Curious Magnetics Blog

I was absent that day but I would have been building a Gauss Rifle using the energy of the magnets. Then we were to construct pendulum engine, then we were to create a maglev vehicle. I think it is important to learn about magnets because they will be very useful in space. They have energy when there is more than one of them and they are something you can bring with you. They are very useful things to have.

Impact Craters Lab

In this blog we are supposed to measure craters from the same ball in flour form different heights. We measured a 7.7kg ball from 12" (.3048 meters), 8" (.2032 meters), and 5" (.127 meters). All the craters were one inch in diameter. The average 12" crater was 8/16th of an inch deep. The average 8" crater was 4/16th of an inch deep. The average 5" crater was 3/16th of an inch deep.

Twelve inches: GPE= 23 J. V= 2.444 m/s
Eight inches: GPE= 15.333 J. V= 1.995 m/s
Five inches: GPE= 9.5835 J. V= 1.577 m/s

I realized that the higher velocity it has when it hits the flower the larger the crater will be. You get a higher velocity by dropping it from higher up or dropping a more massive crater. The higher Gravitation Potential Energy an object has the larger the crater (again this is connected to how high up you drop it from and how massive the object is).

Heat Shield Labs

In this lab we were supposed to make a heat shield (out of foil, metal mesh, one nut, and one washer) to protect our rocket ship (a screw glued on to a wooden dowel). Then we put it to the test with a propane torch and timed how long it lasted until the glue melted and the rocket fell.

My first attempt lasted for 15 seconds. We realized that it would last longer if there was air between the heat shield and the tip of the screw (also if there wasn't any exposed rocket). My second attempt lasted for 50 seconds and then my heat shield fell apart (it was sown together). If I had more time I would want to try making a heat shield using other things to keep it together, that was my main issues, keeping it on!

I think this is important because during Mission to Mars we are going to have to launch and take off and it would be bad if our rocket blew up in the process. I want to experiment with other materials like ceramics that don't conduct heat.

Math Graph

Mini Culmination (this is equvilant to two blogs)

My role in the team is mostly to help who ever needs it. I have been working a lot with programming the robot but have been struggling with bugs in the actual Lego robot. I have the basic idea for the program though. I recently learned how to use Skype, a communication tool. I recruited some of my team members to help me because I had never used it before.
I learned that I have a visit day on Friday so I am brainstorming ways to help my team while I am not there. My position is supposed to be Mars base, the person who communicates with everyone else and orders the pieces they need to build or fix what they need to. I hope I will be able to help even though I won't be there.

Things we need to get done this week includes trouble shooting the Lego robot to make it run straight again, get a definite program to be used on Friday, create the basket for the robot, and help all the other team members who need help. I think we should start this week off with a group check in and a group brain storm to help me think about what I can do since I can't be there on Friday (I think I will also check in with MM more about this).

Universal Law of Gravity Commercial

Robotix Lab 5

Today I did an lab called Robotix. Our task was to create a robot that could pick up space rocks on Mars, store at least two rock samples, and move to collect the rocks. It had to have a way of picking up the rocks and it had to have a way to move. We were giving seemingly endless amounts of robotics tools like wheels, motors, connectors, and wires to power the motors.

We built a large robot that had five motors. One controlled the arm that picked up things (this motor was separate from the others). The other four motors were attached to the four wheels and plugged into the largest battery charge, they were controlled two at a time (the two on the left, and the two on the right). It was hard to control and took practice but it was very effective. We had a few trials, we started out by picking up small robotics pieces that were close to the starting position. As we gained confidence in how well we could control it we tried larger objects. The hardest trial we did we maneuvered around a few objects (by turning, or picking them up and moving them) then we got ourselves into the perfect position to get a large blue ball that was nearly too big to be picked up, but we got it!

I think this is important because we may need it for our Robotics mini Culmination and I am sure we will need it for Mission to Mars. I think it would be cool to try this same lab if we had harder standards. Like we had to use a certain piece, go a certain speed, pick up something that is this big. I think that lab would be harder and would challenge us to be more creative because in this lab we had a lot of creative power.

Recovery Systems- lab 4

Today we did a lab about Recovery Systems. We had to make a parachute that could safely carry at least one sand bag or other object. Our group made two parachutes and tested them both.

The first parachute was supposed to be a hexagon but it came out more circular. It was about 14' by 10". the first launch it carried one sandbag and the parachute opened and slowed it down a bit, but to me it didn't seem like a safe speed. I think the parachute was not made to carry that much weight. The second parachute we built was much longer, about 3' by 3' (this is shown in the above picture). It had a small hole cut out in the center and had four strings attaching it to three sandbags. It took longer than the first parachute to open up but by the end it was working perfectly. I think it would have been even more successful if it had more space to drop (instead of over the stairwell).

I think it is important to learn about using Recovery Systems because for Mission to Mars we may need to send packages to tools to Mars with parachutes we design so it can land safely and still intact. I think it would be interesting to try this same experiment with more space to drop them and different materials. Something that may be fun to do is have a contest where you have to design a parachute in your group and see how it stands up against challenges.

Newton's 3rd Law Commercial

Africa Scores

level 4: 51%

Launching to the Moon - Lab 3

This is a video of our initial launch. We taped a large fully blown-up balloon to a straw to create our 'rocket'. This 'rocket' was strung on a fishing line to see if we could launch our 'rocket' to the moon (the wall) sucessfully. The 2nd half of this experiment was to stay in bugdet. We had $4.7 million budget our group had $3,966,000 to spare by the end.

We did three launches, the first was as described a straw with one balloon taped onto it, it was amazingly sucessfull. The second we reused teh 1st balloon (to save money) and tried to send up two wheels taped onto the balloon, that did not work at all! I think it was just too much of a load so it didn't get off the ground. Then we tried again with two balloon and one wheel taped to each balloon. This didn't go all the way to the moon but it made it off the ground a bit.

In this experiment Newtons 3rd law is applied. For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. When you let go of the balloon the air flows out and pushes down -> this forces the straw and the rest of the rocket to be pushed up ( <- ) and to the moon. I think this is an important experiment because we may have to take off and launch to or from the moon and if something goes wrong we can't troubleshoot unless you know what should really be happening. Something I am interested in trying is this same experiment with helium balloons. Helium is lighter than air so I am curious if it would have the same equal and opposite reaction and make the rocket go to the moon.

Moon Sports

Playing catch with on the moon would have its ups and its downs. The moon has less accelerating due to gravity so you and the ball would weigh less. You wouldn't need to excerpt yourself as much (use as much muscle power) to make the ball move. As you through the ball it would have more of a tendency to rise higher because there is not as much acceleration due to gravity. You could throw the ball farther because there isn't air pushing against it. There is less friction making it slow down so it goes faster for a longer distance. You would have to wait longer for the ball to come down to level where you can catch it but it would be easier to catch because it doesn't weigh as much.
It would be interesting to try to play on the moon and see just how different it is. I think it depends on the person whether playing catch on the moon will be easier or harder.

Science Lab- Remote Repairs

For this lab my partners and I had to build robotic parts with only the descriptions our partners could give us. Our group had an extra challenge because one member had to leave early, so we were given twice the work.

We started out only being able to communicate using Google Chat and this made it very difficult. I struggled not with building the parts but understanding what was being said by my partners. There were a lot of misunderstandings and progress was very slow because we had to explain things step by step. But we came up with a genius idea: use iChat so we can use the video camera. As soon as we got a visual everything was much easy. There were less misunderstandings and we made much more progress! We couldn't build all of the parts that were given to us but I feel we did a good job under the circumstances; my group displayed an amazing amount of ingenuity by switching to iChat.

I think that this is an important lab because we may have to communicate with Mission Control using similar tools (AIM, Google Chat, or Video Talk. We may also need to do remote repairs if we send a robot to Mars.

Science Lab- Thrust Structure

Today I missed the labs but I was doing the Thrust Structure. We designed a lgiht weight thrust structure that withstood the force of the launch. We made a reinforced box with craft sticks. Not only did it withstand the 3 launches it survived all through the afternoon so I could try it after school. The rocket went about 1 meter high.

We built a structure sterdy enough to withstand all the launches. It was doubled layered on the sides for extra strenght but it didnt add too much weight. OUr structure was successfull during all trials.

I wonder if you could do this experiment using diffrent materials (straws, popsicle sticks, penicils) and get similar results? I wonder whether we will need to design or use a functional launch structure during Mission to Mars to land or take off.

Bernoulli's Law Demo

My Bernoulli's Law demonstration looks like this picture. You set it up with two straws, one in a liquid and one that blows fast moving air (low pressure) over the top of the other straw. The low pressure is above the straw in the liquid which makes the liquid rise and hit the paper set up parallel to the straw. If the experiment goes correctly the result will be your liquid spraying on the paper.

WELCOME!

Hey! Welcome to Anja's awesome blog.

Have fuuun!!