NASA blog

1. Light Curves- a. Astronomers use light being emitted from an object to measure things like a planet's mass and size.
b. Quiz grade: 100%
c.http://amazing-space.stsci.edu/
2. Dark Matter- a. Dark matter is the blackness we see in space. It is made up of W.I.M.P.s (Weakly Interactive Massive Particles). They absorb a lot of light so that we can't actually see the matter.
b. Quiz grade: 100%
c. http://cdms.berkeley.edu/Education/DMpages/index.shtml
3. Black Holes- a. Black holes are up to 50 times more massive than our sun. They are possibly powerful enough to slow time in it's vortex and is definitely strong enough to suck in light.
b. Was no quiz, but I feel as though I would have aced it anyway.
c. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/imagineWiki/ResourcesAg#BH
4. X-ray telescopes- a. X-ray telescopes can measure energy coming from stars and high-energy emitting objects in space.
b. 100%
c. http://constellation.gsfc.nasa.gov/

bottle biology

In my bottle, I will test the effect that rainwater has on a battery and magnesium in both the soil and water. I will record the clarity of the water everyday. I will also look at the pH of the water before the experiment and see how it changes by the end of the experiment. If I can find a way to do it, then I would also like to record the pH everyday. I would like to do this as it pertains to my recycling project. I can see the affects in a small, controlled environment.

climate blog

Blizzards- Blizzards are like severe storms in very cold temperatures. They are caused by different atmospheric pressures and freezing temperatures. They generally only occur in colder climates and can have devestating effects in the area it covers. Blizzards usually have high winds and are obviously below freezing temperature, which is why they cover the ground in snow and ice.

Hurricanes- Hurricanes are large masses of air mixed with different ocean water currents to create a vortex storm that can often hit land and destroy homes of both humans and animals. The warmer the water, the more intense the storm is. This is very relevant because of the waters in the Caribbean warming due to global warming. Recently, hurricanes have been larger and more destructive and occur more often. The most logical explanation is global warming because it explains the warmer temperatures of the water that fuels the hurricane vortex.

Project Progress

So far, I haven't gotten very far into the project. There are a few more things that can be done for research, such as researching places to take the electronics and how it can be profitable for the schools to recycle. I also need to start making some posters to be able to present.

Mythbusters Summary

Electronic devices have changed not only how we live, but how nature reacts to humans. Thunderstorms have always been dangerous to humans, but with the installation of electronics and electronic wires, they are now even more dangerous. Lightning strikes those electric devices and travels through them as they are the shortest path to the ground. Sometimes however, humans are part of that path and can be seriousl injured. Sometimes building over the environment is very dangerous.

Equinox

The equinox is an event that happens twice a year due to the 22 degree angle of the Earth and its revolution pattern. The equator gets 12 hours of day and 12 hours of night every day because it is always facing the sun directly. Only two days of the year though, the rest of the Earth gets the same amount of light. Rotation of the Earth also has a certain amount to do with it, that being the day and night part. During the equinox, the Earth's tilt is facing lateral compared to the sun, which ultimately causes this change in amount of light.

Success Story Summaries

Holland Students Tackle Energy Use: Students at Holland middle school looked at their school's energy consumption and realized that it could be decreased. They decided to implement "dark days", where lights and other electronics were used at a minimum. Doing this for just one day saved them $206. They got their message out through many mediums, such as powerpoint presentations and announcements.


Food Waste in the Lunchroom at Ellis Elementary School: Students at Ellis Elementary School basically started with the scientific method as they asked a question and followed with a survey. First, they wanted to know what students thought the biggest problem in their school was. Most students said food waste in the cafeteria, so they decided to test what they could do to eliminate food waste. What they came up with was to have recess before lunch. This was because students felt rushed to go out to recess and wouldn't finish their lunches. They did a trial run, and if the trial run works then they plan on permanently implementing the new schedule.