Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Gases and Climate Change

Hypothesis: If the rubbing alcohol in the bottle is lit on fire, then it will burn up until the bottle is gone.

Observations: The alcohol burnt up, shooting the bottle very fast to the teacher's desk. The alcohol burnt up, leaving the bottle unharmed. More like a rocket then a fire bomb.

Combustion: The effect that greenhouse gases have is by catching and trying to release heat by sun rays. Heat inside the Earth will be reflected back towards the surface, due to a thick atmosphere (about 70% reflected back). Greenhouse gases such as methane and CO2 increase the chance of heat staying. The amount increases when there is a human population.

Hypothesis: If the Co2 will be introduced with flame, then the amount of Carbon Dioxide will increase.

Observations: The trapped Carbon Dioxide put out the flames. Poor candles didn't stand a chance.

Co2 Gas: Although Environmentalists may think that Carbon Dioxide is a poison to the environment, it really is part of it. The carbon is used a lot in nature, such as photosynthesis and creating oxygen (very important). This may sound good, but humans have overused it. Stored carbon in fossil fuels and the ocean has been drilled up and released in tight groups. THis explains the increase in temperature for Earth. 

Hypothesis: If the hydrogen is exposed to flame, it will release energy and give out flames.

Observations: The zinc separated the hydrogen and chlorine and then it was lit. The hydrogen immediately caught on fire and  burst into flames. This continued until all the free flowing gas was burnt.

Renewable Resources: The power of the ocean is a little old fashion but in generates energy. Power created by tidal and waves create a higher electrical power than hydro-electric power, and just as clean. The tidal power is comparable to wind, because it is just as effective, but not as expensive. Hydro-electricity is 1/5 of today's power, but is very expensive. Solar energy is renewable and can generate electricity. Biofuels grow fast, but it is uncertain if that its effective enough to become an energy producer. Lastly, geothermal heating can be used as a heating source. This energy is on going and is renewable.


Hypothesis: If the hated can is placed in the ice water, then, the can will swell up.


Observations: Nothing happened. Zip. Nada.


Hypothesis: If the heated can is placed in the water, then it will swell up.


Observations: The can immediately crumbled up into a small ball form.

Friday, September 3, 2010

Chernobyl Lingers on

Article link
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/743879.stm

Summary: Since the Chernobyl incident, the city of Pripyat has been covered in a blanket of radioactivity. This radioactivity has been hanging around Chernobyl for almost 25 years now. Yet, scientists have made a discovery that may support that Chernobyl may still not be safe to be a habitat. Fish near Chernobyl's waters have been showing a high amount of Caesium. Caesium is radioactive, and the fish showed high  amounts of it. This shows that Chernobyl will still be radioactive for several more years than predicted.

1: Do you think that because of the high amount of Caesium, Chernobyl is still radioactive?

2: Do you think that fish will be an accurate comparison to fish?

3: If animals are alive, do you think that we can live there right now?