Plasticity Lab

In science class, we did a lab which demonstrated the plasticity of the Earth's mantle. To do this, we used cornstarch and water. We combined them to make it into a sticky, rubbery like liquid which could also be a solid. That mixture was a solid but had the characteristics of a liquid. It looks solid and rubbery, but once you put it in your hands, it feels soft and it starts to get liquid. The mixture was white at first but than we mixed in green food coloring so it turned green. The ooglet looked like a silly putty to me. The heat and pressure on the ooglet made it hard so that it didn't drip off your hand. Therefore, when the heat and pressure is not present, than the mixture would just drip down like a liquid. If you push your fingers on it fast then nothing will happen, it will just bounce on it. Then if you push your fingers in slowly then you finger will start to sink in. The mixture and the Earth's mantle are similar because heat and pressure displays the sphere of the mantle. Also, if there is no heat and pressure, than it will melt just like the mixture did. This lab was so much fun. I wish I can do it again sometime. I learned a lot of information form this fun lab!

October Sky Response(Blog 11)

October Sky

October Sky was an very inspirational movie and I learned a lot about rockets. During the movie, many of the events had occurred and were very fascinating. This movie's time frame was October 5, 1957 in Soviet Union. The movie had a lot of information for science and math. It displayed that a group of boys had a desire to build a rocket and than launch it. Homer Hakim had to go against his father's future plans for him and build his own rocket. His father worked for the coal mines and expected his son to follow his footsteps. Homer didn't do that though. He got his group of friends and learned a bunch of information for rockets and the formulas for it. Homer was never good at math but he learned it in a few amount of time for the science fair. His teacher, Miss.Riley, told Homer and his friends to participate in the science fair. It took them a number of times to build a rocket that actually launched a certain amount of distance. The friends didn't give up at all and kept their hopes high for being in the finals for the science fair. This movie showed all the struggles Homer Hakim faced and how he overcame them to be a smart person. The way Homer Hakim got inspired was by the Sputnik the Russians launched in space; the Sputnik was a satellite. The Sputnik encouraged everyone that anything is possible. for example, going in space in a space shuttle. That way, Homer Hakim thought of making a space rocket. When Homer and his group go to the nationals for the science fair, Homer got picked to go to Indiana and there he explained his rocket. They used alcohol for the fuel and the rocket looked just like a missile. Because of the magnetic force, the rocket curved. There was a fire in the woods which caused the police to arrest them. Quentin and Homer figured out the math formula explaining that they didn't start the fire. That proved their innocence using math. The formula they used proved that the rocket was no where near the woods, so there was no way that they started the fire. Homer's dad got injured from the coal mines. If you breath in all those fumes from the mines, then you can get lung cancer. That could affect your health and your lungs a lot! Therefore, Homer dropped out of school to take his dad's place for coal mining. Homer's dad recovered and came back to the coal mines and then Homer quit coal mines to get back to building rockets.

There were many character education shown or not shown throughout the whole movie. For example, Homer showed care. He showed care because when his father got injured in the coal mines, Homer dropped out of school to take his place. He did that so his older brother Jim didn't loose his scholarship for football. If Jim went to the coal mines, than he wouldn't be able to play football. Homer really cared for his family even though his dad didn't care for him. Miss.Riley showed respect towards the Rocket Boys. Everyone thought they they can't build a rocket but Miss.Riley knew that if they tried they will. Homer had cooperation towards Quentin when no one would talk to him but only Homer did. Homer had self-control when his dad told him that he couldn't build rockets anymore. Homer and his friends didn't get angry, they just found a new place to build it so that it won't be on company's property. Homer's mother had empathy towards the Rocket Boys when Homer's father didn't help them. Another reason she had empathy was because Homer's father started to yell at Homer and told him to get out, but his mother wasn't happy about it. Many people has assertion towards the Rocket Boys and supported them. They got them the materials they needed and helped them through the science fair.This movie was great. Overall, this movie inspired me to not to give up on my goals no matter what I have to face in the front of the world!

Response to Fragile X Syndrome

            This blog was about fragile x syndrome. I feel very bad for anyone who has fragile x syndrome. I would never like to have that. Whoever has it, I hope there is a cure to help you. Even though it is bad, the good thing is that it doesn't affect your life span. There are many treatments and soon there will be a cure for it. There are also many symptoms from this disease. Some symptoms are depression and broken speech. I learned a lot of information from this blog about fragile x syndrome. Since the scientists are trying to study animals for this disease, that is a great idea. I hope everyone feels the same as me and I hope fragile x syndrome will be less every year! This blog was very good and I got to learn a lot of information I didn't know before.

Blog: http://dog-lover6164.blogspot.com/

Cystic Fibrosis

Cystic Fibrosis was discovered in the 1949s and also by Dr.Dorothy Hansine Anderen. Even though it was discovered later, cystic fibrosis was around since the Middle Ages. There is a lot of information on cystic fibrosis that has been discovered by now. The symptoms and possible complications of being a patient with this disease is mostly in the liver, lungs, and pancreas. The mucus becomes thick and sticky and because of that, the lungs may get infected then get damaged. The taste of skin is salty and persistent coughing. You can get pneumonia with cystic fibrosis. Wheezing or shortness of breath, or even poor growth or weight gain in spite of really good appetite. You can get bronchitis.. On top of all that, the men or female can become infertile with this disease. There is no cure for this disease but you can get treatment for it. Some treatments are antibiotics or postural drainage which is chest physical therapy. The mortality for cystic fibrosis are that many die at a young age. Some are in their 20s or 30s and they die from lung failure due to cystic fibrosis. Even though they die young, the most common age is 37. Because of the treatment they go under, the patient has a chance of dying around their 40s or 50s. This disease is kind of popular in the U.S. and in the world population. In the U.S., the population is about 30,000 children and adults and in worldwide it is 70,000 people of all ages! That is actually a lot if you think of it. There are many parts of population which is vulnerable to cystic fibrosis. It is mostly vulnerable to us, children. 1 in 2,500 births in the U.S. have cystic fibrosis. Mostly, it is common in Caucasians (1 in 3,300). Native Americans (Pueblo - 1 in 4,000; Zuni - 1 in 1,300). It is less common in Americans of Hispanics (1 in 8,000), Africans (1 in 15,000), and Asians (1 in 32,000). Several mutations has occurred. At the molecular level, the genes are all mixed together and tangled. A genetic mutation stops the production of a protein in cells of the lungs, pancreas, and other organs. Two working copies of gene are shown, but only one is needed to prevent the cystic fibrosis. There are no extra copies of genes, however, in some people there may be an extra one. In order to develop new treatment, the doctors need to know the patients medical needs, nutritional needs, and emotional needs. I feel very upset for those who have this disease. I hope someone finds a cure very soon. Cystic fibrosis is not contagious and can not be transmitted from one person to another! Cystic fibrosis is a deadly disease but never lose hope because one day, you never know, a cure will surely be discovered!

SOURCE: 

http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/cf/cf_what.html

http://www.cff.org/AboutCF/

http://www.ygyh.org/cf/whatisit.htm

http://www.medicinenet.com/cystic_fibrosis/article.htm

http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition=cysticfibrosis

http://pw1.netcom.com/~yourman/webdoc1.htm

http://hcd2.bupa.co.uk/fact_sheets/Mosby_factsheets/Cystic_fibrosis.html

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/cystic-fibrosis/ds00287

http://www.fountia.com/who-discovered-cystic-fibrosis

http://healthlink.mcw.edu/article/1031002233.html