Friday, March 22, 2013

Project Blog 2


This week, I purchased grapefruit and peppermint essential oils from Whole Foods. They were around $10 each. I looked for sandalwood, but they didn't have it, so we decided to try vanilla for a base note instead. We'll use vanilla extract for that because I already have some and there's no need to spend another &10. Ximena did more research on supplies and she plans to ask Mrs. McKernan to borrow some supplies, like a dropper. We are planning when we'll get together to create the perfume (hopefully over Spring Break.)

Friday, March 15, 2013

Project Blog 1

This week, Ximena and I researched the materials we would need in order to make perfume. We looked into the prices of the materials to get a rough estimate of how much money is required (luckily, not too much) and where we can purchase those items. We will need things like vodka, essential oils, distilled water, glycerine, and a bottle to put the fragrance in. Our next step is to research complementary scents, purchase the materials, and start mixing the ingredients to create the perfume. After that, we will have to wait about a month for the perfume to age.

(The slow internet connection will not let me post a picture but Ximena was able to so look at hers.)

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

QFT: Rocket Science

Top 3 Questions:
1. How should the weight be distributed on the rocket?
2. What happens when the rocket runs out of fuel?
3. What is the best way to protect the egg?


I plan to use the questions to mainly guide the experiment but to also help with a description of science and my report on the project.

 
I found it hard to think of at least 20 questions, but this process did help me plan my project and build my rocket. By editing my questions, I was able to further understand the importance of phrasing questions correctly.

2-L Rocket Eggmision

3 Questions
1. How should the weight be distributed on the rocket?
2. What happens when the rocket runs out of fuel?
3. What is the best way to protect the egg?

By doing this project, I was able to definitely answer question 2. When the rocket runs out of fuel, it continues to go higher due to the force. Within a fraction of a second, the rocket slows and starts back towards the ground.

Making of the Rocket
Our materials that we used were:
1. 2 two-liter soda bottles
2. cardboard
3. duct tape
5. padding (rolls of cotton ball-ish material?)

A.J. and I did not have a very organized and structured plan. We basically used what little knowledge we had of the subject and common sense; we have a very simple design. Due to physics, we knew the rocket needed fins. We were debating on whether we should use 3 or 4 fins and ultimately decided on 3, which I think was the right decision because our rocket flew straight. We cut half of the smaller bottle to be placed on top, and because it was smaller, it fit snugly on the second bottle. In the compartment formed by the bottles, we rolled the egg in the padding and placed two pieces on top and bottom. We duct taped the fins to the sides of the bottle.






The Physics
Newton’s 3rd law applies to our bottle rocket. The fuel is not burned; the rocket flies from the built up air pressure and the water pushing out of its tail. That is the action force, and the rocket is forced up in the opposite direction creating the reaction force.

We made sure our rocket had 3 fins and a heavier top to make the rocket fly well and straight.



The Egg
Unfortunately, our precious egg did not survive. The best way I can describe the padding that we used it the stuff they put under the mini Christmas village scenes to look like snow. We thought that it would be a great material to use because it held the egg in place and would prevent it from breaking. Sadly, it held it too much in place. The padding was not soft enough and did not absorb much of the impact; the egg received most of it. There was nothing to increase the impact time, making the damage worse.

Results
  • Distance: 63 meters
  • Egg: dead
  • Angle: 35 degrees
  • Water: 750 mL
What went right: The distance was twice what was required and the rocket still flew well with the string wind.
What went wrong: The egg did not survive and the rocket came down faster and harder than expected.

What Did I Learn?
I learned that making a bottle rocket is not as hard as it seems. I think A.J. and I both learned to come to agreements and work together better. I also learned that the angle makes a dramatic difference in the trajectory of the rocket. The material for the protection of the egg is very important; it needs to be firm enough to protect it from the hard sides of the rocket, but soft enough to absorb some of the impact. This project helped me further understand physics in daily life. For example, the protection of the egg and the protection of people in a car is quite similar in that the egg/person cannot take all of the force from impact.



Sunday, December 2, 2012

Dynamics PBM: Final Post

My hypothesis was correct. The object on the bottom transfer the momentum unto the object on top. When the basketball was on top, the tennis ball could only transfer its small momentum which caused the basketball to bounce up only a little higher than when by itself. So, when the tennis ball is on top, the large momentum of the basketball is transferred to the tennis ball, which is more than what this mass should have, thus the ball bounces very high.



Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Dynamics PBM: Hypothesis



I think the reason the tennis ball goes up so much higher is because the basketball is larger and transfers its momentum to the smaller tennis ball which would normally not have that much momentum by itself.


My plan to test this theory is to drop the basketball on top of the tennis ball and see if the basketball will go as high as the tennis ball did when it was on top. I will see how high it goes and determine if the mass and weight affect the height of the bounce.

Monday, September 24, 2012

Free Falling

Free Falling

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qw8OJJQ_hgk

 

 I chose this video because it's awesome. The man set many records, most of which have remained unbroken. This is the highest, and longest, free fall ever. In the video, you can see how high in the atmosphere Joe Kittinger is. This video is better than others because most are from planes or cliffs, but in this, Joe jumps from a balloon. He looks as if he jumped from space. It is also interesting that the fall back to Earth doesn't physically affect him (burning up) and the video did a good job at explaining why. If I were to make a video, I would film myself sky diving because I've always wanted to do that and I could truly experience free falling. I could then give a firsthand account.