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8/24/2007
Find an 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://

8/26/07
//On Thursday afternoon in Salem, the sky started getting dark and strong winds blew the door of the hinges and debris was flying everywhere. What seemed to everyone was a tornado was actually a microburst, but the storms did have a rotating movement. The wind speeds have to be atleast 100 mph to be a tornado. For it to be a tornado, the winds have to move in a projectile motion. A microburst is a strong blast of winds starting from high altitudes that moves downwards at a fast rate. Microbursts and macrobursts occur in Salem, Ohio more frequently than tornados. They are quite dangerous. For these kinds of storms, plans are needed to help people know that these storms are coming their way.// //Tornados’ as well as the objects thrown by it moves in a projectile motion because it is moving in a horizontal and a vertical motion. It is also moving on a curved path. Gravity effects mainly the object being thrown because a tornado is stronger than gravity and that is why it is able to pick things up. If there is more gravity the object will fall faster, but if there is less gravity than the object will take a longer time to fall to the surface. Velocity also affects both the tornado and the object. A tornado’s speed will decrease while time passes and an object will go up fast then slow and will come down slow then fast. The force of the tornado when it hits will also change and the force the object is thrown will be at major force according to how strong the tornado is.// //-Ruchi D.//

Citation: //Citation -// Abdelrasul, Maysoon. "Officials Rule Out Tornado." August 11, 2007. Vindy.com. 26 Aug 2007 http://www.vindy.com/content/local_regional/308800031279476.php.

//Comment 1:// //You used good spelling and grammar, it is a good length, and you used 3rd person. You also didn't use words that were too advanced for 7th graders, and you did a good job summarizing it. In the second paragraph you did a good job of explaining how the article related to what we have been working on in class// //- Joseph P//

//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://

//In class, my partners and I performed a density cube experiment. We had to find what material each of the 10 cubes were made out of and what the density was for each of them. The density was calculated in g/cm^3. In this experiment, the scientific method was necessary. We had to first define the problem, so we needed to know what we wanted to learn. In this case we wanted to know the densities and materials of each cube. Than we had to do a little bit of research and find out what each material was out of the list of materials we had to choose from. Than we observed the different cubes and formed a hypothesis for the cubes. After that was done, we had to perform the experiment to find out the densities. We made a table for quantitative data (data that has to do with numbers) and qualitative data (data that has to do with observations). After the data tables were made, we had to analyze our data. This experiment was a little bit difficult. This is because we had to create several tables and we had to do a lot of research. We had to make many observations and calculate many densities, but it was helpful to have partners working together. It was important to find the density of the unknown substance because you can compare the density you found for the cube and the density of the substance you guessed as the material. If the densities were close than the material guessed must have been correct, but if the densities were very different than the material guessed, the material you had guessed must not have been the right one. Overall, this experiment was both difficult and exciting.//

//~ Ruchi D.// //Comment 1: The blog entry is very good, yet your describing it more than answering the questions. What do u mean by class? A little more description could be used for the beggining sentance. Using the units of g/cm^3 was very good and made the blog entry more understanding. Other than those minor issues your blog entry is excellent. Your writing is a little confusing on the other hand. You have alot of Then, Also, After, if you would change that your reader would enjoy the entry better. Also when you say 'after', you say it so many times it almost gets annoying. Other than that your writing is preatty good! Good Job! -Alex

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 something that determines an element or compound by the color of the flame in which the element is dipped. First you must clean the wire you will use for the test by putting hydrochloric acid on the little loop at the top. Then you must stick the loop in the flames and look for any color. If you see a greenish color, that means your wire is not clean and you must repeat the procedure until there is absolutly no color. Now it is time for you to test the element. You take the clean wire and dip it in the compound or element liquid and then you stick the wire into the flames. You must observe the flames carefully to look for any hint of color. After you see a color, the element can be determined. The flame test relates to fireworks because the main a very important item needed to make fireworks is fire. To make the color, the people that are making the fireworks probably take different elements and do the flame test to see what colors would appear. Flame tests are helpful in many different ways even though you may not realize it.

MLA Citation: Helmenstine, Anne Marie. "Chemistry of Fireworks Colors." __About.com__. 16 Oct 2007 <[|http://chemistry.about.com/library/weekly/aa062701a.htm>.]

Coment 1:

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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:// A virtual demonstartion of sodium and chlorine bonding was presented to the class. The reaction between the sodium metal and the chlorine liquid was a flame. The product was a white substance, or salt. Then the demonstration was magnified so the bonding was shown. To make salt, sodium and chlorine form an ionic bond. Sodium being an Alkali metal has one electron in its outer energy and chlorine being a halogen has seven electrons in the outer energy level. To make sodium have a complete outer level, it gives it's one electron in the outer shell to chlorine. Chlorine has a perfect outer energy level of eight electrons. Now sodium has a charge of positive one because it has one extra proton and chlorine has the charge of negative one because it gained an electron.

//Comment 1: Great job! I think you could tell what happens because sodium is positive and chlorine is negative.//

Comment 2: I agree this is a great entry, but I also think you should explain more a pout the compound they produce.

//Entry 2:// A virtual demonstartion of sodium and chlorine bonding was presented to the class. The reaction between the sodium metal and the chlorine liquid was a flame. The product was a white substance, or salt. Salt is a compound and the compound name is sodium chloride, or NaCl. Then the demonstration was magnified so the bonding was shown. To make salt, sodium and chlorine form an ionic bond. Sodium being an Alkali metal has one electron in its outer energy and chlorine being a halogen has seven electrons in the outer energy level. To make sodium have a complete outer level, it gives it's one electron in the outer shell to chlorine. Chlorine has a perfect outer energy level of eight electrons. Now sodium has a charge of positive one because it has one extra proton and chlorine has the charge of negative one because it gained an electron.

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:// My favorite project this trimester was the chemical reactions project. I liked it because there were a lot of different things happening and I liked the ones that exploded and turned into different liquids. I think that I excelled in balancing equations this trimester because I did not understand it at all in the beginning, but then I started getting the idea of how they work. I could have improved my performance in science by studying a little bit more about projectile motion.

//Comment 1:// Ruchi was a great student in this first trimester. She helped everybody a ton when they needed it. If we had any questions, we would know who to ask. Thanks, Ruchi!! -Courtney K.

Comment 2:

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: Electricity is a source of power that starts up machines. It was discovered Benjamin Franklin. It is also used in many lamp lights. Sometimes when I plug in my charger for my computer, i see a some sparks coming out. Lightening is also a source of electricity. I sometimes here about people getting shocked by lightening. This is because they are standing near another source of electricity and when the lightening hits another electric unit and they get shocked. I do not understand how that happens?

Comment 1: Good job Ruchi! You had good information and seem to know a lot about electricity, but you didn't answer all of the questions in the blog prompts. You also had a couple of spelling errors.

Comment 2:

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 kilowatthours.

Entry: The graph above shows 4 major electricity sources in the U.S. and the usage of each source. Graph 1 sho2ws that the electricity source from the U.S. that has increased the greatest amount over the time period is coal. From the time period 1949 to 2006, there was a steady increase in the usage of coal. It has gone from about 0.2 trillion kilowatthours to about 1.7 kilowatthours.

The energy source that has contributed to global warming is coal. When coal is burned to fuel, it creates carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is the main greenhouse gas which is linked to global warming. The burning of coal also creates sulfur, nitrogen oxide, and mercury which can pollute the air and water. Sulfur mixes with oxygen which creates a chemical that harms trees and water, nitrogen oxide contributes to acid rain, and mercury gets in the water and harms the fish. Since coal is used the most, it creates a lot of pollution and is very harmful to the environment.

The graph above shows a few trends. Nuclear electric power and coal have had a steady increase throughout the time period. Nuclear electric power had not started being in use until 1971. In about 1984 both petroleum/natural gas and hydroelectric power had a slight downfall.

Citations: 1) "Coal-A Fossil Fuel." __Energy Kid's Page__. Febuary 2007. 5 Jan 2008 <[|http://www.eia.doe.gov/kids/energyfacts/sources/non-renewable/coal.html>.] 2) 5 Jan 2008 <[|https://web1.caryacademy.org/facultywebs/joselyn_todd/science7/unit307/Electricity%20Sources%20Over%20Time.jpg>.]

Comment 1: For question 3 you only wrote 4 sentences and you needed 5. A suggetion would be to say Graph 1 instead of sying just Graph. In the four sentences that you wrote you had the right information you just needed one more.

Comment 2: //Good job on question 3. You're data was correct and you wrote in third person. However instead of saying Graph, you should have directly refered to the graph. For example you could have put "As seen in Graph 1..." Other than that I thought you id a pretty good job. -Adit//

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: As seen in Graph 1, there are four sources of electriity in the US. These four sources are coal, petroleum/natural gas, nuclear electric power, and hydroelectric power. From 2000 to 2005 there are several changes that occur in the usage of the energy sources. During this time, coal was at it's highest usage amount which was about 1.7 trillion kilowatthours. Coal stayed at this amount from 200-2005. Petroleum and natural gas are at about .7 trillion kilowatthours in 2000, but it raised steadily and in 2005 petroleum and natural gas reached about .9 trillion killowatthours. Nucleur electric power had stayed the same from 2000-2005. It was at .7 killowatthours and hasn't changed since 2000. Finally hydroelectric power had been used the least out of all of the energy sources. It was at about .3 kilowatthours in 2000 and it decreased a little bit in 2001 to about .2 kilowatthours. The amount raised back up to .3 kilowatthours in 2002 and stayed the same through 2005. In conclusion, coal was used the most out of all of 4 of the energy sources and it was also the only source that had rose at a steady pace. ~Ruchi

Comment 1:

I have reviewed your blog and overall, you did good! You did good, referring to the graph and the data also, writing in third person. As well, you followed the directions of the blog prompt and, provided evidence for your ideas. However, there are some minor mistakes/ suggestion I have for you, wrote “amount from 200- 2005” which should have been 2000. Another thing is which just a suggestion is, write longer and more descriptive sentences in your paragraph. You did great and followed all the instructions of the prompt! -Myra

Comment 2: I read your blog entry and it is clear, and you directly give information from the graph. Two other spelling mistakes that you made are "electriity" in the first sentence, and "nucleur" in the seventh sentence. Another thing you could do to improve this is to vary the lengths of your sentences. I think all of the information is great, and besides a couple of spelling mistakes, it is excellent! - Jared

Rewrite: As seen in Graph 1, there are four sources of electricity in the US. These four sources are coal, petroleum/natural gas, nuclear electric power, and hydroelectric power. From 2000 to 2005 there are several changes that occur in the usage of the 4 different energy sources. During this time, coal was at it's highest usage amount which was about 1.7 trillion kilowatthours. Coal stayed at this amount from 2000-2005 and it has had a steady rise through out the time BY HOW MUCH. Petroleum and natural gas are at about .7 trillion kilowatthours in 2000, but it raised steadily and in 2005 petroleum and natural gas reached about .9 trillion killowatthours. Nuclear electric power had stayed the same from 2000-2005. It was at .7 killowatthours and hasn't changed since 2000. Finally hydroelectric power had been used the least out of all of the energy sources. It was at about .3 kilowatthours in 2000 and it decreased a little bit in 2001 to about .2 kilowatthours. The amount raised back up to .3 kilowatthours in 2002 and stayed the same through 2005. In conclusion, coal was used the most out of all of 4 of the energy sources and it was also the only source that had rose at a steady pace. ~Ruchi GREAT JOB JUST WATCH YOUR PUNCTUATION. - JT

 

2/5/2008
 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 light bulb 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 a measurement of Power. The equation for it is Power = Voltage/Current. If a lamp with a 200 watt light bulb burns for 24 hours straight, it runs for 4.8 kilowatt hours. To find kilowatt hours from watts and hours, you first multiply the power of the light bulb by the amount of hours the light bulb ran for. The answer to that is divided by 1000 because kilo means 1000. The answer to this problem is 4.8 kilowatts.

Comment 1: Good Job on your blog entry. You have written that the equation for Power is Voltage/Current, the correct equation for Power is Voltage * Current. You have written that the answer to this problem is 4.8 kilowatts, the correct answer is 4.8 kilowatthours. Overall, You did a great job! ~Nupur~

Comment 2: Great job addressing all of the questions posed in the prompt Ruchi! Your wording is a little bit awkward in places- for instance, you say "The equation for it is..."- I think a more specific way of saying that is "The equation for determining wattage is...". Also, your first sentence says that "A watt is a measurement of Power."- when it may be helpful to state that it is a //unit // of electrical power. Also, it would be helpful to readers if you included units for everything. One last thing- make sure you don't confuse kilowatts and kilowatt hours. Overall you did a great job! ~Katie

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 had a great time in science class. My favorite section was electronics. I like putting the different objects into the pips and I liked when the circuit turned out right and it worked. The most difficult section for me this trimester was the electronics because I had a hard time making the circuits and they didn't always work. I enjoyed having the snakes in the class. They are very pretty and they are also very nice. This trimester was very fun for me.

Comment 1: Ruchi is a great friend and person to be around. With a good personality and a hard-working attitude, Ruchi is a kind person. Working with you and Myra was really fun. I hope you continue having fun in science next trimester. ~ Christina

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: Humans are natural, have feelings, and have minds of their own. Robots are not natural and do not have minds of ther own. They are programmed to do many things. On the website, one man said one day the robots will be humans. That is a very irrelevant idea. If robots had human like qualities, they could be angry and want to attack. If robots had the same brain power as a human, they could take over because they also have a lot of space for programming. Many people would like having robots do their jobs for them, but if robots do everything, then humans will not have anything to do and they will not earn money to pay for everything. It would harm people if robots become humans. Something will go wrong if that happens.

Comment 1:

Comment 2: