Thanksgiving is near.
It’s time to learn the Turkey Song!
( 8 days ago )
Less Splash
If you could slow down time, you’d be amazed at the things you could see. In slow motion, for example, you could watch individual drops of rain landing in puddles and making mini-splats. Scientists have been able to observe this process by using cameras that take thousands of pictures every second. Such photos give them the ability to see what our eyes are too slow to catch. Pictures of splashing milk droplets, in particular, have been popular ever since the 1930s, when technology made it possible to capture them.
A new experiment adds another twist to these frozen moments in time. Changing the air pressure around a droplet affects the kind of splash it makes.
For the study, researchers from the University of Chicago used a sealed chamber that let them change the air pressure inside. At different air pressures, they allowed alcohol drops to fall onto glass slides. They filmed each trial at 47,000 video frames per second.
Their results showed that drops hit with smaller splats or no splashing at all when the air pressure was lower than normal. When the scientists increased the air pressure, drops splattered more readily. The researchers also discovered that filling the chamber with lighter gases, such as helium, led to smaller splats compared to ones in the presence of heavier gases.
To explain their results, the scientists suggest that, as a drop flattens when it comes in contact with a surface, it spreads out along its edges and pushes against a thin layer of the surrounding gas. The gas resists being trapped, which forces the film’s edge upward. This interaction creates the splash.
When air pressure is low or the gas is light, the gas can’t resist as strongly, and the splat is weaker or never forms in the first place.
The scientists were surprised by their discovery. “I don’t think anyone ever thought poor little old air could do anything to the splash,” says physicist Sidney R. Nagel, who led the Chicago team.
Engineers are interested in the work, too. In industry and at home, splashing affects the quality of important processes, including ink-jet printing, engine combustion, and product washing. Finding ways to control the size of a splat could make such jobs a lot more efficient.—E. Sohn
( 12 days ago )
G4 Reminder
Hey 4G, don’t forget that we are taking a science vocab quiz next week. Use our new strategy for five minutes each day this weekend. If you do, I suspect you are going to get an amazing score; a score you can be very proud of because you earned it!
( 14 days ago )
Consider this...
Do the same, get the same
If you are not happy with your grades, you need to make changes. If you do the same things you are going to get the same grades. Try something different.
IF IT IS TO BE IT IS UP TO ME
I cannot make you get good grades. Your parents cannot make you get good grades. We can encourage you, offer you help, provide you with the tools you need, but we cannot make you get good grades. Only one person can make it happen, YOU.
( 17 days ago )
Study Tips - Flash Cards
( 19 days ago )
Halloween - by NK
( 21 days ago )
Suggestion Box Requests
“On mrconte.com you should put a life cycle of frogs.” ~ IS
“Mr. Conte needs a new hair do.” ~ CC
“We should get a rabid squirrel.” ~ RW
Thanks RW, but I’m not getting the class a rabid squirrel. Instead, I will give you this video of a really dramatic Jedi Prairie Dog.
“We should have ‘bring your pet to school day’ Please!!!” ~ unknown
“Mr. Conte should let us out 5 hours early.” ~ unknown
“We should get a class pet. Like a Mouse!! or a Frog!!” – ~ unknown
( 23 days ago )