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  1. imani2014
    Latest Entry

    Drifting is when a driver oversteers,or the car exceeds its tire's limits of adhesion, to cause a loss of traction in the rear wheels, when the rear slip angle of a car is greater than the front slip angle. In doing so the front wheels point in the opposite direction of the turn, the car is going left but the wheels are pointed right. Every time we turn a vehicle we resist the change of direction due to Inertia. Simply put, inertia is the amount of resistance to a change in velocity or momentum. Newton's first law of motion connects to this because he said that an object at rest stays at rest or continue with constant velocity unless acted upon by an outside force. So an object will continue as it was unless some external force comes in and messes everything up. Inertia is most often masked by effects of friction and air resistance both decrease speed of moving objects and gravity.The friction between the tires and the road and allow the front wheels to break traction. Turning the steering wheel in the opposite direction, intertia of the car that is trying to slide in the opposite direction is added to the force applied by the engine and the friction of traction between the tires and the road. If the car is front-wheel drive, the rear tires weigh less so they break traction first which causes the rear to slide out. Lifting the throttle makes another weight transfer and enables the rear wheel to weigh even less. Such physics was applied in the movie Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift. the main character had to master the physics of drifting to beat the antagonist. This called from some amazing racing/drifting scenes. Physics is everywhere whether we acknowledge it or not. But be careful when trying to drift - no saying that you should try, honestly I can't stop you- if the center of gravity is too high you will roll over instead of sliding.

    Drifting scene from Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift :

    Learn to drift:

  2. Many people enjoy the game of ping pong such as myself. Ping pong can relate to physics such as forces and acceleration. Because the ball will always be the same mass one must use a larger force on te paddle to make the bal accelerate faster. In order to win the point, you must have a larger velocity than the initial velocity which is the velocity coming from the oponent. In order to do this you must have a larger acceleration therefore use a larger force

  3. Speakers contain an electromagnet which is a coil of wire that the current flows through. First, it starts with a battery and then moves into the coil of wire. When the magnet vibrates the air molecules start moving and create waves. The waves then produce the sound that you can hear. Also there is energy transfer in a speaker. For example, the phone has electric and chemical potential energy because its a chemical reaction that causes the electricity to flow. Chemical turns into electrical and then flows through the wire. When the energy flows through the wire, it moves into a coil of wire which has a changing magnetic field because the song changes the frequency of the wire. However the magnet has a contestant magnetic field and when its placed against the coil of wires magnetic field, it allows the magnet to vibrate and in the end it makes sound.

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    Recent Entries

    Physics and tennis go together like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich- Literally! I mean, how else do you think the ball is able to meet contact with the racket or what position the racket must be in to hit the ball? IT"S ALL PHYSICS! The fastest serve ever recorded in the world is 155MPH by the famous player Andy Roddick. But how is one able to do so? Well let me explain. When you toss the ball up in the air, the player will press their feet against the ground and build up on potential energy. Then rotating the hips, legs, shoulders and with the swing of the arm, all of that maximum energy is used to create a perfect cross-court serve. Occasionally if one hits a spectacular serve, you can get what is called an "ace". An ace is basically when your opponent does NOT meet any sort of contact with the ball, and of course you receive the winning point. Yay! Another way that tennis and physics are related is through topspin. A topspin is created when you hit your forehand shot (swinging low to high on the right side of your body and when the racket slides up and over the ball as it is struck.

    image4.gif This makes it so you created a lower angle to the ground, making is harder for your opponent to return the ball. Pretty cool huh? you just learned not only how tennis and physics are related, but also how to hit pretty cool forehand shots and serves! Hope this helped!

  4. So everytime I need to make blog posts I always try to connect what we have been learning in physics to my favorite sport: softball. Now you might think that there are no waves in softball but I am creative and I believe I have found some sort of wave while playing softball. When people throw a softball really high it creates a giant lob that looks like a parabola. And this lob could also look like a half a wave. And if you measured from the ground to where the highest part of the ball reached, you would get the amplitude. But of course, the so called wave would never be finished you would only get to a half a wave and then the ball would hit the ground and die. But today we learned about reflection and could be applied to softball as well. When the ball hits the ground it will be reflected back at the same angle. So I the ball was thrown at a sharp angle measured to the normal line like 70 degrees. The ball would bounce back at that same angle. So while fielding, depending on how the ball hit the ground, you could prepare yourself for where the ball will jump next. Physics can improve your fielding skills.

  5. reedelena
    Latest Entry

    Positive charges their electric fields are pointed out away from the charge. A negative charge their electric field is pointed toward the charge. When a positive and a negative charge are brought close together they will be drawn toward each other, they are magnetic. The electric fields never cross each other when they are magnetic. When you bring a magnetic positive charge and a positive charge together they will be repulsive, the same holds true if you bring a negative charge and a negative charge together. They are repulsive charges. The equation for electric field strength is E=Fe/q.

  6. Brittany16
    Latest Entry

    at one point in everyone's lives they have tried to use a pogo stick (some more successful then others).

    for starters there is elastic potential energy stored in the spring. which is the work that is done stretching, in this case compressing, the spring. you can find out just how much energy is stored through using the equation PEs= 1/2kx^2. where k stands for the spring constant or the stiffness of the spring and x stands for the displacement from equilibrium. (the difference from the original spring and how long/ short it is after you stretch/compress it. also the more you stretch or compress the spring the greater the fore of the spring. in this case it means that the more you compress the spring the higher off the ground the pogo stick will go. have fun pogoing.

  7. We all listen to music daily and share a large appreciation for it however we don't necessarily stop to think about how music travels in sound waves or how they work. We all know that waves transfer energy but sound waves are considered mechanical waves because they require a medium in which they travel through which could be any substance or material that carries the wave along from one location to another and in this case, air would be the medium for sound waves. They travel through the air and our ears pick up the energy from these waves which vibrates against our eardrum and is converted to a nerve impulse which sends that signal to our brain. Sound waves are also considered longitudinal because the wave compression move left or right and the vibrating air particles as well move parallel to the direction the sound wave is travelling. Most of us listen to our music extremely loudly with our headphones blaring, and that means that the sound waves travelling have a high amplitude while when we listen to music as we're trying to fall asleep, its at a much lower volume to form a tranquil setting and those waves have a low amplitude, producing sound at a quieter volume. Also when listening to songs we notice that some singers have higher pitched tones than others and some lower. Having a high pitch indicates a higher frequency of a wave and those singing with a lower pitch indicate a lower frequency of a sound wave.

  8. As someone who is extremely afraid of heights, it is highly unlikely that I will ever go skydiving. However, that doesn't mean I can't appreciate the physics of it. For instance, skydivers accelerate when they go down because the force of gravity is greater than the drag on their bodies. Also, the acceleration in question will always be 9.81 m/s^2 as that is the acceleration due to gravity. But when the parachute is opened, the increase in surface area creates an increase in drag, therefore making the skydiver slow down.

  9. One of my dreams in life is to ride a dolphin at somewhere like seaworld or somewhere in Florida. But, how much power does a dolphin have? Power is really easy to calculate. But first you need to calculate the work done by the dolphin using the equation W=Fd. The force would be the weight of the dolphin multiplied by gravity (9.81m/s^2) and the distance would be exactly that, how far the dolphin would be swimming. Once you have calculated that, you can use the in the power equation which is P=W/t. The t being the time it took from the dolphin to get from it's initial point to its end point. This would be how much power the dolphin has alone. What if you wanted to calculate the power the dolphin had with you on it's back? Then you would add your weight plus the dolphins weight and then multiply it by gravity and use the equation for work to find out the work done. And then plug that into the power equation again. And then you would know how much power you and a dolphin would have together.

  10. Celeena
    Latest Entry

    Most horses have four gaits that they commonly use. The first, the walk, is a slow, tame, four beat gait. The trot, slightly faster, is a two beat gait. The canter, a three beat gait, has a rocking feel to it. Last but not least is the gallop, which is a fast four beat gait, averaging about 25 mph.

    The most comfortable gait for a horse to jump from is the canter. This is a consistent gait that allows the horse enough momentum as well as an even pacing so that an adequate amount of force can be used during the takeoff.

    My trainer has told me that there are five components to a jump, all important in making sure that you complete it safely and well, gracefully.

    The first is the approach. Approaching the jump means that you must prepare at the correct angle, make sure you have enough room to count out the proper stride length, and give yourself time to think about whether you need the horse to go a little faster (a small nudge with your calves), or slower (a half-halt, pulling slightly with both reins and then releasing), in order to glide into phase two safely.

    Phase two is the actual jump itself. When jumping, the horse exerts a force on the ground in order to push itself upwards. This can be represented by Newton's second law or F=ma. Horses can carry up to 30% of their body weight. While this is impressive, it is also a limit. When the horse exerts all of that force on the ground, the ground exerts the same force back. This can seriously damage their back legs if the rider is not careful.

    Phase three of the jump is the air time. While the horse is in the air, it is the rider's job to not only sit up, releasing the pressure on their back, but make sure that their landing will be comfortable and set them up correctly to continue the course. During their time in the air, the horse has only potential energy, compared to it's kinetic energy during the approach. At the horse's maximum height, the velocity is zero, meaning the only force acting upon horse and rider is gravity: 9.81 m/s^2.

    Phase four is probably the most dangerous phase of the jump, not only because there is a large force between the horse's front legs and the ground, but also due to the fact that all of the rider's weight is put onto the horse's front legs as well, causing a large strain. Again, if the rider does not properly care for the horse, all of this weight and force could potentially damage it's legs.

    Phase five, or finale, is after the jump is completed. The velocity of the horse should return to that of the velocity during the approach, meaning the sum of the forces during the entire jump should be equal to zero. The rider should check to make sure the horse is on the correct lead, and proceed to evaluate their next jump, repeating step 1.

  11. When professional tennis players serve , the ball usually goes anywhere from 120 to 163.4 MPH (fastest recorded in history) which is pretty darn fast. They try to serve the ball as close to the net as they can so their opponent has a harder time of returning it. The closer to the net makes it so the angle to the incident is greater. The bigger the angle of incident is, the closer the ball is to the ground because it is measured against a right angle with the ground. If there is a small angle of incident, that means the ball bounces more vertically and is easier for the opponent to put away and possible smash into your face which is their point. That is why tennis players try to get the ball as close to the net as they can.

  12. Everyone loves to jump on trampolines. They are just so much fun! But do you ever think about the physics behind the fun activity? The physics involved in jumping on a trampoline is elastic potential energy. There is elastic potential energy because there are springs all around the trampoline. Elastic potential energy is equal to one-half times the spring constant times the amount of compression squared. To find the spring constant or the amount of compression, you must know the other and the force of the spring and plug it into the spring force equation which is Fs=kx. Once you know both k and x, you can find the amount of energy stored in the springs by plugging them into the elastic potential energy equation. Now you can figure out how much energy is stored in a trampoline before you jump on it!

  13. chanaersxo
    Latest Entry

    Creating a catapult has shown me many things relating to physics. What we have learned in class that relates back to a catapult is projectile motion and projectile angles. When you use a catapult you can find its velocity, distance, acceleration and time. You are able to find its horizontal and verticle projectile. The horizontal velocity will be constant which means the acceleration will be 0 m/s^2. Its verticle component would have an initial velocity of 0 and its final velocity would increase. You can use the kinematic equations to solve for its velocity, distance, acceleration or time. You just have to know three of the five to find the unknown.

  14. blog-0868459001397216848.pngIn the recent installments in the captain America movies, we see the captain using his shield to knock out the Nazi's during Wii but how doesn't it kill them. as we have seen in the movies when he throws his shield hard, newton's third law states that the amount of force is equal to the thing it transfers its energy to. so as the captain throws hard, the shield should have enough force to decapitate the enemy. also when Peggy shoots cap's shield, it makes a large vibrating sound. this is because the lognioitutional waves in the combustion form a mechanical wave, which is moving left and right in terms of the wave pattern. thank you for listening in the physics in captain America
  15. the Doppler effect is when the frequency of a sound wave becomes higher the closer you get to it and then the pitch lowers as it passes you again. when an ambulance is speeding down the street with its sirens on the pitch of the siren changes as it passes you. when it is coming towards you its pitch and frequency start to increase and then reach a maximum as the ambulance is right next to you. then as it drives passed you again the pitch and frequency of the siren lowers the farther and farther away it gets from you. the Doppler effect is the difference in frequency and pitch the siren makes as it passes you.

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    Recent Entries

    SabrinaJV
    Latest Entry

    Two favorite games of mine, Assassin's Creed and Batman: Arkham City, are all about physics, whether readers are giving me displacements that run me into walls instead of leading me through my maps or I'm diving to the ground then pulling back up in order tocatch wind, distance, and acceleration. I have to find a way to shoot a poison dart at an angle where I won't be noticed, position myself just right to take criminals down in a sneak attack. Batman especially takes the cake when a sniper is after me and I need to "displace" his position to take him out.

  16. Basically when doing anything in life physics is involved. When driving physics is involved. Driving is all about getting from one place to another in the quickest amount of time because time is a precious thing and noone wants to waste it. When going from one place to another and then back to the same place from where you started is called displacement. When driving there is a certain speed that you are allowed to go. To get up to the speed that you want you must make you vehicle accelerate to the speed that you want. The velocity is how fast that your car is going. If you are stopped at a red light or a stop light your car won't go anywhere because according to Newtons first law an object at rest tends to stay at rest unless acted upon another force which could be you moving your foot from the break pedal to the gas pedal.

  17. A video combining the amazing lectures, clips and television shows of some of the most famous celebrities and scientists on the planet. Combine it with music and you get the best thing ever.

    http://vimeo.com/29466108

  18. Mixtapes have physics behind them but you have to look at in a different perspective. Mixtapes have wave interference which is two or more waves in the same medium at the same time and same location. Mixtapes use sound waves and a lot of times artists who make mixtapes choose two waves that start at the same time to start their song. A new sound wave might interfere but they both continue as if they have never met and that represent constructive interference. If there is a destructive interference there will be a smaller amplitude which means it will be a softer sound for the mixtape.

  19. As for many instruments resonance, or the vibrating due to an equal frequency, causes the sound. For an opera singer to break a glass with just his/her voice they would have to match the frequency or pitch that they sing at to that of the glass. When the opera singer hears the frequency of the glass, being trained they can match it to the sound that comes out of their mouth. This causes the glass to vibrate and eventually shatter once the pitch is perfectly met. For a guitar, the strings are what causes the music. When you put your finger on a string and shorten the wave length, the frequency then increases and you get a higher pitch out of that cord. This is true with most instruments such as trumpets, trombones and pianos because as you slide or press, you shorten or lengthen the wave length and in turn are changing the frequency...without physics, music wouldn't be possible!

  20. ever play with a slinky by pushing it down the stairs? well that's not all you can do with slinkys you can learn about waves with them. if two people hold each end of the slinky then move the slinky up and down then you can see a transverse wave that is a mechanical wave to because it have a medium (the metal). You can create all types of frequency's and amplitudes by either moving your hand up and down faster or slower. another wave you can see is a longitudinal wave by pulling the slinky together then letting go. you will see that the wave moves in the same way the velocity does. it doesn't move up and down it moves side to side. so next time you play with a slinky try to create some waves because you will be able to learn something's while having fun!

  21. To start your swinging motion, you must push off the ground to create some type of energy you wish to increase. As you swing backwards to get a starting swing from gravity, your potential energy will increase as your body moves forward. Going backwards, your potential energy decreases and increases in kinetic energy. Whether you're increasing or decreasing in kinetic or potential energy, the increase or decrease is the same amount of either energy. So for example, the amount of kinetic energy you lose is the amount of potential energy you will obtain.

  22. Football seems pretty stupid to me. Athletes line up across from eachother, then run at eachother as fast as they can. However, football is my favorite sport to watch. There is alot of large forces coliding in football. Every colision can be related back to physics. The force of anything is determind by its mass and acceleration. The larger the mass of an athlete and the more acceleration an athelete has the larger the force the athlete can produce. NFL players can produce large forces on eachother. This leads to big hits and head injuries.

  23. A popular sport in the world is golf especially now that the masters are on television. This is the start of a very exciting time for many people to be watching such a long storied sport. The physics in golf are plentiful. There are many kinetic equations that are involved in hitting a golf ball. There is not an initial velocity on the ball but when you swing and hit it there is a ton of displacement and a large final velocity. This is also something that deals with friction when the ball hits the grass it causes the ball to slow down and roll to a stop. This is something that is very evident in putting as the ball is always on the grass causing it to slow as it goes into the hole. This is how golf is full of physics.

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