1.) Chugga Chugga Toot Toot
2.) Checking Baggage
3.) Going Through Security
4.) Towing my Carry-on to the Gate
5.) Going Up the Broken Escalator
6. ) Turning Without A Warning= Awkward New Friend
7.) Trying to Stand Up with my Backpack (It weighs more than I do, I'm convinced.)
NEED TO FINISH!!!!!!
8.) Up the Ramps They Go.
NEED TO FINISH!!!!!!
8.) Up the Ramps They Go.
9.) Driving Past A Wreck On The Highway.
10.) Mom said, " Let there be light!"
10.) Mom said, " Let there be light!"
Part One: Chugga Chugga Toot Toot !
There are a lot of trains here in Asheville, North Carolina. Usually, when I'm heading to the airport, we pass by some train tracks with trains chugging along. The part I now notice the most about the train are the wheels. It reminds me of when we learned about tangential and rotational velocity. Tangential velocity is the direction of motion tangent to the circumference, the linear speed of something moving along a circular path. It is dependent on the radial distance from the axis of rotation and is measured in m/s or km/s. It is also directly related to rotational velocity. Rotational velocity involves the number of rotations or the number of revolutions per unit of time. It is measured in RPM's (Revolutions Per Minute) and all parts of the wheel share the same number of rotations.
Once I had learned that, I thought I knew how a train's wheels work and how they stay on the track. Sadly, I did not. It is actually the design of the trains wheels that makes them stay on the track. The train's wheels are tapered so that the fat/wider part is on the inside with the more narrow part on the outside. All parts of the wheel have the same rotational speed, but the wider part has a greater tangential speed. It is this difference that causes the wheels to curve when the wider part is on the outside of the track. The wheel curves inward, setting the train back on the middle of the track. It's already a great day for travel when I get to begin with this!
Part Two: Checking Baggage
My next exhilarating moment comes when I check my luggage. When checking one's luggage, you have to set your bag on a scale at the check-in desk. Once you set the bag down, the bag is at rest on the scale. According to Newton's First Law (Law of Inertia) which states that, " an object at rest or in motion will remain at rest or in motion, until acted upon by an outside force." In this case the object is my overpacked bag that is at rest. The bag will remain at rest until acted upon by an outside force such as the check-in airport employee. Once they act on the bag (i.e they pick it up move it off of the scale), the bag will remain in motion until acted upon an outside force. In this case, that outside force would be the ground.
Part Three: Going Through Security
When going through security, you are required to walk through a metal detector. If you hear the metal detector "beep," that "beep" is because of electromagnetic induction. Electromagnetic induction is that act of inducing a voltage by causing a change in the magnetic field of the loops of current carrying wire. Electromagnetic induction occurs when loops of current carrying wire experience a change its magnetic field when a magnet goes through, near, or around the loops of current carrying wire.
The change in the current carrying wire's magnetic field induces a voltage, which causes a current that sends a signal that can be used for a variety of things. In the case of a metal detector, the loops of current carrying wire are inside the plastic walls. If you have magnetized metal on you when walking through, there is a change in the magnetic field of the current carrying wires. The change in its magnetic field induces a voltage, which causes a current. This current sends a signal that sets off an alarm to let the TSA know that you may have a dangerous item on your person.
The change in the current carrying wire's magnetic field induces a voltage, which causes a current that sends a signal that can be used for a variety of things. In the case of a metal detector, the loops of current carrying wire are inside the plastic walls. If you have magnetized metal on you when walking through, there is a change in the magnetic field of the current carrying wires. The change in its magnetic field induces a voltage, which causes a current. This current sends a signal that sets off an alarm to let the TSA know that you may have a dangerous item on your person.
Part Four: Towing my Carryon to the Gate
When I tow my carry-on to my gate, I can see an example of Newton's Third Law which states that, " For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction." In this situation, all of the action-reaction pairs are equal and opposite. An action- reaction pair is two objects with the same action such as "pull" or "push." However, they have different reactions. For example, one might have "forwards" while the other has "backwards." Action-reaction pairs are also only equal and opposite within themselves and not in comparison to another action-reaction pair. (see picture below)
Now you might think that it is how hard my pull is, is what causes my bag to move forward. In reality, it is how hard I push on the ground that will accelerate my bag towards me.
Part Five : Going up the Stairs to my Gate
I will admit, I'm not always the most patient traveler. I like to get where i'm going quickly, in hopes of getting some work done to one day have power. Therefore, if the escalators are clogged, I will take the stairs. Now that i've taken physics, it turns out that I am already doing work and have power. In physics, the formula for work (measured in joules)(responsible for power) is
The relationship between force and distance has to be parallel in order for work to be done. In addition to that, distance has to be covered when force is applied or else no work is done.
Now let's look at power. The formal for power is Power= Work/Time. It is measured in watts. Here is an example...
Part Six: Turning Without a Warning = Awkward New Friend
Sometimes flights are peaceful and relaxing, while at other times they are bumpy and like a roller coaster. When walking down the aisle toward the cockpit, sometimes the pilots have made unexpected turns and I end up in a strangers lap. I never considered why I went the direction or the force that caused it, my first thought was how to apologize to the persons lap i was now in. Now all I think about it centripetal and centrifugal force. Before I get into centripetal, I must explain that centrifugal force isn't real, it is a fictitious force. However, centripetal force is real. It is a center seeking force, therefore it acts in the inward direction. On the other hand, the plane's velocity is tangent to the circle. It is the combination of these two that makes for a very awkward way to meet new, but at least I get a good story out of it.
Part Seven: Trying to Stand Up with my Backpack
Living far away from home and going to an elite boarding school adds up to a heavy backpack. when traveling home. Before I learned about torque and center of mass, I'd stand straight up and lean back when getting out of my seat with my heavy backpack. This usually resulted in me falling straight back into my seat, almost taking my fellow passenger out with my bag. Now those embarrassing days are behind me thanks to this physic concept.
Here is what I learned....
I learned that the center of mass is the average point of an object's mass. The center of gravity is the specific point gravity act upon. If something is balanced the clockwise and counter clockwise torques are equal. See the diagram below...
Torque causes rotation. The formula to find an object's torque use the formula Torque= Force x Lever arm. A lever arm is the distance from the axis of rotation to where the force is applied. The only way to have a lever arm is if the center of gravity is not above the base of support. In order to be balanced/stable I'd need low center of gravity, a wide base of support, and equal weight. On humans, our center of gravity is around where our belly button is. To lower my base of support, I then have to bend my knees. Then I must lean forward to make sure I keep my center of mass above my base of support. In doing so, I will not have a torque therefore there will be no rotation and I will not rotate outside my base of support. In turn, I will remain standing and walk out with grace and a slight turtle look.
In the picture the red x is where my base of support is. As you can see, my legs are bent and my base of support is low. My center of gravity is above my center of mass, therefore I have a force (marked by the blue arrow pointing down), but not a lever arm. In turn, I do not have a torque and will not fall over.
Part Eight: Up the Ramps They Wheeled.
As you may know, Florida is known for is being a great place to retire. So often when exciting the airport there are elderly people either arriving or departing. They are often in wheelchairs and have to use the ramps. Before physics, I just stared at the ramp and saw a block wood or metal. I didn't think much past that. Now I understand that it is actually a machine. It is a machine because a machine decreases the amount of force by increasing the distance. To find the amount of work a machine, like a ramp, does you use the formula...
Part Nine: Driving Past a Wreck at a four way stop
In Florida, it is common to see car crashes. When I see one or the results of one, I think of the physics concept of conservation of momentum. The symbol for momentum is P. The formal to calculate a systems momentum is... ( M is the mass, V is the velocity, A stand for one object, B stand for the other object)
Part Five : Going up the Stairs to my Gate
I will admit, I'm not always the most patient traveler. I like to get where i'm going quickly, in hopes of getting some work done to one day have power. Therefore, if the escalators are clogged, I will take the stairs. Now that i've taken physics, it turns out that I am already doing work and have power. In physics, the formula for work (measured in joules)(responsible for power) is
Work= Force x Distance
The relationship between force and distance has to be parallel in order for work to be done. In addition to that, distance has to be covered when force is applied or else no work is done.
Now let's look at power. The formal for power is Power= Work/Time. It is measured in watts. Here is an example...
Part Six: Turning Without a Warning = Awkward New Friend
Sometimes flights are peaceful and relaxing, while at other times they are bumpy and like a roller coaster. When walking down the aisle toward the cockpit, sometimes the pilots have made unexpected turns and I end up in a strangers lap. I never considered why I went the direction or the force that caused it, my first thought was how to apologize to the persons lap i was now in. Now all I think about it centripetal and centrifugal force. Before I get into centripetal, I must explain that centrifugal force isn't real, it is a fictitious force. However, centripetal force is real. It is a center seeking force, therefore it acts in the inward direction. On the other hand, the plane's velocity is tangent to the circle. It is the combination of these two that makes for a very awkward way to meet new, but at least I get a good story out of it.
Part Seven: Trying to Stand Up with my Backpack
Living far away from home and going to an elite boarding school adds up to a heavy backpack. when traveling home. Before I learned about torque and center of mass, I'd stand straight up and lean back when getting out of my seat with my heavy backpack. This usually resulted in me falling straight back into my seat, almost taking my fellow passenger out with my bag. Now those embarrassing days are behind me thanks to this physic concept.
Here is what I learned....
I learned that the center of mass is the average point of an object's mass. The center of gravity is the specific point gravity act upon. If something is balanced the clockwise and counter clockwise torques are equal. See the diagram below...
Torque causes rotation. The formula to find an object's torque use the formula Torque= Force x Lever arm. A lever arm is the distance from the axis of rotation to where the force is applied. The only way to have a lever arm is if the center of gravity is not above the base of support. In order to be balanced/stable I'd need low center of gravity, a wide base of support, and equal weight. On humans, our center of gravity is around where our belly button is. To lower my base of support, I then have to bend my knees. Then I must lean forward to make sure I keep my center of mass above my base of support. In doing so, I will not have a torque therefore there will be no rotation and I will not rotate outside my base of support. In turn, I will remain standing and walk out with grace and a slight turtle look.
In the picture the red x is where my base of support is. As you can see, my legs are bent and my base of support is low. My center of gravity is above my center of mass, therefore I have a force (marked by the blue arrow pointing down), but not a lever arm. In turn, I do not have a torque and will not fall over.
Part Eight: Up the Ramps They Wheeled.
As you may know, Florida is known for is being a great place to retire. So often when exciting the airport there are elderly people either arriving or departing. They are often in wheelchairs and have to use the ramps. Before physics, I just stared at the ramp and saw a block wood or metal. I didn't think much past that. Now I understand that it is actually a machine. It is a machine because a machine decreases the amount of force by increasing the distance. To find the amount of work a machine, like a ramp, does you use the formula...
Workin= Workout
Fin x din = Fout x dout
Ramp
Labeled Ramp
The F= force and d= distance. Here is an example of something I might see...
Now to find out how efficient a machine is, you use the formula...
Efficiency= Workout/Workin
Finally...
Part Nine: Driving Past a Wreck at a four way stop
In Florida, it is common to see car crashes. When I see one or the results of one, I think of the physics concept of conservation of momentum. The symbol for momentum is P. The formal to calculate a systems momentum is... ( M is the mass, V is the velocity, A stand for one object, B stand for the other object)
P Total Before = P Total After
PA + PB = PA + PB
- If the objects are not originally stuck together, but are afterwards you'd follow those formulas with the formula
(MA)(VA) + (MB)(VB) = (MA+B)(V x A x B)
- If the objects aren't stuck together before or after you'd use the formula
(MA)(VA) + (MB)(VB) = (MA)(VA)+(MB)(VB)
Here is an example of this....
Let's say I see two trucks driving towards each other, one from the north and one from the south. Both have a mass of 2000kg and moving at a speed of 50m/s. When they collide and stick together, at what speed does the wreckage move?
The speed is 50 m/s.
Part Ten: Arriving home and mom says, " Let there be light!"
I cannot count the amount of times light bulbs have gone out. I never once even considered why only one goes out but the others stay light. I also never even thought about why when lighting strikes, all of our appliances plugged into the wall stop working. I knew a fuse had something to do with it, but I never knew what it did nor how.
It turns out that all houses are wired with parallel circuits....
In a parallel circuit, if one bulb or appliance stops working, the other appliances or bulbs are not affected. In a parallel circuit, when appliances are added the total resistance decreases, current increases, and the brightness stays the same. This is amazing compared to a series circuit, which looks like this...
If our houses were wired with a series circuit, if only bulb or appliance stopped working, then the other appliances would all shut off. In a series circuit, if appliances are added the total resistance increases, current decreases, brightness decreases.
Now that you understand that, I can explain fuses. A fuse is a safety device with a strip of wire inside of it that melts and breaks the electric circuit if the current exceeds a safe level. Now fuses are only added to parallel circuits, but are wired in a series compared to that circuit. Here is what that would look like ....
Being wired in a series compared to that circuit means that when the fuse wire breaks, it'll cut the current to all of your devices to prevent a fire from breaking out.
Now that you understand that, I can explain fuses. A fuse is a safety device with a strip of wire inside of it that melts and breaks the electric circuit if the current exceeds a safe level. Now fuses are only added to parallel circuits, but are wired in a series compared to that circuit. Here is what that would look like ....
Being wired in a series compared to that circuit means that when the fuse wire breaks, it'll cut the current to all of your devices to prevent a fire from breaking out.
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