Aaron

Circuit Flow: Entry One

To have an effective trip to mars, there should be many different circuits controlling many different things aboard a space ship. To make these works, there must be a constantly changing electrical current. An analog signal varies its smooth currents over time. The analog current decreases or increases smoothly so that there aren't too many sudden changes. Kind of like a watch. The hands move slowly, into each slot accurately so that you know each second of every day. But in a digital current, like in a digital watch, changes are quick, and sudden. An example of a digital current is an electric thermometer. The temperature is rounded to the nearest degree, and you don’t know what’s in between the numbers. In other words it’s not as precise as analog. Say it’s 23.5o F. When the temperature reaches 23.57o F, the thermometer will round up to 24 degrees. That’s the difference between analog and digital. Semi-conductors are basically conductors that can change their conductivity so that the right amount of electrons being delivered. This can be useful in devices like lights, so that you can control the brightness of the light, conserving power. Diodes are what transform ac power into dc power. This can be used for powering motors without having to switch power sources. Transistors can be used as switches, kind of like in turning on and off lights in your house. Integrated circuits can be used to make devices smaller, so things aren’t as crammed in space suits. All of these things are made of semi-conductors and are used to change the flow in circuits.

In a trip to mars, electronic devices would be ideal because with the precision an analog clock, and the speed of a digital clock, you could get data quickly. Say you were heading to mars at 5,000 mph, and when you entered the atmosphere, you would have to slow to 2,500 exactly to avoid too much heat on the rocket ship, and have enough time to slow down so that you don’t hit the surface too hard. And diodes can be used to make using power easier and less time consuming out in space. And integrated circuits can be used to make things smaller to fit in space suits and space ships better. All of these things can be useful in our trip to mars.

// Ms. Mc: Good overview of electronic components but you were a little confused about the second paragraph. You were to discuss what electronic devices might be used on a mission to Mars. An electronic device is made up of circuits containing electronic components and perform a particular job. For example, computers, cameras, navigation systems, communication systems, etc. Please include a date with your entries. 7.5/10 //

Rockets- A brief history- Entry 2

Rockets started really as firecrackers on spears, invented by Greek inventor named Hero of Alexandria. He put water in a kettle, started a fire below it, and then ran the steam through pipes and into the tube that held the steam. He would run the steam through two L-shaped pipes to let out the gas. Then, the Chinese turned the rockets into something more complex. Instead of steam powered rockets, they put gun powder in the rocket. The rockets were used to create fireworks during religious celebrations by tossing the rockets in fires. But when the Chinese found out that rockets can propel themselves, the true rockets were born. The Chinese discovered that rockets could be useful in other ways. When they went to war with the Mongols, they drove them back with these fire rockets. In the 20th century, Robert H. Goddard had the idea of using liquid fuel instead of solid fuel. The rocket flew only 12.5 meters up and landed 56 meters away in a cabbage patch. This was the start of a whole new era in rocket flight.

Goddard’s experiments got bigger and bigger and flew much higher every time. He made the Gyroscope to help control flight and made the parachute system for recovering the rocket. After a while, small rocket groups started to come up all over the world. One of the groups made a rocket that was used against Britain in WWII. And, in 1957, the first satellite, “Sputnik,” was launched into outer space by Russia. Then, people started experimenting with launching animals into space. After Sputnik, USA launched their spacecraft. Humans in space crafts followed these. Overall, rockets have come a long way since the first rocket-mounted spear.

Sputnik Simple Modern Rocket

//Ms. Mc: Good summary of rocket history. A clarification for the the first paragraph: Hero of Alexandria didn't invent firecrackers on spears (the Chinese did) but he did invent the aelopile which introduced the idea of thrust. Your discussion of modern rocket history was a little sparse. What role did the Germans play? Who was the father of aeronautics and what did he contribute? Your drawing of a modern rocket needed a little more detail in order to add to your disussion. Don't forget the date in your entry title and the figure # in your captions. Please be a little more thorough in your work. I'm happy to look it over for you in study hall or during my Wed. morning help sessions. 12/15//

Log entry 3 To play the scratch, press the green flag! media type="custom" key="9093242"


 * Entry 4**
 * May 11, 2011**
 * Aaron Dubiansky**

The parts of a rocket are essential to get the rocket up. Starting at the top, the nose cone guides airflow to reduce drag. Inside the rocket, the recovery system device is essential for getting rocket back to safety. To help with the rocket's angle, the launch lug guides rocket off launch pad. The body tube contains engines, so it has to be a very strong tube. On the inside again, recovery wadding wadding protects recovery system from dangerous engine heat. Inside the rocket, the motor launch mount pad holds motor in place. Also on the inside, the most important part, the rocket provides rocket with thrust to get up into atmosphere and into space.

// Ms. Mc: Good start. A couple of the labels aren't quite right. It's the motor mount and the motor (-1). Also, you left out the fins in your labels and paragraph (-2). What is the recovery system? (-1/2). Please read over your entries for grammar and spelling mistakes (wadding is repeated) (-1/2). Don't forget to add a caption for all figures, tables, graphs, etc. (-1). Finally, please be sure to turn in the rest of your assignments on time as I will not accept any further late work. (-20% = -4). 11/20 //

Entry 5 The purpose of this experiment was to find out if the mass of a model rocket affected its apogee (maximum height reached in flight). During liftoff and flight, a rocket will overcome many forces. These consist of air resistance, and gravity, and thrust. Thrust is the force that propelled the rocket upward and made it lift off. These forces slowed down the rocket to some extent, making the rockets apogee lower. Gravity is the earth’s way of keeping things pinned to the ground unless acted upon by an opposing force. Air resistance, or drag, is when air is pushing on a moving object because of the object’s shape, slowing the object down. The hypothesis came up with is that the more mass of the rocket, the higher the rockets apogee because of the rocket’s inertia carrying it up. After the experiment was performed, it was seen that in table one (see table one), the lighter the mass, the lower the apogee, and the heavier the mass, the was lower as well.
 * STUDY OF ROCKET MASS AFFECTING APOGEE**
 * Aaron Dubiansky**
 * Ms. McCoppin**


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Table 1: Apogee height with different rocket masses. Rocket one, 42.5 grams, flew 61 meters, rocket two flew 68 meters at 43.2 grams, four at 84 meters, weighing 44 grams, five at 44.5 grams at 93 feet, six at 44.6 grams, 90 feet, and seven at 45.4 grams, 85 meters. In the graph shown, it is seen that there is no direct relationship; the data is not in a certain trend seen. In the begging of the graph, a steady trend is seen from 42.5 grams to about 44.5 grams, then as the rockets got heavier, the data seemed to have dropped down, which gives the evidence that the graph has an uneven relationship. The hypothesis given was confirmed incorrect, because the heaviest mass did not have the highest apogee. Though this hypothesis was not correct, there could have been errors that occurred when this experiment was performed. The amount of paint applied could have varied results because of the extra mass added. Also, the sanding job on the fins could have affected the drag on the rocket

Crash course astronomy questions

Galaxies are made up of gas, dust, and asteroids. They are formed by spheres of gas. This is called the halo of the galaxy. The halo is formed around a bulge of the galaxy, which is made of gas as well. After the halo is formed, it takes on a spiral-like shape.



The universe started 15 billion years ago. It exploded out of nothingness. 3 billion years later, our solar system was formed out of gas and dust particles. With the numbers given the universe is older than the solar system.



//Ms. Mc: Good start but you didn't completely answer the questions. Part of the first question was, "how did the galaxies form?" so you need to discuss how gravity pulled the matter together (-1). For the second questions, our galaxy, The Milky Way, was formed 3 billion years after the Big Bang created the Universe but our solar system didn't form until about 8 billion years after the Big Bang (-1). Your pictures are good but you forgot to include captions and you didn't refer to them (-2). Please be sure to check your work against the prompt before posting. Also, please put a line between your entries (click on the blue line button in edit mode) -- I did it for you this time -- and include a date and entry # for each entry. 6/10//

Log entry 7: history of robots May 2, 2011

The first robots started as hydraulics and water. The first robot-like machine was made by Ctesibius, who used hydraulics to power figures and a water powered clock. But the first early modern robots were sketched by Leonardo da Vinci, which was a sketch of a humanoid robot. It was supposed to be able to sit up and wave its arms, and move its head and jaw. Though this was really just experimenting, there was much more to come.

Japanese craftsman Hisashige Tanaka created toys that served tea, fired arrows from a quiver, and painted a character. Then, Nikola Tesla publicly demonstrated a radio-controlled torpedo. From here, mostly what happened is that robots demonstrated new movements and actions. One great achievement was that robots could detect light and distance. But the first real modern robot was used to lift scorching hot metal and stack it. But now, we have robots that do jobs in factories and even play a violin! Robots have come a long way since the start.

//Ms. Mc: Good general overview of the history of robotics. You also were to include 2 pictures and refer to them in your text. +5 extra credit points.//

Log entry 8 5/5/11 Aaron Dubiansky Challenge four: light sensor

The challenge being done in this sequence is challenge 3, "On the Edge." This relates to the mars rovers because if the mars rover were to run into a cliff edge or some high surface cut off, the mars rover would be able to stop very quickly. The first block was a sound block, which means that when a sound of a certain volume is detected, it gives the approval to go to the next block. The move block in this sequence tells the robot to provide power to servo motors b and c so that it moves forward at 75% power. The setting is also infinity so that the robot goes forever until it reaches the light block. which tells the robot that if the light sensor detects any color with a whiteness percent of less than 41%, it is to stop. That brings it to a movement block, which is a stop block. This tells the robot to cut all power to motors b and c when the 41% or less light is detected. The next block, a sound block, tells the robot to play a specific sound after it reaches the stop block. This sound was "Watch Out"

Block one, a sound block, says that if a sound is heard at the volume of bigger than 60 is heard, then it gives authorization to go to the next block in the sequence. That block, a move block, says for the robot to provide power to the servo motors B and C at 75% forever because in the programming block, the duration was set to infinity. In the next block, the light block, it says that any color with a whiteness percent of less than 41%, that it cuts the power to the servo motors B and C. This is what tells the next block to do, which tells the robot to cut power to the servo motors. After this block, the sound block tells the robot to play the sound, "Watch Out."



Log entry 9 5/18/11 Aaron Dubiansky

1. Battery- non alive because it was never alive before but shows characteristics of being alive 3.Cotton- Non-living, grew off plants but does not have seeds 4.Tuna- dead, was alive, but was killed to be put in food, shows characteristics of life, energy source was cut off and oxygen 5.Stick- dead, was alive and growing off of tree, but cracked off and energy supply was cut off

6. Coral- dead, was living but now is not, was growing off of reef but energy supply was cut off

7. Sunflower seeds- dormant, the cycle of life is slowed down; if you put it in soil, it would grow 8. Yogurt- non living, but there are cherries in the yogurt, and displays characteristics of life 9. Banana- alive because it was alive before and shows characteristics of life

10. Shark tooth- dead, was alive and shows characteristics of life 11.Plant- alive, it is living because it still has energy and co2 and cells