Journey to the Center of the Earth?

1. What are 3 scientific facts that you learned from watching Journey to the Center of the Earth?

* Magnesium plus fire equals an explosion.

*If enough water is added to magma, a geyser would be in effect.

*Muscovite is thin and can easily break if pressure is added to it.

2. What are 3 things in the movie that were scientifically untrue.

* There is no land in the center of the earth, only magma.

* Glowing birds do not exist (in the real world)

*Venus Flytrap can be found only in North and South Carolina.

Before The Bang?

The Big Bang Theory attempts to explain the formation of the universe. What do you think the universe looked like before the Big Bang? What made the universe "bang?"

That is a deeeeep question!
Well I have to say that it went something like this...

Once a upon time...
There was a really tiny space that was dark and cold...and in this space was a big super hot ball of fire! The ball soon exploded with pretty stars and dust!
The End!

EXTRASOLAR PLANETS?! Do I need my sunglasses?

1. What are the four ways astronomers can detect extrasolar planets?
2. Choose one of the four ways and explain it in detail.
3. In your answer to #2 you chose one way that astronomers detect extrasolar planets. Search the Internet to find how many extrasolar planets have been detected using this method.


Radial Velocity
Astrometry
Transit Method
Optical Detection

Astrometry is precise measurement of the position of the stars. Astrometry tells us the extent of the star's motion and from that we can deduce the planet's mass and orbit. This kind of movement can be detected against the backdrop of more distant stars, which appear to be stationary because they are so far away.

There was a planet orbiting the star 61 Cygni that was found using Astrometry.

The planet of chaos!

Which planet or moon is your favorite? Why? Please include a picture.

Eris
The goddess of discord and chaos

(Umm that's wrong...)

(What do you mean that is wrong...It's my favorite!)

(Planet?)

(.....ohh)

Eris

The dwarf plant or the 10th planet

I like this planet because it's so mysterious that most astronomers are desperately trying to find more information about this planet. Also Eris was given a lot of nicknames like "Xena", "Planet X", and (The weirdest of them all)"2003 UB 313". (Note: I found out that they just pick random numbers and letters)

(ACP) A Cool Project

Big Bang Theory

[No Not The TV Show!]

In the 1920s, A Belgian priest named Georges Lemaître was the first to suggest the Big Bang theory when he theorized that the universe began from an early atom. The Big Band theory explains how the universe was created. It has been identified as an unquestionable fact of Creationism. About 15 billion years ago, a tremendous explosion, which is known as the Big Bang, started the expansion of the universe. The theory states that, immediately after the Big Bang, the universe quickly expanded.

Milky Way Galaxy

[And Not The Candy]

Our solar system is located within a spiral galaxy called the Milky Way galaxy. The Milky Way got its name because most people believed it looked spilled milk.
Our sun and the stars in the night sky are part of the Milky Way Galaxy. The Milky Way Galaxy is 100,000 light-years and about 12-14 billion years old. The rotation of the Milky Way Galaxy is clockwise and the spiral arms trail in the same direction.

Dark matter

Dark matter is anything in the universe that we know it exists but invisible. This means the matter is not giving off light. Black holes could be dark matter. Dark matter exists in our solar system, and a large cloud of it envelops the entire Milky Way. More than 90% of the universe may be dark matter.

Dark energy

Repulsive force that opposes the self-attraction of matter and causes the expansion of the universe to accelerate is dark energy. The concept of dark energy was first proposed, and then discarded, by Albert Einstein early in the 20th century. Roughly 70% of the universe is dark energy. Dark energy is considered a complete mystery.


Ultimate fate of the universe

The Big Game Over?
What is the ultimate fate of our universe? Fire? A Big Crunch? A Big Rip? Big Bounce? Ice?
Most of these theories are based on the Big Bang Theory.
Some say that the universe will not end but earth will.

Pluto???

In your opinion, is Pluto a Planet? Why or why not? Please include a picture.

Pluto is known as a the ninth planet in the solar system. I would say that Pluto is still a planet. However, it's a dwarf planet. Sure Pluto may be different from other planets but that doesn't mean it's not one.

Shift It! Let's meet Monsoon!

A monsoon is known as a seasonal wind shift. A monsoon is caused by the movement northward from winter to summer of the huge upper level subtropical high pressure system, specifically known as the Bermuda High, and the intense heating of the Mohave Desert creates rising air and surface low pressure, called a thermal low. These two features combine to create strong southerly flow over Arizona. The southerly low-level winds help to bring in moisture from Mexico, originally coming from a combination of moisture from the Gulf of Mexico, the Gulf of California, and the Pacific Ocean. When this moisture encounters the higher terrain of Arizona, it gets lifted and forms thunderstorms. These thunderstorms can contain very heavy rainfall, hail, strong gusty winds, or a combination of these conditions, which killed more than 240 people in southern India after four days of heavy rainfall at the end of their monsoon season. The sudden rains, coming after a severe drought, deluged villages and caused widespread disruption in the states of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.

Within the months of May and June tend to be very dry and warm months in Arizona. By the end of June, afternoon clouds can be seen building over the higher terrain of northern Arizona, and by the beginning of July, the skies typically begin to release its store of moisture. The monsoon circulation does not produce thunderstorms every day during the months of July-September.

I believe that monsoons are dangerous because they can cause thunderstorms and floods.

1. What is a monsoon?

2. What 2 major factors cause monsoons?

3. Give 2 reasons why monsoons could be considered a good thing.

4. Give 2 negatives of monsoons.

5. Why did so many people die here? What exactly happened? Please be complete :)

6. After everything that you have read about monsoons, what do you think? Are they good or bad? Why?

Global Warming ,A Fact Or Fiction?

Global Warming is an increase in the Earth's temperature that causes change in climate.

I believe that Global Warming does exist because Earth has already show signs of climate change. According to DoSomething.org, Global warming doesn't cause hurricanes, but it does make them stronger and more dangerous. Scientists have found that the destructive potential of hurricanes has greatly increased over the past 35 years. Also, Arctic sea ice is rapidly disappearing. Glaciers have been melting at a faster rate than any time over the last 5,000 years. In the Arctic and the Antarctic, ice shelves several thousand years old have started to collapse due to warming. Warmer temperatures have allowed mosquitoes to thrive, spreading mosquito-borne diseases like malaria to higher altitudes.

Fred Singer, A.K.A "the godfather of global warming denial", explained how global warming does not exist.
"The best proof are data taken of atmospheric temperature by two completely different methods. One is from instruments carried in satellites that look down on the atmosphere. The other is from instruments carried in balloons that ascend through the atmosphere and take readings as they go up. These measurements show that the atmospheric warming, such as it is, is extremely slight -- a great deal less than any of the models predicts, and in conflict also with observations of the surface."





1. What is global warming?

2. Do you believe in global warming? Briefly explain.

3. Give three pieces of evidence to support your position on number 2.

4. Despite your response to #2, there are smart people out there that believe the complete opposite of what you believe. Give three pieces of evidence for someone with the opposing viewpoint.

Con-den-sation

Condensation could be a cold beverage "sweating" when exposed to warm temperate, dew and clouds. Examples of condensation nuclei would be dust, ice, and pollution.

Stormin In

1. Which hurricane did you choose?
2. What category was it on the Saffir-Simpson scale?
3. Tell its story.
4. How many lives were lost? How much damage did it cause ($)?
5. Include at least one picture.

Hurricane Keith 2000

The cyclone slowly became a tropical storm on September 29, then it quickly strengthen into a Category 4 hurricane on the 30th while drifting westward toward the coast of Belize.
Keith emerged in the Bay of Campeche later that day and quickly regained its tropical storm strength. On October 5 it again became a hurricane, before making landfall just north of Tampico, Mexico as a Category 1 hurricane. The cyclone self-indulgenced over northeastern Mexico on the 6th.

Keith caused 24 deaths (12 in Nicaragua, 5 in Belize, 6 in Honduras, and 1 in Mexico). TDamage to property, agriculture, and tourism in Belize was estimated at $225 million.


Infomation came from: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/HAW2/english/history.shtml#keith

Air Masses[High In The Air]

1. What are the 4 main types of air masses? What does each letter stand for?

mT= Maritime Tropical
mP= Maritime Polar
cP = Continental Polar
cT = Continental Tropical
A = Arctic
H = Highland

2. Which kind of air mass is most likely to bring hurricanes? Why?

mT because hurricanes form often in the late summer when temperature are warm enough to provide moisture and heat to the air.

3. Which kind of air mass(es) is most likely to bring a drought? Why?

cT and mT

4. Which kind of air mass(es) bring lake-effect snowstorms? (check p. 561)

cP and A

5. Today we learned about the 4 main types of air masses. In reality, there are many more than four. List and explain 2 other air masses.


Arctic

The source region for A air is northern Canada. It has the same characteristics as Polar air except it is colder with even lower dewpoints. This air often forms when a high pressure area becomes nearly stationary over Eastern Alaska and the Yukon. Due to a near lack of winter solar radiation, abundant surface snow/ice cover and the continuous emission of radiation from the Earth's surface the air will progressively become colder and colder. Temperatures can reach -30 ° F to -60 ° F. If the jet stream becomes meridional during the same time frame Arctic air builds, very cold air will spread into Southern Canada and the US. Once Arctic air moves into the Southern US it modifies to Polar air and then eventually to modified Polar Air behind the cold front boundary.

Highland

This air mass occurs in regions with large elevation changes over short distance. It is not a source region for one particular type of air mass. Since highland climates are in an elevated terrain, they can promote dryness in the interior of the highland climate. When air masses enter a highland climate they modify due to these elevation changes. mP and mT air is dried (on lee-ward side) due to orographic descent. cP air has difficulty entering a highland climate due to the high density of the cP air. Cold dense air has difficulty moving over elevated terrain.

Be Green Or Be Mean

1. What is "IR" radiation?

The Earth's surface absorbs the solar energy and releases it back to the atmosphere as infrared radiation ("IR").

2. What are the 3 main greenhouse gases?

Carbon dioxide, methane, and water

3. In your opinion, is the greenhouse effect a good thing or a bad thing?

I believe it's a bad thing because the greenhouse effect is rising our sea levels and can cause more floods.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!

1. Most people agree that recycling is a good thing. Why, specificly should we recycle glass?

Because every ton of glass recycled saves the equivalent of 9 gallons of fuel oil needed to make glass from virgin materials. At least 30% of glass containers on grocery store shelves can be recycled. Container glass can be recycled repeatedly with no loss of quantity or quality

2. Which is better: recycling or reusing things?

I believe recycling is better because reuse can rise mounds of waste.


3. How can Fayetteville residents recycle?


By using your blue recycling rollout cart to collect your recyclables all week long.


4. Where is the closest recycling drop-off center to your home (or our school)?



Cliffdale Site: 7581 Lowell Harris Rd Fayetteville, NC


5. List 9 things plastic can be made into once it has been recycled.

Recycled plastics can be made into bottles, shower stalls, recycling bins, scouring pads, paint brushes, industrial strapping, drainpipes, plastic lumber, and flowerpots.


6. List 5 things metals can be turned into once it has been melted down.

Metal is melted down and reformed into new products such as cans, automobile parts, siding, appliances and building materials.

7. What can you do to promote recycling?

Show and tell what might happen to the earth if we don't recycle

Making the Grade

What grade do you think you deserve for your 2nd Quarter Blogs. Why?

I believe that I deserve a 90% or higher for my blogs. First of all, I work hard on my blogs and make sure that they are correctly done. I do them on time and review them. I make sure I put in the correct information. That's why I believe I deserve that grade.

Ocean Roller Coaster Ride

Pick one of the four oceans. What are the five most important natural resources that people get from that ocean?



Pacific Ocean:

From the information I got from Msn Encarta,
Nutrient-rich waters from the deep Antarctic Circumpolar Current upwell to the surface in the Peru Current along the coast of Chile and Peru, and the area sustains a large population of anchovetas that is of great importance as a world food resource. Tuna is another important Pacific resource, bringing fleets of many nations in search of the schools that migrate over much of the ocean.

Time Scale

1. List all of the geologic periods in order from oldest to current. (Cambrian to Quaternary)
2. Since the extra credit question is so hard, come up with a mneumonic to help you remember it.



(Oldest to current)

• Precambrian

• Cambrian

• Ordovician

• Silurian

• Devonian

• Carboniferous

• Permian

• Triassic

• Jurassic

• Cretaceous

• Tertiary

• Quaternary
  

Pre Cam Ord Sil Dev Carbo Permian Tri Jur Cre Ter Qua

Trees

1. How can scientists tell the age of a tree by looking at the rings? Explain what that means.
2. How/why would this be useful?
3. Is this an example of relative or absolute dating?
4. Provide a picture or a tree ring sample.

A single growth ring is usually added each year, which can help you determine the age of the tree by counting the rings. Knowing the age of a tree can provide useful information like numerical dates for events in the historic and recent prehistoric past. This is an example of absolute dating.

[Un]conformity

Put letters A, B, C, D, and E in order from oldest to youngest. Explain the unconformities.

The Order From Oldest to youngest: D,A,E,B,C
An unconformity is a gap in the sedimentary rock record. The unconformity, in this picture above is between B and D,A,E, is a angular unconformity.

HELP!

Which do you think is potentially more dangerous: earthquakes or volcanoes? Why? Find an example of a specific earthquake or volcano and tell its story. Please include a picture.

I believe both are dangerous; you are able to lose homes and lives in earthquakes and volcanoes.

Earthquakes: A magnitude-7.9 quake in Sichuan province last year left almost 90,000 people dead or missing.

Volcanoes:

Damage Resulting from the Eruption of Mount St. Helens:
There were 57 people killed and many of their bodies have never been found, especially near the volcano where the debris was approximately 150 feet deep. Over 200 homes were destroyed along with 15 miles of railway and 185 miles of highway.

The Center of the Earth

1. How deep is the deepest mine in the world?

• One of the deepest mines in the world is the TauTona gold mine in South Africa, a mere 3.6 kilometers deep.

2. How deep would you have to dig to reach the mantle?

• You need to dig through 6,378 km of rock, mantle, and iron to reach the center.
  

3. Let's pretend that you and your friends tried to dig a hole in your backyard to find a shortcut to China. The thing is, you guys had special suits that could withstand extreme temperatures, so you would not die. If you were somehow able to reach the mantle, what would it look like? What kinds of things would you see? How about the outer core? Inner core? What would it look like as you approached the surface (the crust) on the other side?

• I believe the mantle would look like a large amount of dirt, and I would see lots of rock...and more rock...and magma. The crust on the other side would be hard yet thin.
  

My Grade?

I believe I deserve an A. Why? When I type my blogs posts, I try to do my best and have fun with it. I’d put a lot of effort in my work, re-examine all my blogs on a daily basis, and make sure I’ve done everything right. I want to learn. I want to understand. That’s why I think I deserve an A .

{I don't always feel lucky, but I'm smart enough to try.
--"Grand Canyon" by Ani Difranco }

Rock[s]

{Let's Rock! With Rocks!}

1. Identify the two main types of igneous rocks. Provide examples and descriptions of each.

The two main types are:

Intrusive: solidify below Earth's surface-

Gabbro is a coarse-grained, dark colored, intrusive igneous rock that contains feldspar, augite and sometimes olivine. The specimen shown above is about two inches (five centimeters) across.

Granite is a coarse-grained, light colored, intrusive igneous rock that contains mainly quartz and feldspar minerals. The specimen above is about two inches (five centimeters) across.

Extrusive: solidify on or above Earth's surface-

Andesite is a fine-grained, extrusive igneous rock composed mainly of plagioclase with other minerals such as hornblende, pyroxene and biotite. The specimen shown is about two inches (five centimeters) across.

Rhyolite is a light-colored, fine-grained, extrusive igneous rock that typically contains quartz and feldspar minerals. The specimen shown above is about two inches (five centimeters) across.

2. Identify the two main types of metamorphic rocks. Provide examples and descriptions of each.

The two main types are:

Foliated:produced by exposure to heat and directed pressure

Gneiss is foliated metamorphic rock that has a banded appearance and is made up of granular mineral grains. It typically contains abundant quartz or feldspar minerals. The specimen shown above is about two inches (five centimeters) across.

Slate is a foliated metamorphic rock that is formed through the metamorphism of shale. It is a low grade metamorphic rock that splits into thin pieces. The specimen shown above is about two inches (five centimeters) across.

Non-foliated: do not have a layered or banded appearance-

Marble is a non-foliated metamorphic rock that is produced from the metamorphism of limestone. It is composed primarily of calcium carbonate. The specimen shown above is about two inches (five centimeters) across.

Quartzite is a non-foliated metamorphic rock that is produced by the metamorphism of sandstone. It is composed primarily of quartz. The specimen above is about two inches (five centimeters) across.

3. Identify the two main types of sedimentary rocks. Provide examples and descriptions of each.

The two main types are:

Clastic: that are formed from mechanical weathering debris-

Breccia is a clastic sedimentary rock that is composed of large (over two millimeter diameter) angular fragments. The spaces between the large fragments can be filled with a matrix of smaller particles or a mineral cement which binds the rock together. The specimen shown above is about two inches (five centimeters) across.

Sandstone is a clastic sedimentary rock made up mainly of sand-size (1/16 to 2 millimeter diameter) weathering debris. Environments where large amounts of sand can accumulate include beaches, deserts, flood plains and deltas. The specimen shown above is about two inches (five centimeters) across.

Chemical: that form when dissolved materials precipitate from solution-

Rock Salt is a chemical sedimentary rock that forms from the evaporation of ocean or saline lake waters. It is also known by the mineral name "halite". It is rarely found at Earth's surface, except in areas of very arid climate. It is often mined for use in the chemical industry or for use as a winter highway treatment. Some halite is processed for use as a seasoning for food. The specimen shown above is about two inches (five centimeters) across.

Limestone is a rock that is composed primarily of calcium carbonate. It can form organically from the accumulation of shell, coral, algal and fecal debris. It can also form chemically from the precipitation of calcium carbonate from lake or ocean water. Limestone is used in many ways. Some of the most common are: production of cement, crushed stone and acid neutralization. The specimen shown above is about two inches (five centimeters) across.

Gas Mileage

"If your parents had to buy a new 2009 or 2010 model car, and they wanted your advice, which car would you recommend? What criteria would you use? Please be realistic and consider whichever factors you feel are important."

I would like a 2009 Jeep Commander Limited 4X2. It's a hybird car and a Jeep; just what I want in car.

Also, It has a good radio system. ^_^

Minerals And Their Uses

What I learn in Earth Science Class:
Minerals And Their Uses--

1. Graphite: Pencils, lubricant in machinery


2. Gypsum: Wall board, Plaster of Paris


3. Limonite /Taconite: Source of iron (around Cedar City)


4. Ground talcceramics: paper, paint, roofing, plastics, cosmetics, talcum and baby powders, and a variety of other assorted uses such as making rubber and plastics.


5. Lead: Used in lead batteries, gasoline tanks, and solders, seals or bearings, used in electrical and electronic applications, TV tubes, TV glass, construction, communications, and protective coatings, in ballast or weights, ceramics or crystal glass, tubes or containers, type metal, foil or wire, X-ray and gamma radiation shielding, soundproofing material in construction industry, and ammunition.

Map Projection

This week in Earth Science, I learned about Maps and Mapping, and I like the Conic Map Projection. This map is good when you're looking at a small area.It can be made by wrapping a cone of map around a globe. Conic maps are used to make road maps and weather maps. I don't travel by planes or trains [why? go ask Wall Street] only by car so a conic map would be okay with me.

Welcome to Earth Science!

Out of the four Earth Sciences, I believe the one I find interesting is Astronomy.
Astronomy is the study of the universe[the solar system, the stars, galaxies, etc.] that is useful in finding out the origins of own environment.In Astronomy, tools such as telescopes, cameras, spectrographs, and computers are used to analyze the space to understand the structure, behavior, and evolution of all of the matter and energy that exists--that's why I find it interesting. I want to know more about our Earth and what's behind the night sky. But that doesn't mean I want to be am astronomer.