Daniel+S

= LOG ENTRY 1 = 3/5/2011


 * Technology in Space **

//An analog signal is a signal that varies in time. A digital signal is a signal that doesn’t vary, but changes in jumps and steps. Most technology today uses semiconductors because when impurities are added to them you can control the amount of electricity that they conduct. Diodes help add polarity to circuits, allowing current to flow in only one direction. Transistors amplify signals or act as switches. An integrated circuit contains numerous transistors, diodes and other components. //

//Technology is extraordinarily important in space especially when you’re searching for life on another planet; in this case, Mars. Space probes are primarily what are used to help test for different signs of life and probes use electricity. Probes aren’t the only things that use technology because you need machines that require to even build the probe. You also need electricity to test the probe and train it. The most important part is being able to contact the probe or rover and track it, which also requires electricity. You also have to have electronic technology at NASA to log its progress. Without electronic technology space travel wouldn’t even be possible. ////-Daniel S // // Ms. Mc: good overview of electronic components. An important point about ICs are that they are super small circuits within other circuits so the electronic device can be very small. I think you were a little confused about the topic for the second paragraph. You were to discuss what electronic devices we might use on our mission to Mars. Electr onic devices such as a calculator of CD use the information contained in electronic signals to do a job. 7.5/10 //

4/3/2011
The History of Rocketry

The first modern type rocket was invented by Robert Goddard on March 16, 1926 when he launched the first liquid fuel rocket. There are many other types of Rockets. In the past, cultures like the Chinese used them as weapons by attaching them to their arrows (see drawing below). Another example of rocketry in early history is when a man named Hero Alexandria created a rocket using steam instead of gas. A man named Konstantine Tsiolkovsky created the theory of liquid- propellant rocket. Robert Goddard continued to experiment with liquid fuel powered rockets sending them higher and farther. Goddard had always dreamed of creating a machine that could go to the moon, but died before he invented a rocket capable of leaving Earth. Early in the 20th century small Rocket societies began forming in Europe and later the Verein fur Raumschiffahrt society of Germany created the V-2 rocket.



On October 4, 1957, the first satellite was launched by rocket by the Soviet Union called the Sputnik 1. Later the U.S. army launched their own satellite called Explorer 1 and we formed a society called NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration). NASA was first created to promote space exploration. Rockets are now used for launching machines and humans into space. The rocket has allowed us to explore the Universe and discover many new things.

//Ms. Mc: Good general summary of the history of rocketry. Whenever you are discussing history, it is a good idea to include references to dates. Your diagrams were well done and illustrated key points in your discussion. 13.5/15//

4/4/2011

Entry #3

Rocket Animation

media type="custom" key="8961582"

Instructions:

1. Turn on Volume 2. Click green flag to start 3. Enjoy

Entry #4: Rocket Parts


Every part of the rocket is vital; if it’s missing just one piece it won’t function properly. The fins on the rocket help steady it and fly straight when in flight. The recovery wadding helps make sure the recovery system isn’t burned during flight. The recovery system (parachute) helps slow the rocket and makes sure the rocket doesn't break while landing. The launch lug helps secure the rocket in place before liftoff and aligns it so it stays on course. The body tube is the main structure of the rocket and helps hold everything in place. The motor mount helps hold the motor in place. The rocket motor is what powers the rocket during lift off and powered flight. Finally, there’s the nose cone which holds the recovery system in place until the right time and helps reduce air resistance. All these help a rocket function properly and safely.

//Ms. Mc: Excellent explanation of the functions of the rocket parts! Don't foget your captions for the figures, tables, graphs, etc. (-1) 19/20.//

Entry # 5: Launch Lab Analysis
The purpose of this experiment was to learn more about how rockets work and to learn how to calculate the altitude of a rocket using an angle gun. The independent variable of the experiment was the mass of the rocket and the dependent variable of the experiment was the apogee, because the mass affects the amount of force acting on the rocket. Thrust is what powers the rocket and helps the rocket overcome the gravitational pull acting on the rocket. After the rocket engines shut off inertia keeps the rocket in motion, until gravity pulls it back down to the ground. It was hypothesized that the rocket would reach an average height of 100-120 meters. The rocket weighed an average weight of 44.5 gram. Due to the gravitational pull and air resistance it was also hypothesized that the lighter the rocket was the higher the apogee would be.



The lightest rocket had a mass of 42.2 grams and the heaviest rocket had a mass of 44.5 grams. The rocket masses were 42.2, 43.3, 43.5, 43.6, 44.1, 44.4, and 44.5 grams. The lowest apogee was 53 meters and the highest apogee was 81 meters. The rocket apogees were 53, 55, 65, 70, 71, 75, and 81 meters. The mass of the rocket was 44.5 grams and also had the highest apogee. The heavier the rocket was the higher the apogee was which is shown on the graph above (Table 1). This proves to be a direct relationship, except the outlier of the data which had a mass of 44.4 grams and an apogee of 55 meters. The hypothesis was incorrect; the rocket with the heaviest mass had the highest apogee. An error occurred in experiment which might have affected the results, one of the rocket’s fins had been glued on wrong and had to be reversed which may have altered the mass of the rocket.

[[image:planet_in_solar_system.jpg width="459" height="397" caption="Figure 2. Our solar system"]]
== One of the theories of how the Moon came into orbit was thought to be a collision between Earth and a Planet about the size of Mars as seen in Figure 1, the other Planet was Broken up into smaller pieces. One of the larger pieces became the Moon when it fell into Earth's orbit. The Universe is said to be about 15 billion years old. Our solar system is only about 3 billion years old because when the big-bang happened it was way too hot for galaxies and Solar systems to form. When the Universe cooled enough our solar system (figure 2) was probably not the first to form so it may have taken another couple billion years for our galaxy to form. ==

== Ms. Mc: Good answers and pictures. The moon is thought to be a compilation of a bunch of the pieces of matter that broke off of Earth and not just the biggest piece (-1/2). We know that our galaxy, The Milky Way, formed about 3 billion years after the Big Bang or about 12 billion years ago (-1/2). Don't forget to include a title for your entry (-1/2) 8.5/10 ==

Entry #8
Challenge #1:

The purpose of this challenge was to see if the robot could follow a course that we made for the robot. The robot had to drive forward turn right drive forward, drive backwards, spin 720°, applaud and show a smiley face. Block 1 - This block tells robot to use ports B and C to activate the motors and move forward for 3.6 rotations at 50% power and stop using the brakes. Robot moved forward about 40 cm's Block 2 - This block tells robot to use port B to turn right 90° at 50% power. Robot turned right. Block 3 - This block tells the robot to use ports B and C to activate the motors and move forward at 50% power for 3.6 rotations. Robot moved forward about 20 cm's. Block 4 -This block tells the robot to use port C to turn left 90° at 75% power. Robot turned left. Block 5 - This block tells the robot to use ports B and C to activate the motors and drive in reverse at 75% power for 1.1 rotations. Robot drives forward about 10 cm's. Block 6 - This block tells the robot to use port B to turn in reverse for 721° at 75% power. Robot turns around twice. Block 7 - This block tells the robot to play a sound file (applause) at 75% volume. Robot applauds. Block 8 - This block tells the robot to show a smiley face on the screen. Robot shows Smiley face. Block 9 -This block tells the robot to wait for 3 seconds. The robot continues to show the smiley face. Block 10 - Finally, this last block tells the robot to clear the screen (get rid of the smiley face). The robot's screen goes blank. 