Physics 4B Day 1

Incase you weren't paying attention class, unlike me, this blog will update you on what happens during class.

Best thing about Day 1: WE GET TO SET THINGS ON FIRE!!!

Worst thing about Day 1: We don't get to do that till later in the semester.

Anyways, first things first, we all received a MASSIVE GIANTIC SUPER HUMONGOUS PACKET that we will (assumedly) complete by the next test "celebration of knowledge." Ontop of that, we were informed that for the first twelve weeks, we will have a robotics project that will be done in groups of 3.

After Mr. Mason introduced himself and told us his life story, we got to start working on our MASSIVE GIANTIC SUPER HUMONGOUS PACKET. After he organized everyone into six different groups of 3 people each, we began working. So, we went got ourselves some scotch tape, a rod stand, glass/plastic rod, a patch of fur, and a piece of silk, and we used them to answer the questions in the packet by performing little experiments. Then we learned about Coulomb's Law.

Now we get to a good part... ELECTROCUTING PETER!!!

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Well... not really... more like having him conduct various experiments on a Van de Graaf generator.

First, Peter attached strips of paper all around the metal ball on the generator. When the generator was turned on, the ends of the strips lifted into the air. This happens because the strips all acquire the same charge and repel each other.

Second, Peter touched a flourescent light to the metal ball on the generator. The flourescent light glowed from the point it touched the generator to the point Peter's hand was holding. The charge induced on the light caused it to glow, and the charge flowed through the light to Peter.

Third, Peter placed a pie tin filled with paper confetti ontop of the generator. When the generator was turned on, the paper confetti flew out of the tin. Both the paper and the tin acquired the same charge, so the paper was repeled from the tin and flew out of it.

Fourth and lastly, Peter blew bubbles (after a failed first attempt haha) at the generator. The bubbles fly towards the generator then are repeled from it once they get close. Because the bubbles are uncharged, they are attracted to the charged metal ball, but once they become charged by touching the ball, they are repeled.

Afterward, for some obscure reason, Mr. Mason put the metal ball from the Van de Graaf inside a microwave. Unfortunately, nothing happened. Then Mr. Mason put aluminum foil inside the microwave, and we all watched it FRY or rather get electrocuted. Visually, it was like lightning trapped in a box.

For the rest of class, we worked on the packet until we had finished up to section 1.5.

At the end of class, Mr. Mason gave us the class syllabus and Mastering Physics homework.

In short, today's theme was: