mathgeek15

So, I am aware that you guys have been doing E&M for a while, so while this is a little late, it should still help. Now, I know that not everyone likes E&M (just ask Mr. Fullerton how much I liked it ). Well, I too am taking E&M (for the third time), and I have finally cracked the code for success (took me long enough). Now I, the girl who cannot do the right-hand rule (still), is not only understanding E&M, but solving it CORRECTLY. How you ask? Well, here are some tips: 1. Don't read the book. Seriously. People who say they read the book and found it helpful either a) didn't read the book b ) are lying or c) is Mr. Fullerton. Instead, DO THE PRACTICE PROBLEMS. The book has some really good example problems that are similar to the ones you do in class, but different enough for practice, and then you have the step by step answers. Plus, some of the examples are actually the derivations for electric fields, and trust me, it's a good idea to do those again. 2. Ask questions. Think you understand what you did in class? Think again. Very few people that I know understood E&M perfectly the first time. Mr. Fullerton doesn't bite, so ask him questions. (The worst that he will do is throw you out a window ) 3. Actually do the homework. I mean do the homework on your own, not do the homework with the answer right in front of you so you can glance at it for every step or copy someone else's procedure and plug in your numbers. You may think, Oh, I'm not going to do that. I will only look at the answer key when I need to. I know. I was you. But I stopped doing that because I realized that I was looking at the answers too frequently for it to be MY work. Now I'm not saying don't use the answers. I love answer keys (just ask Mr. Muz). But don't become so dependent on them that you can't solve the problem on your own. 4. Ask for help. The most important of them all. If you need help, you are not going to learn anything by ignoring it, hoping it goes away. In E&M, your worst nightmares never just "go away". They linger in the background and attack when you least expect it, causing you to have a mini breakdown. I know. I've been there. Two days ago. But then I went to my professors office hours and it turned out I knew more than I thought. Shocker, I know. These things have helped me to survive E&M (barely). And if I can survive, so can you. PS: Since I am taking E&M this semester, I will post helpful tips, problems, derivations, equation dumps, anything that I think might help you, the new Physics C students, to survive... As long as I have time. I do have my own homework.

I'M BAACCCKKKKK!!!! As stated in my last entry, though it be several months ago, college wont stop me from blog posting. And with my new found wisdom of college life, I thought I should give some advice to the new prisoners, I mean physics C students. The first thing you learn in physics c is vectors, along with the dot and cross product. LEARN, MEMORIZE, MASTER, REPEAT. Not only will they continue to pop up throughout the year in physics, they will continue to pop up in college. I was one of the many that learned and memorized it at the beginning of the year for the first test, then forgot about it the next day. DON'T DO THAT. I am currently taking calculus III and Fullerton's lessons on it are my lifesaver. I am the one explaining the notes to others instead of being extremely confused. Also, Fullerton's method for solving the cross product is very useful, so while it may seem confusing or overly complicated now, it will simplify the more difficult questions in the future. Alright, I think that enough of now, I don't want to scare you newbies away already!!!

So senior year has finally come to an end and we all are saying goodbye. So I thought I would discuss the physics of senior year. The year has had so much physics enwrapped in it, in and outside the classroom. We got to use physics in physics c (duh), calculus, and technology for those who take these classes. With a basic understanding of physics, these classes became easier to learn and master. Outside the classroom, physics was used by every athlete in the school in some shape or form from lacrosse involving torque, to hockey with rotational motion. But there is so much more. Physics was used every time the students went up and down the stairs, or when we used the computers or cell phones (which of course none of us would ever do). There's when we go to the nurses office and they use the thermometer, or when we do our locker combinations to get our stuff. Physics can even be applied to our work effort. the more energy that we used throughout the year, the less potential energy we had to use. Hence, the moment APs were over, almost the entire class stopped working, using at times only the most minimal of effort. Finally, there was the excitement factor. Like with electromagnetism, the closer we got to the end of the year, the more energetic we got, buzzing with excitement for graduation. On that note, I would like to say good luck to everyone in their future, whether that be in college or high school or whatever it is you do, and to continue with physics and stay nerdy!!!

As my second to last blog post ever (for a grade, you can't get rid of me that easy!!!), I thought I should simply talk about how physics is in everything we do. so Here are some summer activity examples most people would not think of: Playing on the playground (teeter totter, slides, swings, etc) Computers/ video games Cell Phones Flying a kite Water gun wars Swimming Driving Packaging for college (Force required to pull/carry it, increasing mass) Baking/ throwing cupcakes Sports (Baseball, football, soccer... btw you have to be playing not watching sports) Shopping (carrying shopping bags, the production of the clothes) Sleeping (See The Physics of Sleeping) And there is so much more! So as we all enjoy our last summer before we all go to college, think about how physics is used in everything that we do.

So my dog just growled and I thought I should do a blog post on her since I cannot think of any ideas. I was just playing fetch with Pearl in my house, which has hard wood floor (the real kind). Pearl ran on the area carpet onto the hardwood, but when she tried to stop, she ended up skidding past the ball into the fireplace (its just a hole in the wall made of brick so she was unharmed). So here's the play-by-play: When Pearl was running on the carpet, she was able to get enough contraction to accelerate forward. Once Pearl hit the hardwood floor, she couldn't accelerate or decelerate as easy as when she was on the carpet without the friction on her paws. When she reached the ball, she attempted to stop abruptly, however, the with the low friction on the hardwood floor, she slid past the ball into the fireplace. While my dog is very smart, she is not smart enough to learn physics. But if she could, Pearl would probably not slide into the fireplace every time we play ball. At least I can get amusement from she sliding all over the place.

Thank you!!

Ok, I think everyone knows that sequels are rarely as good as the original, but I think The Physics of Roof Trusses II is way better than the first, but that's mostly because I thought that this roof truss was way cooler. So the very last thing I did in my independent study was build a scissor roof truss. The reason why I like this one so much is because of the awesome shape, even if the angles were butts. Anyways, it usually spans up to 20 meters or 65.51 feet and is most commonly found in cathedral ceiling and other architectural projects. Seems like I'm not the only one who thinks it looks cool. What's nice about this truss is that it eliminates the need of a bearing beam (a support beam that goes horizontal), but it has poor insulation and is very expensive. Maybe that's why churches are always so cold.... Hey look! there are people in the background! PS sorry for the poor quality

Next year I will be going to college for civil engineering and I can't wait. One of the people in my physics class is always asking me if I'm going to build an Atlantis. Ever since, I have been interested in the idea of building a floating city on water, called seasteading, which is what Atlantis was before it sank supposedly. Current engineers are looking into the idea, using a similar set up as oil rigs, which are held up on platforms that go down to the bottom. The issue is the cost and the politics of it. There are floating bridges in existence, which use multiple air compartments so that in the case of a leak, the bridge will not collapse. However, these bridges are mostly used temporarily because it is not always the most stable or reliable. Thus, this same technology would not be possible. Not to mention that a car is a whole lot lighter than a city. So are floating cities a possibility? I don't know, but I want to try. Even if it means taking all the floaties in the world and building a city on top. Think it will float?

As most people know, I can't stand cats, and constantly joke about kicking them. So, I thought it would be appropriate if I did a blog post on it!! I am by far not athletic, so top speed I could probably kick a soccer ball at 15 m/s or 33.354 mi/hr (This is the average low for kids 11-17 ). I also don't kick at much of an angle, but for this we'll say 20 degrees. So here's the math: y- component: height: ? acceleration: 9.8 velocity initial: 15sin20= 5.13 velocity final: 0 time:? vf= vo + at 0= 5.13 + -9.8t 5.13= 9.8t t= .5235 --> Total Time: 1.047 seconds Y= vot + .5at2 Y= 5.13(.5235) + .5(9.8)(.5235)2 Y= 2.686+ 1.343 Y= 4.028 meters --> 13.22 feet x-component: velocity: 15cos20= 14.10 time: 1.047 distance: ? x= vt x= 14.1(1.047) x= 14.758 meters --> 48.42 feet DANG! That's far. Now I wanna try this. Anyone got a cat I can borrow?

So Friday night was Senior ball!!!! I hope everyone had lots of fun. I sure did, and like many of the girls, came in high heels. However, I tried my best to stay in them for as long as possible, dancing in a knee-length dress in 3-inch heels. It's a lot harder than it sounds. When you wear high heels, the center of body mass vertically shifts upward. Because of this shift, your posture becomes unstable, and increasingly so as the height of the heel increases and with increased amounts of movement. Therefore, with the significant displacement of the center of mass and dancing, which involves lots of movement, its only a disaster waiting to happen. Thankfully, I ditched the heels before that happened, although a certain friend who was pretty in pink did have to face the physics. And the floor.

Eve? Do I get twoo cookies?

Kow jumperd over the mun? so bad.

I know who it iss.......the clerk is write with an answer of 2.453243752... or 2.5. Beatcha Charlie!

Looks really cool. I would say youre good to go, lets just hope your pilotting skills have improved.

you're good to go but you are definitely wasting money.