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Where Is The Science?
While I was in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, My family and I came across a wildlife exhibit. In the exhibit there were adult tigers, baby tigers, baby lions, and monkeys. My favorite was the tigers, and I thought that their coats were extremely beautiful. There were two adult tigers and they were brothers, one of them had orange fur and black stripes but the other had white fur and tan stripes. I wondered how the two tigers could be related but look completely different. I found that they have distinctive stripes, which help camouflage them into the nature around them when hunting prey. I have always thought of tigers being black and orange, and when I saw the white tiger I was so confused why his coat was different. My answer was some tigers have orange fur with black stripes, black with tan stripes, white with tan stripes or are albino (all white). No two tigers have the same markings on their coats. I can’t believe there were so many different colored tigers! The gene responsible for this is called SLC45A2, and the biologists know that SLC45A2 is associated with all kinds of different colored animals. Melanin is the pigment determining skin, hair, and eye color and has two major types, pheomelanin (produces red to yellow colors) and eumelanin (produces black to brown). The tiger is not a true albino, in that although pheomelanin is largely absent, eumelanin is present in the eyes and in the hairs of stripes, making the tiger white. In the research process I studied zoology and learned so much more about how tigers's fur got its color and why white tigers are white.

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This summer I went to Ocean City, MD for a few days. It was lots of fun! I was wondering, how do waves form? Well, waves form from the transfer of the winds' energy to the water. The big waves that you see at the ocean can travel over long distances. A wave's size depends on the wind's duration, speed, and the area over which the wind is blowing. A wave breaks when its amplitude reaches a critical level where some process can suddenly occur, that causes large amounts of the energy in the wave to be transformed into turbulent kinetic energy. Surprisingly, tsunamis are not formed this way. Tsunamis are formed when undersea landslides cause the waves to form, as water attempts try to find a stable position. Another way tsunamis can be formed is undersea volcano eruptions can create enough force to uplift the water column, and generate the tsunami. After my research, I now know how a wave is formed.

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This summer I took a ride on a train from Oslo, Norway to Flam, Norway.  This made me wonder how a train works. The train´s engine makes the wheels turn and pulls the rest of the carts. So where is the science in this? The science in this is physics. The force that changes its momentum is the static friction force between the wheels and the tracks. The track guides the train acting as a low-friction surface. The other carts are not driving wheels, they just roll and cause friction. For the carts that are just rolling, the friction is kinetic friction. Static friction is the frictional force between two surfaces that are at rest relative to each other. Kinetic friction is when two surfaces are moving relative to each other, like the carts and the axle. If the carts are too close there will be a force pushing them apart. The friction on a train has to be greater than the friction of all the other carts combined in order to accelerate. These are the physics of a train.

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Where is the Science?
This summer I swam for the Joppatowne Tiger Sharks swim team. There are four main forces in swimming. Gravity pushes the swimmer down. The more mass the swimmer has, the more gravity pulls on them. Buoyancy is the opposite of gravity. While gravity pushes the swimmer downward, buoyancy pushes them up towards the surface of the water. Thrust is the force that pushes/pulls the swimmer forward. This force comes from two main places: the arms and the legs. The legs push you forward while your arms pull you forward. To swim the fastest, you want to have the most thrust as possible. However, the more thrust you have, the more drag you have. Drag pushes the swimmer backward as they try to swim forward. To go as fast as you can, you want to have the least amount of drag possible. Swimmers do many things to reduce drag. For example, as the swimmer pushes off of the wall or dives into the pool, they put their arms in a streamline position. They also wear a rubber cap so that the water slides right over their head, rather than hitting into it. There is a formula to figure out how much drag you will have, and can also help you reduce it:  F=½pAC(v*v).
The variable F is drag. The variable p is the density of the liquid that you are swimming in, so it is a fixed variable (unless you are swimming in something other than water). A is the cross sectional area, which is related to the profile of the swimmer. You can change this variable slightly by the way that you position your arms and head.
The variable v is the velocity of the swimmer. The final variable to consider is C, the coefficient. This variable depends on how the water interacts with the object in question. You can change this by smoothing out the object (which can be done to a swimmer by wearing a swim cap, shaving your body, etc.), or changing its shape. For example, a sphere would have a different coefficient than a cylinder. As you can see, there is much science (and some math) involved in swimming.

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This summer the I saw the total solar eclipse on August 21. The Solar Eclipse falls into the category of astronomy which falls into the study of physics. Every eighteen months a total solar eclipse is visible on the surface of Earth. A solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes in front of the Sun. This is because the moon orbits Earth once a month because of the Earth's center of gravity. On rare occasion the Sun, moon, and Earth align to create a solar eclipse.  When the moon passes in front of the Sun they seems the same size.  This appears this way because the Sun is much bigger than the moon, but also much farther from the moon.  During the solar eclipse the moon covers the sun and blocks most of the light. Even when this happens if you look at the Sun it can hurt your eyes in many ways.  Why does it still hurt your eyes even if the sun is mostly covered up? The sun still hurts your eyes because light is still passing through. The small crack of sunlight that is still visible has trillions of light particle flowing through. The way the Sun blinds you by flooding the retina in the back of the eye.  The retina is home to the light-sensing cells which make vision possible. When the cells are over-stimulated by sunlight they can stop working. This is why it can still hurt your eyes even if the moon covers ninety percent of the moon. I was also wondering what you could do to prevent this from happening. I read that you're supposed to wear solar eclipse glasses that darken everything around you. This happens by using extremely dark lenses. The dark lenses prevent most light from coming through. The solar eclipse glasses are made of black polymer which blocks out 100,000 more light than regular sunglasses. Black polymer is made of flexible resin infused with carbon particles. This means the solar eclipse glasses are much stronger than ordinary sunglasses.

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As everyone knows, to hit a golf ball you have to swing at it, but did you know that there is actually a lot of science involved?  All you need is a basic understanding of physics. First, to hit a ball farther, many people think you have to swing harder, which is not the case. The golf club works like a pendulum. When you enter the back swing of your rotation, you are setting your club up with the amount of rotation. As your club rotates forward, it gains momentum, that way, when you make contact with the ball, (if it is a good contact point) the ball will fly into the air. When you have made contact with the ball, the kinetic energy that was building up in the club's swing was released into the ball, sending it flying. Kinetic energy is the energy something possesses while in motion. Golf also plays into Newton's Laws of Motion. For example, Newton said that an object in place will stay in place unless acted upon by an outside force. This is what happens when you hit the golf ball from a still location. Newton also said that an object in motion will stay in motion unless acted upon by an outside force. After hitting your ball, gravity acts on it causing it to fall. Therefore, there is more science to golf than most people think.

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This summer I went to two sailing camps were I got to sail and learn as well. While was out on the boat I wondered were the science might be in sailing. This is what I found. Before a boat is pushed out into the water it has potential energy. Though while the boat is in the water it has kinetic energy. Most boats are made from fiberglass nowadays although some wood boats are still being made. The best outcome of a fiberglass boat is that it is lighter and smoother. These two factors allow for less friction. Friction , in this case is the drag of water along the hull of the boat. With less friction the boat will move a lot faster. The water current may also move the boat and give it an extra boost. The water current is caused by the gravitational pull of the moon as it orbits the Earth. Lastly, the wind is the main power behind a boat. The wind creates a pushing force on the sail. Because ,there is for every action an equal and opposite reaction the sail will want to go forward pulling the boat with it. All of these forces acting upon the boat are forms of physical science. As you can see many forces of science and nature act upon a boat while it is being sailed. I love to sail !!!

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Boats and boating--Equipment and supplies

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This summer I went to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee to go zip lining, see the solar eclipse, and other fun stuff. Although, while I was there I was wondering where is the science in zip lining... how do we zip from tree to tree? Turns out, there are mainly two forces that makes us zip in a zip line! Gravity is one of them. Gravity makes us zip down the zip line and pushes us so we make it across. In addition, if there were no gravity... whats the point of zip lines?  Friction is the last main force, but plays a really important part. Friction opposes motion when you are going down. Your body weight pulls down on the line which creates friction and slows you down at the end. If there were no friction, we would crash into tree!  There is also energy in zip lining that makes us zip! Potential and kinetic energy is one of them. Potential energy is stored energy which changes to kinetic energy on a zip line. (This transition is called energy transfer.) Kinetic energy is the energy of motion. It causes someone to move on a zip line too!  Oh, not to forget, riding a zip line is physical science! Now lets go ride on a zip line! (Just an idea, why can't we go zip lining for a field trip?)

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My science is in hockey. My first topic is the ice players skate on. There are two types of ice, fast ice and slow ice. Fast ice is harder, colder, and has a smooth surface. Slow ice is warm, soft, and may have a rough surface. Skating and passing is easy with “fast” ice. Have you ever wondered how ice is slippery. You can skate on the ice because the ice has a fluid layer that allows pucks and skates to slide. This layer may be thicker or thinner depending on what the temperature is. As the ice is warmed it gets more layers. So what is this layer? The ice you skate on is actually vibrating molecules. These molecules behave like liquid, but they only go up and down. Here is something else to think about. When you do slap shots, the stick bends. But to shoot the puck, you have to release the bend which would snap the stick forward. To do this, the stick would have to be very strong, which they are. You have to use nearly one ton of force to break a hockey stick. To do wrist shots, you bend the stick, then a flick of the wrists releases it. The stick stores the energy, then the flick of the wrists releases it.  My third topic is lactic acid. Lactic acid is what makes your muscles burn after a hard exercise. Hockey players jump on a stationary bike after a game to help remove this acid. Increasing blood circulation and a massage helps too.

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This summer I went to Vancouver, while I was there I got to walk over the Capilano Suspension Bridge. As you can see in the picture a lot of people are on the bridge, but how does the bridge support that much weight? This is an example of a simple suspension bridge, that means that the deck is not stiffened. The bridge’s chords support wooden planks that are suspended from ropes that can be used as handrails.The main cables of the bridge are under the deck and hang freely, this is why the bridge has a curve. The cables experience the force of tension as they are pulled when weight is on the bridge. Compression is felt on the anchors on either side of the bridge because gravity causes the pressing force to occur, there are only two anchors to support this weight. This type of bridge can only hold so much weight compared to its size and cable material, because these are the only sections on the bridge to balance out the weight. On a regular suspension bridge two large towers branch out with suspenders and they also experience the forces of tension and compression. The towers help control the amount of compression on the anchors and the suspenders carry the force of tension. Because there is more support on this style of bridge they can be roadways. I had a lot of fun walking 230 feet above the ground during summer break and learning how physical science affected the engineering of it.

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Over the summer my family and I went to Hershey Park. Over the course of the many roller coasters that I rode I wondered about the science of these rides. I discovered that all roller coasters have a certain amount of potential energy before the ride begins. Potential energy is the energy that an object is storing when it is immobile. However, when the roller coaster begins to get pulled up by the chain, or winch that pulls the cart to the top of the hill the potential energy becomes greater as the car rises. After the car arrives at the top of the hill it will start to roll and descend down the hill. When this happens the car hurtles down and will start to accelerate, this is when the potential energy will start to change to kinetic energy. Kinetic energy is the energy that occurs when something is mobile.  When the car possesses kinetic energy the potential energy decreases and the car slows when going up a second, or third hill. This is why if a roller coaster does not have an engine it will not be able to run up and down hills infinitely.  The roller coaster in the picture below is a picture of the roller coaster Storm Runner. This ride has many twists, turns, and hills that are controlled by the motor, and helped by kinetic and potential energy. Over the course of this assignment I learned that the  science of roller coasters is the science of kinetic and potential energy carrying the car up and down hills on the roller coaster track. I also learned that the the science behind kinetic and potential energy and acceleration are all parts of physics, which is one branch of science.

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This summer I went to Hawaii and we went the the Big Island and saw the lava flow from volcanoes. The volcanoes when you up close to the lava is very hot. This is because they let off heat by radiation. Some of the gases the volcanoes emit are very hazardous to people and same of the areas were closed because of them. The volcanoes on the Big Island form from hot spots. But,Volcanoes are generally found where two or three plates come together or pull apart. When a part of the Earth's upper mantle or lower crust melts, the magma in the volcano forms. The magma breaks through the cracks in the Earth's crust. Pressure builds up inside of the Earth. The pressure in the volcano pushes the magma to come out the main vent or the secondary vent. When the pressure is released magma explodes to the surface and causes the volcano to erupt.The magma once it reaches the surface is called lava. Lava cools and forms new crust. The science in volcanoes come from the pressure and gases built up inside the volcano. The study of volcanoes is apart of the branch of science called Earth Science.

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Niagara Falls is a great source of hydroelectric energy. The science of this is physics because there is energy involved. There is a hydroelectric power plant at Niagara Falls to take advantage of gravity to generate electricity. The power plants at Niagara divert some of the river’s flow from above the falls using canals or tunnels. The diverted water is carried around the Falls, not over it, downriver to where the river is separated from the diverted water by a large cliff or drop. The power plant allows the diverted water to fall down the cliff, through the plant and its turbines and into the river below. The diverted water is stored in large reservoirs upstream from the power plants. Before the water runs through the plant, large objects like logs, fish, and ice must be strained out to avoid clogs and damage to the plant’s equipment. On its way through the plant, the water runs through turbines that spin under the pressing force of the falling water. Turbines are like reverse motors. Electric current runs to the motor which charges electromagnets. The magnets are aligned so that when they are charged with electricity, they repel each other and spin on an axis. This axis spins the propeller and pushes the boat. Now reverse this. Instead of the propeller pushing the water, the water now pushes the propeller, or turbine, which spins the magnets and outputs electricity as a result. After spinning the turbines, the water meets the river again, and the falls continue to rush.

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Campfire wood has stored energy called potential energy, which is energy ready to be used but hasn’t been yet. The potential energy in firewood is called chemical energy, that is stored in its molecules. Energy itself cannot be created or destroyed. A conversion of energy happens when the fire turns wood to ash. When wood burns, its potential energy turns into two other kinds of energy - light energy and thermal energy. For example, some of the potential energy in the wood is converted to light energy. This "heat produces light" effect is called incandescence, and it is the same kind of thing that creates light in a light bulb.  It is what causes the visible flame. The thermal energy, which is the kind of energy that keeps us warm and cooks our food.  “Yum yum - s’mores!”