Shift Happens
I am John and I thought that the part about the super computer was awsome. I was amazed that there are more honor students in China than students in the United States. Overall, I thought that Shift Happens was fasinating.
Im TJ and I thought the part when they said more text messages are sent every day than there are people was a crazy thought to think about. all and all i thought that that this clip was very interesting and made me think about a lot of stuff.
I am Amanda, we all agreed that "Shift Happens" was a very cool and informative video. It showed us how materialistic the USA is because of the statistics about cellphones and the supercomputers. I couldn't believe that they predict that by 2040 there will be a computer that is smarter than the human race, it was very shocking. Also that they said that half of what we learn will be outdated in the next 3 years!
In Conclusion, all of us thought that Shift Happens was awesome.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Final Post
Astronomy- My favorite topic while studying the solar system was learning why Earth's seasons occur. I always thought it was because Earth moved closer and farther away from the sun at certain times of the year. This is not true. Earth is always the same distance from the sun. The Earth rotates at a 23.5 degree tilt on its axis. It is because of this tilt that seasons occur. The Earth, season wise, is divided in to two parts. The half's are the Northern Hemisphere and the Southern Hemisphere. During one half of the year, the northern hemisphere receives more direct sunlight. This is summertime. During the other half of the year the southern hemisphere receives the most direct sunlight. When one hemisphere experiences summer, the other experiences winter. It is always warm around the equator because due to its middle position, it always receives direct sunlight. The cause of the seasons is very interesting.
Weather and Climate- My favorite part in the weather and climate unit was learning about the layers of Earth's atmosphere. Earth's atmosphere is made up of 6 different layers. The first layer is the troposphere. The troposphere is 8-16 kilometers thick. It contains 75% of the atmosphere's mass. All of Earth's weather occurs in this layer. The second layer is the stratosphere. The stratosphere is colder on the bottom than the top. The ozone layer is in the stratosphere. The third layer in the atmosphere is the mesosphere. The mesosphere is the middle layer of the atmosphere. It begins 50 km above the surface of the Earth and ends 80 km above the Earth. The top layer of the atmosphere is called the thermosphere. The thermosphere extends from 80km to outer space. The thermosphere is divided into two different sections. The first layer is called the ionosphere. It extends from 80km- 400km above the earth. The second section is the exosphere. The exosphere begins at 400km and extends thousands of kilometers into space. Learning about the layers of the atmosphere was fascinating.
Geology- My favorite part of this unit was learning about the layers of Earth. The first layer of the Earth is the crust. The crust is the crust is a layer of solid rock that includes both dry land and the ocean floor. The crust is 5-70 km thick. The next layer is the mantle. The mantle is made up o hot but solid rock. overall the mantle is 3,000km thick. The mantle is divided int o three different layers. The layers form top to bottom are the Lithosphere, Asthenosphere, and the lower mantle. The next layer is the core. The core is divided into two different layers. The outer and inner core. The outer core is made up of liquid nickle and iron. The inner core is a dense solid ball of nickle and iron. Learning about the layers of the Earth was cool and exciting.
Weathering and Erosion- My favorite part about this unit was learning about how weathering and erosion work. Weathering is the process that breaks down rock and other substances at Earth’s surface. Weathering works in a couple of different ways. There is mechanical and chemical weathering. Mechanical weathering is he type of weathering in which rock is physically broken into smaller pieces. There are a few different causes for mechanical weathering. These causes are freezing and thawing, release of pressure, plant growth, actions of animals, and abrasion. Chemical weathering is the type of weathering that breaks down rock through chemical changes. Chemical weathering also has a few different causes. These causes include the action of water, oxygen, carbon dioxide, living organisms, and acid rain. Erosion is the removal of rock particles by wind, water, ice, or gravity. After weathering breaks rocks down, erosion carries the pieces away. Learning about how weathering and erosion was the best part of this unit.
Earth's Water- My favorite part of this unit was learning about the steps in treating drinking water. The first step is the first filtration. In the first filtration, fish, trash, and leaves are removed from the water ass it travels through screens. the second step is coagulation. In coagulation Alum is added to the water to form sticky flocs. Particles of mud and bacteria stick to the flocs. The third step in the process is the settling basins. All the water and the flocs is drained into settling basins. The forth step is a second filtration. Water is forced through sand and gravel to remove algae, chemicals, and bacteria. Chlorination is the fifth step in the treating process. In this step chlorine is put into the water to kill any remaining organisms. The sixth step is aeration. During aeration air is put through the water taking away unpleasant odors and taste. The seventh and final step is additional treatment. In this step, sodium or lime is added to soften hard water. Also, fluoride is put in to prevent tooth decay. This was the most interesting part of Earth's water unit.
This is my final post on my page. I hope you have enjoyed following my 8th grade page. 8th grade has been challenging and fun year. I have had a lot of fun creating this blog. Well, I'll see you later.
Weather and Climate- My favorite part in the weather and climate unit was learning about the layers of Earth's atmosphere. Earth's atmosphere is made up of 6 different layers. The first layer is the troposphere. The troposphere is 8-16 kilometers thick. It contains 75% of the atmosphere's mass. All of Earth's weather occurs in this layer. The second layer is the stratosphere. The stratosphere is colder on the bottom than the top. The ozone layer is in the stratosphere. The third layer in the atmosphere is the mesosphere. The mesosphere is the middle layer of the atmosphere. It begins 50 km above the surface of the Earth and ends 80 km above the Earth. The top layer of the atmosphere is called the thermosphere. The thermosphere extends from 80km to outer space. The thermosphere is divided into two different sections. The first layer is called the ionosphere. It extends from 80km- 400km above the earth. The second section is the exosphere. The exosphere begins at 400km and extends thousands of kilometers into space. Learning about the layers of the atmosphere was fascinating.
Geology- My favorite part of this unit was learning about the layers of Earth. The first layer of the Earth is the crust. The crust is the crust is a layer of solid rock that includes both dry land and the ocean floor. The crust is 5-70 km thick. The next layer is the mantle. The mantle is made up o hot but solid rock. overall the mantle is 3,000km thick. The mantle is divided int o three different layers. The layers form top to bottom are the Lithosphere, Asthenosphere, and the lower mantle. The next layer is the core. The core is divided into two different layers. The outer and inner core. The outer core is made up of liquid nickle and iron. The inner core is a dense solid ball of nickle and iron. Learning about the layers of the Earth was cool and exciting.
Weathering and Erosion- My favorite part about this unit was learning about how weathering and erosion work. Weathering is the process that breaks down rock and other substances at Earth’s surface. Weathering works in a couple of different ways. There is mechanical and chemical weathering. Mechanical weathering is he type of weathering in which rock is physically broken into smaller pieces. There are a few different causes for mechanical weathering. These causes are freezing and thawing, release of pressure, plant growth, actions of animals, and abrasion. Chemical weathering is the type of weathering that breaks down rock through chemical changes. Chemical weathering also has a few different causes. These causes include the action of water, oxygen, carbon dioxide, living organisms, and acid rain. Erosion is the removal of rock particles by wind, water, ice, or gravity. After weathering breaks rocks down, erosion carries the pieces away. Learning about how weathering and erosion was the best part of this unit.
Earth's Water- My favorite part of this unit was learning about the steps in treating drinking water. The first step is the first filtration. In the first filtration, fish, trash, and leaves are removed from the water ass it travels through screens. the second step is coagulation. In coagulation Alum is added to the water to form sticky flocs. Particles of mud and bacteria stick to the flocs. The third step in the process is the settling basins. All the water and the flocs is drained into settling basins. The forth step is a second filtration. Water is forced through sand and gravel to remove algae, chemicals, and bacteria. Chlorination is the fifth step in the treating process. In this step chlorine is put into the water to kill any remaining organisms. The sixth step is aeration. During aeration air is put through the water taking away unpleasant odors and taste. The seventh and final step is additional treatment. In this step, sodium or lime is added to soften hard water. Also, fluoride is put in to prevent tooth decay. This was the most interesting part of Earth's water unit.
This is my final post on my page. I hope you have enjoyed following my 8th grade page. 8th grade has been challenging and fun year. I have had a lot of fun creating this blog. Well, I'll see you later.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Colorado Springs Water
75% of Colorado Springs comes from snow melt in the Rocky Mountains. Our water travels over 200 miles through an intricate system from the western front to the eastern front to our water plant. The snow melt is collected in Home steak Reservoir. Then it goes down to Turquoise Lake. Next, the water travels to Twin Lakes Reservoir. From there it goes through Clear Creek Reservoir to Rampart Reservoir and then on to the treatment center. After that it goes to our homes.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
The Water Cycle
The Water Cycle
# What is the water cycle?- The water cycle is a process through which water moves through the environment driven by solar energy.
# Does the water cycle have a beginning or end?- No, the water cycle has no known beginning or end.
# Starting with a puddle on a sunny day, describe how water might move through the water cycle and eventually fall back as rain.- First the puddle would evaporate. Then a cloud would be created through condensation. After that precipitation in the form of rain would occur. Finally runoff would land the fallen water back into a puddle.
# Create a diagram (using Google docs or word) of the puddle to rain scenario you created for extra credit.
# What is the water cycle?- The water cycle is a process through which water moves through the environment driven by solar energy.
# Does the water cycle have a beginning or end?- No, the water cycle has no known beginning or end.
# Starting with a puddle on a sunny day, describe how water might move through the water cycle and eventually fall back as rain.- First the puddle would evaporate. Then a cloud would be created through condensation. After that precipitation in the form of rain would occur. Finally runoff would land the fallen water back into a puddle.
# Create a diagram (using Google docs or word) of the puddle to rain scenario you created for extra credit.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Anitated Bib.
Annotated Bibliography
How do Solar Panels Work?http://solar.calfinder.com/blog/solar-electric/how-do-solar-panels-work/- This website explained how solar panels work. It said that solar panel are made up of a bunch of individual cells that all soak up solar power. Then the power from the cells combine to create a force of electricity. I plan to use this site to tell how solar panels work.
Solar Cost FAQ http://www.thesolarguide.com/solar-power-uses/cost-faq.aspx This site tells ho much solar panel systems cost. It said that a house system coasts about $20,000. It goes on to talk about other systems for powering different things. These systems are cheaper than the house systems. I plan to use this site while advising citizens to purchase solar panels for their homes.Solar Homes-The Benefit of Solar Power at Home http://ezinearticles.com/?Solar-Homes---The-Benefits-of-Solar-Power-at-Home&id=251082- This site tells about the benefits of using solar power. It says that solar panels provide free energy at your homes. It also explains that solar panel are environmentally friendly. I plan to use this information while explaining how it would be if everyone took my advice.
Greenhouse Gases and Society http://www.umich.edu/~gs265/society/greenhouse.htm- This site tells about the Greenhouse Gas Effect. It lists the main greenhouse gases. It talks about how the temperature of the Earth is rising. I plan to use this site to explain what would continue happening if nobody takes my advice.
Monday, April 20, 2009
4 questions
HOW WILL SOLAR POWER REDUCE CARBON ADMISSIONS?-JOHN
What, specifically about your topic, are you going to research?--- I am going to research how solar power reduces green house gases.
What conclusions did you come to?
Converting to solar power directly reduces green house gases. Solar panels convert light from solar rays to electricity. The do this without admitting any carbon into the atmosphere. Solar power is a clean and effective way to power homes with out burning coal or natural gas.
What do you recommend average citizens do to make a difference? Be specific. This is the main part of your assignment.- I would recommend average citizens to look into installing solar panels to power their homes. Solar panels are getting cheaper and cheaper all of the time.
What would happen if, worst-case scenario, nobody listened to your recommendations?--- We would continue burning coal and natural gas for our energy sources. Carbon admissions would increase more and more.
What would happen if, best-case scenario, everybody listened to your recommendations?---If people listened, carbon admissions would dramatically decrease and we would have a free and green energy source.
What, specifically about your topic, are you going to research?--- I am going to research how solar power reduces green house gases.
What conclusions did you come to?
Converting to solar power directly reduces green house gases. Solar panels convert light from solar rays to electricity. The do this without admitting any carbon into the atmosphere. Solar power is a clean and effective way to power homes with out burning coal or natural gas.
What do you recommend average citizens do to make a difference? Be specific. This is the main part of your assignment.- I would recommend average citizens to look into installing solar panels to power their homes. Solar panels are getting cheaper and cheaper all of the time.
What would happen if, worst-case scenario, nobody listened to your recommendations?--- We would continue burning coal and natural gas for our energy sources. Carbon admissions would increase more and more.
What would happen if, best-case scenario, everybody listened to your recommendations?---If people listened, carbon admissions would dramatically decrease and we would have a free and green energy source.
Monday, April 13, 2009
The Penny Lab
http://image63.webshots.com/163/0/54/9/2222054090088425273fnuGSl_fs.jpg
The penny lab was an interesting activity with a surprising outcome. The procedures of this lab were, first to put a penny on a flat surface. Second take a water dropper filled with water an see how many drops of water could be put on the penny before it spilled over. I predicted 8- 10 drops of water. The results of trial 1 were 12 drops of water. Trial 2 resulted with 19 drops of water. Trial 3 proved the most with 20 drops of water. These results surprised me. My prediction was defiantly low. Surface tension is the reason that the water stayed on the penny. The polar nature of the water caused the water to stick together. The water beading up will be supported by surface tension until the force of gravity becomes to great. then the water spills of the penny. This experiment was really cool.
The penny lab was an interesting activity with a surprising outcome. The procedures of this lab were, first to put a penny on a flat surface. Second take a water dropper filled with water an see how many drops of water could be put on the penny before it spilled over. I predicted 8- 10 drops of water. The results of trial 1 were 12 drops of water. Trial 2 resulted with 19 drops of water. Trial 3 proved the most with 20 drops of water. These results surprised me. My prediction was defiantly low. Surface tension is the reason that the water stayed on the penny. The polar nature of the water caused the water to stick together. The water beading up will be supported by surface tension until the force of gravity becomes to great. then the water spills of the penny. This experiment was really cool.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Everglades Nation Park
Travel Journal
3/31/09
Today I went on a journey to the Everglades National Park which is located in southern Florida.
My purpose for this was to study the overall environment and the health of the ecosystem, as a biologist. The Everglades is a diverse subtropical wilderness, with thousands of different animals and plant life. It provides a habitat for endangered species like the American Crocodile. The park also has many different sounds like birds signing, frogs croaking, and water splashing from the under water life. The Everglades are made up of hundreds of square miles of wet land, covered by saw grass. This type of grass can grow up to 3 to 5 meters tall. Scattered throughout the wet lands are trees growing on hammocks. Hammocks are geological features that provide higher patches of land sutible for trees in a flooded area. Also there are huge forests of mangrove trees growing along the rivers. Water definatly plays a major role in the Everglades existance. Without the water the ecosystem would be destroyed and most of the lands will become dry lands. None of the marsh plants or animals would survive in a dry climate. With the rising population of humans the demand of water is increasing. Less water is making it from lake Okeechobee to the Everglades. This could potentially cause problems to the fragile ecosystem. Also, pesticide runoff from farms polutes the habitats, harming fish and other animals. Overall my journey to the Everglades was very educational and eye opening.
3/31/09
Today I went on a journey to the Everglades National Park which is located in southern Florida.
My purpose for this was to study the overall environment and the health of the ecosystem, as a biologist. The Everglades is a diverse subtropical wilderness, with thousands of different animals and plant life. It provides a habitat for endangered species like the American Crocodile. The park also has many different sounds like birds signing, frogs croaking, and water splashing from the under water life. The Everglades are made up of hundreds of square miles of wet land, covered by saw grass. This type of grass can grow up to 3 to 5 meters tall. Scattered throughout the wet lands are trees growing on hammocks. Hammocks are geological features that provide higher patches of land sutible for trees in a flooded area. Also there are huge forests of mangrove trees growing along the rivers. Water definatly plays a major role in the Everglades existance. Without the water the ecosystem would be destroyed and most of the lands will become dry lands. None of the marsh plants or animals would survive in a dry climate. With the rising population of humans the demand of water is increasing. Less water is making it from lake Okeechobee to the Everglades. This could potentially cause problems to the fragile ecosystem. Also, pesticide runoff from farms polutes the habitats, harming fish and other animals. Overall my journey to the Everglades was very educational and eye opening.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Earthquake Questions
Where do most of the earthquakes tend to happen?- Most of the earthquakes happen on the Pacific plate along the ring of fire.
Why do you think that is? I think this is because of all of the volcanoes that make up the ring of fire.
What is this area called? The area is called the ring of fire.
Where is the earthquake closest to Manitou Springs? What are the details of this earthquake? Would people be able to feel this earthquake? About how much more ground shaking would occur for this magnitude earthquake compared to a magnitude 1 earthquake? About how much greater is the energy released with this earthquake compared to the energy of a magnitude 1 earthquake?-
Earth quakes have occurred near Manitou due to fault lines that extend from Cheyenne Mountain to Woodland Park and Divide. The closest earthquake to Manitou Springs would be on the active Rampart Range fault, Oil Creek fault, and the Ute Pass fault. Sometimes you can feel these earthquakes. The mosty recent earthquake near Manitou happened on Saturday, January 17, 2009 at 8:02. This earthquake had a magnitude of 2.8. Sometimes you can feel these earth quakes but usually you can't. This earthquake occured in New Mexico, 82 miles north of Albuquerque. compared to a magnitude 1 earth quake, this earthquake would have had around 100 timews the ground shaking. The energy released from a 2.8 magnitude earthquake is about 1,000 times greater than a magnitude 1.
Choose one earthquake that has happened in the last seven days. You will be researching that earthquake. Tell me all about it. Are earthquakes common in this area? Include at least one picture, preferably of the earthquake, but if you can’t find one include one of the area.
On Thursday, January 22, 2009 in Guatemala, there was a 5.1 magnitude earthquake.
The cordinants of this earthquake are 15.309°N, 91.499°W. To put the location into perspective, it was 80 miles NW of Guatemala City, Guatemala.
How can people protect themselves from the dangers of earthquakes?
When an earthquake is occuring, get under a desk or table. Hold on to your shelter and be ready for it to move on you. Avoid windows, hanging lights, and tall furniture. Cover you neck and head with your arms. If shelter is unavailavle, stay under a doorway.
Why do you think that is? I think this is because of all of the volcanoes that make up the ring of fire.
What is this area called? The area is called the ring of fire.
Where is the earthquake closest to Manitou Springs? What are the details of this earthquake? Would people be able to feel this earthquake? About how much more ground shaking would occur for this magnitude earthquake compared to a magnitude 1 earthquake? About how much greater is the energy released with this earthquake compared to the energy of a magnitude 1 earthquake?-
Earth quakes have occurred near Manitou due to fault lines that extend from Cheyenne Mountain to Woodland Park and Divide. The closest earthquake to Manitou Springs would be on the active Rampart Range fault, Oil Creek fault, and the Ute Pass fault. Sometimes you can feel these earthquakes. The mosty recent earthquake near Manitou happened on Saturday, January 17, 2009 at 8:02. This earthquake had a magnitude of 2.8. Sometimes you can feel these earth quakes but usually you can't. This earthquake occured in New Mexico, 82 miles north of Albuquerque. compared to a magnitude 1 earth quake, this earthquake would have had around 100 timews the ground shaking. The energy released from a 2.8 magnitude earthquake is about 1,000 times greater than a magnitude 1.
Choose one earthquake that has happened in the last seven days. You will be researching that earthquake. Tell me all about it. Are earthquakes common in this area? Include at least one picture, preferably of the earthquake, but if you can’t find one include one of the area.
On Thursday, January 22, 2009 in Guatemala, there was a 5.1 magnitude earthquake.
The cordinants of this earthquake are 15.309°N, 91.499°W. To put the location into perspective, it was 80 miles NW of Guatemala City, Guatemala.
How can people protect themselves from the dangers of earthquakes?
When an earthquake is occuring, get under a desk or table. Hold on to your shelter and be ready for it to move on you. Avoid windows, hanging lights, and tall furniture. Cover you neck and head with your arms. If shelter is unavailavle, stay under a doorway.
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