Sean

3/24/11

Mission To Mars Electricity and Its Effect on Technology

The difference between a digital and analog signal is that a digital signal doesn�t vary smoothly. Instead it will jump up and down. A semiconductor can be used to control the electrical flow. This can be used to save electricity, or not burn out circuits with too much electricity. Semi conductors are used to make diodes. Diodes allow current to flow in one direction, transistors are used to amplify signals in a circuit, and integrated circuits are big circuits that are shrunken down and put into different circuits. The electronic devices use electricity to store and transfer information. The VCR uses information recorded on the tape to produce the images and sounds in a movie. CD�s and calculators use electrical signals to do work. Electronic components use the information in electrical components to control the flow of electricity. Semiconductors are better conductors than insulators but poorer ones than conductors. Semiconductors are used to control the flow of electricity in a circuit. Diodes and other objects called solid state components make up semiconductors. I think that electricity is very essential to finding life on Mars. First I think you would need Semiconductors to get to Mars because you would need to control the rocket fuel use. You would need electricity to control the Rover. Then you would need a positioning system. You would have to have electrical signals that allow you to communicate back home. The electrical signals would come in handy when you record what happens on Mars. Without electrical signals you couldn�t take video of Mars or any pictures.

Ms. Mc - good overview of electronics and how we might use electronic devices to look for life on Mars. 9.5/10

Entry #2

The first device to ever use the principles of rocket flight was called the aeolipile. The fire below turns the water into steam which is pushed out the l-shaped tubes. The Chinese first used gun powder made of saltpeter, sulfur, and charcoal dust to make bamboo sticks that would explode during religious festivals. This idea by the Chinese caused them to put them on arrows and shoot them with bows. They discovered that the tubes could propel themselves just from the escaping gas.  In 1232 the first test of a true rocket was conducted.

Konstantin Tsiolkovsky first proposed the idea of space travel by rocket. He suggested the use of liquid materials to increase greater range. Before Robert Goddard no one had ever built a successful liquid- propellant rocket. In 1926 Robert Goddard built one that traveled 12.5 meters into the air. Over the years he made more rockets that flew better and higher. In the early 20th century a rocket called the V2. The V2 rocket was a great weapon for the Germans. It was used against England during World War 2. After the Soviet Union beat a satellite the U.S built a satellite of their own. Soon after that NASA was invented for the peaceful exploration of space to help mankind.



//Ms. Mc - Good general summary of the history of rocketry but a few more details would have been better. Your pictures could have been done with a little more care as well. Also, don't forget to label your photos/drawings with a figure # and title. Finally, please include a title and date for all of your entries. 12.5/15//

Mission to Mars Rocket

Instructions media type="custom" key="8956114"
 * Click on red stop sign
 * Click on green flag to start
 * Make sure sound is on

4/13/11 Rocket parts photo Entry #4



The nose cone is used to direct the airflow around the rocket. The body tube is the main part of the rocket and it is usually a strong paper tube. Recovery system is a parachute like object that is responsible for getting the rocket back safely (inside). The recovery wadding is used so that the engine doesn't burn the recovery system (inside). The launch lug is used to guide the rocket off the launch pad. The engine can only be used once (inside). The engine mount is used to hold up the engine (inside). The final part of the rocket are the fins which are used to help the rocket fly straight.

// Ms. Mc: You were to label the rocket parts on your photo (-8). What does the rocket motor do? (-1/2). Please be sure to check your entry against the prompt so you complete all parts of the assignment. 11.5/20 //

4/17/11 Rocket lab write up Log entry #5

The purpose of this experiment was to see if the weight of the rocket affected the apogee of the rocket. When the rocket is on the launch pad there was equal forces acting on the rocket, gravity bringing it down and the launch pad pushing it up. During liftoff the forces acting on the rocket were gravity bringing it down and more thrust pushing it up. During the powered flight air resistance and gravity pulled the rocket down while thrust was pushing up and still greater. When the rocket was coasting air resistance and gravity were bringing down and its inertia is what kept it going up the rocket and at apogee only gravity was pulling the rocket down. It was hypothesized that the lighter rockets would fly higher because since they have less mass their acceleration would be greater. Since the rockets had the same thrust the heavier rockets should have flown shorter. The heavier rockets also had a greater inertia.



The masses of the rockets ranged from 41.5 g to 46.9 g. Most of the masses were about the same with the exception of the lightest 41.5 g. The apogees of the rockets ranged from 62 m to 119 m. The apogees were mostly bunched up in the middle of the range. This is an inverse relationship because while the mass of the rockets increased the apogee decreased. The highest weight (46.9 g) had the lowest apogee (62 m), and the 3rd lowest mass (44.4 g) had the highest apogee (119 m). The hypothesis was supported because most of the data was correct. The data was all correct except for the outlier of 69 m. It was supported because the heaviest rocket did fly the lowest (see graph 1). There are many reasons why the outlier seemed to fly lower but maybe the best reason was that the angle was measured wrong. If the angle was measured right the height could have ended up a lot different. Some other reasons why the rocket might have flown lower could have been wind gusts, too light of a rocket, or the fins were put on wrong. The way these could have affected the experiment would be the wind gusts could have blown the rocket away from a straight path, if the rocket was to light it couldn't fly at all, and if the fins weren't straight the rocket could not fly in a straight path.

4/24/11 Two Astronomy questions Log entry #6

What is a galaxy? How did they form? Galaxy's are a collection of gas, stars, and dust. They are 100,000 light years side to side. In the middle of the galaxy there is the central bulge, which are red and orange stars. Galaxy's formed when gravity collapsed matter. Below in Figure 1 is a picture of the Milky Way Figure 1: Milky Way Which is older, the Universe or our solar system? Or are they the same age? Explain. The universe is older than our solar system. The universe happened 15 billion years ago when the big bang happened. Our solar system came 3 billion years after that. Below in Figure 2 is a picture of our solar system. Figure 2: Our Solar System

//Ms. Mc: You need to be a little more detailed in your answers by including specific facts from the reading or videos (-2). Some galaxies are 100,000 light years across. Also, give more information in your captions about the pictures and/or explain them more in your text. Be sure to check your spelling; galaxy's should be galaxies (-1/2). With a little more effort, you will receive full credit. 7.5/10//

5/1/11 Log Entry #7 History of Robotics

Robotics is a branch of technology that is the design, construction, operation, structural disposition, manufacture, and application of robots. Robotics can be related with sciences of electronics, engineering, mechanics, and software. The word robot was first introduced into the public in 1920 in the play Rossum’s Universal Robots (See Figure 1). The term robotics was introduced in the 1941 science fiction short story Liar. Figure 1: The play Rossum's Universal Roots The first humanoid robot was introduced at the 1939 and 1940 world fairs. The robot’s name was Elektro and it was manufactured by Westinghouse Electric Corporation. Only 8 years later robots were created that would do simple movements. In 1956 the first commercial robot named Unimate was created and then 5 years later it became the first installed industrial robot. The same company made a manipulation arm in 1975. Modern day robots include a UAV (Unmanned aerial vehicle) which can be used in war (See Figure 2).

Figure 2: GlobalHawk U5

Ms. Mc Good summary, pictures, and captions (+10 extra credit points).

5/10/11 Log Entry #8 Results of robot experiments

The code is below (Figure 1). The purpose of this challenge was to make the robot drive on a certain course. It had to drive straight and then turn and at the end had to do 2 360 degrees turn. The first block was a movement block telling the robot to use servomotors B and C to go forwards at 75% power for 3.5 rotations. This caused the robot to go straight to the end of the first line. The second block was a movement block telling the robot to use servomotors B and C to turn right at 75% power for 180 degrees. This caused the robot to turn 90 degrees to the right. The third block was a movement block telling the robot to use servomotors B and C to go forwards at 75% power for 1.8 rotations. This caused the robot to go straight towards the end of second line. The fourth block was a movement block telling the robot to use servomotors B and C to turn right at 75% power for 180 degrees. This caused the robot to turn right at 90 degrees. The fifth block was a movement block telling the robot to use servomotors B and C to go forwards at 75% power for 1.3 rotations. This caused the robot to go straight to the end of the third line. The sixth block was a movement block telling the robot to use servomotors B and C to turn left at 75% power for 1440 degrees. This caused the robot to spin in a 720 degree turn. The seventh block was a sound block telling the robot to play applause at 75 volume. This caused the robot to make a applause sound. The eighth block was a display block telling the robot to show smile 1 at 19 y 6 x. This caused the robot the show a smile. The ninth block was a time block telling the robot to wait 3 seconds. This caused the robot to wait three seconds. The tenth block was a display block telling the robot to reset. This caused the robot to reset its command.



Figure 1: The Code That Was Used On the Robot