How it works in MY headMy explanation for the world around me.
5/21/13
Saying Hi
So... This still works.
Amazingly I remember my password for Wikispaces, and Ms. P hasn't gotten rid of our sites yet. Nostalgia trip much? Here's something interesting for those interested:
"Force fields are supposed to be magic Kevlar vests unto spaceships. In theory, they sound like a nice concept, until you take into account the massive electromagnetic interference created, which would probably disrupt electronics and communication and cause early cancer in just about everyone. Furthermore, force fields would not really work against non-electromagnetic weapons, like kinetic projectiles. A good example is our own planet, which has its cloak of protection against space particles in the form of the magnetic field. But even the combined effect of a thick atmosphere and the magnetic field can't keep all the radiation away and certainly not stop the bigger and heavier meteors. The same applies to spaceships.
However, even if we assume that you might build a multi-layered force field that would interact with gravitons and electroweak particles, too, imagine the amount of energy required to sustain such a shield in place. What more, it needs to be several orders more powerful than any enemy weapon.
While enemies can focus their energy blast to a very narrow spot, creating a high-density charge, a defender must deploy a large shield that protects vital ship areas. Furthermore, the shield has to be placed some distance from the hull and maintained in a very narrow band of space. Without any other consideration, the force field has to be more powerful than the attacking weapon by at least a power of two, because of spatial considerations. If we take into account the ship's size and the distance of the shield from the ship, it becomes even worse.
The simplest comparison is a modern tank armor versus a high-speed Sabot projectile; a tank needs 50-60 tons of expensive, composite armor of steel, depleted uranium and ceramics to protect against a 5-kg bullet.
In one word, dreck." http://www.dedoimedo.com/physics/sci-fi-mistakes-second.html
Have fun without us, I miss MC!
6/11/10
Cartridge-based storage + dust = problem
If you remember the NES, N64 or even the Game Boy series, you will remember the havoc that dust wreaked on these systems. Even the smallest dust particle in just the right spot (which there are plenty of) could render the game unplayable.
Nintendo Entertainment System
Nintendo 64
Nintendo Game Boy
However, how did that piece of dust kill your system? Allow me to explain:
See the contacts at the bottom of the Game Boy cartridge below?
Game Boy cartridge
When a bit of dust gets between one of those and the game system's connector in the right spot, it acts as an insulator, and prevents an electrical signal from getting where it needs to. The result is that the game plays strangely, or just doesn't work.
6/4/10
Water displacement
When you drop something in the water, the water level raises... This is because the water that was "pushed aside" by the dropped object is still there. Think of it this way:
WWWWWWWWWW + O = WWWWWOWWWWW
5/28/10
Fiber optic cable
At one end of the cable, a light is flashed on and off. This light then travels through the glass or plastic cable. When it reaches its destination, the flashes are interpreted into electronic signals by a sensor, and deciphered by the device's soft/firmware
5/14/10
Basic accelerometers
In a basic accelerometer, a spring is held out of contact to a wire lead. This spring acts as a switch, and closes a circuit when it hits the wire lead. The spring wiggles when moved, allowing the circuit to detect motion. Cool huh?
Video coming soon (in a couple hours)
Never mind...
5/7/10
A ball bouncing
As a ball colides with the ground, it's bottom is compressed. Those particles need to go somewhere, so they come out the top;
When the ball snaps back to its regular shape, the bottom pushes it up off the ground.
4/30/10
Reacting gas
When two materials combine in a chemical reaction, they somtimes give off a gas or smoke. This byproduct is made up of the protons, nutrons and electrons that are left over from the material that was formed.
4/23/10
Adhesive
This week, I will be exploring the workings of adhesive. The principle here is element adhesion. When you stick the adhesive to something, it forms a molecular bond with that object, making it difficult to separate the two objects.
4/16/10
Movement of crabs
Crabs move sideways. This is a generally accepted fact, but why do they?
The answer lies in the theory of pneumatics. A fluid is pumped into a cylinder to extend a piston, and then removed to retract the piston.
Crab legs work along the same principle; blood is pumped into the leg and it stiffens, then released so that the leg loosens. In such a manner, crabs are able to move across the sand, albeit sideways.
4/9/10
Why not RYB?
If you press the menu button on most stand-alone monitors or TVs, you will most likely be able to change the color settings, to varying amounts of red, green, and blue. The three primary colors of light. But why are these the three primary colors? Why not red YELLOW and blue?
Think about our good friend Roy G. Biv. His first three colors are all simular, bright, fiery colors. His last three are quieter, watery colors. And in the middle is green, caught between the two groups, and on his own.
Roy, is simplified to R, or red
G stays itself, and is green
Biv is simplified to B, or blue
There you go, RGB, or Roy G. Biv
4/3/10
Bullet mechanics
The trigger is pulled, causing a hammer to strike the back of the casing
The impact ignites the powder, propelling the shell out of it's casing, and out of the barrel at high speed
The now useless casing is discarded and another bullet is pushed up by a spring
If anyone finds this in-appropriate, please let me know. I tried to make it as school friendly as possible.
3/26/10
Back-lit screens...
The pixels that are used to make up the image on-screen are partially transparent. There is then a light-source placed behind them (most often nowadays an LED.) This light source shines light through the pixels, making them brighter.
3/19/10
Explanation of sandpaper
Just FYI; I have NO clue if this is true or not, it is just a guess.
When you rub wood with sandpaper, molecules rub off of the wood because their bond is weaker than that of the sandpaper. The molecules on the sandpaper catch those of the wood, and pull them off.
3/11/10
My new computer came today!!! It is the most beautiful machine that I have ever seen... But anyways, as I was pulling off the styrofoam protective wrapping, it squeaked! The reason for this is simple. (I think) What happens, it as atoms rub together, they bump air atoms and make them vibrate. These vibrations are carried to our ears and are heard as a nice, loud and obnoxious SQUEAK! 3/5/10
Jeez, I'm hungry... hey! That reminds me of an energy chain;
Sun provides energy for tree
Tree makes apple
Apple is eaten
I'm not so hungry anymore! Wait a minute... WAS THAT A WORM I JUST BIT???
2/23/10
If you think about it, an elliptical is a wheel and axle. The lever attached to the pedal acts as a wheel, spinning around the axle and (hopefully) giving you exercise. Because it is difficult to turn an axle with your feet, the lever is present to make it easier.
2/18/10
In an airplane, the engines make a good part of the cabin noise, but what holds the plane up? The inclined planes (wings).
The inclined plane/wedge cuts through the air and forces it underneath the plane, pushing the plane upwards. This is what keeps you in the air! ---- 2/11/10
Darn... My... Foot... Hurts... Some people complain about nobody caring when they hurt themselves (not being emo - just an accident). Well, I wish some people cared less, or at least stopped fussing so much (wink wink. mom.) Anyways, my science this week is not in my foot being hurt, it is in HOW my foot got hurt. If you want the specifics of my injury, look at today's post here. But, the basic idea is that I did something dumb and landed on my heel from... maybe 10 feet up. Normally I can fall that distance and land without a problem, so what went wrong? The answer to that question lies in the fact that I landed on one heel. Usually when I land, my weight is evenly(fish-esk) dispersed among all four of my limbs which act as springs. But, in this case my heel got all of it, and reacted accordingly, hurting like the dickens. The point that I am trying to make here is that allot of force on one point can cause more damage than the same force spread out over a larger area.
2/5/10
NOTE: Please open the .emf files in this post in "Windows Picture and Fax Viewer".
The water fills in the holes, making the surface smoother, and therefore slipperier.
1/29/10
When you pull an audio plug out of its socket, the speakers make a popping noise. This is because the plug sliding out of the socket generates static electricity, which goes to the speakers and makes noise. Hence, the obnoxious popping noise when the plug is removed.
1/22/10
I just got an adaptor today... Not going to elaborate...
Anyways; it came in a bubble wrap envelope. When you push on the bubbles why do they pop? Why don't they pop on their own?
The answer to these ques tons is pressure. The air inside the bubbles wants out, and the air on the outside wants in. However, both forces are just air, and they cancel each other out. This results in the bubble remaining inflated. BUT, if you help the outside air with your finger (or another force), it overwhelms the air on the inside and the bubble collapses. But where does that air go? This is why the bubble pops; the inside air is forced out by the opposing force, causing the plastic to break and let the air out. 1/15/10
Just now noticed that I had the wrong year on last weeks post... There! Fixed it.
If you push two guys off a cliff and one spreads out his arms, while the other goes stiff as a board, the second guy will hit the ground first. Why? This happens because he has less surface area, and therefore less air resistance.
1/8/10
Energy is never lost, right?
So how come when you charge your laptop, more power goes in the transformer than goes into the computer? The answer is simple; touch your transformer... Is it hot? This is because the "lost" power is transformed into heat and vibration, which explains the high pitched whine.
12/15/09
...hmm...what to write...
Whoa!
Sorry, I was leaning back in my chair, and it fell over. Good thing my bed was in the way to break my fall! Hey, that reminds me of Mr. Newton's first law of motion: "An object in motion will remain in motion, and an object at rest will remain at rest, unless acted on by another force. (AKA inertia)"
5/21/13
Saying Hi
So... This still works.Amazingly I remember my password for Wikispaces, and Ms. P hasn't gotten rid of our sites yet. Nostalgia trip much? Here's something interesting for those interested:
"Force fields are supposed to be magic Kevlar vests unto spaceships. In theory, they sound like a nice concept, until you take into account the massive electromagnetic interference created, which would probably disrupt electronics and communication and cause early cancer in just about everyone. Furthermore, force fields would not really work against non-electromagnetic weapons, like kinetic projectiles. A good example is our own planet, which has its cloak of protection against space particles in the form of the magnetic field. But even the combined effect of a thick atmosphere and the magnetic field can't keep all the radiation away and certainly not stop the bigger and heavier meteors. The same applies to spaceships.
However, even if we assume that you might build a multi-layered force field that would interact with gravitons and electroweak particles, too, imagine the amount of energy required to sustain such a shield in place. What more, it needs to be several orders more powerful than any enemy weapon.
While enemies can focus their energy blast to a very narrow spot, creating a high-density charge, a defender must deploy a large shield that protects vital ship areas. Furthermore, the shield has to be placed some distance from the hull and maintained in a very narrow band of space. Without any other consideration, the force field has to be more powerful than the attacking weapon by at least a power of two, because of spatial considerations. If we take into account the ship's size and the distance of the shield from the ship, it becomes even worse.
The simplest comparison is a modern tank armor versus a high-speed Sabot projectile; a tank needs 50-60 tons of expensive, composite armor of steel, depleted uranium and ceramics to protect against a 5-kg bullet.
In one word, dreck." http://www.dedoimedo.com/physics/sci-fi-mistakes-second.html
Have fun without us, I miss MC!
6/11/10
Cartridge-based storage + dust = problem
If you remember the NES, N64 or even the Game Boy series, you will remember the havoc that dust wreaked on these systems. Even the smallest dust particle in just the right spot (which there are plenty of) could render the game unplayable.
However, how did that piece of dust kill your system? Allow me to explain:
See the contacts at the bottom of the Game Boy cartridge below?
When a bit of dust gets between one of those and the game system's connector in the right spot, it acts as an insulator, and prevents an electrical signal from getting where it needs to. The result is that the game plays strangely, or just doesn't work.
6/4/10
Water displacement
When you drop something in the water, the water level raises... This is because the water that was "pushed aside" by the dropped object is still there. Think of it this way:
WWWWWWWWWW + O = WWWWWOWWWWW
5/28/10
Fiber optic cable
At one end of the cable, a light is flashed on and off. This light then travels through the glass or plastic cable. When it reaches its destination, the flashes are interpreted into electronic signals by a sensor, and deciphered by the device's soft/firmware
5/14/10
Basic accelerometers
In a basic accelerometer, a spring is held out of contact to a wire lead. This spring acts as a switch, and closes a circuit when it hits the wire lead. The spring wiggles when moved, allowing the circuit to detect motion. Cool huh?
Video coming soon (in a couple hours)
Never mind...
5/7/10
A ball bouncing
As a ball colides with the ground, it's bottom is compressed. Those particles need to go somewhere, so they come out the top;
When the ball snaps back to its regular shape, the bottom pushes it up off the ground.
4/30/10
Reacting gas
When two materials combine in a chemical reaction, they somtimes give off a gas or smoke. This byproduct is made up of the protons, nutrons and electrons that are left over from the material that was formed.
4/23/10
Adhesive
This week, I will be exploring the workings of adhesive. The principle here is element adhesion. When you stick the adhesive to something, it forms a molecular bond with that object, making it difficult to separate the two objects.
4/16/10
Movement of crabsCrabs move sideways. This is a generally accepted fact, but why do they?
The answer lies in the theory of pneumatics. A fluid is pumped into a cylinder to extend a piston, and then removed to retract the piston.
Crab legs work along the same principle; blood is pumped into the leg and it stiffens, then released so that the leg loosens. In such a manner, crabs are able to move across the sand, albeit sideways.
4/9/10
Why not RYB?If you press the menu button on most stand-alone monitors or TVs, you will most likely be able to change the color settings, to varying amounts of red, green, and blue. The three primary colors of light. But why are these the three primary colors? Why not red YELLOW and blue?
Think about our good friend Roy G. Biv. His first three colors are all simular, bright, fiery colors. His last three are quieter, watery colors. And in the middle is green, caught between the two groups, and on his own.
There you go, RGB, or Roy G. Biv
4/3/10
Bullet mechanicsIf anyone finds this in-appropriate, please let me know. I tried to make it as school friendly as possible.
3/26/10
Back-lit screens...The pixels that are used to make up the image on-screen are partially transparent. There is then a light-source placed behind them (most often nowadays an LED.) This light source shines light through the pixels, making them brighter.
3/19/10
Explanation of sandpaper
Just FYI; I have NO clue if this is true or not, it is just a guess.When you rub wood with sandpaper, molecules rub off of the wood because their bond is weaker than that of the sandpaper. The molecules on the sandpaper catch those of the wood, and pull them off.
3/11/10
My new computer came today!!! It is the most beautiful machine that I have ever seen... But anyways, as I was pulling off the styrofoam protective wrapping, it squeaked! The reason for this is simple. (I think) What happens, it as atoms rub together, they bump air atoms and make them vibrate. These vibrations are carried to our ears and are heard as a nice, loud and obnoxious SQUEAK!3/5/10
Jeez, I'm hungry... hey! That reminds me of an energy chain;
2/23/10
If you think about it, an elliptical is a wheel and axle. The lever attached to the pedal acts as a wheel, spinning around the axle and (hopefully) giving you exercise. Because it is difficult to turn an axle with your feet, the lever is present to make it easier.2/18/10
In an airplane, the engines make a good part of the cabin noise, but what holds the plane up? The inclined planes (wings).The inclined plane/wedge cuts through the air and forces it underneath the plane, pushing the plane upwards. This is what keeps you in the air!
----
2/11/10
Darn... My... Foot... Hurts... Some people complain about nobody caring when they hurt themselves (not being emo - just an accident). Well, I wish some people cared less, or at least stopped fussing so much (wink wink. mom.) Anyways, my science this week is not in my foot being hurt, it is in HOW my foot got hurt. If you want the specifics of my injury, look at today's post here. But, the basic idea is that I did something dumb and landed on my heel from... maybe 10 feet up. Normally I can fall that distance and land without a problem, so what went wrong? The answer to that question lies in the fact that I landed on one heel. Usually when I land, my weight is evenly(fish-esk) dispersed among all four of my limbs which act as springs. But, in this case my heel got all of it, and reacted accordingly, hurting like the dickens. The point that I am trying to make here is that allot of force on one point can cause more damage than the same force spread out over a larger area.
2/5/10
Why is a wet surface slipperier than a dry one?Say this is a dry tile:
As you can see, the edge is rough, allowing for traction.
Now, here is a wet tile:
The water fills in the holes, making the surface smoother, and therefore slipperier.
1/29/10
When you pull an audio plug out of its socket, the speakers make a popping noise. This is because the plug sliding out of the socket generates static electricity, which goes to the speakers and makes noise. Hence, the obnoxious popping noise when the plug is removed.
1/22/10
I just got an adaptor today... Not going to elaborate...
Anyways; it came in a bubble wrap envelope. When you push on the bubbles why do they pop? Why don't they pop on their own?
The answer to these ques tons is pressure. The air inside the bubbles wants out, and the air on the outside wants in. However, both forces are just air, and they cancel each other out. This results in the bubble remaining inflated. BUT, if you help the outside air with your finger (or another force), it overwhelms the air on the inside and the bubble collapses. But where does that air go? This is why the bubble pops; the inside air is forced out by the opposing force, causing the plastic to break and let the air out.
1/15/10
Just now noticed that I had the wrong year on last weeks post... There! Fixed it.
If you push two guys off a cliff and one spreads out his arms, while the other goes stiff as a board, the second guy will hit the ground first. Why? This happens because he has less surface area, and therefore less air resistance.
1/8/10
Energy is never lost, right?
So how come when you charge your laptop, more power goes in the transformer than goes into the computer? The answer is simple; touch your transformer... Is it hot? This is because the "lost" power is transformed into heat and vibration, which explains the high pitched whine.
12/15/09
...hmm...what to write...
Whoa!
Sorry, I was leaning back in my chair, and it fell over. Good thing my bed was in the way to break my fall! Hey, that reminds me of Mr. Newton's first law of motion: "An object in motion will remain in motion, and an object at rest will remain at rest, unless acted on by another force. (AKA inertia)"
For example:
Bonk!