Tag: Science

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

Footprints – Science Class

Kia Ora everyone, welcome back to my blog. I’m really excited to share today’s topic with you all. In our science class, we’re diving into the fascinating world of forensic science, particularly focusing on footprints and how they can play a crucial role in solving crimes. This subject is super relevant in today’s world where understanding evidence is key to justice.

As we wrap up this term, I think it’s a perfect time to explore this subject in depth. Forensic science isn’t just about what you see in TV shows and movies, it involves a lot of scientific principles and methods. Today, in this blog post, we’re going to structure our discussion like scientists do, using the scientific method.

Footprints

To determine the height of a criminal the feet can be used.

15% of a criminal’s height is the size of their feet.

 

Scientific Method:

Aim: To use forensic science techniques to measure the height of a criminal.

Materials: 

1. Paper

2. Pencil/Pen

3. Ruler

4. Scissors

5. Glue Stick

Steps:

  1. Take off your shot and place it in the middle of the paper
  2. Grab a pencil and trace around your shoe making the border of it
  3. Cut it out and measure your foot in (cm)
  4. Then go on your calculator and type this (your loot length÷.15) then click enter
  5. You will find out your height (enjoy).

 

Thank you for reading my blog.

Thanks,

Shreeya

The Scientific Method – Science Class

Kia Ora everyone, welcome back to my blog. Today in science we are learning about different things when we do a Scientific Report. So we are learning the Scientific method of writing one. It is interesting of the differences in what you need to use. My class is not using all 7 because a higher standard of people do it, only juniors like us use only 4 of the given things below.

 

The Scientific Method –

Aim: What do I want to find out. A question that needs to be answered.

Hypothesis: What you already know. A statement of what you think will happen.

Equipment: The equipment used to do the experiment.

Method: The steps you went through as you did the experiment.

Findings: What have I found out while I did the experiment.

Summary: What the finding discovered.

Conclusion: Information about what you and other scientists have found out.

 

Thanks for reading my blog, this is what we did on our blogs.

Bye

Shreeya

Forgery – Science Class

Hello everyone, welcome back to my blog. Today, we’re diving into a often misunderstood topic: forgery. Forgery is not just about creating fake documents, it’s intertwined with the art of signatures and the importance of authenticity. From historical forgeries that have shocked the art world to everyday scenarios where forged signatures can have serious consequences, understanding forgery helps us appreciate the value of lawfulness in our personal and professional lives.

A graphologist is a person who studies different handwriting styles. The different kinds of letter styles have different characteristics.

Graphologists study:

  1. The size of letters
  2. The slope of letters
  3. The dot on an ‘i’
  4. The cross on a ‘t’

Aim: To analyse a signature using forensic science.

Equipment:

  1. A pen/pencil
  2.  Tracing Paper
  3. Writing Paper
  4. A ruler

There are 3 ways that handwriting is analyzed. These are:

  1. Top letter down
  2. Bottom letter up
  3. Slant

Task

In our recent class activity, we were given a piece of paper divided into two sections, marked as ‘1’ and ‘2’ in the corners. The first section was designated for us to write our signatures. If someone didn’t have a signature, they were asked to write their name in a regular way. Since I already had a signature, I carefully wrote it down, ensuring that every swirl and loop represented my unique style. After this, we participated in an interesting exercise where we swapped our papers with a buddy. The challenge was to try and replicate their signature, which turned out to be a lot harder than I expected. Different people have very distinct styles, and some of the signatures were quite complex.

 

Once we got our papers back along with a sheet of tracing paper, things got even more interesting. The task was to lay the tracing paper over our signatures and then carefully put dots on the highest points of each letter. This method allowed us to visually analyze the way each signature was formatted. I realized that some signatures slanted to the side, while others were more straight. It was fascinating to observe these little details, as they really showcased how everyone has their own personal flair when it comes to signing their names.

 

Reflection

 

I must say, I really enjoyed this activity. Trying to copy other people’s signatures was quite a challenge, but it pushed me to focus more. I found it surprisingly difficult to capture the uniqueness in each person’s signature. It required a lot of focus and patience, which made me appreciate the art of signature writing much more. The best part was seeing how different everyone’s signatures were, it was a great reminder of how unique we all are. Overall, I’d love to repeat this exercise again in our next science class or any future class because it was engaging and thought-encouraging.

Till next time,

Bye,

Shreeya

 

Fingerprints – Science Class

Hey everyone,

Welcome back to my blog, I hope you’re all doing great. Today was a day in science class as we learnt about fingerprints in forensic science. We actually got the chance to take our own fingerprints using a stamp pad, which was super fun and allowed us to discover just how unique we all are.

Did you know that there are three main types of fingerprints? They are:

1. Whorls
2. Arches
3. Loops

After taking my fingerprints, I found out that both of my thumbs have whorls, which I think is pretty cool. The majority of my other fingers, both on my left and right hands, have loops. However, my left middle finger is interesting because it has an arch pattern. Only about 5% of people have this type of fingerprint, so I feel lucky to have such a rare one.

I really enjoyed this activity, even though I learned about fingerprints last year, getting to do this hands-on task was a refreshing way to reinforce what I already knew. It’s amazing to think that even if we meet a billion people, no one else will have the same fingerprints as us.

Thanks for reading, can’t wait to share more science adventures with you all.

Catch you later,
Shreeya