Newton's Laws - Get Smarter and EARN A REWARD !

Newton’s Laws – who cares? Right?  Actually, Newton observed nature and realized that there are some very simple patterns that govern the way forces and matter act.  One of his observations is called “Newton’s First Law of Motion” or “the Law of Inertia”.

• An object at rest tends to stay at rest (unless a force acts on it)
• An object in motion tends to stay in motion (unless a force acts on it)

Think about it.  Have you ever seen a rock start to move on its own?  Ever seen a book fly across the room without help?  Probably not…. Because objects at rest tend to stay at rest.

Ever get concerned that the earth will simply stop flying around the sun?  When throwing a baseball do you ever worry that the ball will just stop in midair and fall?  Nope! Because objects in motion tend to stay in motion.

EARN A REWARD!!

For this experiment, you will need a marble (or a small ball), a tape measure, and one empty paper towel roll. You will also need to download and print the form at this link.  Experiment Record Form  (If you are unable to get to the link, Mrs D will provide you a copy of the form.)

First, place the marble on the floor and mark its position.  Wait 60 seconds and record how far the marble moved on its own.  Wait 60 more seconds and record how far the marble moved.  Did the marble move?  Explain what you observed.

Create a ramp with the paper towel roll by holding one end 6 inches off the floor and allowing the other end to rest on the floor.  Release the marble into the paper towel roll and allow the marble to roll across the floor until it stops.  Measure how far the marble rolled across the floor.  Perform this experiment three times and record your results each time. 

Now select a different floor surface (one that is rougher or smoother than the first) and do the experiment again three times.  Record your results. 

To Receive a Reward – Complete the following by class time on Friday, 16 March.

• Conduct the experiment described above.
• Record your results and answer all of the questions on the form that you downloaded.  Turn in your form to Mrs D and be prepared to tell her what you learned.

A380 - World's Biggest Jet Airliner

You won’t see this aircraft at the Dothan airport anytime soon – it’s just too big.  The Airbus A380 is the world's biggest jet airliner and the first to have two decks along its full length. It accommodates 525 passengers in a standard configuration, almost 100 more than the rival Boeing 747, the next biggest. 

The A380 is built in Europe by Airbus and is labeled the “gentle giant” because while it is a super-jumbo, its engines burn much less fuel and it is designed to meet demanding noise limits.

Check out this link to see time lapse video of this monster aircraft being assembled.  

A380 from Dream to Reality - Final Assembly

It’s a Bird! It’s a Plane! … No! It’s a NOAA Weather Balloon!

At an isolated weather station in the central United States, a technician emerges from a small brick shed grasping a balloon. It's not just any birthday party balloon, mind you, but a massive, white sphere more than 5 feet (1.5 meters) in diameter. In the other hand, the scientist grasps a radiosonde, a lightweight cardboard box filled with scientific instruments that's tied to the bottom of the balloon. Striding out into an empty clearing, he gently releases the balloon and radiosonde.

After an hour, the balloon has ascended to almost 100,000 feet.  Below, the Earth's features are obscured by a thick layer of cloud. Above, the blue sky has faded to dark black. It's a beautiful sight, one only seen by a handful of astronauts and test pilots.

For the balloon, these breathtaking views will be its last moments. All throughout its ascent, the balloon has been expanding…. It is now the size of a moving truck. Stretched to its limit, the balloon bursts and sends the tiny radiosonde plummeting back toward Earth. Within seconds, the wind catches a small, orange parachute and slows the device's descent.

Each day, hundreds of weather balloons around the world undertake this dramatic, near-space voyage. More than 70 years after scientists sent up the first experimental weather balloon, they remain the workhorses of modern meteorological forecasts. Whether it's a tornado warning or the weather report on the 6 o'clock news, weather balloons are what keep people on the ground tuned in to the meteorological workings of the upper atmosphere.

Thanks to HOWSTUFFWORKS.COM for this post.

To learn more - check out these links!

How Stuff Works - More on Weather Balloons

NOAA Info on Weather Balloons

MIT Students Have Fun with Weather Balloon