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**8/24/2007**
Find a web article from a reputable news website that contains information about any type of projectile. The article must relate to some science topic this could include something having to do with the projectile of bullets or weapons but should not focus on killing! Write a short (1 paragraph) summary of the article and then describe how anything you have learned in the past week about projectile motion might relate to it (second short paragraph). Finish with a citation to the web article. Enter all of this under "Entry" below.

//Entry:// A video camera now has the ability to track the motion of a bullet in motion. Using high speed camera frames it watch the path the bullet travels in slow motion. It can also track much more minute things like the spin rate of the bullet. The model will be able to be used in a military camp to observe multiple shots at a time using different optical channels. These different channels can offer up to 32 different images in slow motion. This camera will soon be used to capture images of even split second occurrences. The motion of the bullet could relate to what our class learned about with angle, velocity, and wind. The range, movement, and speed of the bullet could be affected by the angle it was shot at, the velocity it was shot with and the wind that was blowing when the bullet was shot. Our class learned about all of the components that affect the motion of a projectile and what could be done to throw, shoot something farther.

Unknown, Unknown. "Specialized Imaging To Unveil Innovations In High-Speed Imaging." __Current Headlines__. 1996-2007. Photonics Online. 26 Aug 2007 [|.]

//Comment 1:// Great job andy. I think your information was awsome and I learned alot just in a few sentences. dont use to descriptive words cause I dont understand the meanings of all the words. One more thing andy watch your font times new roman and not italisized.Otherwise great job! awsome citation. //Comment 2://

9/24/2007
Reflect upon the mystery density cube experiment. You may write in first person. Create a long paragraph addressing these questions:

1.) Was the scientific method necessary in this experiment? If not, why? If so, why? 2.) What made this experiment difficult? or was it easy? 3.) Is density very important in finding the identity of an unknown substance?

//Entry:// Our method was not necessary because it was mostly explained in the hypothesis. So we could have had no method but explained what we were going to do in the hypothesis. This expirement was easy because once we found the density of the object it was easy to find what material each object was made up of. The density is definitely the most important part of finding what an object is made of. If we had only found the volume, or the mass, we wouldn't have been able to find what the object was made of.

//Comment 1: I would suggest putting a few more sentences in, and also you should explain how it was easy to find what each object was made up of. To add more content, you could write about qualitative data and if it was important to the experiment. You could also write more on the scientific method. If you put in more content, this could be great! -Elizabeth B. Comment 2://

10/16/2007
What is a flame test in your own words? How does this relate to the use of chemicals in fireworks? Make sure to include your MLA citations you may not use Wikipedia! . //Entry:// A flame test is when you take a certain element and put near a flame and see what the reaction is. The chemicals used in fireworks have a very specific reaction with fire, different chemicals cause different reactions in the appearance.

uknown, uknown. "Firework Chemicals." __Pyrotechnic & Fireworks Chemicals__. 2007. Skylighter. 16 Oct 2007 <[|http://www.skylighter.com/mall/chemicals.asp>.]

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11/1/2007
Go to this site: [|http://www.visionlearning.com/library/module_viewer.php?mid=55 .]Click on "Watch the Reaction with Sodium and Chlorine" In your own words and in third person, create a blog entry describing the reaction and explaining what is happening in terms of the bonding. Write a long paragraph. Explain in detail.

//Entry:// When sodium was dropped into the chlorine. The sodium has a violent reaction with the chlorine. While the sodium is in the chlorine the sodium emits flames and decentigrades. When the reaction is magnified, the sodium loses an electron to the chlorine causing the two elements to bond. When the sodium electrons are transferred to the chlorine the sodium becomes a cat-ion and the chlorine became an an-ion. A cat-ion is a positive ion when the electron is leaving the element during a reaction, an an-ion is when the ion gains an electron in a reaction. Once the reaction has stopped, NaCl is the compound that remains, otherwise known as table salt. -Andy N.

Comment 1: Andy you had some excellent info. This was a excellent paragraph. You also did excellent on grammar, wording, and also spelling. Excellent job Andy. -Imraan

Comment 2: I think you really got the point. The paragraph was good and so was the grammar, but i think you may have spelled a few things wrong like decentigrades. Besides that I think you did a great job. I would give you an A.

Rewrite: //Entry:// When sodium was dropped into the chlorine. The sodium has a violent reaction with the chlorine. While the sodium is in the chlorine the sodium emits flames and decentigrates. When the reaction is magnified, the sodium loses an electron to the chlorine causing the two elements to bond. When the sodium electrons are transferred to the chlorine the sodium becomes a cat-ion and the chlorine became an an-ion. A cat-ion is a positive ion when the electron is leaving the element during a reaction, an an-ion is when the ion gains an electron in a reaction. Once the reaction has stopped, NaCl is the compound that remains, otherwise known as table salt. -Andy N.

11/08/2007
What was your favorite project, experiment or topic this trimester and why? (projectile motion, density cube experiment, podcasts, chemical reactions, flame tests, etc.) You can also comment about the snakes. What do you think that you excelled at this trimester? How could you have improved your performance in Science 7? (Make sure to check your spelling and grammar).

//Entry:// I really enjoyed the sodium and water expirement when we dropped the sodium in the water. I thought it was cool to see the sodium catch fire in a liquid. The other thing that I enjoyed was setting the magnesium on fire. I didn't know that the metal would be so bright when it was ignited and I was really suprised when I saw what the magnesium turned into after burning. The whole chemistry unit was great and I hope that we could do another chemistry unit next year. Andy N.

//Comment 1:// **Andy was nice. He was one of my partners for the chemical reactions experiment, and he would help me or my other partner when we got stuck, or needed help finding an answer. He always picked up goggles for the group instead of just for himself, so I basically never had to leave my seat.**

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12/18/2007
Our next unit is about electricity and electronics. In first person write a long paragraph about what you know about electricity and what questions you might like to have answered in our electricity unit. If you could investigate any subject area related to energy in the home, electricity, electronics, computers, etc. what would you like to research or investigate?

Entry: I know that electricity is a large part of our everyday life. We use it every day to do even very basic tasks. I would like to know why cell phones can have the screen come off and still work. My cell-phone's screen fell off but I put it back on and it worked fine. Aren't the two parts of the phone connected? Because I'm pretty sure the display must be in contact with the battery and the rest of the phone for it to work. And if the screen is disconnected shouldn't it stop working until you get a new phone or repair it? Anyway I am looking forward to our electricity unit after the break. -Andy

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1/3/2008
Our next unit is about electricity and electronics. Observe the following graph, Graph 1. Write at least five sentences for each of the following questions. Write in third person. Directly cite data and identify the graph (1). 1.) Which electricity source in the US has increased the greatest amount over the time period shown in the graph? 2.) Which of the sources listed below directly contribute to global warming? Provide evidence and explain using the Internet (MLA citation). 3.) Describe the overall trends from 1972 to 1985 regarding the US's sources of electricity. [|This graph can also be seen at this LINK.]

Here is an example statement: "Graph 1 shows that from 1960-1965 there was a steady increase in the use of coal as a source of electricity. It rose from roughly 0.2 trillion killwatthours to 0.5 kilowatt hours.

Entry: The coal source of electricity has increased the most over time. Graph 1 shows that coal use has increased from 1950 to 2005 by 2 trillion killowats per hour. There was a spike of coal use right after the year 2000. After 1970 there are many spikes and small dedclines of coal use as a source of electricity. Coal is the most used source of electricity for the US.

Petroleum is the greatest contributer to global warming. When burning petroleum as fuel for electricity there is large quantities of carbon dioxide being emitted into the atmosphere. Petroleum has two high rates of use through the time shown in graph 1. The first is right around 1970 where the use of petroleum as a source went up by .5 trillion killowats an hour and then started to go down again in 1980.

Then the use of petroleum goes up again to 1 trillion killowats an hour in the year 2000 and continues to slope up. In 1962 nuclear power as an electricity source is introduced. Coal is still the highest used source of all of the sources. Hydroelectric power reaches a high point of use in 1975. Petroleum is at a high use rate. But then all sources except nuclear power and coal go down in use.

Unknown, Unknown. "Fossil Fuel." __Fossil Fuel__. 3 Jan 2008. Wikepedia. 4 Jan 2008 <[|http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fossil_fuel>.]

Comment 1: It is good, factual, and it is in a presentable manner. You wrote in third person. You answered the question correctly, and you did it in a chronological way so that way there is no confusion and makes sense. All in all very good however you didn't really specify enough on coal, and you specified too much on petroleum. I think that you deserve and A. -Clayton

Comment 2: Andy, you did a pretty good job, but there were some fualts i noticed. First, in your last paragraph, you wrote the date 1962 instead of 1972, but i'm sure that was a grammar mistake. I agree that you did a little to much on petroluem, but besides that everything was clear. It was in 3rd person and your thoughts were clear and understandalbe. I would rate this from an A- to an A. Nice job! -Ian B.

COMMENT 3: "INTRO SENTENCE. DESCRIBE OVERALL TRENDS. Then the use of petroleum goes up again to 1 trillion killowats an hour in the year 2000 and continues to slope up WHAT DOES THIS MEAN. In 1962 nuclear power as an electricity source is introduced GOOD, DATA- HOW MUCH. Coal is still the highest used source of all of the sources DATA. Hydroelectric power reaches a high point of use in 1975 DATA. Petroleum is at a high use rate DATA. But then all sources except nuclear power and coal go down in use DATA CONCLUDING SENTENCE OVERALL TRENDS." -JT

1/8/2008
Please read the paragraph below about energy use to create electricity from 1972-1985 in the US. Observe that the graph is referred to, there is an introductory statement, supporting statements are backed up with data, and that their is a concluding sentence. This would have been a well written paragraph for question 3 in our previous blog entry.

"As seen in Graph 1, there were four sources of electricity production in the US from 1972-1985. These sources were coal, petroleum/natural gas, nuclear electric power, and hydroelectric power. From 1972-1985, the US needed greater and greater production of electricity from these combined resources. This best example of this is that during these years, coal increased from 0.5 trillion kilowatthours to roughly 1.5 trillion kilowatthours. During this same time period hydroelectric sources remained approximately the same at 0.3 trillion kilowatthours. There was a slight increase in nuclear electric power sources from 0.1 trillion kilowatthours to 0.3 trillion kilowatthours during this same time period. Finally, petroleum and natural gas showed the greatest amount of fluctuation during this time period staying about the same from 1972-1980 at 0.4 trillion kilowatthours but then deceasing to 0.3 trillion kilowattthours by 1985. Thus, although greater and greater amounts of resources were needed to produce electricity during this time period, coal accounted for the greatest increase in use." - JT

//**Using the above paragraph as a model, describe the changes in electricity production sources from 2000-2005. Make sure that you reference the graph (Graph 1). Make sure all statements are backed up with data. Make sure you have an introductory sentence and a concluding sentence that provide an overall summary/statement.**//

Entry: Graph 1 displays that the four sources of electricity for the US from 2000-2005 were coal,petroleum/natural gas, nuclear electric power, and hydroelectric power. Hydroelectric power is at a low of 1 trillion killowat hours in 2001. Nuclear power and petrolem/natural gas are almost the same at 5 trillion killowat hours in 2002. Coal is far above all the other sources in use rate at 2.1 trillion killowat hours in 2004. All of the sources had an increase in demand as electricity but coal was above all of the other sources in use.

Comment 1: Your information is good. I did not like how you did not refer to the graph very often like Ms.Todd said. Otherwise your description of sources were execellent. overall great job.

Comment 2:

Re-Entry: Graph 1 shows the four sources of electricity for the US from 2000-2005 were coal,petroleum/natural gas, nuclear power, and hydroelectric power. As graph 1 shows, Hydroelectric power is at a low of 1 trillion killowat SP hours in 2001. Nuclear power and petroleum/natural gas are tied at .7 killowat SP hours in use 2002. Graph 1 shows that coal is the powerhouse of a source of electricity at 2.1 killowatSP hours in 2004. Overall graph 1 shows that all of the resources increased in use while coal was the highest source of electricity while petroleum/natural gas, nuclear power and hydroelctric power were still not used as much. PRETTY GOOD BUT WATCH YOUR SPELLING AND ELABORATE BASED UPON THE DATA. - JT

2/05/2008
What is a watt? How do you calculate the amount of electrical power that is used in a circuit? Finally, if a lamp with a 200 watt lightbulb burned for 24 hours straight (you forgot and left it turned on), how many kilowatt hours would it use? Make sure to write in complete sentences and in third person. Explain how you calculated the amount of kilowatt hours that would be used in the question above.

Entry: A watt is the amount of power that an electrical device uses. The equation to find the amount of electrical power in a circuit is amps x volts = watts. It would use 4.8 killowatt hours. To find the amount of killowatt hours used by an electrical device, multiply the amount of watts it uses by the amount of time it was used and then divide that by 1000. The once this has been done, the answer is 4.8 killowatt hours.

Comment 1:Andy, you did a good job but there were several large mistakes that need to be fixed. The first is that you did not write in third person. Also almost all of your scentences had no appearent order. I was also confused by your use of it. The equation is not used to find the current in a circut but to find power consumption. At the end you say to divide by 1000 but you do not say why. I you do divide by 1000 it is impossible to get kilowatt hours as one kilowatt is 1000 watts. good job otherwise though!

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2/28/2008
 This trimester we started by finishing up our chemistry unit by doing an acid/base experiment. After this, we started our electricity/electronics unit in which we first made basic series and parallel circuits with buzzers, speakers, motors, and lights. We applied ohm's law to these experiments. Following this, we started working on the Radioshack Electronics Kits where we made complex circuits that had a variety of functions- blinking LEDs, screeching speakers, analog to digital converters, etc. The technology we used this trimester included the pH probes that we connected to our computers to get the pH of household chemicals, using the wiki to create an class test review sheet, the Radioshack Electronic Kits, and creating collaborative lab reports in the wiki for our electronics unit (instead of a formal lab report).

//__In this blog prompt, please write a paragraph long entry (5-6 sentences with a intro and concluding sentence) that addresses what you enjoyed during this trimester and what you have learned. You can also comment on what you would like to improve upon for next trimester or what was difficult for you. Feel free to comment on our snakes- Peppermint and Diablo if you would like to as well as the technology that you enjoyed this trimester. Please check your spelling and grammar as this blog entry may appear in your end of trimester comment. You may want to write it in Microsoft Word to check the spelling, etc. and then copy it in the blog. __//

Entry: This trimester I enjoyed the electricity unit where we made circuits and learned what was happening in the circuit. I also enjoyed learning about ohms law and all of the other parts in electricity. It must be very obvious that I enjoyed the electricity unit very much. I also liked the acids and bases experiments and seeing what happened when different substances were put together. Next year I want to improve on my wiki spaces because that was not my best area this trimester. I am happy with how I did this trimester and a can’t wait until next trimester to learn even more things in science.

-Andy N

Comment 1: Andy has helped understand a lot of circuit building and vocab definitions. He has helped.... Comment 2:

4/22/2008
Go to: [|The Tech Museum: Robotics]. Spend 10 minutes browsing the information and museum. Answer the following blog prompt in complete sentences and in third person. Create a full paragraph. If in the future machines have the ability to reason, be self-aware and have feelings, then what makes a human being a human being, and a robot a robot? Explain. Are there any kind of robots that shouldn't be created? Or that you wouldn't want to see created? Why?

Entry: A human being is a mammal of flesh and blood. A robot is still a machine that is programed to do anything. Some robots shouldn't be created, like robot animals. If there were robot animals then things would be replaced consistently. So people might start thinking that if an animal goes extinct then robot animals could be created to replace them. Also if there are robot humans to do work there will be even less jobs for people.

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