Sound Waves and the Doppler Effect

Sound Waves and The Doppler Effect

The Doppler Effect: the effect produced by a moving source of waves in which there is an apparent upward shift in frequency for observers for whom the source is receding. Now, what exactly does that mean? Well basically the Doppler Effect is basically the change in frequency and wavelength of a wave relative to where you are. 

Sound Waves: a wave of compression and rarefaction, by which sound is propagated in an elastic medium such as air. Which is basically changes in air pressure that produces sound. 

The picture above is an example of the doppler effect. 

waves in the world

Waves In the World

Waves are created by wind! Yep that's right, wind. Believe it or not there is an actual transfer of energy from the energy in the wind to the water. This is why wind advisories are important! Now what exactly goes on in the water and what determines the heights of those waves? Well, what happens is, the shape of the wave is energy but what determines the amplitude of that wave is the depth at which the water particles have to orbit. As the water gets deeper the orbits get smaller and peter out thus enabling them to move faster, but when the orbits get closer to shore they start to hit the bottom and slow the wave down. 

The picture above is an example of when the wind has just transferred energy into the water and a wave is being created, as you can see, the crest is starting to curl. This is also an example of the energy pushing the water to a shallow area where the orbits get closer thus slowing the wave and actually making the wave steeper. 

Wave Superposition

Wave Superposition

Wave Superposition: the total amplitude caused by two or more waves extending across the same space is the same as the sum of the amplitudes which would have been produced by the individual waves. Basically, the wave superposition definition I just gave is a long fancy way of explaining what a ripple is. In the picture above you can see that because of the fact that these ducks are in the water creating energy to surge through the water over an extended area, you can also see that the various waves being formed, when the waves converge they create one large wave that ripples out over the circumference of this pond. 

Waves

Waves: a disturbance or oscillation that travels through space and matter, accompanied by a transfer of energy. In other words, a wave is basically a transfer of energy that is generated from different oscillations or disturbances that travels through space and matter.
The picture above, although it is hard to see, is an example of some waves on the north shore. The different parts of the wave are the trough: which is the bottom of the wave, the crest: which is the top of the wave, wavelength: which is the distance between the two crests, amplitude: which is the distance from the trough to the crest. The wavelength and amplitude are used to measure the size of the waves for surf advisories.

Multimeters in the Real World

Multimeters in the Real World 

Multimeter: (n.) an instrument designed to measure electric current, voltage, and usually resistance, typically over several ranges of value. Now what the heck does that mean? Well, a multimeter is simply used to measure things such as current, voltage and resistance. This tool is typical for workers such as electricians and contractors who deal with having to set up wires and electricity in a home. 

I felt that the picture above was appropriate because it depicts an electrician using his multimeter in his workplace, thus using it in the real world. 

Energy and How it is used in my home

Energy: (n.) the strength and vitality required for sustained physical or mental activity. 

For me personally, my family and I use majority of our energy through power strips and outlets in small household appliances such as chargers, internet and cable modems, televisions and various other appliances plugged into the infinite amount of power strips we leave plugged into the wall sucking power we're not using, thus the picture above. Granted, we remember to set our water heater to a certain temperature so that we aren't using too much energy along with remembering to turn off the lights we don't need, but there is always someone leaving their power strip with their charger, hair dryer curling iron and flat iron on in their bathroom that just sucks out energy that no one is using. 

Series and parallel circuits

Series: a circuit in which resistors are arranged the same, so that the current only has one path to take.
Equation: R(total)=R1+R2...
Parallel: a circuit in which resistors are arranged with their heads connected together and their tails connected together. 
Equation: 1/R(total) = 1/R1+1/R2... 

The picture above, although it may not be an original picture, I feel like it ideally depicts exactly what a series diagram is because it shows the pathway that the current flows on. It also shows that as the energy flows to each lightbulb, each one of them get dimmer as the current goes on. 

I know it may be hard to understand exactly what is going on in this picture, considering how small my TV is and how far away it is from the light, but the point of this picture is to show you how parallel circuits work. Without parallel circuits, my TV being on along with the light in my room at the same time would not be as bright as they are in this picture. This is because with the parallel circuits, current has more than one way it can flow, making it easier for the power to get to more than one thing at once. Thus making it possible for both my TV and light to be on at the same time without either one being inefficient or dim. 

Ohm's Law, Power, Applications in Real Life

Ohm's Law: states the during the current through a conductor between two points is directly proportional to the potential difference across two points. Basically, saying that current is inversely related to voltage and resistance. Ohm's are also the units for resistors. 

Equation: I=V/R

Power: the amount of energy consumed per unit time. The unit of power is amp.

Equation: P=W/t

The picture you see above is a prime example of Ohm's law because it shows what the product of Ohm's law is. The calculator you see above is powered by batteries, connected to those batteries are wires that are all connected onto a control panel that trigger different signs and signals to make different numbers and functions appear on the screen of the calculator. The battery source provides voltage, the amount of battery source that is required to run the calculator is the power used. 

What is Electricity?

Electricity

Electricity: a form of energy resulting from the existence of charged particles (such as electrons and protons), either statically as an accumulation of charge or dynamically as a current. 

Example: 

Importance of Electricity: Electricity is essential the energy that runs the earth. From the wheels that turn in our brains to the energy needed to run the lives we leave today. 
Electrical Current: Electrical Current is the flow of electric charges, usually carried by moving electrons in a wire. 

The picture above (and yes i did get it from the internet...sorry Mr. Blake) is multiple examples of current in different situations. 

Electrical Resistance: is an electric quantity that measures how the device or material reduces the electric current flow through it. The equation is R= p x l/A (Resistance = the resistivity x the length of the conductor / the cross sectional area of the conductor). Units are ohms.  

Capacitance in Everyday Life

Capacitance

Capacitance is the property of an electric nonconductor that permits the storage of energy as a result of the separation of charge that occurs when opposite surfaces of the nonconductor are maintained at a difference of potential. And yes I know, that is an unnecessarily long and confusing definition of a capacitor. So to sum it up, a capacitor is basically a converter of energy that can take electrons from a battery, then when it reaches its capacity, it stops receiving charge. If the battery is then replaced by a wire, or conductor, the capacitor will generate energy into whatever it is powering until charges are even. 

Equations: E= 2k(pie)J/ J= Q/A

Picture: The picture above is a diagram of a conductor and how it works. In this picture we can see how the capacitor takes the energy from the battery, while the battery is still charging the lightbulb, it is also charging the capacitor. However, if the battery was removed and replaced with a different conductor the capacitor would suffice as an energy source. Large capacitors can hold much larger amounts of energy that takes the place of batteries. 

Electrostatics #2

Electrostatics

As I stated in the previous blogpost, Electrostatics is the study of stationary electric charges or fields as opposed to electric currents. In the picture above, we see myself touching an electrostatic generator and because of the electricity surging through my body trying to find a way out my hair is starting to stick up. If I were to touch metal, which I did, I would be shocked, which I was, which was also not fun. This is an example of electrostatics because it demonstrates how electricity works, because my body is more of an insulator in this sense and because I am being charged by the generator when I touch metal, which has a completely different charge than I do, I will get shocked as the electricity transfers from my body to the chair and into the ground. 

Electrostatics

Electrostatics

Electrostatics: (n.) the study of stationary electric charges or fields as opposed to electric currents. 

Theory: in electrostatics the theory is that when a charged object comes into contact with another object that does not have an equal charge, the charges will try and become equal. Usually, when the charged object comes into contact with the unequally charged object, there is usually a spark. 

Picture: I chose the picture because it is an example of power surging through an unequally charged object, me. The reason my hair is standing is because the power is trying the quickest way out of my body into the ground, which is generally what electricity does, so it spreads out through my body to find the quickest outlet, evenly distributing itself. If I were to touch metal, which would provide an outlet, I would get shocked. 

Work, Energy and the Conservation of Energy

Work, Energy and the Conservation of Energy

Work is any change in energy. 

Formula for work: Force x Distance

Units: Newton x meter = Joule

Conservation of Energy: in an isolated system, energy will be conserved. (Total Ein = Total Eout)

Gravitational Potential Energy: energy given to an object in a gravity field/ energy's position in gravity. (mass x gravity x height)

Kinetic Energy: energy of motion (1/2 mass x velocity^2) 

Power: rate at which work is being done. (change in energy/ change in time) (units: watt)

In the example above, it shows a pillow being kicked off  a flight of stairs, what exactly is happening in this system? Well, my sister (person kicking the pillow) is applying energy to the pillow thus giving it energy. See what's happening is the energy being applied to the pillow is being taken from my sister. The work of the pillow will be determined by the force applied to the pillow along with the distance it traveled. Now, when the pillow left the ground and started to fly down the stairs it gained something called gravitational potential energy, or energy of position, which is the pillows position in gravity. Now while the pillow travels down to its destination is gains something called kinetic energy, which is the energy of the motion, and it loses potential energy. The rate at which all of this is being done is called power. 

Momentum

Momentum

Momentum, as described in the Webster's dictionary, is the strength or force that something has when it is moving. We use the letter P to describe because m is used by mass and getting those two things confused is so not the haps.  

Formulas Used in Momentum:

Momentum (P) = m (mass) x v (velocity)

Impulse (change of P) = F (average Force) x t (change in time)

One of the key things you need to understand about momentum is the Law of Conservation of Momentum (in isolated system, momentum will we be conserved). For example, an apparatus (see picture below) is a prime example of an isolated system where momentum is conserved. Through collision when you hit one ball from one side of the apparatus, the ball on the opposing side of the apparatus is the one that moves. But you also have to notice that none of the other balls in the middle move when the initial ball is moved, only the ball on the opposing end. This demonstrates that the momentum is distributed through all the balls and it's actually pretty cool to watch. 

Momentum: Now what about situations where momentum is not in a conserved, isolated area such as the apparatus? Would the objects go all over the place in a chaotic fashion? Depending on their mass and velocity, maybe. 

In the picture above we can see a great example of momentum and how it is distributed among these pool balls. By apply enough force onto the Que. ball, and by hitting the pyramid of balls, breaking the balls is not a hard thing to do. But notice how the balls distribute, the point of breaking the balls in the first place is to distribute them across the table. This is achieved through momentum. Now how exactly does this happen? Well as described in the definition above, momentum is the strength or force that something has when it is moving or accelerating and when that strength or force is applied with the Que. ball it causes the balls to move. Here ends the reading. 

Forces that Accelerate

Forces That Accelerate

Did you know that according to Newton's Third Law; for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction and for every force there is an equal and opposite force? Therefore, every time you hit something that thing is hitting you with an equal and opposite force BUT notice that when you hit things that have a significantly smaller mass than you do, that thing is obliterated, so how exactly are the forces the same if the object you hit was no more after you hit it? The answer is simple, the reason the object you hit was obliterated is because it was hit the the same force that you hit it, unfortunately the mass of the object you hit was a lot smaller than your mass AKA māke i ka mea!!!!!!

The picture above is a perfect example of forces that accelerate, although you cant really tell, the cup on the table IS ACCELERATING! It is accelerating down into the table thus putting force on the table, BUT according to Newton's Third Law, the table is supporting the cup with an equal and opposite force pushing on the cup now making it a BALANCED FORCE. We call this balanced force, the Normal force and this theory applies to any objects on a surface. 

 

Newton's First Law Inertia

Newton's first law is inertia. Now, what is inertia? Well, according to Newton's First Law, an object at rest tends to stay at rest unless acted upon by an outside, unbalanced force. For example, if there is an object resting on a table top and there is a sheet of paper pulled out from under it, the object will stay in the position it is in unless unbalanced forced is applied to it. The picture above is a prime example of this, the checker sitting on top of the wooden hoop fell straight into the jar. Now why is that? Well, because there was no force being exerted onto the checker piece, it fell into the jar when the hoop was moved. If you had used the hoop to make the checker unbalanced then it probably wouldn't go into the jar.

Projectile Motion

            In the video below, we can see an example of projectile motion; the motion of the tennis ball when it leaves the hands of Joie (left) and the distance it traveled it hit the ground. The shape of the ball as it falls toward the ground is called parabolic motion. Now although you cant really see how high Joie is off the ground, she is standing on a tall chair that makes her about 6 feet off the ground and she threw the ball with an initial speed of 0.2 meters per second. How would we use math to determine where on the ground the ball landed?

Well, by using physics we can determine where the ball landed without actually measuring how far away from Joie it landed. But before we know far away it landed we have to figure out how long it was in the air. By using the d=1/2at^2 formula we can determine the time, then we would go on to use the d=vt formula to find the distance and it is as simple as that!

Relative Motion

Relative Motion is motion as observed from or referred to some material system constituting a frame of reference. So pretty much it's the idea that motion is all relative. Relative to me the moon follows me in the car at night, but relative to the car, the moon does not move at all.

The picture above is an example of relative motion. The two girls in the back (myself and my friend) are moving out to sea relative to the shore. The reason is because the shore doesn't move at all, but the water does. Relative to the water we're not really moving, but because the shore is stationary we are moving farther and farther away from the shore. Relative to us, the shore appears to be moving because we are moving out to sea when really it is stationary. Everyone on the beach is moving relative to us because we are moving along with the current, where in fact they are stationary as well. 

Projectile motion

If you don't know what the picture above is you clearly have not played the addictive game called angry birds. The point of this game is to knock down the structure ahead using small birds and a sling shot. In order to knock the structure down you have to know what angle to aim the bird so that when it makes it's parabolic acceleration toward the structure it will hit the right point. The parabolic acceleration that the bird is making is an example of projectile motion. Because no matter what the bird will fall in the shape of a parabola due to gravity.

Projectiles

What is a projectile? Well by definition of google, a projectile is any object projected into space with the exertion of force. Would you say that the image of above is a depiction of a projectile yes. Why? Because of the fact that the object was projected into space with the exertion of force. Now you might ask why the object is making a parabolic shape after being thrown before hitting the girl with x's for eyes. Well the answer is simple, gravity. One of the main ideas that makes a projectile a projectile is the fact that the only force on the object after leaving the initial force is gravity itself which will always cause it to go down. Thus the saying, "what goes up must come down."