Motors.

Today Anja, Unity, and I did the motor lab. We created a magnetic field by coiling the wire around a straw and connecting each wire end to each side of the battery. This created magnetic field, but when we put the pin in the straw it turned into kinetic energy so that the pin was then sicked in. It was really cool to watch!!

We will probably have to create motors and know how energy is transfered.

Curious Magnetics

On Tuesday Cecilia and I did the curious magnetics lab. The first experiment that we did was to build a Gauss Rifle. We built one by using a ruler, 4 strong magnets, 9 metal bars, and tape. We set it up so the strong magnetics were evenly spaced out on the ruler. We taped the magnets down. We then placed two metal balls to the right of each magnet. We then placed the remaining metal ball at the left of the first magnet. When I set the ball there it got pulled by the magnet which hit the all the magnet which caused a chain effect so that each of the balls hit the other magnet in front of them. Then one would go shooting off at the end. It was pretty cool!

We also built a pendulum engine with magnets and heat. We put a candle under the magnet that was attached to a wire. We then put a strong magnet on the side of the board. Then we put the heat under the magnet and it began to go back and forth like a pendulum.

I'm not sure how this has to do with Mission to Mars. Maybe we will have to use magnetic force. This has to do with energy because it's using magnetic energy and heat energy.

Missed the Heat Shield Lab

I was not here on Monday, the 17th. I missed the heat shield lab. I am going to talk to my partners who did it to find out more information about it.

Electromagnets: Winding things up

On Friday Alaina, Gemma, and I did the electromagnets lab. We had to build an electromagnet and we used a computer to measure the magnetic strength. We made the electromagnet with a nail, a wire, battery, and tape. We used a vernier magnetic field sensor to measure the magnetic strength. We winded a wire around the nail and attached the ends of the wire to the battery with tape. The first time we wound the wire around the nail three times. We then held the nail over the magnetic sensor to measure the magnetic force. Then we wound the wire different amounts of times until we got to 19 winds. We discovered that the more winds the more magnetic strength. The battery and wire also got hotter when we added more winds.

I'm not sure how this relates to Mission to Mars. This had to do with energy because the sensor was measuring magnetic force.

Body Power

Today Emma, Gabby, and I measured our body power. I found out a lot of interesting information about calories and calculations. I found that energy (the food that you eat) powered you and you need a certain amount to sustain what your doing. We calculated are BEE, MHR, etc. It was interesting to find out what the minimum amount of calories my body could survive on for a day. I think this has something to do with Mission to Mars because we might have to figure out how much we need to eat. Maybe we will run out of food and have to divide it up depending on how much each person needs.

Preperation.

On Friday Maddy and I prepared for the mini culmination. We told each other how to build stuff. That took up pretty much the whole class. We usually get mostly everything right but just little things we get wrong. We need to learn to be more specific and ask questions. Next class time I would like to talk with Maddy and we can talk about how we can be more successful. I think that it will go well. We just need to keep it up.

Preperation for M2M.

Today Maddy and I (Taryn wasn't here) worked on practicing communicating through Skype. I told Maddy how to build a lego structure that she had the pieces to. It was really frustrating but in the end we pretty much got it, except for a couple of minor errors. I'm trying to work on being more specific. We work pretty well together so I think it shouldn't be too bad.

We also have to practice putting other things together. I think that we both just need to work on not forgetting the details and always ask questions if you are not sure of something.