Aerodynamics

The other day, I was having a conversation with my good friend Alex, when the topic of kinematic in-class projects came up. Apparently, last semester, the physics classes were assigned the task of building an egg dropper, whereas this semester, we're assigned the far more challenging task of an egg glider. Why Mr. Chung decides to add a whole new dimension to our project, I don't know.

When I first saw the word "aerodynamics", I singled out the "Aero" and thought chocolate bar. Thankfully, I was diligent enough to go home and google the actual definition. Aerodynamics is the study of forces and the resulting motion of objects through the air. Pretty straightforward, but how's this piece of knowledge going to help me build an egg glider?

....Well it won't, but I did fulfill one of the requirements for my blog. The second part includes brainstorming for the ominous task of actual handiwork. The question is: What's the best way to build a working egg glider with 25 straws, a "desk's width of tape", and one sheet of metro newspaper? Panic and grief, here I come.

The most effective way that my sleep-deprived brain can conjure up is the thought of a glider. A glider, although time consuming and tedious to make, proves also to be the most common method suggested amongst physics bloggers on bing. The glider consists of a body, two wings, and a tail. Images are shown below.




This is a pretty cool angle of a glider. Now how to make this out of straws & tape...?



Perhaps the egg can be our passenger? Who knows.

Kinematics Homework

Neat homework check idea.

Kinematics Graph Translations

These are the graphs walked, translated into distance-time, velocity-time, and acceleration-time graphs.

Graphs A, B

Graphs C, D

Graph E

Walking Zee Kinematics Graphs

Self-explanatory, yes?

Graph B: Distance Vs. Time



Graph D: Velocity Vs. Time

Graph E: Velocity Vs. Time



Graph F: Distance Vs. Time

Kinematics Graph

The other day, I was wondering what complex and challenging labs Mr. Chung could come up for us regarding the unit of kinematics. Luckily, he had fallen below my expectations, because each member in my group had the balance and patience of Geishas.

In our experiment, we were given a motion senser, a binder, a laptop, and were asked to walk several graphs on said laptop. The graphs were relating distance versus time, and velocity (speed) versus time. 5 graphs were walked, and we soon learned many new fascinating facts regarding motion. The most intriguing fact had to be that negative velocity is achievable, because negative velocity is merely going in the opposite direction of the way that was originally intended.

Now, with all seriousness, the task at hand, although interesting, still proved to be a pain in the behind. Following the wise observation by Mr. Chung in the beginning of the year, which had roughly been something along the lines of, "All A.Y. Kids want perfect, if something's wrong then it has to be redone...etc.". In the case of this lab, our A.Y. perfectionist hunger was unable to be fulfilled, although the results will show the reader that the graphs were a hair's length away from perfect, tears were shed, blood was spilled, hair was savagely ripped out of our heads..........not.

Overall, this lab was indefinitely one of the best labs we'd done so far in physics. Mr. Chung can be resourceful (where'd we get funding for motion sensers?!) and time-consuming (15 minutes after school?!), but he's proven without a doubt to be a fun and creative teacher. Looking forward to more in the future.

RHR#1&2

Right hand rules are the basics of the grade 11 magnetism unit.

Right hand rule number 1 states that around a conductor, when one wraps his right hand around, the thumb points to the direction of conventional current flow and the fingers point in the direction of the magnetic field.


Right-hand rule numero uno

Right hand rule number 2 states that around a solenoid, or electromagnet, when one wraps his right hand around, the thumb points in the direction of north, (magnetic field) and the fingers point in the direction of conventional current flow.


Right-hand rule numero dos

meeeeow

This is our concept map from class.

10 things you NEED to know about electricity? Hmm..

In order of what comes to mind:

10. Ohm's law (V= IR)
9. Kirchhoff's laws (current, voltage)
8. How to find current in a simple & complex circuit
7. How to find voltage in a simple & complex circuit
6. The definition of current (amount of charge passed through a point at a given time)
5. The definition of voltage (the potential difference across point A and point B)
4. Power formula and how to derive other formulas of power (P=IV), (P=V squared /R) (P=I squared times R)...etc.
3. Difference between conventional current (positive -> negative flow) and electron flow (negative to positive flow)
2. How to find the slope of a graph (rise/run)
1. Ammeter and voltmeters