Tag: Science

Balloon Rockets – Science Class

Hello everyone. Today in science, we conducted an experiment called Balloon Rockets. This experiment was both fun and interesting as we learned about different strategies. In this blog post, I will share the aim, equipment, method, results, and include a picture along with a video so you can try this experiment. I hope you find this blog post enjoyable and feel inspired to try it at home. It’s a lot of fun!

 

Balloon Rockets

Aim:  

  • To understand the forces acting on a balloon rocket.

 

Equipment:  

  • 1 balloon (round balloons work, but the longer “airship” balloons work best)
  • 1 long piece of kite string (about 10-15 feet long)
  • 1 plastic straw
  • Tape

 

Method:  

1. Tie one end of the string to a chair, doorknob, or any other support.

2. Put the other end of the string through the straw.

3. Pull the string tight and tie it to another support in the room.

4. Inflate the balloon (but do not tie it). Pinch the end of the balloon and tape it to the straw. Now you’re ready to launch!

5. Let go and watch the rocket fly!

 

Results:  

My group set up the activity on chairs, carefully following the steps. Unfortunately, the rocket didn’t move from its spot at first. We experimented with different chair angles and balloon sizes. After much trial and error, we finally managed to get it to move halfway. Despite not achieving our original goal, we experienced a sense of satisfaction in our efforts and teamwork.

 

Picture:

Our piece of straw was short, but if you have a long straw, it will probably work best.

Balloon Rocket

 

Video:

I hope you enjoy this experiment as much as we did.

Bye,

Shreeya

Force – Science Class

Hello everyone, and welcome back to my blog. I’m here to share what we learned in science class today. We learnt a bit about the topic of force, which is such a fundamental concept in physics. In addition to our exploration of force, we also had a project focused on the legendary scientist Isaac Newton. I found this project particularly intriguing, as Newton’s contributions to science have had such a profound impact on our understanding of the physical world. As part of the project, we researched and answered a series of questions about Newton’s life, his groundbreaking discoveries, and the laws of motion he formulated. It was incredible to see how his work laid the groundwork for so much of modern science.

I truly enjoyed learning about Newton, and I completed the project in class alongside my classmates, which made the experience even more enriching. The discussions we had and the insights we shared created a collaborative atmosphere that helped deepen our understanding of the subject.

In this blog post, I’ll include my slideshow on Isaac Newton, as well as the key points we were tasked with copying down during our lesson. I hope you find this information as enlightening as I did. Enjoy!

What is force?

A force can be a push or a pull

Forces make things happen, by changing the…

  1. Speed of the object
  2. Direction of movement of the object
  3. Size and shape of the object.

Task

Sir Isaac Newton by Shreeya Patel

 

Thanks for viewing,

Shreeya

Heat – Science class

Hello everyone, and welcome back to my blog. Today, we continued our exploration of heat, focusing on concepts such as temperature and the distinction between hot and cold. Although we didn’t conduct experiments, we had engaging discussions, examined images and wrote the answer to the picture whether it’s hot, warm, cool or cold. As we explored these ideas, we connected them to everyday experiences, enhancing our understanding of heat’s impact on our lives. Thank you for joining me, and stay tuned for more insights on this fascinating topic. Enjoy!

Heat

  • Heat is the energy that is in everything.
  • Hot air goes up and cold air goes down.

Ways to keep heat inside

  • Heatpump
  • Closing windows and doors
  • Blanket
  • Curtins

More about heat

  • Heat is a form of energy.
  • Objects are made up of molecules, and heat energy is the movement of the molecules.
  • Heat can be transferred from one object to another.
  • Cooler objects absorb the heat energy from warmer objects.
  • The Sun gives Earth most of its energy.

Questions

 How to Recognise When You’re Hot?

1. Physical Sensations:
– Feeling stuffy or uncomfortable
– Increased perspiration, especially on the forehead, palms, and back

2. Environmental Indicators:
– High temperatures outside or in an enclosed space
– Humidity levels are making the air feel thick

3. Emotional Responses:
– Irritability or agitation due to discomfort
– Difficulty concentrating

 

Differences Between Being Too Hot and Just Warm

1. Discomfort Level:
– Too Hot: Intense discomfort that might make you feel dizzy or fatigued
– Warm: Comfortable with a slight ease, manageable temperatures

2. Physical Reactions:
– Too Hot: Excessive sweating, flushed skin
– Warm: Light perspiration, feeling snug

3. Behavioural Signs:
– Too Hot: Seeking shade or air conditioning, reluctance to engage in physical activities
– Warm: Enjoying outdoor activities, wearing light clothing

 

Signs Someone Might Be Cold

1. Physical Reactions:
– Shivering: Involuntary muscle contractions to generate heat
– Goosebumps: Skin reacting to cold temperatures

2. Skin Colour Changes:
– Pale Skin Tone: Skin may look white or grey
– Blue or Purple Hues: Particularly in extremities (fingers, toes)

3. Other Symptoms:
– Numbness: Loss of feeling in fingers or toes
– Withdrawal Behaviour: Seeking warmth, pulling away from cold environments

Temperature

  • Temperature is a measure of hotness or coldness.
  • We can measure temperature with a thermometer/
  • Temperature can be measured in CELSIUS it FAHRENHEIT ( American )
  • In NZ, we use CELSIUS to measure temperature. You might hear on the news the temperature for the day in Celsius.
  • The normal temperature for a human body is 36.5 degrees Celsius.

Thermometer

  • The boiling point of water is 100 degrees Celsius.
  • The freezing point of water is 0 degrees Celsius.

Activity –

We will get given a picture and I will be writing if they are hot, warm or cold, and why.

 

Cold: I can tell this person is cold because they are shivering and blowing on their hands to generate heat. Despite wearing thick clothing, they likely feel cold in their hands since they are not wearing gloves.

 

Warm: The child is in warm water, and the sun is shining brightly on his skin. He feels relaxed, which is why I think it is warm, not hot.

 

Warm: The dog feels warm because he is snug in his blanket, which keeps him heated. He is not cold, as he would be shivering and curled up if he were.

 

Cold: It is cold outside because it is snowing, with snow everywhere, on the roof, on the ground, on the trees, and all around.

 

Hot: This is hot because I can see the pot on the stove, ready to boil. The presence of bubbles on the pot indicates that it is boiling.

 

Warm: It feels warm because the cat is sitting on the wall heater, which radiates heat into the surroundings.

 

Temperature and keeping warm

We have various effective methods to keep warm, one of the most common being the way we utilise clothing to trap our body heat. When we bundle up in cosy layers, the fabric acts like a barrier, insulating our body warmth and preventing it from dissipating into the cold air surrounding us. Similarly, the installation of thick, well-made curtains can significantly enhance the warmth of a room, they operate as a protective shield that keeps the cosy air inside while blocking out the chill that seeps through windows. By creating this barrier, both our clothing and these heavy curtains work in tandem to maintain a comfortable and inviting atmosphere, ensuring that we can enjoy our spaces even when the temperatures drop outside.

Thanks, hope you found this informative and interesting

Shreeya✿

Heat – Science Class

Hello everyone, welcome back to my blog.  Today in science class, we learned about heat. In this post, I will explain what heat is, what hot and cold mean, describe the task I completed and a bit more. For my task, I chose Titan to test my limits, but it turned out to be quite easy once I checked the link. If you want to give it a try, click here   ->Worksheet

What is heat?

Heat is a form of energy created when tiny particles called molecules move around. When the molecules speed up, they produce heat, making things warmer, and when they slow down, they make things cooler. This is also known as thermal energy.

 

What does hot and cold mean?

Temperature is the measurement of how hot or cold something is. When matter is heated, it absorbs energy. The molecules vibrate faster and become hotter and hotter. Temperature measures how much energy a substance has absorbed. Cold objects do not have as much energy and move slowly.

 

Where does heat come from?

Heat is a form of energy transfer.

There are three main types:

  1. Conduction
  2. Convection
  3. Radation

Where does heat come from?

Conduction is the movement of heat from molecule in a solid when it is hot.

Remember: Energy can’t be created or destroyed, only transferred.

 

Task – 

Thanks for reading,

Shreeya

Light Continued… – Science Class

Hello everyone, welcome back to my blog. I’m really excited to share what we learned in science class today. We continued our exploration of light, which is such a cool topic.

In today’s lesson, we dove deeper into the nature of light. We discussed how light behaves as both a wave and a super cool particle. It was interesting to learn about concepts like reflection, refraction, and how different materials can affect the way light travels. We even saw prisms, which split white light into a rainbow of colours. It was so awesome to see how light can create such beautiful visuals.

We also talked about the importance of light in our everyday lives, from helping plants grow to enabling us to see the world around us. It’s incredible how something so seemingly simple can be so complex and vital.

Light Energy –

Light primarily comes from the sun, and life as we know it would be impossible without it. Plants use sunlight to create food through a process called photosynthesis. Light is a form of energy that travels in all directions at incredibly high speeds, reaching up to 300,000 kilometres per second. Light rays move in straight lines, and when they encounter an object, they can:

Pass through it (glass), OR Bounce off it (mirror), OR Absorb the light (roading).

The distance light can travel through space in one year is called a light year.

The distance from the sun to Earth is 150.36 million km

Sensing light –

Our eyes detect light, enabling us to see the objects around us. In the dark, our vision is limited because there is little to reflect light rays into our eyes. Light reflects off both smooth and rough surfaces.

We can only see light if the object is…

  1. Transparent – glass
  2. Oqaqie – chair
  3. Translucent – Frosted glass

Shadows –

A shadow is created when light cannot pass through an object. Light flows around the object, forming an outline of its shape. A lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth’s shadow falls on the Moon.

Examples:

X-Rays – Shadow of bones

Sundials – shadow clock

Reflection

Reflection occurs when light bounces off a surface, and this phenomenon happens when the surface effectively returns the light that strikes it.

Mirrors are exceptional at reflecting light because they possess a special backing that bounces the light back when it makes contact with the surface.

Can we see a beam of light?

In normal air, a beam of light is typically invisible.

What about seeing a fogged bathroom mirror? Why does this happen?

This occurs when steam from hot water condenses on the mirror. The moisture forms tiny droplets that create a foggy appearance, obscuring our view of the reflective surface.

Refraction

Bending light is a phenomenon known as refraction. When light travels from one material to another with a different density, it changes direction or bends. Light moves more slowly in denser materials, such as water, compared to less dense materials like air. As a result, this bending causes objects to appear larger.

 

Thanks for reading my blog

Shreeya

Communication – Science Class

Hello everyone, welcome back to my blog for our science class. Today, we learnt the topic of communication. We learned that communication isn’t just about speaking; it includes various methods such as actions, facial expressions, and sign language. For an interesting experiment, we each signed our names in sign language and recorded our performances. This exercise helped us appreciate the importance of non-verbal communication and the beauty of sign language in connecting with others. I learnt sign language last year, so that’s why it was easy to say my name.

Throughout the lesson, we explored different ways we communicate in our daily lives, whether verbally or non-verbally. We also reflected on the challenges of not being able to speak, which deepened our understanding of the power of communication. It was a great reminder of how vital these skills are in our interactions. I hope you enjoyed this insight, and I look forward to sharing more about our learning.

How do we communicate?

It is a basic human need to communicate with each other. We do it in all different ways. There are two different ways of communication: talking verbally and showing actions.

 

What if you couldn’t speak? 

How can you communicate if you cannot speak?

  1. Body language – facial expressions, eye contact and posture.
  2.  Writing and text – emails, texts, letters and typing.
  3. Visual aids – photos, pictures, diagrams, drawings and maps.
  4. Cued speech – hand movements (sign language), gestures and mouth movements.

 

Sign Language Poster –

Learning Sign Language basics - MAS

 

Video explaining my name –

I am talking, so you know what I am saying.

 

Thanks for reading

What is sound – Science Class

Hello everyone, and welcome back to my blog. Today, I’m excited to share what we learned in science class about sound. We explored what it is and how it travels, as well as answering some questions about the science behind our ability to hear. It was an experience that deepened my understanding of how sound waves interact with our environment and how our ears and brains work together to process these vibrations. I found this topic engaging and hope you also find this blog post informative and enjoyable.

What is Sound?  

Sound is a type of kinetic energy resulting from the movement of vibrating molecules. Our ears pick up these vibrations, and our brains interpret them as sound.

Sound is composed of vibrations that move in waves from one molecule to another. We can both see and hear these waves, particularly as they bounce off different surfaces.

Louder sounds create larger vibrations that can travel farther than softer sounds, like whispers. For example, we can hear a plane flying overhead because its loud noise produces substantial sound waves that reach us over longer distances.

 

Q: Why do our ears have that shape?  

A: The shape of our ears enables us to pick up various sound waves while protecting them from potential damage.

 

Q: Why do rabbits have long ears?  

A: Rabbits have long ears as an evolutionary adaptation that helps them detect faint sounds during nighttime.

 

How We Hear:

1. Sound waves enter through the ear canal.

2. These waves create vibrations in the middle ear’s bones.

3. The vibrations are then transformed into electrical signals within the cochlea.

4. Finally, these signals are transmitted to the brain through the auditory nerve pathways.

Thanks for reading,

Shreeya

Energy in a catapult – Science Class

Hello everyone, and welcome back to my blog. Today, we continued learning about energy. In this class, we were focusing on how rubber bands can store and release energy when launched. Our exciting project involved building catapults using various materials like popsicle sticks, spoons, and rubber bands, allowing us to see these energy principles in action. Each design choice affected how far and powerfully our catapults could launch objects, highlighting the fascinating interplay between potential and kinetic energy. I encourage you to try this fun experiment at home. It’s a great way to combine creativity with learning. I can’t wait to hear about your experiences and the impressive designs you come up with.

Aim: To make a catapult that uses electric and kinetic energy.

Materials:

  • Popcical Stick (7)
  • Rubber bands (at least 5)
  • Spoon (1)
  • Cotton ball (If you don’t have any available, you can make a small ball by crumbling some paper.)
  • Small open area (One square meter will do it. It should be a sturdy flat surface, such as a table or floor.)
  • Optional: Markers to decorate your popsicle sticks.

Steps

1. Prepare the Base: Take 6 popsicle sticks and stack them horizontally on top of each other. Ensure they are aligned properly for stability.

2. Secure the Sides: Use rubber bands to secure both ends of the stacked sticks. Wrap the rubber bands tightly around the ends to hold the sticks firmly in place.

3. Add the Arm: Take another popsicle stick and place it vertically on top of the stack, making sure it’s centred. This will serve as the arm of your catapult.

4. Cross-Lock It: Use two rubber bands to create an ‘X’ shape around the vertical stick and the horizontal stack. This will add extra support and stability to your catapult arm.

5. Attach the Spoon: Position a plastic spoon in the middle of the vertical stick. Ensure the bowl of the spoon is facing upwards.

6. Secure the Spoon: Use a rubber band to attach the spoon securely to the stick. Wrap the band around the spoon’s handle and the catapult arm for stability.

7. Catapult Complete: Your catapult is now assembled and ready for action! Enjoy launching small objects safely.

Different Energies –

Heat Energy –

  • Fire
  • Sun

Light energy –

  • Torch
  • Light Bulb

Sound Energy –

  • Speaker
  • Microphone

Gravitational Potential Energy –

  • Dropping something
  • Falling Objects

Electrical Energy –

  • Solar Panels
  • Microwave

Chemical Potential Energy –

  • Petrol
  • Batteries

Kinetic Energy –

  • Dogs Running
  • A picture frame falling from a wall

The Law of Conservation of Energy –

Energy can not be created or destroyed, but it can be transformed from one form to another. Scientists call this the “Law of Conservation of Energy”. Energy transformations cause all of the change that occurs around you.

For example, when you turn on your mobile phone, chemical potential energy in the battery is turned into electrical energy. The electrical energy is then turned into light energy for the screen, sound energy for the screen, and sound energy for the speaker. These changes can be summarised in every transformation.

 

Fill in the blanks –

a) Light bulb converts electrical energy to light energy.

b) Petrol motor converts chemical potential energy to kinetic energy.

c) Speaker converts sound energy to electrical energy.

d) Match converts chemical potential energy to heat energy.

e) Microphone converts electrical energy to sound energy.

f) Heater converts electrical energy to heat energy.

g) Kitchen mixer converts electrical energy to kinetic energy.

h) Jack in the box converts elastic potential energy to kinetic energy.

i) Ball moving upwards converts kinetic energy to gravitational potential energy.

 

Thansk for reading, that what we did in science class today, it was very fun.

Thanks

Shreeya

Energy – Science Class

Hello, welcome back to my blog. Today in science, we were learning about energy. In this blog post, you will get an understanding of energy. Today I learnt new things which I really enjoyed, I loved learning about the kinetic Energy and potential energy. Enjoy!

 

What is energy?

Energy is the ability to do work. This means the ability to make something move against a force. Energy is not a physical thing, it is carried and passed from one object to another.

Unit

Energy is measured in joules (J).

 

Renewable Energy –

  • Sun
  • Water/Hydro
  • Wind
  • Waves

Non-Renewable Energy –

  • Oil
  • Coal
  • Gas

Where do we get energy from

  •  The sun
  • All plants
  • Fossil fuels and food

How does energy behave?                      

Energy can be energy, but it cannot ever be…                         

  • Used up
  • Created or destroyed

Energy can be…

  • Stored
  • Transferred from objects
  • Adeed to an object
  • Taken away from an object
  • Changed into another form

Energy comes in two forms

Potential energy: Energy stored in an object – it is not yet active

Kinetic energy: Energy of a moving object

Food energy is only released when it is eaten

 

Energy Changes

Examples –

  • Making toast ( electrical to heat )
  • Riding a bike ( chemical to kinetic )
  • Wind farm ( kinetic to electrical)

My Examples –

– Kinetic Energy:

  • Motion energy
  • Radiant Energy
  • Sound Energy

– Potential Energy:

  • Chemical Energy
  • Nuclear Energy
  • Gravitational potential energy

Thanks for reading my blog post. I hope you understood what I was learning about today in science.

Thanks,

Shreeya

The Case of the Barefoot Burglar – Science Class

Kia Ora everyone, welcome back to my blog. Today in science we were solving a crime scene which included 4 suspects and a place. It was very fun finding the different clues using forensic science, as what I mean we used their height, fingerprints, footprints, teeth if they bit something and more. It was very interesting and fun to lear about . In this blog post as a class each one of us had to write down our answers of who it was. Here is my evidence.

Link to task

Evidence:

Now, let me share my thoughts on who I think the culprit is based on the evidence we found.

I believe Dan the Man is the main suspect in this case. Here’s why: his fingerprints perfectly match those found at the scene, and he is the only one with whorl fingerprints, which is pretty unique. Dan claims that he was out in the woods gnawing on wood to practice his survival skills, which sounds a bit suspicious to me. When they found him, he was wearing a wool general’s uniform that had some holes in it, hinting at his unusual activities.

 

Not to mention, his teeth look kind of like a beaver. His wife said she can never keep baking soda in the house because Dan is obsessed with using it to get rid of the mothball smell from his clothes. He even stuffs his pockets with it. Plus, she mentioned that her giant chocolate kisses keep disappearing from the candy cupboard.

I think it’s pretty clear that Dan the Man is our suspect. What do you all think? Let me know in the comments.

Thanks for reading, this is all I had to talk about

Shreeya