Magic of Bubbles

SPEED OF LIGHT
We've been talking about the speed of light in Physical Science.
It's always hard to get the concept across as it's faster than our
minds can really comprehend. I ran across a passage in a book I'm
currently reading - E=MC*2, A Biography of the World's Most Famous
Equation by David Bodanis - that helps put it in perspective.

670,000,000 mph (speed of light) (rounded off).
"To emphasize how big a number this is, at 670,000,000 mph,
you could get from London to Los Angeles in under 1/20th of a
second."

Another comparison:
"Mach 1 is the speed of sound, about 700 mph. A 747 jet travels at a
little under Mach 1. The space shuttle, after full thrust, can surpass
Mach 20."
"The number of 'c' is Mach 900,000."

"This vast speed leads to many curious effects. Let someone
irritatingly speak into a cell phone just a few tables from you in
a restaurant, and it seems as if you're hearing his voice almost as
soon as the words leave his mouth. But air only can carry a sound
wave at the lowly speed of Mach 1, whereas radio signals shooting
upward from the cell phone travel as fast as light. The person on
the receiving end of the phone - even if she's hundreds of miles
away - will hear the words before they've trundled the few yards
through the air in the restaurant to reach you."

Fast huh?

smiles, Chris

Science World's Fair

There were many more exhibits - too many to include. I was so proud of all the students! From elementary ages (I don't teach them) to my high schoolers...all great projects of various types. They had their choice of topics so it was wide open - from inventing a coffee filter to a potato cannon - we had it all (Ryan had to fire that cannon outside though. Guthrie fired his match cannon inside - but only one time.) We also had a dance to "Chemical Calisthenics" which was

a lot of fun. I love seeing what these incredibly creative kids come up with every year!

Van Gogh in the Making

Delegate Count

Water Cooler Cannon

I can see one of my students inventing this. I am almost
surprised none of them hasn't thus far. Tuesday night at our
Science World's Fair I can't wait to see what they have imagined!

This new cannon uses water coolers. To blow down walls. Hum..

I have requests to do the Egg Drop Contest next or I might
have to try something like this. It has me thinking...
Chris

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,335801,00