Riding the Booster Video

I know we learned about Astronomy during our 3rd quarter, but I found this video to be fascinating enough to put in the blog now. They hooked cameras up to a booster rocket (basically a metal cylinder filled with rocket fuel), and filmed what happens from launch to splash-down. It's pretty crazy.

"Thanks, Atmosphere" RAFT

Whether we are conscious of it or not, we owe a lot to our atmosphere. It protects us from harm, and provides us with what we need to live. I would like you to write to the atmosphere detailing how it is able to accomplish these things for us. This is your topic, but you may choose your "role", "audience", and "format". For ideas and instructions, click here (they are also in your packet):

Atmosphere RAFT Instructions

After reading the directions you can begin to write your letter, advice column, series of text messages, journal entry, or whatever it is you choose to write. Once you have made the necessary revisions and corrections, copy and paste your creation into a comment on this post.

Good luck to all of you. Let the creative juices flow.

The World's Deepest Ocean Trenches

Check out this link that helps you explore ocean trenches. What's the most interesting thing that you saw? Would you want to be the next person to go down to the Mariana Trench? Why? Why not?
Ocean Trench: Take a dive 11,000 m down

If you have the time, also check out these videos from National Geographic about plans to once again go to the Mariana Trench.

Density: Coke vs. Diet Coke

Crazy 8s: Don't let the title of this post fool you. This is not a taste test . Instead, we will test these objects' densities. Please follow the directions that are given below the slideshow.
Coke vs. Diet Coke Density

• Click on "comments". Like always, this will open up a new window where you may type your blog response.
• Advance to the next slide by clicking on the right portion of the slideshow. You can also click on the left portion if you want to go back to the previous slide.
• In your blog response, answer all questions that appear on the purple-ish slides.
• Do not advance to the next slide until you have completely answered the questions that appeared on the purple-ish slides.

Density and other stuff Form

Doppler Effect Hunt

Medicam sequens links. Et ad disponat laborum. Quondam illic, vos can refero questions in justo. Gratias.

For those of you who don't know Latin, that previous statement reads like this:

Please click on the following links. They direct you to a new site. Once there, you can answer questions in a comment. Thank you.

Origins of the Theory
Doppler Effect Video
Big Bang Article
Star Spectrum Animation

Earth, Moon, and Sun Questions

Recently, we learned about what causes high and low tides, and the difference between spring and neap tides. Do you remember the tides? We've also learned about planetary motion, the cause of seasons (generally how it's been so cold lately!), and the phenomena of moon phases and eclipses (both solar and lunar). Phew! That's a lot of stuff. The audience of this blog must be imparted with this knowledge as well. Give it to them, Crazies.
The following scenarios and questions are actually part of your standard check of these concepts. This is the short answer/essay portion. You may think about them, prepare for them, and actually answer them if you'd like to type out your answer in a comment. (Otherwise, you will write your answers out in class on Monday.)
Scenario 1:
Using these pictures and the following info, attempt to answer the numbered questions.

• Both pictures were taken from the same exact spot (The zoom for both snapshots was the same, too). The picture on the left was taken at about 2 o'clock in the afternoon. The picture on the right was taken 5 1/2 hours later, at 7:30 pm.
• The moon phase on this particular day was a "New Moon".

Question 1: What causes high tides and low tides? On the day the picture was taken, was there a Spring or Neap tide? If so, which one?

Scenario 2: The moon is closer to the Earth than it actually is. Normally the moon is approximately 240,000 miles away. In this scenario, the moon is only 160,000 miles away.

Question 2: What would happen to the length of time it takes our moon to progress through all of its phases (from new moon back to another new moon)? Would the length of our month be longer, shorter, or the same? Why? (Hint: Use your knowledge of Kepler's Laws to answer this one.)

Scenario 3: The Earth's axis is not tilted. It normally tilts at a 23.5 degree angle. In this scenario, there is no tilt (0 degrees).

Question 3: Would we experience a change of seasons if Earth’s axis was not tilted? In your answer, be sure to include at least two factors that cause winter temperatures to be colder than summer temps, and why this seasonal change in temperature would or would not be felt if Earth's axis was not tilted.