Charles's Law: The Gas Laws Part One- Science Blog Post

Jacques Alexandre Cesar Charles was a French scientist who lived from November 12, 1746- April 7, 1823.  He specialized in the fields of mathematics, Physics, and hot air ballooning.  Charles was also a serious inventor.  He ascended the first helium balloon, and became interested in the thermal expansion of gasses.  Finally, in 1787, he developed what we now call Charles's Law: A gas's volume is directly proportional to its temperature (degrees Kelvin) if the number of particles and temperature of the gas are constant.  In other words, as the volume of a gas increases, the temperature will increase.  If the volume of the gas decreases, the temperature of the gas will decrease.
This is a linear relationship, and can be written in the equation:
    

V1  represents the volume before the change occurs, and T1  represents the temperature before a change occurs.  As guessed, V2  represents the volume after a change occurs, and T2  represents the temperature after a change occurs. 

***This formula only works if the temperature is in degrees Kelvin. 

For more information: 

http://www.britannica.com/biography/Jacques-Alexandre-Cesar-Charles

http://www.chm.davidson.edu/vce/gaslaws/charleslaw.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles%27s_law

An Aurora: The Most Wondrous Sight On Earth- Science Blog Post

INTRODUCTION:

Aurora Borealis (northern lights), are found in the Northern Hemisphere.  Aurora Australis (southern lights), are found in the Southern Hemisphere.

FORMATION:

Either way, the Aurora begins with a Solar Flare.  Charged particles are emitted from the sun.  These particles collide with molecules and atoms in the atmosphere after they impale Earth's magnetic field. Photons, or little bursts of light, are created.  These photons create auroras!    

COLORS:

No matter where these lights are located, they come in many different colors.  When the photons/electrons collide with oxygen, red and green auroras occur.  Pink and purple auroras are caused when collisions with Nitrogen occur.  Other colors include yellow and blue.  All red auroras are very rare.  The lights extend from 80 kilometers to 640 kilometers above Earth's surface.   

LOCATION:

They can be best seen in an irregularly shaped oval at the magnetic poles called the Auroral Oval.  Quite often, the auroras in the north and south are mirror images of eachother, happening at similar times with similar colors and shapes.  Though, the northern lights have been seen as far south as New Orleans, USA. The southern lights occur in a ring around the southern Indian Ocean and Antarctica, and aren't often seen anywhere else.  

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

http://www.aurorahunter.com/how-the-aurora-borealis-form.php

http://www.northernlightscentre.ca/northernlights.html      

 

The Science Behind Earworms- Science Blog Post

Merriam Webster's Dictionary says that an earworm is "a song or melody that keeps repeating in one's mind".   I am prone to earworms.  But what exactly is the science behind them, and how do you get rid of them?

Approximately 90% of people get them once a week.  Like today, I had Pocketful of Sunshine by Natasha Bedingfield in my head.  Hopefully, this recap of NPR's John Donvan's interview with psychologist Vicky Williamson will help clear up the topic of earworms.

First, it's not clear what really causes these sudden bursts of melody, but scientists have some pretty good ideas, including stress, memory triggers, and your emotional state.  Sometimes, the song we hear in our head is a perfect replica of the original. 

Many songs you hear, such as children's songs, are songs you have heard hundreds of thousands, and as a result you hear them constantly.  It seems like repetition is the key. The more you hear it, the more you seem stuck with it.

But, fortunately, you can beat earworms.  Listening to a different song, going for a run,  or doing a crossword puzzle may help.  It is quoted in the article that, "Some people think the British national anthem sung slowly is good for getting rid of earworms".

Another website I can across said that earworms may be the brain trying to close a gap in rhythm, scale, or lyrics. Some songs are more catchy than others, too.  There are songs that are important to us for a while, we are overexposed to them.  

Hopefully, scientists will eventually come up with a cure. 

For more information, go to:

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/earworm

http://www.npr.org/2012/03/12/148460545/why-that-song-gets-stuck-in-your-head

https://www.exploratorium.edu/music/questions/earworm.html

Lead In The Human Body- Science Blog Post

Lead has been contaminating the drinking water in Flint, Michigan, USA for at least 2 years now. This crisis has been declared a Federal Emergency. But what exactly does lead do to the body, and how do you know if you have lead poisoning?

It can come from many sources, including some house paints, soil, drinking water, inks, plasters, batteries, all parts of the environment, etc. The two main ways that lead gets into your body is by inhalation and ingestion.

A lead overdose has been linked to anemia, kidney/immune system damage, and learning disabilities. How much damage the lead does to your body depends on the amount of lead our bodies have been exposed to. After all, lead is one of the four most damaging metals to the human body.

Symptoms In Adults:

• headaches
• joint pain
• fatigue
• muscle ache
• nervousness
• poor appetite
• irritability
• impotency
• sleeplessness
• decreased fertility
• constipation
• miscarriage

Symptoms In Children:

• irritability
• apathy
• loss of appetite
• abdominal pain
• clumsiness
• behavior problems
• learning disability
• constipation

Severe Symptoms:

• loss of balance
• stupor
• seizures
• coma
• blue tint to gums and skin under fingernails

You can keep your house lead-free by doing many things. Assessing water damage, maintaining all painted surfaces, washing your hands, and getting your home tested are a few ways to do so.

But what if you do get lead poisoning? Fortunately, it is treatable. Go to a doctor or physician IMMEDIATELY and track down /fix the source.  

To Learn More, Visit:

https://www.des.umd.edu/os/rest/lead.html

http://www.epa.gov/lead/learn-about-lead#lower

http://www.lenntech.com/periodic/elements/pb.htm

http://www.healthline.com/health/lead-poisoning#Treatment6  

Diabetes Misconceptions- Science Blog Post

Everyone has a connection with someone bearing this decease. In fact, approximately 370 million people are affected worldwide.  But what exactly is Diabetes? There are millions of misconceptions, so hopefully you'll come away with this and have a whole other view.

Type One Diabetes:

This is also cause juvenile diabetes, because it is often diagnosed during childhood. Only 5% of people with diabetes have Type One Diabetes. When you have this, an organ in your body called the pancreas does not produce enough insulin. The body breaks down glucose (sugar) and starches to produce energy for your body. Insulin is a hormone which gets glucose from the bloodstream and into the body's cells.  To ensure that you receive enough insulin, you must inject yourself with it when you eat carbohydrates. It is not the person's fault if they get Type One Diabetes; We do not know the cause of this decease.  Type One Diabetes is a lifelong decease, but fortunately can be managed.

Type Two Diabetes:
This is the most common type of diabetes. It is caused when your blood glucose raises to a level that is higher than normal, also know as hyperglycemia. Your body forms insulin resistance.  In other words, isn't able to keep up with producing enough insulin.  To solve this, you must inject yourself with insulin.  This form of Diabetes is caused by an unhealthy lifestyle.  If you change your lifestyle to a healthy one, you can cure yourself of this decease.

Gestational Diabetes:
This type happens when the woman is pregnant, normally around the 24th week.  But it's important for your doctor to monitor the woman's blood glucose so that she and her baby will both be healthy.  When diagnosed with this, it does not mean you had it before or will continue to have it.  Gestational Diabetes is temporary.


For more information, visit the American Diabetes Association's website at http://www.diabetes.org/

     
   

    

What Shapes My Brain? -Science Blog Post

Nina Kraus of Northwest University performed experiments to measure how the brain processes sound and how it affects us in our daily lives.  The results are fairly surprising.

The researchers played music or speeches into volunteer's ears.  While the sound was playing, they monitored the electricity the brain created. The volunteers ranged from ages birth to 90 years.

It was concluded that several factors impact the brain.  The music we listen to, the languages we speak (especially if you are multilingual), aging, language disorders, and hearing loss. Also, people who actively listen to music were found to hear better than those who don’t.  

Outside of the lab, studies have also been conducted in schools, community centers, and clinics.  

Other findings include:

• Kraus lab discovers biological approach to measure an individual's sound processing with unprecedented precision.

• The way a pre-literate child processes the ingredients of sound -- pitch, timing and timbre -- can predict future reading ability.

• Sound processing disadvantages can be partially offset by making music as well as speaking another language.

• Engagement matters. The brains of children who were more actively involved in Kraus lab studies saw more robust changes.

• Sound processing in the brain can be a neurological marker for issues such as autism, dyslexia and learning delays.

All in all, many fascinating conclusions have been reached by Kraus and her colleagues.  My favorite one is: How the brain processes the sounds it hears is a great measure of how healthy your brain really is.   

For more information, go to http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/12/151214185800.htm

 

I Stand For What I Stand On: Join The Fight To Save Planet Earth

Explain To

Explain to future generations

That it was once good for the economy

When they cannot farm the land

There is no clean air to breathe

And there is no clean water to drink.

Explain to them

You knew one day Earth would be beyond fixable

Yet you never even bothered to lend a helping hand

What monsters will they make of us?

Knowing so much, but caring so little.

Explain to the suffering, the dying, the ill

The cure that once existed

That could cure them once and for all

Was eliminated by deforestation

And would never have a chance to help a single soul.

Explain to the animals

Why you kill for their homes

And what they did to deserve to be so hated

Why they die for fashion, or to become a decoration.

Explain to the world

When nothing is left

Corpses in the ground and smog up above

You knew this would happen

Yet you never even bothered to lend a helping hand.

Since humans started walking the Earth, we have been polluting.  Killing animals for decorations and fashion and using up resources faster than they can be produced.  We say technology is advancing, but as long as the air, food, and water is dirty, the Ozone Hole expands, and living beings die at the mercy of others, technology isn't advancing for the better.  Greed controls us.  We are brainwashed into believing the world is a safe, healthy place.  War breaks out.  Entire species of plants and animals are wiped out.  The rain forest is in danger.  I wrote this poem to explain how we destroy our environment. Consequences can be prevented, though.  Solar electricity can become the new gasoline.  Recycling can occur more.  We, as the human race, can open our eyes and together make a change.  Turning off lights is small.  Recycling is small.  Not taking the car to every place you go is small.  Sometimes small is what makes the biggest impact. Please join the fight to save our planet Earth.