Thursday, April 25, 2013

T 1/2 lab, new unit, Cumulative Exam May 8/9, optional assignments

Remember, optional assignments (presentations) must be done the first class period next week!!!  See older posts for details.
Also, here's another:
Optional Assignment:  Alpha Decay lab simulation.  Due May 7.

Next week most classes will start with our official half-life lab (not getting to it this week as I planned for most classes), discuss Marie Curie and a bit more with radioactivity (presentations), have a brief quiz to check for understanding, and then move rapidly into our next to last unit of the year, Earth's Interior.
I did not assign any homework for this mini-unit except for labs and review of element names and symbols; here's a chance to catch up:  Next homework (assigning to classes after today) is to read p. 786-795, 801-806 (I will try to give you a chance to start in class) and work problems:  p. 790#1,2,3-5, p. 795# 1-6, and 805#2,3,6.
Nuclear Stability and decay notes here

If you want to work or read ahead, our next homework assignment after that will be to read 354-361, p. 361#1-9.
The optional assignment for this unit is here:

Optional Assignment: New Madrid Turns 200
This one is due May 9.

I also need to announce formally the date of our cumulative exam.  It will take place on May 8&9 (Wed. and Thurs.)
Main topics to study:
Electricity/Magnetism
Astronomy
(these two units you had official tests on - I will not use any new material on these - if you study your test corrections then you already have the answers)
Meteorology
Radioactivity
Earth's Interior

I am splitting the test into two days since there is a broad range of content and I will be gone at a conference both days (sorry, not my choice to be gone at the end of the year).

Our last unit will be exactly five days long and will be studying waves - general wave properties, then specifically EM waves (light) and mechanical (sound).  This should tie up many loose ends as we've had both types of waves interweaved in our study of Meteorology, Radioactivity, and Earth's Interior.  There will be only one homework assignment and the rest will be in-class lab activities and demonstrations.  I am still up in the air on whether to have a test; will be determined by individual classes' performance and participation I think.

Monday, April 22, 2013

Elements (bonus?) quiz next class, Nuclear Decay class activities

Classes this week will be learning about nuclear decay; specifically half lives, shielding, and different decay products.  We will be doing a lab with half-lives the 2nd class this week; bring your lab journal!

Elements quiz 2nd class this week as well; plan to memorize #1-40 plus the following:  Ag, Sn, I, Kr, Pu, Ba, W, Pt, Au, Hg, Pb, Xe, Bi, Rn, U
The quiz will be graded just like a lab, where it won't penalize you if you do poorly.  You will need to know symbols from names and names from symbols, and spelling.

2 New optional Assignments:
1. Make a brief presentation (and present to class) about how a Geiger tube works(IN YOUR OWN WORDS).  Present by the first class meeting next week (Mon-Wed April 29/30, May1)
2. Research either Cs - 137 or Sr - 90 (the radioactive samples we are using in lab this week) and present to class (IN YOUR OWN WORDS): How they decay, where they come from, where we find these isotopes in our environment (due to humans) and any other interesting historical or health facts associated with these.  This will also be presented to class (visual aids would help with some things) the first class meeting next week.

Watch for meteors tonight and tomorrow morning; they are still out there but not in huge numbers.

Mark your calendar or set a cell phone reminder:  Lunar Eclipse May 25 10pm see NASA link


Monday, April 15, 2013

Wind/CoriolisNotes, Reading PACKET

Notes here

time also allowed in class M/T/W to finish lab; next time we meet, labs are due!

Huge Packet of Meteorology  may be found here.

Questions to answer after you finish the reading may be found here.

Lyrids meteor shower - peaking Sunday night and monday AM; be on the lookout any night sky you have over the next week that's clear - if you have a little patience you're sure to see one.

Night sky is now featuring Jupiter (brightest, and was near Moon in evening a couple of days ago) and Saturn, the 2nd star you'll spot each evening, a bit more eastward in the sky.

Thursday, April 4, 2013

Gas Stations Lab, Humidity and Dew Point notes Bring Labs next week

Block class 1:  Classes did a gas stations lab and notes on Humidity/Dew Point for the longer blocks.

Block class 2:  (next week) bring your lab journals; we will be performing an official lab... and having some fun as well.  Presentations on Ozone to take place at the beginning of class, as well as turning in homework. (p. 528)

Wednesday, April 3, 2013

HMWK for after LA1 EOC, Lab Journal next week!

Read p. 524-528, work problems #1-7.
Due on Monday, 4/8 for 3rd period., Tuesday, 4/9 for 2&4th period, and Wednesday, 4/10 for 7th period.
Bring your lab journal next week!

The above dates are the same as deadlines for the ozone layer presentation.

Today in class we finished notes on layers in the atmosphere and specifically focused on the Rain Shadow effect.  If you missed, copy notes or just google it; the concept is just one step further than where our notes took us yesterday.
Next time we will be making some clouds in class (we'll cheat a bit and use alcohol vapor rather than water vapor - it's easier to do) and have notes on dew point and relative humidity, plus a demonstration/activity with temperature inversions.  If we have time, we will try some practice problems.

Next week: big demonstrations and lab with phase changes.  BRING YOUR LAB JOURNAL and be ready to have fun...

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Meteorology!

Tests were returned today and classes had a chance to review questions they missed; you will see them again in a month or so on your cumulative exam.
Don't be let down if your grade on this test was low and you studied hard.  A C or D on this test was no fluke; there were maybe 1-2 questions that could be answered easily by anyone with a little science knowledge; the rest were HARD, some with eight options, and you had to UNDERSTAND the content fully to answer them, plus we are still learning about significant figures and that caused struggle for some folks.
Celebrate the answers you got correct; I'm proud of you for getting those correct.
Find out why you missed the ones you did, relate to what you know and understand, and don't miss them next time!

Today's notes here

HMWK due next class (tomorrow in this case):  READ p. 517-522; p. 522#1-7 AND p. 886#181-185

New Optional Assignment:  Research the Ozone layer (what it is) and processes involved with it (how it forms, what breaks it down, what it does for us) and present to class no later than next Wednesday (some classes, due to our schedule, will be on Monday or Tuesday)