Current Events #1

Gamburtsev 'ghost mountains mystery solved' 

by Konathan Amos  

Source: BBC

Date of 17 November 2011

The Gamburstev mountains are the same size as the Alps and are buried beneath the Antarctic Sea. The Gamburstev was discovered in 1950s and was a great surprise. The researches tell that this range was formed over a billion years ago. The Gamburtsevs are really important because they are believed to be the location where the sheet we know today is Antarctica. " Surveying these mountains was an incredible challenge, but we succeeded and it's produced a fascinating story,: quoted.Dr Fausto Ferraccioli. Searching these mountains history is helping scientists understand not just past changes on Earth but they could possibly find scenarios that could happen in the future. 

Dr Fausto Ferraccioli was a principle investigator for Antarctica's Gamburtsev Province project.They were trying to find a hidden shape of a mountain system using ice-penetrating radar. The other instruments they used were the seismometers and they could record the local gravitational and magnetic fields on the ice sheet surface. The AGAP team believes all this data that they found could make a huge story for Gamburstev's creation and persistence through geological time. This was a story that started over a billion years ago. It was long before when complex life had formed in the world, after this happened they continents were sliding which ended up creating a giant landmass called Rodinia. This was kind of an explosion and it pushed up the mountains and also produced and underlying think, thick root on the crust. It's believed that about 250-100 million years ago, when dinosaurs roamed the planet, the crust started to pull apart in a series of rifting events close to the old root. To some extent , the AGAP's survey has actually depressed this quest. The radar data has indicated the base of the sheet has been severely disrupted by water that has been freshly frozen, layer upon layer, on to the bottom of the ice column.

I choose this article because it was really interesting for me because of what people can find about the past in cool ways, however it didn't relate to are unit at the moment, it was quite fun to read and write about.  I think this is reliable because they have so many evidence. For example graphs, charts and pictures and also the AGAP team is really professional. This relates to science because what people are trying this day are really different. The researches try to find the past and predict the future one day. 

Bibliography:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-15749757

Where's The Evidence Lab?

Title of The lab: Where's The Evidence

The guiding question: What are some signs that a chemical reaction has taken place?

Your hypothesis: I think that when a chemical reaction or change in the water it starts sparkling and making some soda sounds. It might combust.

List of the Materials used:
1) Na2Co3- Sodium Carbonate
2)CaCl2- Calcium Chloride
3)HCl- Hydrochloric Acid
4)CuSO4- Copper Sulfate(acid)
5) Aluminium Foil
6)Zinc Pieces
7)Baking Soda
8)Vinegar
9)Magnesium Tablets
10)Spatula
11)Graduate Cylinders
12)Stirrer
13)Candle/matches
14)Goggles
15)Beakers/baby food jars
16)Starch
17)Iodine
18)* thermometer

Table of Analysis:

Reaction	Observations Before Reaction	Predictions	Observations During Reaction	Observations After Reaction
1)Baking Soda(Soda bicarbonate + vinegar)	It will bubble up.	It will turn white.	It bubble up and foams.	The vinegar has gas in it.
2)Copper Sulfate + Sodium Carbonate solutions	That is could bubble up and still stay blue.	It would be freezing.	It starts bubbling.	It stops a bit on the bottom and on the top.
3)Zinc piece + HCl	Liquid is clear.	Zinc could change color.	Bubble up and zinc changes color.	Fizzes the zinc and looks like its dissolving.
4)Calcium Chloride + Sodium Carbonate	Both liquids are clear.	Because both liquids are transparent it will turn white.	Turns white.	Stays the same.
5)Copper Suflate + Aluminium Foil Piece	Blue liquid and foil piece.	The aluminium foil piece will change color.	The foil changes color.	Aluminium turns black.
6)Starch + Iodine (I2)	Iodine is red (looks like blood) Starch is white powder.	It will change to a dark color.	Changes color. Gets darker and darker.	The color is darker and you see starch at the bottom.
7)Sugar + Heat	The color of the sugar would change.	It will change to caramel.	Sugar melts.	Sugar becomes brown and made caramel.

Science Links Explanations

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVK9Om4wzBM
This video is showing a chemical reaction of Bromine and Alcohol.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ypUVpwgcAA&feature=related
This video was a reaction of Lithium in Water.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=896vJj6eWYw&feature=related
In this video Cesium is put in Water and the chemical reaction makes a little explosion.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRmNPKVEGeQ&NR=1
This video is a chemical reaction between Potassium and Water. It makes kind of a fire and then gets really big and ends.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJslbQiYrYY&NR=1
This video shows a chemical reaction of Sodium and Potassium in Water at the same time! It starts with a little fire and then an huge explosion.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2mj-Sq2oeo&feature=related
In this video liquid Nitrogen is put into a swimming pool. The water turns to foam and there is a bit of smoke going around.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5n7kBkBcXgo&NR=1
In this link there is a chemical reaction of Aluminium Foil and in the reaction there is an explosion and something similar to soap occurs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Pk6s1MbszA&feature=related
This video shows a gummy bear oxidation.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrNA8-eipGE&feature=related
This video is demonstrating a chemical reaction of Light and Water.


My Own Video:

Atom Simulation

What happens when you add a proton?
When you add a proton you get hydrogen and when you add a proton to a atom it is stable. 

What does it mean when an atom is stable? What does it mean when atom is unstable?
When the atom can hold its nucleus together it becomes stable. This includes the protons,electrons and the neutrons. Unstable atoms are always radioactive. They cannot hold all their parts together and make radiation. 


How do you make an atom stable? What do you need to do?
When you add or subtract a number of protons depending on how much the atom has it makes the atom stable. If you have the same amount of neutrons and protons, it is the easiest way to stabilize an atom. There are also some exceptions in the periodic table. Examples are from the noble gasses. 


What is the valence electron pattern as you move across the periodic table?
The electrons placed in the outer shell of an atom is called its valence electrons. Valence electrons can be a part of another atom or can be shared with another atom. The valence electron for each period starts from 1 and ends at 7. After three can also be a -4,-3,-2 and -1.


What happens to the atom when there is more protons, more neutrons, or more electrons?
In helium nothing happens, but normally atoms turn to be unstable. 


What's the difference between a positive and a negative ion?
When an atom or an element looses/gains an electron ions are formed. Ions have a positive charge when it looses and electron because in that case the number of protons would be bigger than the number of electrons. If the positive happens an ion becomes negatively charged. 

Reflection on Silly Puddy

Last class we made a silly putty from glue, water, baking soda and an acid. We had a plastic cup and for this assignment I worked with Philipp because than we could both but the amount times two on one cup so it was bigger. When we started putting an amount of all these things it was very wet and you could stir easily. We wanted it to be hard so put more acid than in the procedure, but it still didn't work. At the end our silly putty was big but it didn't work out that good, but it was still a lot of fun.

Element Oygen Prezi

http://prezi.com/-xwdn7yb5cif/element-oxygeno/

The topic of this Prezi I made was about Oxygen.

Periodic Table of Metals and Non-metals and the groups of it

Metals and Non-metals

  Periodic Table of Elements 

My Scientific Vacation

My holiday was not as scientific as possible. But I traveled a lot. I got to see Italy for the first time and I was in the sea. I went there with some friends from Turkey for a championship and we had a lot of free time that we discovered interesting stuff on the beach. When we were swimming in the sea, we found some kind of little sea creatures. We couldn't really understand what it was. But than when we asked a men, he said that those could be poisonous in other places but it wasn't in this sea. My friend was trying to pick it with his hand and feel it. We saw one part of the sea where the whole surface of the sea was filled with these and than I remembered from some pictures that in most seas it is like that. My friend took it in his hand and it had a tail. He realized that it was  really fast and also slippery. He was holding the creature from its tail. Some had long tails, which could be poisonous, but my friend seemed like he did not really care. In my holiday I discovered a  lot of stuff in the sea and it was interesting, cool and fun.

Section 1: Elements and Atoms Assessment

Reviewing Key Concepts:

1. a. Defining What is matter? What is an element?

Matter is anything that has mass and takes up space. 2000 years ago, the ancient Greeks believed that all matter was made up of four elements. Which were air, earth, fire and water.

Elements are the simplest pure substances, and they cannot be broken down into any other substances.

b. Explaining  Why are elements called the building blocks of matter?

They are often called the building blocks of matter because all matter is composed of one element or a combination of two or more elements.

c. Inferring  Water is compound. Does water contain elements? Explain.

Yes, there are two elements in water. Oxygen and hydrogen. Water consists of  two hydrogen and one oxygen. 

2. a. Reviewing In general, why did atomic theory change in time?

Atomic theory grew as a series of models that developed from experimental evidence. As more evidence was collected, the theory and models were revised. 

b. Describing Describe Bohr's model  the atom. What specific information did Bohr contribute to scientists' understanding of the atom?

Bohr showed that electrons could have only specific amounts of energy, leading them to move in certain orbits.

c. Comparing and Contrasting How is the modern atomic model different from Bohr's model? Why did scientists revise Bohr's model? 

The modern atomic model was different from Bohr's model because this new particle was hard to detect because it has no electrical charge even though it was nearly the same mass as a proton.

Chemical Party Analysis

Grade 8

Hey! This year I will be attending to 8th grade science. I will be posting what I am doing in class, my homeworks and labs. I'm back!!!!

End of Year Reflection About Science Summary

This year in Science was fun when we went outside and did labs because it was a different and interesting experience. my favorite unit was the last unit we had, which was Astronomy because it was fun and I learned a lot of new things. My least favorites unit was waves because it was hard and I missed some stuff, which made it also hard to catch up for me. My favorite project was the last lab we did, which was the one when we were dropping marbles. I learned a lot of details on Astronomy. The project we did in the beginning of the year was my least favorite one, because it took a lot of time and searching, but ended up as a good poster for me at the end. The videos, labs, and note taking was my favorite ans was really helpful because it explained a lot and note taking was short but if you took good notes, it was really helpful when you did a project about it. I think this year I was good at making and organizing posters/ presentations.I also improved in these two a lot through out the year. My goals for learning science next year at ISB is to explore and find new things. Make a lot of discoveries and definitely to learn a lot of information. 

Marble Dropping Lab

Guiding Question: What are the factors that affect the appearance of impact craters? How do scientists use craters to tell the the relative age of them?

Hypothesis: I think the speed , how hard the meteor hits and the angle of impact is important because if it's faster it becomes harder and has more impact on it, which causes the crater to be deeper.

Trial Height of drop (cm) Diameter of crater (cm) Length of Ejecta Depth of Crater (cm) Observations
1 30 2 0.1 0.8 Made a perfect circle, very very little flour went flying
2 30 1.8 0.1 0.7 Much like the first time, no significant changes
3 30 1.9 0.1 0.9 The hole was a bit deeper this time
Average 30 1.9 0.1 0.8

Trial
1 60 2.1 0.2 1.4 Much deeper than 30cm and made a bigger mess
2 60 2.1 0.1 1.3 Slightly less deep
3 60 2.2 0.2 1.5 Much deeper this time
Average

1 90 2 0.2 1.5 Almost a perfect circle
2 90 2.2 0.1 1.6 Deeper than first 90cm trial
3 90 2.4 0.2 1.7 Even deeper
Average 2.2 0.2    0.16666666666667

1 200 2.3 0.3 2.1 The deepest yet, the ejecta was larger
2 200 2.9 0.4 2.4 By far, the widest diameter yet
3 200 2.6 0.5 2.6 Slightly less wide but deeper
Average 2.6 0.4 2.3


Data Analysis: In my group when we were doing this lab I saw that when we increase the height where we dropped it from the marble went deeper and had a bigger diameter, depth of crater and the length of ejecta, which was true what I said in my hypothesis.


Conclusion:My hypothesis was correct saying that " I think the speed , how hard the meteor hits and the angle of impact is important because if it's faster it becomes harder and has more impact on it, which causes the crater to be deeper." As you can see in the data above it increase on a same rate and the average is mostly the same.

Further Inquiry: In this lab I learned a lot of information in this lab. What I learned was that how craters were formed and where they were located. As my further inquiry I saw that the rates were really similar to 
each other in all three trails.

Phases of The Moon

What did you notice about the phases of the moon?
When the moon travels around the Earth than there will be a different shade on the moon so you will only be able to see the side where there is no shade. This is why there are different phases of the moon.


 Why do we see different parts of the moon night?
Everyday the moon moves a bit and the sun always stays at the same place. So the shade and light on the moon changes each day. That's why you see each night different parts of the moon.


What is a lunar month?
A lunar month is a the period from one full moon to the next full moon to the next.

Waves All Around Us Unit Reflection

I think this was a helpful unit to explain how waves traveled and I learned a lot from it. I learned a lot of different types of waves. How fast they travel was important because that could change the rate or the wave. I think I did really well on the test and it was a pretty interesting unit to learn. 

Food Irradation

If you were offered a package of irradiated strawberries or non-irradiated strawberries and they were the same price, which would you choose and why?  
I would take the non-irradiated ones because with irradiated ones they put weird stuff in it just to make it taste better so people buy more and get more money but that is very unhealthy for you and you can get poisoned.  Everyday people get illnesses from irradiated food and even die from it, when it gets more serious. They don't care or even have idea at the beginning of how bad it can be. They put chemicals so they grow faster and that they can make it quicker and that is also unhealthy.

Reason for Seasons

Guiding Questions: 
1.What causes the seasons?
2. How does the tilt of Earth's affect the light received by Earth as it revolves around the sun?


Hypothesis:


Questions to answer:

Analyze and Conclude:

1. Observing: When it is winter in the Northern Hemisphere, which areas on Earth get the most concentrated light? Which areas get the most concentrated light when it is summer in the Northern Hemisphere?
When it's winter in the Northern Hemisphere and when it's summer the Southern Hemisphere gets the most concentrated light. The areas who get s the most concentrated lights is the equator, tropic of cancer and the tropic of capricorn.


2. Compare your observations of how the light hits the area halfway between the equator and the North pole during winter and during summer.
The squares looks like rectangles and if the sun rotates and change location, the shadow on the toothpick will also change.


3. Inferring: If the squares projected on the ball from the acetate become larger, what can you infer about the amount of heat distributed in each square?
The heat distributed would be more and the reason for that would be that the sun is closer.
4. Inferring: According to your observations, which areas on Earth are consistently coolest? Which areas are consistently warmest? Why?
The constantly coolest areas are the Arctic, Antarctic , North and the South Pole because the sun never rises there. The warmest area on Earth is Syria but the places near equator are usually warm because equator is the closest area to the sun.

5. Predicting: What time of year will the tooth pick's shadow be longest? When will the shadow be shortest?
On summer it will be the longest and on winter it will be shortest.

6. Drawing Conclusions: How are the amounts of heat and light received in a square related to the angle of the sun's rays?
If the light hits the squares on a bigger angel that place would be hotter by the sun.
7.Comnicating: Use your observations of an Earth-sun model to write and explanation of what causes the seasons.
The seasons are caused when the Earth tilts. It gives sun to a place at a moment and the season change in different areas. When the sun moves around Earth it makes the seasons.

Tunning Fork Lab

Guiding Question: How does density of various solids affect the way the sound waves travel from the tuning fork?

Hypothesis: If the material is very dense, then the tuning fork will travel faster.

Materials:
1. Tuning fork (the main material)
2. Table (for testing if the tuning fork vibrates)
3. Computer (Google Docs, for putting the data)
4. White board (Because it is plastic)
5. Wood
6. Metals
7. Watch stop

Procedure:
1. Take a pencil and a notebook before you get started with your experiment, because you wouldn’t want to miss something out, otherwise everything would be incorrect.
2. Take a tuning fork of normal size and hit it on each material. You should feel the vibration of the tuning fork while you’re holding it.
3. Get a timer/watch stop and time how long the tuning fork vibrates. Save your observations on a document or in your notebook.
4. Repeat the steps above.

We found different material to measure the sound of the tuning fork when it vibrates.
We tried it in different materials and we measured them as you can see in the table below.

Data Analysis:

Material	Observation
Metal (Locker)	Soft vibration
Wood (Table)	Very long vibration and on wood it lasts for a long time but soft
Plastic (White Board)	Loud but slow
Rock	Vibrates slow but is loud.

Conclusion:
Jovana’s Conclusion:
In conclusion,

Ergi’s Conclusion:
In conclusion, our hypothesize was right. If the material is denser the tuning fork will be slower. On the table above hard materials all ways lasts longer and has a heavier sound than the others.

Further Inquiry
Jovana’s Further Inquiry:

Ergi’s Further Inquiry:
An interesting thing I learned was that on wood it makes a very long vibration and it lasts for a long time. But, the song is not that high.

Noise Pollution

What is it?Noise pollution is annoying and potentially harmful environmental noise.It is unpleasant and harmful. It can also be a unwanted disturbance around which can damage your ear if it is really loud. Noise travels around and you can't get rid of it or run away from it. Noise pollution is performed by dog barking, trains, loud music,cars or motorcycles and even more. There is different types of energy pollutions. For example two of them are: Light Pollution and Heat Pollution.


How does it affect to our ears?It can damage the health and hearing, which could conclude to loss of hearing. This affects around 1 million. Escaping sound is impossible. You can just close your ears. There are many other causes that can happen from sound. Sound pollution can avoid you from sleeping can give headaches and annoy you. It can also increase your blood pressure, which is not good.


Ways to eliminate sound or get protected?One way of protecting yourself is to put ear plugs, don't live in a house close to crowded places, for example the airport, train station etc. If you do live you have special walls or material in the house that can protect you. Some people uses this. Most people have neighbors and if you open loud music, maybe in a party or celebration you should turn the music, down so they don't get disturbed.


How is science/technology involved in solving these problems? There are special systems for blocking sound and different noises. For example special walls that protect your ears. There are also earphones which help you hear better, if you have problems with hearing. There is one problem that science can't solve is that bring the hearing back, because it is really hard after you lose that sense. It is kind of impossible.




Bibliography


1.http://www.epa.gov/air/noise.html


2.http://www.geogise.com/environmental-issues/noise-pollution.php


3.http://what-is-what.com/what_is/noise_pollution.html

Seismograph Lab

Design a Seismograph Lab

Discovery of reaction to the weight when the wave is added

Kyle C., Philipp G., Luka L., Ergi K.

2/7/2011

Objective: Find the reaction of the wave (seismograph) when the weight attached

I.  GUIDING QUESTION/S:  
What will occur when different weights are added to the surface wave (Finding the work of seismographs)?

II.HYPOTHESIS:
Kyle: I believe that depending on which or how much the weight, the solution of the balance will vary.
Lukas Hypothesis: I Think that the balance will if we differ if you add more or less weight.
Philipp: I think if we change the weight it will swing different. I think if it gets more weight it will swing bigger.

III.  Exploration (PLAN & DO A TEST):

Materials:

Previous Fail Trial Materials:

Red Pen
Blue Pen
Chicken Wire
Scissors
Board Game for the bottom
Tape
Wagon Wood Wheel
Paper
Weight
String

New Trial Materials:

Pen
Weight
Tape
Paper
Ruler
Science Discovery Book
Chicken Wire
Table (As an earthquake)

Procedure (New Seismograph Procedure):

(After Gathering the Materials above)

1. First attach/tape the tip of 2 rulers to the wall horizontally and parallel
2. By using the tap attach the chicken wire to the rulers.
3. Then connect the pen to the wire, which holds the weight. (The objective is to see, if adding weight will affect the result )
4. The pen should be stationary; the pen will be producing seismogram.
5. When the pen with weight is connected with the rulers, slowly prepare the papers and the table to produce earthquake (magnitude).
6. Let one person move the paper slowly when one or two shakes and create earthquake movements.
7. As a result, the seismogram will show the wave vibrations.


IV.  RECORD & ANALYZE

Successful attempt

          

Data of Seismogram Analysis:
                     


Kyle’s Analysis of the Seismogram:

The Graph shown above shows our final data of the new seismograph we made. As the seismograph reacted by the magnitude of the table, the wavelength and the frequency of the seismogram altered. The monitor up there shows how fast and how hard the magnitude reacted. In final consideration, the new seismograph we made was efficient, simple, and easy. I had discover that the seismogram will show difference results when depending on the weight; as more weights are included the shorter the wavelength will be and faster the vibration or the movement.

C.  Analysis of Data:

Kyle’s Analysis: I had figured out that the result and the affect of the wave movements will alter depending on how many weights are added to the pen.

Philipp’s Analysis: I figured out that if there is more weight on the pen then the pen will swing worse and smaller. We had the problem that we put the weight next to the pen and not over it. That’s why the first try was not working.(The weight was pulling the pen to the side where it was attached)

Lukas Analysis: I found out that if we add more weights to the pen it will swing less than the pen without weights. We had problems with the weight positioning. That gave us some dificulties.

IV.  Concept Acquisition (CONCLUSION):  

Kyle’s Conclusion: There are several conclusions to write down; mistakes and trials were made throughout the tests, some were successful but majorities weren’t. As our class started the seismograph lab, my group partners had left without a sign. Though this wasn’t the major problem it could had caused a huge impact. But the problem of this lab was that many attempts were made, however not a single we expected came out. All of us had discovered that the pen should had been stationary, if not we had to adjust the box (it was arduous to adjust since the box was about to be ripped). As my group mates knew this matter, we needed support or a change, we lost control when we were trying to aim higher.

Philipp’s Conclusion: I think that we had a lot of problems with the seismograph lab. We tried to fix up things, we can’t fix up. We also had the problem that we were sick and couldn’t come to school. We were trying ti finish it but our seismograph did not want to work. We finished our writing part very fast but we could not build the seismograph. After all we our teacher helped us and gave us a good idea and we build a good seismograph. I think that it was still fun to make our own seismograph. I think our last try of the seismograph worked pretty good. Our mistakes were that we tried to make the seismograph with to pens. After that the whole seismograph broke. That was the end of our idea. I think an
improvement was our second seismograph because it worked very good.

Lukas Conclusion: I think that we

V.  Concept Application (FURTHER INQUIRY):