Kakalios explains that Thor’s hammer works in the realm of “super science.” He can use his hammer to do many things, including fly with it (which doesn’t actually violate the laws of momentum.) His hammer isn’t heavy due to it’s weight, because even those who are really strong are not able to lift it. It has to due with gravitational particles called gravitons. If someone tries to pick it up, it will emit more and therefore be more attracted to the ground, making it impossible for someone to lift it. Captain America’s shield is made of two different materials, steel and vibranium. If Thor’s hammer hits it, there is a huge transfer of energy between them and this is released in a flash of light as light energy.
24. Television
A tv uses both light and sound waves to convey images. You have to plug a tv in in order for it to work. This could be because the light waves you need travel along an electrical current. The socket you plug your television into is connected to a bunch of power cables. You get the sound on tv by using signal, like radio waves. When you power on your tv, the sound and light are timed so you see the picture and hear the words at the same time, instead of it lagging behind. If you increase the loudness, the button on your remote is sending signals to the connecting television and increasing the amplitude of the sound. If you change the channel, which might work on frequencies like radio waves do, you’re changing precisely what type of light and sound waves make up what you’re seeing and you get a different show.
23. Ultraviolet Waves
I picked ultraviolet waves. These come right after visible light on the electromagnetic spectrum. They have a wavelength of anything from 10 to 400 nanometers and have a higher frequency than visible light, 800 THz to 30 PHz. Ultraviolet waves are also called ultraviolet radiation, and there are three categories of such radiation: UV-A, UV-B, and UV-C. It is found from sunlight. UV waves can be used for black lights and photography. Black lights can be used to see images/stains the human eye cannot pick up, and are often scene in crime shows to discover stains. UV waves can pick up discrepancies in photos, such as touch-up work done on a painting or alterations to something.
22. RadioLab Reflection
I was pleasantly surprised by the RadioLab we listened to. I didn’t know what to think originally, but I actually found it really interesting. I thought the conversation they had about the mentions of color in literature was amazing (they thought the sea was wine red!) and it made me think about how much I take for granted. I may not have the best eyesight (woo, glasses!) but I can see all of the colors possible. My friend Luke is colorblind, and it’s interesting to see how common colorblindness can be. What I thought of, in talking about how people and animals can see different colors, was the dress that went viral (the blue-black/gold-white one.) I was actually at a rehearsal when it happened, and we went around asking everyone about it. The scientific explanation for it, I believe, was that it had to do with the cones in your eyes. What color would animals have seen the dress as? What color would tetrachromats see?
Overall, I really liked it. I would love to listen to more or another one related to the topics we’re going to be learning!
21. The Flute
I picked the flute, mainly because it’s interesting to me (I played it in band for two years.)
To play the flute, you blow over the hole at the end of the flute. The air from your breath travels along the body of it. To play different notes, you press different combinations of keys, which let out the air in varying levels and give you higher or lower pitched sounds. Blowing into a flute is similar to whistling, which will produce sound on it’s own. You can play both low and high notes with a flute, and you can play quietly and loudly. I think this is because blowing more gently with decrease the amplification of the wave. If more keys are “up,” then then there are more waves. This will have a higher frequency, which will make the pitch higher, and vice versa.
20. Post-Debate Homework
The first group I represented were the Native Americans. We argued that, although we don’t think we need a change at all, we should use whatever renewable energy resource is the least harmful (in this case, solar panels.) The counterargument for this is the fact that purchasing solar panels can be expensive, and greenhouse gases are released in the production of these. The economists and the Petroleum Institute would most likely disagree with us. They would state:
- It is too expensive for our city— the average family is low to middle class.
- Using petroleum could be better because it would create more jobs.
- The emissions could be harmful to our environment.
The second group I represented was a Republic senator. Although my partner and I phrased what we wanted a bit differently, we stated we were open to pretty much any ideas, and I pushed for the idea of solar panels, wind turbines or, if non-renewable, coal. The counterargument for these include the possible emissions, cost, and the changing of our current ecosystem. The wildlife experts, the president of the Sierra Club, and the tourism officials would most likely disagree with us. They could argue that:
- Using coal is harmful to the environment, harming the animals and land in our city.
- Wind turbines require a lot of space, and they also make a lot of noise. This could scare away animals and prevent people from coming to/living in Page.
- Again, cost and emissions play a big role.
19. The Great Energy Debate (Day One)
Overall I really enjoyed the first half of our debate. I thought the different groups brought up some really valid points and really put in the effort in getting into “character.” Personally, I wish I could’ve answered the questions presented for my group better, but I feel like (hopefully) by tomorrow I’ll be secure in what I’m going to say. I know we didn’t get to hear from every group in class today, but if I had to pick a winner it would probably be the Energy Experts (Alex and Miranda.) They brought up both the pros and cons of what they wanted as a solution and could answer almost every question thrown their way. Of course, that’s not to say the other groups weren’t as good, but they seemed to really understand what they would have wanted and considered a lot of aspects– they didn’t have to scramble or make up answers on the spot. I’m excited to see how our debate develops tomorrow!
18. Goals for the Year
This coming semester I really want to work on my efficiency in class and my organization. I felt like I could have paid more attention in class during the first semester, which would have increased my knowledge of everything we were learning about. For my midterm project I felt like I was really struggling to comprehend the specifics of what I had to know. Had I been more organized and educated on the topic, I probably would have gotten a better grade.
I can improve on this by getting more sleep (difficult with my schedule, but achievable) and taking more efficient class notes. I think I’m finally getting the hang of writing down what I need to know, but it took until very recently to work this out. Topic-wise, I’m glad we will be continuing down the path of energy. I loved our energy presentations and I’m anticipating our upcoming debate. I hope that, in the future, I will be just as excited to learn more. Overall, I just want to be a better Applied Physics student, because I really love this class and I want to improve.
17. Energy Storage
I really love the idea of the Liquid Metal Battery. As we explained in our presentation, it isn’t always easy to find affordable, effective solutions to the problems surrounding our use of energy. I think this would be more cost-effective because it would be one investment that would be better in the long run. The way Sadoway describes it, the battery wouldn’t require a lot of maintenance and could easily be maintained. It made me interested to know more about the product and how they think it could be used on a state-by-state level. Would it be better in cities that use a lot more energy versus more sub-urban areas? If so, would it cost more? If I were a scientist who could potentially work on a project like this, I would be interested in learning how the machine works to master it. If they made it more readily available, could the company teach more students how to operate or take care of the battery?
This, to me, seems like a really good solution to the problem, or at least until we can find another one.
16. Solar Energy
My energy resource is solar energy. The sun releases heat and light as energy. This energy is then stored in many ways. Two examples of this are: by transforming the sun’s energy into into thermal energy (can heat things/power generators) or by converting it into electricity using photovoltaic [PV] cells (solar panels, which can then power electronic devices.) Solar energy is a renewable resource and would be extremely useful everywhere. However, the devices used for converting solar energy are expensive and therefore aren’t as widespread. For example, in 2013 solar energy generated 2% of the United State’s electricity because it wasn’t as readily available. Personally I think it would be really useful to use solar energy as a power source, even if it would mean installing expensive equipment, because it’s a natural, renewable resource.
Hannah Ludemann-- Applied Physics 