November 27, 2016 / como / 0 Comments
What would Earth be like without the sun? Obviously, it would be dark and without heat from the sun, it would be extremely cold, but would it be able to still sustain life? Life under water would probably not exist because all life form on Earth gets their energy from the sun. Earth would most likely become an icy rock, very much like other barren planets in outer space.
Our sun is actually no different from a star in the sky. It is in itself a star, a middle-aged one at that. It is about 5 billion years old. So, it is aging just like any other star in the universe. It will also meet its demise, just like other stars that have met theirs. How does all of this relate to us? Well, if our sun is a star and all stars die after a couple billion years, then logic would state that our star will die someday too.
What will happen to us when our star dies? Many good books speak about the end of time. Many of us may perceive the end of time to be religious in nature, but in regards to our sun-star discussion, this has nothing to do with religion and a lot to do with astronomical science and things we see every day, such as stars exploding and dying across our skies. Therefore, it doesnt matter if we believe in a supreme creator or not. Our days are numbered on Earth. Anyone with common sense can see that.
As stars age they begin to run out of hydrogen fuel found at their cores, (Sciencedaily). The dying stages of stars are very much the same as a car running out of gas. The engine of a car running out of gas would begin to splutter or hesitates (stop and go over and over until it comes to a halt). Dying stars also do likewise, but in a slightly different way. Its way of stopping and going is showing bright light then dim light over and over again until it can no longer emit any more light. A perfect example in terms of light and energy is that of the light bulb. A dying light bulb is one that has finally used up all its filaments. The filament in a light bulb is the source of the light bulbs energy. When a light bulb begins to run out of fuel, it also begins to go dim and dimmer.
The life of stars shed light on the faith of our own sun-like star which will be no more, 5 billion years from now, or will it? The end is inevitable, but we can still enjoy ourselves and treat others the way we want to be treated. We can make the best of what we have on Earth and what Earth has to offer at this present time. It is the same as eating healthy so we can get the most out of life, even though we all know that the end is inevitable.
There is no need to worry about things we cannot control and things we fully dont understand. It makes sense logically that our sun-like star will burn out some day, but who knows for sure that this will happened. No one knows for sure, not even the astronomical scientists. All they can do is speculate and use science to explain things.
Science cannot explain everything, (Livescience). There are many phenomena that occur all the time that science cannot explain. One prominent phenomenon is the placebo effect in which hospital patients suffering from certain ailments are given water pills. After receiving the water pills, these patients become cured of their ailments. Not even the most advanced medical science can explain such phenomenon; many say it is a sort of body and mind connection in which the mind heals the body. Whatever the case maybe, no one including scientists is absolutely sure of how the placebo effect works. This goes to show that in regards to the life of our sun, no one can be absolutely sure that it will burn out 5 billion years from now or if ever.
November 25, 2016 / como / 0 Comments
A display board, or science board, is the required visual component of a science fair project. Every student that enters a science fair has to produce one of these boards. The purpose of these boards is to summarize the steps taken in the project and to highlight the most important points of the project. Since this is what the science fair judges are going to use as their primary source of information for the project during their evaluations, it is important for students to do their very best when constructing their science fair display boards.
Selecting the Board
Students have several options when it comes to selecting the background board for their projects display board. Most students are going to utilize either a piece of poster board or foam board. If the student is only completing a project for a class grade or for a school level science fair, then poster board will suffice. However, if the student has aspirations of participating in and winning regional or higher level science fairs, then the foam board is a better option.
Layout Step #1 Divide Your Board
The first step in laying out a display board for a science fair project is to divide the board into sections. Students can divide their board into panels or squares. The number of panels or squares that are created will reflect the number of elements that the student wants to include in their display. Keep in mind that you will need space to discuss each of the seven steps in the scientific method.
Layout Step #2 Create the Title
The title is the first thing that needs to be positioned on the display board. It will need to be centered at the top of the board. The lettering needs to be large enough to be read from a distance. It can be helpful to print out the title on paper and to then attach it to the board with an adhesive. This will give you the option of seeing how it looks in different positions on the board.
Layout Step #3 Create Your Text and Graphic Panels
Step three is to create your text and graphic panels. These are created by printing out the text panel or graphic and then matting them on construction paper or card sock. Try to make the panels look congruent and consistent.
Layout Step #4 Dry Layout Process
The next step is to lay your display board flat and to experiment with the positions of the various panels. You will want your display board to flow naturally from step one to step seven of the scientific method. You will also want your layout to look clean and orderly. You may need to switch the positions of the panels several times before you find a layout that works for your project. When you find a layout that you like then you can glue down the panels.
November 24, 2016 / como / 0 Comments
If everything that is happening today can be based on one single word, then it must definitely be Science. Science today comprises of various fields such as Biology, pertaining to the study of plants and animals. Chemistry, which involves the study of various chemicals and substances present around the globe. Physics is the study of all the physical laws and their meanings. Mathematics, a particularly unique branch of science is where various equations and number systems are considered. The modern form of Science is the technology. Basically, Science means knowledge or to know, derived from Latin word ‘scientia’.
The origin of science, rather the origin of mankind’s conscience towards science can be dated as far back to the time before Christ. Great philosophers like Theophrastus, Aristotle etc made their discoveries during that time. Most of the modern day science can be derived from the apostles as set by the Greeks during the before Christ era. In fact, Greece was considered as the ‘temple of knowledge’ during that time. However, slowly and initially the word of science started spreading as more people became aware of their surroundings. Several wise people from India too contributed to science such as Aryabhatta etc. Numeral ‘zero’, a great invention or discovery also came from the land of India. However, during those ancient times, science could not spread widely since mode of communication was not as strong.
It was only after sixteenth century that scientific revolution started taking place. Most of the modern day discoveries were made during this period. Some of the geniuses like Sir Isaac Newton, Albert Einstein, Thomas Alva Edison, and Charles Darwin etc were born during this period. It was only during this period that Law of gravity, Theory of relativity, Invention of electric bulb and Theory of Evolution came into existence. These were the first milestones towards the modern day science and technology. Without forefathers like those mentioned above, the present day’s science would have been completely impossible.
Einstein is considered one of the greatest scientists of all time and he was the man of the 20th century with the publications of several of his papers on the theory of relativity, wave-particle duality and several other physics breakthroughs which were accepted only a little later because of the apprehensions of all the scientists of that time to digest several new concepts. Einstein was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics.
One of the greatest ever scientific discoveries which form the basis of the world we live in today came from the man called Thomas Alva Edison. It was the invention of the Electric Bulb. Edison worked hard on this invention that, he tried hundreds and hundreds of filaments before he came up with the tungsten filament. This bulb is still in use today even after more than hundreds of years in its original form without much change. As the filament has to be stable even under constant temperature of the Celsius of thousands of degrees, the problem of finding the right filament was a particularly tedious job. Science still continues to be the most fascinating field of mankind and keeps opening doors for the human civilization to grow and prosper. After all, the thirst to know is what separates us from other animals!
November 20, 2016 / como / 0 Comments
Chemistry sets from brands like Thames Kosmos, Scientific Explorer and Powertech provide children with hours of educational entertainment. The great thing about these sets is they provide all the chemicals and materials required to conduct the experiments. But what do you do when the chemicals have all been used?
Walmart seems to have just about everything but have you ever found the chemicals aisle? Not only are chemicals hard to find but who even knows what to buy? This article explains the difference between 3 grades of chemicals so you can know the right chemicals for your next school experiment, homework assignment or science fair project.
Chemistry sets can awaken an interest in chemistry and the physical world, setting children on a path to a future career. Even the most basic chemistry sets are filled with experiments that will peak and keep the interest of children who already have a basic scientific interest or knowledge, or those who are absolute beginners. Chemistry experiments are designed to teach things like air pressure and water tension, and how everyday things function. Some of the experiments work with benign objects, while others require chemicals.
Not all the experiments found in chemistry sets like the Thames Kosmos series require the use of chemicals. For those that do, its good to know what youre working with, and what your choices are when you need to purchase chemicals.
Most chemicals are graded, the grade representing the purity of the chemical. A chemical with a higher grade has fewer impurities, or other chemicals, such as metals and water, than those with a lower grade. The cost of chemicals is in keeping with its grade: a higher grade is more expensive than lower grades.
Although there are several different protocols for grading chemicals, there are three basic grades that are the most common and most likely to be used. They are, from highest to lowest, reagent grade, laboratory grade, and technical grade.
Reagent grade, also known as ACS, is the highest chemical grade there is, meaning it is the most pure. It meets or exceeds American Chemical Society standards. Chemicals graded as reagent grade can be used in all situations, from scientific to manufacturing. It is the only chemical grade that can be used in biological experiments.
Laboratory grade chemicals, which may also be referred to as lab, are less pure than reagent grade chemicals, but are still of a fairly high purity. These chemicals would not be pure enough to use in medical or food products, but they are usually more than adequate for science fair projects.
Technical grade chemicals are also called industrial grade, and are the least pure chemicals. Chemicals of this grade are typically used in industrial or commercial applications, but may be adequate for some science fair projects. These chemicals are not acceptable for use in food or medicinal purposes.
If your experiment has stringent requirements for chemical purity, your best bet would be purchasing from a chemical supply house where you can be assured of the grade of chemical you are purchasing. If you are unsure of what grade is needed for a particular experiment, laboratory grade is a safe choice.
So now that you have a handle on that, where do you go to find the chemicals you need? You dont have to buy chemistry sets to get more chemicals. You can actually purchase just the chemicals at various stores (hardware store, drug store, even the grocery store) rather than a chemical supply house. However, before you get excited about that, there is a problem. When you buy from these types of stores, the chemicals are unlikely to be graded and may contain an unacceptable level of impurities for the experiment being performed.
Now you can buy the right chemical with confidence that it will get the job done. Having the proper chemicals allows you to successfully conduct experiments. It also allows you to replenish the supply of chemicals in your old Thames Kosmos chemistry sets so you can blow the dust off of the set and put it back to good use.
November 18, 2016 / como / 0 Comments
Throughout the course of the pursuit of criminology degrees, there are many times during which students will be required to write a thesis paper in their criminology classes, and they will not be given a list of options from their professors. When faced with this challenge, some students may not be aware of how to approach the paper with a concrete and effective thesis idea. If this happens, it can be helpful to approach the theoretical study of criminology from a new perspective and see if a thesis can be created in this manner. By outlining the theories that build themselves within the structure of criminology an individual can more clearly see how the theories and the science are connected. In the end, this will help many people to understand the specifics of successful and intelligent thesis ideas.
Even within certain categories and theories there are different segments of individuals. For example, within the feminist theorists that involve criminology there are radical feminists and libertarian feminists. Some effective thesis ideas for criminology could focus on either breaking down the structural supports of these theories, or in support of the theories. By exploring the flaws and strengths of theories, we can come closer to accurately understanding the relationship between crime and the individual. As we get closer to this point, it will be possible to eventually try to change criminology from being a theoretical science to a more concrete form of science in relation to individuals and the societies in which they live.
Another way in which an individual can come up with ideas for their criminology papers would be to examine the history of criminology and how it evolved rapidly once it was created. However, the term itself was not put in place until the 1800’s, which could cause some to speculate as to why this was the case. There are some instances in which a student can explore the reality of whether or not these beginning criminology experts were really the individuals to herald in this concept to the world. History is full of examples throughout which criminology aspects and ideas may be implied.
Criminology papers, unlike papers for some other classes that the student may need to write, will likely not be able to scientifically prove a point. This is why it is so important for the student to support their thesis and idea. Even if an idea is farfetched, if there is compelling evidence to support the ideas then it can be considered to be a success. Support is the most important aspect of papers that attempt to dissect or discuss criminology. Without material to back up one’s own ideas when it comes to theories and criminology beliefs, then there is nothing to support what the individual is saying and it cannot be believed since there is no proof of the idea. However, with a substantial amount of information that would help to support the thesis of the paper it will be taken much more seriously when it is read by critics and supporters as well.