Welcome! Feel free to explore our site and
email me with any questions or comments...
Mr. Paolini "Serious Science" Room #205B
Dear Parents,Guardians,& Students:
You should see your son or daughter or
"yourself" working on all of the following
during May 2008 /June 2008:
MOST IMPORTANTLY IS
SCIENCE NOTEBOOK ORGANIZATION for
our 3 Day FINAL REVIEW POINTS GAME
* All Tests From Year
* CAPT Labs and All CAPT "Stuff"
* All Study Guides! & Skill Sheets!
In June We Play a 3 Day FINAL REVIEW
Game Called "Points" For EXTRA CREDIT
On Science FINAL EXAM - So It Pays
To Be Organized (In Life and In Science)!!
>>Top Team + 6 Points
>>2nd Place +5 Points **EXTRA CREDIT
>>3rd Place +4 Points ON FINAL EXAM**
FRESHMEN Science Assignments
MAY 2008 / JUNE 2008
** Points Review Game May 27, 28, 29,
**JUNE 2ND & 3RD - 200 Question Scantron Final
Exam from all Tests, Study Guides, and
Skill Sheets from the School Year in Science
SOPHOMORE Science Assignments
MAY 2008 / JUNE 2008
**JUNE 6, 11, 12 "Points Game" Review
of all Questions For Final Exam
**JUNE 13th & 16th - 200 Question Scantron Final
Exam from all Tests, Study Guides, and
Skill Sheets from the School Year in Science
**JUNE 18TH CT STATE FINAL EXAM (TRIMESTER EXAM)
**Trebuchet (Catapult) Projects Due:
JUNE 9th TEST LAUNCH In Science Classroom
JUNE 10TH FINAL TREBUCHET PROJECTS ARE DUE !!
Students were given over a month to get project done
and were taken to a Computer Classroom to research design, plans and collaborate with TEAMS that they chose themselves.
Specifications of Project are very simple:
**Trebuchet cannot exceed 3 Feet, including
length, width and height
**Project must only be a counterweight trebuchet
and use no springs, shocks, rubber bands, or
compression, nitrous or any other fancy devices
2 Great Websites that we went to right in class are:
Students were given a paper with all of this information and clearly told that failure to summit a working Trebuchet will result in Double Zeros, one
for the physical project and one for the lab report.
I have never had students choose this course of action and sincerely hope that all will put in the effort and simply not fail but choose to "succeed"
I am available any day after school, and told all my students that they can bring in tools and build their projects right in our Science Room after school...
BIG EXTRA CREDIT OPPORTUNITY FOR THE BEST PROJECT
1ST PLACE +50 POINTS EXTRA CREDIT
2ND PLACE +25 POINTS EXTRA CREDIT
3RD PLACE +10 POINTS EXTRA CREDIT
So, here's a great chance to really improve your average in Science and finish the last trimester
really strong... GOOD LUCK !!
CAPT LAB FORMAT:
Both CT State Dept. of Ed. Frameworks
Lab Design, For Example, is 10 Pages
Long and Requires a Complex Problem Statement,
Lab Procedure, Conclusion, Validity, Data Tables
and Graphs.
All Labs that we perform during Freshmen and
Sophomore Year are on the CAPT TEST in the
Spring of Sophomore Year, so not only are they intended to be both informative and fun, but
your son or daughter must know and understand
the Lab to perform average or better on our
SCIENCE TESTS. BEST OF LUCK!
I AM ALWAYS AVAILABLE FOR EXTRA HELP
in Room #205B! If you have any questions,
please do not hesitate - call Kaynor Tech X412
Check back weekly for any updates or changes.
Now, Welcome To Our Science Site
Feel Free To Explore...
Read some background information first,
and then go to "How Stuff Works" for more info.
Topic Of The Month:
How the Nike + iPod Works
by Tracy V. Wilson
Inside This Article
1. Introduction to How the Nike + iPod Works
2. The Nike + iPod Sensor
3. The Receiver
4. Lots More Information
5. See all Gadgets articles
Over the last few years, warnings about the health risks associated with obesity have become increasingly dire. At the same time, computers, game consoles and other electronic devices have become increasingly present in people's homes. So it's not surprising that many new gadgets, from the Nintendo Wii to the ExerStation console controller, combine technology with fitness.
The Nike + iPod Sport Kit is similar. Essentially, it combines a portable music player with a pedometer -- two devices that runners have used for years. But the Sport Kit is considerably more advanced than an ordinary pedometer. It uses circuitry, radio waves and software to track and report on a person's workout.
The Nike + iPod Sport Kit Sensor and Receiver.
The Kit has two components -- a sensor and a receiver, both of which are about an inch (2.5 centimeters) long. The sensor fits into a small space under the insole of a Nike+ shoe. The receiver plugs into an iPod Nano.
The Nano is not included, but it is required for the system to work. It provides battery power for the receiver and a user interface for the workout software. Runners use their Nano's click wheel to control the software, which is accessible through the "Nike+ iPod" menu. The workout software lets people:
Create workout playlists
See how far and how fast they've run as well as how many calories they've burned
View statistics about past workouts
Set workout goals
All iPod Nanos shipped after July 13, 2006 come with the workout software already installed. Older Nanos can automatically download the software using the iPod Update feature in iTunes.
In addition to providing power and a user interface, the Nano tells runners how the workout is progressing. A computerized voice describes how far they've run, how quickly and how far away the destination is.
The Nano's flash drive also provides storage space for workout data. When synched, the Nano transfers that data to a PC or Mac. The computer's iTunes software can automatically upload the data to a Nike+ account. At the Nike+ Web site, runners can view workout statistics and send challenges to other runners. People can also use the site's MapIt feature to map and share their routes.
This user-submitted route begins near the
HowStuffWorks office.
All of this data comes from the interaction between two devices -- the Nike + iPod sensor and receiver. We'll look at them in more detail next.
The Nike + iPod Sensor
Just like cell phones and televisions, the Nike + iPod sensor and receiver communicate using radio waves. The sensor detects every step a runner takes and broadcasts this information to the receiver. The receiver routes the information to the iPod Nano, which relays it to the runner, either on the screen or through the headphones.
Piezoelectric materials can create electrical impulses when they
change shape.
The sensor fits into a hole under the insole of a Nike+ running shoe. It detects the runner's footfalls through its piezoelectric accelerometer. Piezoelectric materials produce electrical current when they change shape, or they change shape when exposed to electricity. Piezoelectric transducers, often used in speakers, rapidly change shape when they come in contact with electrical current. Piezoelectric sensors, on the other hand, use quartz, silicon or manmade crystals that produce electricity when squeezed, moved or bent.
Piezoelectric sensors can be tiny -- the circled sensor provides motion-sensing capabilities for a PlayStation 3 controller.
These generator-like crystals are often microscopic. Depending on how the crystals are cut, they usually produce an electrical charge when compressed in a specific direction or along a specific plane. For these reasons, piezoelectric sensors can be very small and very accurate. In addition to the Nike+ sensor, tiny piezoelectric sensors provide the motion-sensing capabilities for the PlayStation 3 and Nintendo Wii controllers.
The Nike+ sensor's accelerometer rests on top of its battery. A transmitter broadcasts signals to the accompanying receiver.
The accelerometer in the Nike+ sensor detects when a person's foot is on the ground. When someone is standing still or walking slowly, his feet spend more time touching the earth than in the air. But when jogging or sprinting, his feet spend less and less time on the ground. The faster he runs, the less time his feet spend in contact with the surface under them. Because of this basic trait of walking and running, a processor can use equations to convert contact time into running speed. The process is the most accurate when runners calibrate their sensors by running a pre-set distance so get a baseline reading.
The accelerometer also acts as the sensor's on/off switch. When the shoes aren't moving, the accelerometer has no footsteps to report -- it stops sending data. In the absence of the accelerometer's output, the sensor eventually puts itself to sleep. But when a runner puts his shoes on and takes a few steps, the sensor generates electrical pulses, and the sensor resumes operation. The sensor also has a physical switch which can turn the unit off; the unit stays off until someone presses the switch again. This preserves the battery's life (the 1,000-hour battery can't be replaced) when someone isn't running regularly or is running in different shoes.
An on/off switch, processor and antenna are located on the underside of the sensor.
The Nike+ iPod sensor sends information to the receiver using a built-in transmitter and antenna. It broadcasts its data at a radio frequency of 2.4 gigahertz using a proprietary protocol. In addition to transmitting data about a person's running stride, it transmits a unique code that it uses to identify itself. We'll look at how the receiver uses this information next.
Nike+ Shoes
In addition to the Sport Kit and the iPod Nano, the Nike+ system requires compatible Nike shoes -- specifically, shoes from the Nike+ Line. Only Nike+ shoes have the necessary space under the insole to accommodate the transmitter. Other manufacturers, however, have developed pouches that hold the transmitter and lace to the top of a person's shoe. These manufacturers claim that the transmitter still gives accurate readings when in the pouch. However, the angle at which the sensor rests on top of a person's foot is slightly different from its angle inside a person's shoe. Depending on how the piezoelectric crystals align within the sensor, this could affect the overall accuracy of the system.
For more info. explore and use the embedded link.
Again, a special thanks to Tracy V. Wilson
for this great article, courtesy of the
site "How Stuff Works.com"
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