Magnetic Stirrer

 According to the students, the magnetic stirrer is considered the most effective piece of chemistry equipment.

Normal Distributions

 

Normal distributions and inverse normal distributions can be tricky concepts for students. Knowing when to use each one and determining which one the question is referencing can be challenging. Using the Casio CG-50 with distribution helps. We're working hard to master it in class! #Maths #NormalDistribution #Education

Crushing bottles

Following crushing some cans with a vacuum, the students were curious to observe the process in action again. Therefore, we crushed an empty fizzy drinks bottle and measured the pressure with the @Pascoscientific pressure sensor. The pressure dropped inside the bottle to almost zero Pascals ( the unit of pressure measurement). A vacuum pump or hand-held vacuum device can be used to remove air from a bottle. The bottle is connected to the vacuum pump or device with a tube, and the air is then pumped out of the bottle, creating a low-pressure environment. As a result, the air pressure inside the bottle decreases, which can cause the bottle to collapse or deform if it is not strong enough to withstand the external air pressure. This process can be used for various purposes, such as preserving food or creating a vacuum-sealed environment for experiments.

Food Tests

During the investigation, the students were surprised by the speed at which starch was converted into sugar by amylase. Recordings taken every 10 seconds showed that the starch had nearly disappeared within a minute.

The test for starch involves placing a small amount of the sample to be tested into a test tube or onto a white tile, and adding a few drops of iodine solution. If starch is present, the solution will turn blue-black.

The test for reducing sugars, such as glucose and fructose, involves mixing the sample with Benedict's reagent and heating it in a water bath. If reducing sugars are present, the solution will change from blue to green, yellow, orange, or red, depending on the amount of reducing sugar present. The greater the amount of reducing sugar, the more intense the colour change.

Assembly Language and Turing Tumbles

 We generated the Fibonacci sequence using Assembly Language using the Little Man Computer and subsequently replicated the process using Turing Tumbles. By examining the methods used, we identified both similarities and differences between the two approaches.

Test for Hydrogen

 When a small amount of magnesium ribbon is added to hydrochloric acid, it produces a significant amount of hydrogen gas in the test tube. When the test tube is turned horizontally and a flame is brought near its mouth, the resulting sound is the characteristic "squeaky pop" of hydrogen gas combustion.

Eyes and Cameras and Light

Studying the human eye involves understanding the functioning of traditional film cameras and the measurement of light levels. In this context, the @Pascoscientific light sensor serves as a useful tool for students. By comparing the perceived brightness of a classroom to the significantly lower brightness outside, which is ten times brighter, the sensor helps to illustrate the differences in light levels.

A traditional film camera captures an image by exposing a light-sensitive film to light. The amount of light that enters the camera is controlled by three factors: ISO, aperture, and shutter speed.

ISO is a measure of the film's sensitivity to light. A higher ISO number indicates a more sensitive film, which can capture images in low light conditions but also tends to produce more grainy or "noisy" images. A lower ISO number indicates a less sensitive film, which produces sharper, cleaner images but requires more light.

The aperture is the opening in the lens through which light enters the camera. It is measured in f-stops, which determine the size of the aperture. A smaller f-stop number indicates a wider aperture, which allows more light to enter the camera. A larger f-stop number indicates a narrower aperture, which allows less light to enter the camera.

The shutter speed is the length of time that the camera's shutter remains open to allow light to enter the camera and expose the film. It is measured in fractions of a second, such as 1/60th or 1/1000th of a second. A slower shutter speed, such as 1/60th of a second, allows more light to enter the camera and is ideal for capturing images in low light conditions, but can result in blurred images if the camera or the subject is moving. A faster shutter speed, such as 1/1000th of a second, allows less light to enter the camera but is ideal for capturing fast-moving subjects.

By adjusting the combination of ISO, aperture, and shutter speed, a photographer can control the amount of light that enters the camera and achieve the desired exposure for a given scene. For example, if a scene is very bright, the photographer can use a low ISO, a narrow aperture, and a fast shutter speed to prevent overexposure. Conversely, if a scene is very dark, the photographer can use a high ISO, a wide aperture, and a slow shutter speed to capture more light and avoid underexposure.

The eye and a traditional film camera are similar in that they capture images by controlling the amount of light entering the system. However, there are some critical differences between the two.

In a film camera, the film is exposed to light for a set amount of time, determined by the shutter speed, which controls the duration of the exposure. In the eye, the retina is continuously exposed to light, and the iris, which controls the size of the pupil, adjusts to regulate the amount of light that enters the eye.

Similarly, the aperture of a camera lens controls the amount of light that enters the camera, just as the pupil of the eye adjusts to regulate the amount of light that enters the eye. However, the aperture of a camera lens is fixed, whereas the pupil of the eye can adjust in size to allow more or less light to enter.

A film camera's film speed or ISO determines the film's sensitivity to light. Similarly, the retina's sensitivity to light can vary depending on the amount of light it is exposed to. However, the retina does not have a fixed ISO setting, and its sensitivity can be affected by various factors, including age, health, and environmental conditions.

Overall, while there are some similarities between the eye and a traditional film camera, the mechanisms that control the amount of light that enters the system are quite different.