2-for-1 Special!!! Space-Time

Space-time is kind of a big deal. As we discussed in class, when distorted by matter (massive bodies like planets, moons, etc.), it creates the sense of gravity. Earth's gravititational tug-of-war with the moon in turn is responsible for causing the Earth's tides. Gravity also causes light to bend, streeeeeeeeetching time.

Don't worry!....both concepts take awhile to get one's head around. Here's your assignment:

Watch the video (to the right...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAqSCuHA0j8) about space-time AND watch the full animation about tides (http://www.onr.navy.mil/focus/ocean/motion/tides1.htm) -- the total viewing time is less than 5 minutes. Then post a SPECIFIC question you have about EACH concept that you want answered in class.
(That means two questions from everyone. Oh, and by the way, "I don't get space-time?" doesn't count as a good, specific question!) ;)

We'll discuss your questions before your quiz tomorrow and get to the bottom of these topics.

Balance is key

Too much of even a good thing (known as "surfeit") can become a liability. The excess of good usually has the best intentions behind it but ultimately results in unexpected consequences that can have negative effects. That's the point of this assignment and the accompanying article.

Read the article (link below) about the need for resilience and how the prevailing parenting style of the last twenty years has affected young American's resilience and preparation for life.
 
You all are on the cusp of the affected age group, but please don't think I'm giving this to you because I think you lack resilience or that your parents have done something wrong! That's not it at all! But, you're making the transition out into the "real" world very soon, and you all will likely be parents one day. It's important to look honestly at the good and the bad of our past societal choices so YOU can make improvements toward finding the essential balance for the next generation.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/Mickey-goodman/are-we-raising-a-generati_b_1249706.html

For the your response, simply write a strong paragraph sharing your thoughts stemming from the article. You don't have to agree or disagree, but reading it should stimulate some thoughts so share them.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.

☺ Mr. R

Centri-WHAT?!

We've discussed two new forces recently that aren't actually "new" or "forces." Centrifugal "force" is your perception of inertia/momentum's effect on you when going in a circle -- there's no actual force pushing you outwards.
Centripetal force isn't a "new" force at all, but simply a description of whatever happens to be holding something in its circular motion -- gravity, tension, air pressure, etc.

Riddle me this, what is the cetripetal-type force that allows a car to go around a turn rather than flying off in a straight line? Briefly explain why/how the force acts in a centripetal ("center-seeking") manner.

Hint: What matters most is where the rubber meets the road. 

 

The Power of What Matters

Hi All,

Here's a short "heartwork" assignment. Below is a link to a short video I'd like you all to watch. For your response,  write one or more sentences (whatever you feel motivated to do) about your thoughts/feelings from watching the video. In short, tell me why you think it's powerful.

http://elitedaily.com/news/world/can-learn-lot-middle-school-football-team-video/

Yours,
Mr. R

The Power of Rube!!!

Reuben Goldberg was an American cartoonist who's wild cartoons showed crazy contraptions doing simple tasks. His cartoons have since inspired countless people to challenge their creativity and their understanding of physics in the real-life production of simple yet complex machines. Fun, imagination, and physics are key.

The simple pattern

ENERGY -- FORCE -- ENERGY -- FORCE -- ENERGY -- FORCE -- ENERGY.......

Start by reviewing the week 6 notes online (this is a mandatory part of the assignment).



Watch the OK Go! video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qybUFnY7Y8w) and find examples for the following six concepts. BE SPECIFIC and briefly explain why your examples demonstrate the concepts.

Static Friction
Kinetic Friction
Work
Gravitational Potential Energy
Elastic Potential Energy
Kinetic Energy

Phun Physics with Phelines!

Hope you all are cat lovers. I've always been more of a dog person, but there was no video called "Pun Pysics with Puppies." Watch the video (at right). Partway through there is the "Joke of the Day." For your response, explain why it's funny! Okay, it's only borderline funny, but still...tell us why it's funny and explain (IN THOROUGH DETAIL) the physics at the heart of the joke. You all did a fantastic job with your responses on the latest blog posts -- keep up the great work!

:) Mr. R

Quick observation of friction...

Well, whatchyu got?!

It's All About ME!!

Unfortunately, the title is a little too true when it comes to our instinctive frame of reference as human beings. We're always "Zero the Hero," which is to say...whatever you're doing is your normal -- it's your Zero. Everything else happens relative to that.

Being that the concept of relative motion and frame of reference is counterintuitive to what our eyes see, here's another example: a skydive....

Watch the video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jz8lbjxLwlo). From the camerman's P.O.V., the parachuter goes upwards when he deploys his 'chute. Truth is, they DON'T go up! Why does it look that way to the cameraman and what would someone on the ground (external p.o.v.) see of both skydivers?

Grounded for Life!!

Let's say that someone you know is driving WAY too fast on the freeway (obviously, you personally are much too smart to do anything so foolhardy and dangerous!). Ultimately, your friend's parents will find out he's driving at 80 mph no matter what. He can't escape getting busted! BUT, from the options below, choose which POV/frame of reference he would want his parents to have so his velocity seems the lowest relative to them.

Choose one by voting in the poll to the right, and add a comment to explain WHY your choice is best (AND why the other choices are less ideal)...

The parents driving 60 mph toward him (on the other side of the freeway, of course).
The parents driving 60 mph in the same direction on his side of the freeway.
The parents sitting along the freeway watching him drive by. (External)

Let it Fly!...in 2 Dimensions☺

By playing we learn. So, let's play. On the left side of the blog is a link to a game called "Bazooki: A Silent Affair" and it's all about 2D projectile motion. Play the game for at least 10 minutes, and BE OBSERVANT while you play. Mess around with different angles and different amounts of force, and look at how it affects the flight path of the projectile and the distance it covers.

After you've played, post a reply of something you learned/observed about 2D projectile motion. Talk about vectors (horizontal versus vertical), force, or angles -- or all three!

Make sure to complete this by the end of the day Friday. Have a great one, and I'll see you soon. :)

Mr. R

Words of Power

Hi, A & H Periods! Here's a little extra special assignment for you. Words are the most powerful thing we have in our arsenal -- for good or for ill. But to easily we forget their impact and their value. So, the question I'm posing to you is this: if you could only say one last sentence before being mute for life, what would it be?

In your post, tell me this last sentence AND tell me WHY you chose it. All told, you should produce a decent paragraph of writing.

What final words will you leave to your friends, your family? What final tone to you want to leave to the world?

Acceleration....Getting You Up to Speed!

Thanks to our outstanding demonstrators (Nick C. and Georgie!), we were able to get this cool shot of "Newton's apple" dropping. And thanks to some clever engineering by Casio, we see five different images stitched into one. Important: the SAME amount of time elapses between each image of the apple.
So, what does it mean to ACCELERATE?! There are several different points of the ball's location in each image. In your own words, respond to the two following questions:
1. What's different about the ball's velocity in at each point where it appears in the image?
2. Why is there more distance between each point where the ball appears in the image?
(Show me that you understand the concepts of velocity and acceleration by being detailed in your response!)

 

 

 

Fly Squirrel Mr. R

A Deeper Look...

Hi, Awesome Observers!

Tonight, I'd like you do one (deceptively) simple thing: observe your world. Then post a question you have about it. The key word to remember is, "WHY?"!!
Post your interesting and essential question on the blog. The question doesn't need to be mind-blowing or on a cosmic (or quantum) scale. If it is, cool. And it's just as cool if it's a question from daily life about why something in the world behaves as it does. Put on your keen observer glasses and take a look at things. You'll be surprised with what you see.

See you tomorrow!☺

Mr. R

P.S. Don't forget to log in at the top right (for BlogSpot) and down the page at the bottom right (for our physics blog).

Let's start by...

....taking a deeeep breath. In all likelihood, you've heard things about taking physics. Maybe scary things. Let me tell you this loudly, clearly, and from the get go.... physics isn't hard.

Ok, that statement might be a little misleading, but the point is that physics doesn't have to be hard. That's my approach. We're going to be learning what I like to call "practical physics." You know, learning about WHY things work and act the way they do. We'll throw in some of the essential math (you can't have physics without math; that's like having music without notes), but this won't be a course in number crunching. We'll be doing things "hands-on," creating full-scale demonstrations/experiments, gathering our own data, and do all that in order to identify the laws and forces at work in our world.

So, welcome to a year of learning and investigation together. And let me emphasize the word "TOGETHER." Learning is a two-way street. I'll do my job, but it's up to you to carry your end of the bargain. Engage in the learning, ask questions, be a team player, and follow through on the handful of responsibilities thrown your way. That's what makes good teamwork and that's what makes good learning.

Let's do it.