[YAPA] November's Meeting

[Roy McCullough]

Hi All,
 
Quick note to remind everyone that November's meeting is Monday November 15.  Come talk turkey with your fellow Fizzicks Nerds.  As noted below, for a small price, we will make some light boards that can be used as sources for optics experiments AND for observing the impact of diffraction on different colored LEDs.  Meeting is at 7:00 room 2026 as usual.
 
Roy
 
 
 
 
What you missed:
(Sorry, I've misplaced my notes, hopefully others will chime in if I've erred or left something out.)
Mike started us with using a pressure gauge to determine the effect of pressing on an inflated soccer ball using different techniques.  He found that sitting on it did not register as much increase in pressure as pressing with the heel of the hand.  A good discussion ensued with the general consensus that the palm pressing modified the shape more yielding a greater decrease in volume, thus increasing the pressure more.  Mike also mentioned the Industrial Institute's National Lab "Day" which apparently can occur any day.  In particular, he is encouraging high schools to take advantage of the nuclear facilities at YSU.  He can set up an experiment and provide data to your class room for analysis.  If you are interested in that type of thing, please contact Mike at mcrescim at cc.ysu.edu.
 
Jodi, in abstentia, sent in a Powerpoint of pictures she and Roy took of Comet Hartley 2.   She also provided a star map indicated where to find the comet on various dates.
 
Roy shared using the string of LEDs Jodi had shown at the previous meeting for a different purpose.  Lining them up in a straight line and using spectral glasses, you can see the different amount of diffraction for each color... Arranged correctly, you can light them with one 9V battery, or a gencon.  Several attendees thought these would be useful, so we will reserve time in November's meeting for constructing them.  Cost per set is about $1.50 (you supply the 9V battery).  This is a poor man's version of the $275 LED array.
 
Our host, Steve, opened a discussion surrounding a request from his administration that he teach AP physics starting next year.   If you have suggestions for Steve, he would appreciate any advice, suggestions, help.
 
Robert initiated a discussion of the reverse of the "Brazil nut effect".  This phenomena was discussed in an article in Nature and a video of the effect is linked to http://sol.rutgers.edu/~shinbrot/InvBuoy.html 
 

 
  		 	   		  
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