Thursday, July 30, 2015

          Today we continued our exploration of electricity. We found that the humidity was low enough to conduct some investigations into static electricity. We learned that opposite charges attract and like charges repel. We used a VanDeGraff generator to build up a large static charge. 

We continued to work with circuits using bulbs and batteries. We learned how a light bulb works and we saw his light bulb collection. 

            Later in the morning we explored heat energy. We learned how heat energy was transferred. We discussed how heat and temperature are two different things and a thermometer is really a speedometer. 

            After lunch Brianne DeFrange presented information on how to incorporate the arts into their science lessons. Participants then shared their own ideas on how to incorperate the arts into their science lessons,  We then used a kinestic activity to demonstrate how heat is transferred through solids and liquids. 

           Next we piled into our Fermilab taxi and headed over to the G-2 experiment building. We met Michael Eads ( meads@fnal.edu) a physicist who is collaborating with a group of scientist to explore muons and  how they behave in a magnetic field. He is using what can only be described as the worlds largest magnet ( 50 feet in diameter). It had an incredible journey from its place of origin, Brookhaven National Laboratory, New York.

            When we returned we moved onto light energy and conducted a reflection relay and then reproduced the activity using lasers and mirrors on a white board. We used the knowledge of the laws of reflection ( it's all about the angles) to play a game called knock hockey. Tomorrow is the last day- wear your fermi T-shirts.

                                        

Wednesday, July 29, 2015

Today we continued our investigations with simple machines and pulley's. We used our Physics Stations to learn how to calculate mechanical advantage of a pulley system. 

    Later we used our Physics Stations to answer the question; What impacts the frequency of a pendulum system? We divided into groups that were based on three different claims; Group one claimed it was the weight at the end of the string. Group two claimed it was the length of the string, while group three claimed it was the angle of release. The results were fascinating

   Before lunch we began our explorations with magnets. We focused our investigations on what materials interact with magnets. We began to investigate and solve the mystery of the Canadian nickel. After lunch we studied magnetic fields. We used iron filings to see what was once invisible. We explored the shapes and outlines of  a variety of magnetic fields. We then had the magnets interact with each other to see how their magnetic fields were affected. 

      Our field trip today would take us to IB3 ( Industrial Building 3) where Fermilab's efforts to develop superconducting radio frequency technology is well underway. Upon our return we spent the end of the day investigating electricity and seeing the connection between magnets and electricity. We will continue exploring circuits tomorrow.