SIP appendix

Pictures of green bean seeds over duration of the experiment:

Set-up A: set-up with pop music played

Set-up B: set-up with classical music played

Set-up C: control. Set-up without music.

Day 1: start of the experiment 

Day 1 results: 

- A : 0

- B : 0

- C : 0

Day 3: 

Top left: A      Middle: B    Top right: C

For safety issues, the containers were brought indoor while the earpieces were placed inside set-up A and B ( during the 'music-hearing' session) . After the music was played for 1.5 hours, the set-ups were then placed outdoors again for sunlight. 

Day 2 results:

A: ( 5 + 5)/ 2= 5mm ( average of two plants) 

B: 0

C: 0 

Day 4: 

Set-up A. The seeds on the top and top right hand of the container have germinated.

Set-up B. No seeds germinated yet

Set-up C. No seeds germinated yet.

Day 4 results:

A: ( 5+ 15)/2 = 10mm

B: 0

C: 0

Day 5: 

Set-up B. One seed germinated

A closer view of set-up A's seedling

Set-up A


As there was still no sign of germination for set-up C, it looked the similar to  previous days,  hence no pictures were taken.

Day 5 results: 

A: (60+ 20 )/2 = 40mm

B: 10mm

C: 0

Day 6:

From top to bottom: set up A, B then C.

Day 6 results:

A: ( 105+ 25)/2 = 65mm

B: 15mm

C: 2mm

Day 7:

Set-up A

Set-up B

Set-up C

Day 6 results ( final):

A: (150+50)/2 = 100mm

B: 15mm

C: 2mm

Marble Run

22/5/13

We were tasked to design and build a pathway for a marble from te top left hand corner to the bottom right hand corner on a sloping board. The team who makes the marble's journey last as long as possible wins! :)

Our Final Design!

Final Result: 11 seconds

Reflections

I think that our timing could have been better if we had build our pathway longer, like how other groups did. As our pathway was much shorter than the other groups, there was a difference in timing. However, i believe that our speed was most probably similar to other groups. 

Speed = Distance/ Time

To increase time = increase distance

decrease time = increase friction and/or decrease gradient of slope

The most difficult part of this Challenge was making sure the ball stayed on track and is in constant motion. I really liked how our product turned out overall as our ball successfully cleared the course! :)

Application to The Real World

Three types of guiding structure:

- Mountain Road

-River flow ( concave and convex banks)

- Marathon. ( where the runners follow the sign board to run)

Kinds of kinetic energy:      

- Rotational Kinetic energy ( e.g. like how the Earth Rotates! :)

Tallest Free Standing Structure

20/5/13

So we were assigned to build the Tallest Free Standing ( at least 10seconds) using only NEWSPAPER and SCISSORS


It sounded quite impossible to me at first but after discussing as a group and planning out our structure, our structure was actually quite successful ! :)  We didnt manage to capture a picture of our end product though ><

Our FInal design was to create a cone-like base such that it would be able to sustain the heavy weight of the upper body of the tower. We stuffed balls of newspaper under the cone to increase its weight and that it would not topple over easily. 
For the upper body of the tower, we rolled up thin pieces of newspaper and connected it to one another . As we were building up the tower, we decreased the size of the newspaper roll so that the weight of the upper body would not be heavier than the lower body such that the entire tower will topple over due to gravitational forces. Our tower kind of looked like the eiffel tower with its triangular shape.


Concepts behind the tower:

The strength of a building material can depend on how it is used. Pleating or rolling paper can increase its stiffness. By crumpling, folding, and otherwise reshaping the flimsy flat sheets and by forming a wide base, students can make their newspaper sheets in this activity stand up and reach unexpected heights

Many forces are at work on towers. Gravity and the dead load of a towers will push down, the ground pushes back up, and small air movements push from the side. A foundation distributes the load into the surrounding ground material and can help balance the sideways wind force. The size of the foundation depends on the strength of the supporting ground. A foundation placed in rock can be smaller than a foundation placed in sand or mud.

( taken from: http://teachers.egfi-k12.org/lesson-build-a-tower/) 

More reads: :)
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/buildingbig/skyscraper/index.html