Sunday, September 4, 2011

Scientific Summer


This summer I was in the water 24/7. I swam in pools mostly, but also in lakes. I also went mountain biking and rode on a zip line. I hiked and camped in the woods. During our move from the United States I packed up and move a lot of boxes. And I also travelled on an airplane.



Many of the things I did this summer involved science. Swimming involves Newton’s third law of motion which states that “to every force there is an opposite but equal attraction.” So when you kick your legs or pull your arms you are applying a slightly down-word force on the water, and then apply a force to the water behind you. This is a "reaction force”  made by the water onto a body, such that the water pushes the body up and "forward" in the water, allowing you to move through in the water.



For mountain biking you need a special bike with flat tires to help you get over rocks, water, and roots. Less pressure in the tires allows the rider to be more balanced and acts as a shock absorber of the energy.



Airplanes are programmed to work the same way birds fly. The physical force that propels the aircraft from take-off to flight. Anything, from jet engines to other propulsion devices, are the main source of this applied energy. The pulling of the propeller powered engine is another form of thrust used in aircraft. Thrust is used to overcome weight and drag, the two major opposing forces that cause most resistance to flight.



My summer was full of science.  I just needed to think about how many of my activities were related.









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