequencies as well. All of this allowed me to not only grasp the concepts quicker, but also deepen my understanding of the previous topics.
I feel I did really well on this project overall. I did all of the required work to the best of my ability, and even when things weren’t working for me I strove to find solutions rather than give up, which was exemplified by the issues I was having with understanding the schedules and the problem solving I did as a result. It was also shown through the hours and hours spent trying to create a singular image using our pinhole camera. I attempted to stay engaged by doing the assignments to the best of my ability and by reading materials on the side when I didn’t understand the concepts. I put effort into self betterment throughout this unit, even with the difficulties posed by the pandemic, and I think that showed itself in my work.
My biggest challenge during this unit occurred after we transitioned from 2 days a week in school and two days online to all online school. I found it extremely difficult to stay engaged and, through no fault of Tina's, the platform made it difficult to encourage my paying attention. For a while I struggled to remember the schedule. This primarily showed itself through my tardiness to classes that I otherwise would have been able to attend. I fixed my tardiness issue, by discussing every time I missed a class, exactly what work I needed to do with Tina and setting alarms until I was able to self regulate the time and get to all my classes when I was supposed to be there. If forced to respond to this situation again, I would make sure to set alarms and reminders for classes as soon as the schedule is given in the future.
My number one takeaway from this unit was how a photograph is taken. In the technologically based world that we live in now, it is impossible not to wonder at how photos are made, and although the technology is different the general ideas are similar. Where this learning can be seen in my work is my pinhole camera. I made a pinhole camera out of an altoids can, and although the images didn’t turn out as much as I might have hoped, it still helped to cement the ideas that we had been studying throughout the course of this unit, and allowed me to understand the reason that images appear as though a mirror version of the real thing. Pinhole cameras rely on the fact that light travels in a straight line, which is why the image appears on the photographic paper as though it is the inverse of the image you were taking. The light is forced through a very small hole and if the light is going in a straight line the top of the image will appear at the bottom of the photographic paper. This is also similar to why when you take an image with your phone the image is an inverse of the real thing.
I grew as a scientist during this project through my ability to apply previous knowledge into current situations. For example, I had studied sound waves in previous years and although not the same, I was able to apply my previous knowledge of waves to my understanding of light and how it travels. I was able to apply this knowledge to understand terms such as longitudinal waves and transverse waves, crest troughs, and frequencies as well. All of this allowed me to not only grasp the concepts quicker, but also deepen my understanding of the previous topics.
I feel I did really well on this project overall. I did all of the required work to the best of my ability, and even when things weren’t working for me I strove to find solutions rather than give up, which was exemplified by the issues I was having with understanding the schedules and the problem solving I did as a result. It was also shown through the hours and hours spent trying to create a singular image using our pinhole camera. I attempted to stay engaged by doing the assignments to the best of my ability and by reading materials on the side when I didn’t understand the concepts. I put effort into self betterment throughout this unit, even with the difficulties posed by the pandemic, and I think that showed itself in my work.