Pharmacist (bluekani96)

Pharmacist (bluekani96): "This podcast is about pharmacists and what they do."

Thermal Energy

We have been learning about physical and chemical changes but do you know what these matter of changes needs the most? Energy. An example of energy is thermal energy.

Thermal energy is the most common form of energy that is realeased or absorbed when matter change (endothermic and exothermic changes). Thermal energy also comes from the sun. The nuclear fusion in the sun increases the sun's thermal energy and when the thermal energy leaves the sun as a form of radiation it gives heat to the sun. This type of energy can also occur when we rub our hands together. Our mechanical energy increases the thermal energy content of the atoms in our hands and skin.

Thermal energy is an example of kinetic energy (energy of motion) because thermal energy is caused by the random movement of it's atoms and molecules. It is also caused by heat. There are three laws of thermal energy or thermodynamics. The first law states that thermal energy can be converted without loss. The second law states that any system moves towards its propable state of energy.The third law states that thermal energy deals with the state of a system of atoms ad molecules at an absolute zero temperature.

Thermal energy, I believe, is the most important energy. If there were no thermal energy then we wouldn't be have heat for example, heat from the sun. I feel that heat is important in the humankind because we need heat for growing crops and etc.

Sources:

www.school-for-champions.com/science/thermal_energy.htm

www.thermalenergy.org/

Got Fizz?

Have you ever thought on how fizz in your coke would actually taste like? Well, neuroscientist(scientist who studies the brain and the nervous system) Charles Zuker, knows the answer to this. On October 21st 2009 in Columbia University, New York, scientists wanted to know how fizz tastes like and how the brain recognizes the taste.

Zuker and his scientists made an experiment on mice. There were five groups of mice and on one group they genetically engineered (ability to non-activate a certain taste sensation for a certain amount of time) one taste sensation which was sweetness. On another group, they genetically engineered the taste of sourness. On the other three groups they genetically engineered saltiness or bitterness. Each of the groups were given carbon dioxide gas on their nervous systems. The four groups were able to respond to the taste of carbon dioxide but the fifth group, which couldn't taste sourness, did not. Overall, Zuker and his scientists concluded that their was a certain protein in the sour-sensing cell part of our tongue. Carbon dioxide is actually crucial to that protein. When carbon dioxide and the protein come together, the protein makes particles come off, which are called protons. Then, the protons stimulate the sour sensing cells which reports to the brain. This is why fizz taste sour.

Neuroscientists, I believe, are very interesting. For example, finding out how fizz taste sounds like a very unusual and difficult job. People with a significant amount of curiosity in their minds (like me) would definitely be interested to know how the tongue and the brain react to different types of tastes. Overall, I feel that scientists, like Charles Zuker are doing a good work in order for us to gain more knowledge on anthropology (study of the human kind).

Website:

http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/48608/title/FOR_KIDS_The_tatse_of_bubbles.

Man-sized Dinosaur

Breaking News!!! A man sized dinosaur was reasearched in Chicago on September 17th, 2009. Scientists Paul Sereno and Xu Xing found this fossil in the northeast of China. This dinosaur was a Tyrannosaurus Rex which was only 150 pounds and its lenght was just 9 feet. Since this dinosaur was infamous, descendant, unique and rarely found, scientists chose to reasearch this species.
When I read this article, it made me feel interested to read more about dinosaurs. I also felt good because scientists are finding more unique species which can be useful for many people who are interested in dinosaurs, like me.

Link:
www.livescience.com/animals/090917-tiny-tyrannosaur.html

Response to the Movie- October Sky

In the movie, October Sky, Homer Hickam and other charaters showed many charater traits that include in our charater education list (cooperation, assertion, respect, empathy,and self- control). Cooperation basically means to work together as a team. Hikam's friends show cooperation towards Hikam by helping him to build a rocket. The definition of assertion is to be determind. Homer Hikam shows assertion by being determind to build a rocket proving to people that he could do something else in life other than coal mining. The meaning of respect is to honor someone. Hickam showed respect to Miss Riley (his teacher) by naming one of his award-wining rockets after her since Miss Riley encourage and inspired Hickam to build a rocket. The trait empathy means to look at the other person's perspective or "to go into someone's shoes". Hickam's mother shows empathy by going to her father and telling him to stop the protesting of banning rockets since she understands what her son's is going through in Indiannapolis. The definition of self-control is to have power over your actions. Unfortunetly, Hickam's father did not show self-control. After Hickam announced that he will make a rocket, his father got angry and yelled at him because his father wanted Homer Hickam to follow his footstep and to work in the mines, digging for coal. Overall, Hickam showed these charater traits in the movie which inspired many people into reaching their goals.

Response Blog- Cystic Fibrosis

In skater 121296's blog, the Cystic Fibrosis sounds very harmful. I feel that more cures should be made. Especially for the young teenagers and children who have this disease. Even after getting new treatments for this disease, the life span is still short (which is only until their 30' and 40's). Some side effects that this disease causes are very salty tasting skin, persistent coughing, wheezing or shortness of breath and poor growth. If more cures are made, then that could impact the population today.

Sickle Cell Anemia

         The sickle cell anemia disease was discovered in 1910. It's an inheritated life long disease and people who have it are born with it. The treatment for this disease is to do a bone marrow transplant. Sickle cells take 10-20 days to die. Millions of people worldwide die from this disease. Some parts of the world that are effected by this disease are in India, Africa, Greece, South America, Turkey, Central America, and Italy. The genes that causes the disease in the molecular level are mutated. The result come from the mutation of one amino acid. To develop new treatments for this disease is to increase the research on folic acid and intravenous hydration so that there will be more knowledge about how to cure the sickle cell disease. 

What I feel about this disease is that if scientists finds more cures for this disease then that would impact the population today. Doing a bone marrow transplant could cost a significant amount of money. Other cures such as medication can be very affordable. The fact that was surprising to me was that sickle cells die in 10-20 days. I thought that sickle cell were life long disease.

Websites: www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health

Cells (Class Response)

Topic: Cells

Two Pieces of Important Information:
1. Every organism is made up of organs and every organ is made up of cells.
2. Every cell has a cell wall, a cell membrane, an endoplasmic reticulum, and a nucleus.

Three Interesting Facts:
1. Some cells inour bodies are skin, liver, brain, and stomach cells
2. Cell membrane is made up of polysaccharide cellulose

Opinion: Cells are very important, especially to the human body. They help organisms grow and they perform different functions needed for the survival of organisms.

Website: http//web.jjay.cuny.edu/~acarpi/NSC/13-cells.htm

My Roller Coaster Website

The Drop

Police Officers Save the Day! (State News)

In Monmouth County, a terrible incident occured..... A police officer (John Poplawski) got attacked by a prisoner!! Luckily, he didn't die because two officers, Anthony Valasa and Anthony Sanchez, prevented the prisoner from causing more harm to Poplawski. Poplawski has been protecting citizens for 13 years and has been nominated by Warden William F. Fraser for recognition from the 200 Club of Monmouth County. Now, we can't let down a really good officer can we? On February 18th, Poplawski was attacked by Anthony E. Montgomery who was trying to escape jail. Montgomery disguied himself with a wig, loads of makeup, and several layers of clothing. Fortunetly, the prisoner couldn't go so far. Later on that day, Valasa and Sanchez were rewarded for saving Poplawski's life. In my opinion, if more officers continue to help other people, then our nation could be a peaceful and a safer place to live.

Website: http//www.aap.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=20099021803

Friction

Topic: Friction

Two pieces of Important Information:
1. Friction is a force that resists the motion of an object that is in contact with another object or material.

2. There are three types of friction: sliding, rolling and fluid friction.

Three Interesting facts:
1. One cause that makes sliding friction is that there is molecular or adhesion between the materials.

2. One advantage of rolling friction is that the resistive force is much less than sliding friction.

3. The deformation resistance (that causes fluid friction) is called it's viscosity.

Opinion: In my opinion, I believe that friction is very useful in life. For example, if you are driving and need to stop the car from moving, then you will need friction or rolling friction. If you did not have friction, then you would have been in an accident and would have gotten hurt.

Website: http://www.school-for-champions.com/science/friction.htm

Laptops in Schools of India

Laptops. The best technology you could have for education! That is why the Vellore Institute of Technology sold laptops in India for students. Note this, these laptops only cost ten dollars!(Which is five hundred rupees in India). These laptops were first revealed and sold to Tirupati, India on February 2nd. Later, the laptops were sold in many parts of the country. Why laptops are sold to India? Well, the institute says that children should have an experience of how technology works. That way, children can "leapfrog" into the future. In my opinion, I agree with what the Vellore Institute is doing in order to help India. This could definetly affect many children's future and they can experience many new things.


Website: http://in.news.yahoo.com/top-little-laptops-that-couldn-t.html

Blast Off! (Current Events)

Who: NASA

What: They sent seven astronauts to space

When: Wednesday January 21st, 2009

Where: Cape Canaveral, Florida

Why: To install the final set of the solar wing panels to generate electricity

Opinion: I agree with what the NASA program is doing. If we get generated electricity then that could help prevent Global Warming

Website: www.news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090121/sc_nm/us_space_shuttle

Obama's Inauguration

Who: Barack Obama
What: The Inauguration of Barack Obama
When: January, 20th 2009
Where: Washington D.C.
Why: To take the oath in order to become the 44th president of the United States.

In his inaugural address, President Obama promised to change the economy by making jobs through public works, projects, education, promoting alternative energy and relying on new technology. He promised to confront terrorism, nuclear ploriflaration and other dangerous threats from other nations. Later during an inaugural Obama urged lawmakers to come together "with a sense of purpose and civility and urgency." In this article it talks about what Obama said in the inaugural speech.

After the inauguration and the parties were done, Obama and his family moed into the White House. There, President Obama got right on planning what to do when he is in charge. Obama will sign executive orders on ethics. He will open government and will also find solutions to the recession and war with the top advisors. As Obama stands in the Oval office alone, Robert Gibbs quotes," He wanted to absorb the moment that he was in, to think about the people who have servedhim, and also to think about the work that he is now undertaking." This article was about Obama moving into the White house with his family and making plans to protect our country.

I strongly agree with what Obama is planning to do to make our country a better place to live. I hope that Obama can make this country a smooth running and a peaceful country.

Websites: www.nytimes.com/politics

www.news.yahoo.com/s/ap/obama_s_first_day_personal

Got Glasses? (Current Event)

Who: The Aussie Researchers

What: Light from the sun's rays help children avoid from becoming short-sighted and can help regulate the eye's growth reducing the risk of myopia.

When: Monday, January 5th 2009

Where: Sydney, Australia

Why: About 20 percent of Australians have been suffering from myopia which spread to Asia in which 90 percent of Asians have to wear glasses because of myopia. This could have wiped out the population of Asia and part of Australia. Eventually the sun ray's light is medicine!

Opinion: I storngly agree with the Aussie researchers that children should have to play outdoor activities in order to get sun light in their eyes with can decrease the risk of myopia. If children play outside it could also keep them physically healthy.

Website: http://news.yahoo.com/health