Theme parks

Earlier on in the summer I went to Southend adventure park and went on lots of lovely rides where I could turn into an ultra geek and describe how the forces worked on various rides. They were exactly like the diagrams in my textbook and I sat on the swing rides imagining the horizontal component of the tension keeping me in my centripetal motion.

Then yesterday I went to Thorpe park and the rides were so scary I couldn't bare to think of the physics! The sharp turns, fast accelerations creating huge g-forces and upsidedown bits and loop-de-loops were sometimes too much! I understood why I felt dizzy and my legs were wobbly and why my elbows hurt from banging into the sides but not why it was an instinct that screaming would help the situation... Or why it was so enjoyable... My textbook missed those bits out!

I can't seem to find an old Alevel post where I explain ridesm, they only seem to talk about penguins...

Fusion Tour!

So, the fusion tour was as great as I hoped! We planned our journey with lots of time to spare but after stopping off for dinner and getting a little lost we arrived just in time to pick up some leaflets and go into the introductory talk. This was pitched at the perfect level for all listeners and I think Dad was impressed. He wrote 'Tokomak!' on a post-it with quite a high level of excitement!

the MAST model

I had forgotten that there were actually 2 experiments there called JET (the European one, the one we learnt about in our Alevel course) and MAST (the UK one) but MAST had been closed for refurbishment so that meant that we couldn't see inside.There was a model and an overview of the history of the site as substitute which was interesting but I was itching to go and see JET! The facilities are huge and apparently we walked about 4km and I can believe it! There was quite a variety of smells during the walk as well... That was a bit strange...

The fusion chamber is designed in a torus shape which is like the inside of a tyre. In here is a vacuum (so that there are no impurities) and a plasma of charged ions and electrons. Because the plasma can carry a current, magnets are used and currents are applied so it's all using Flemings left hand rule, which I describe a bit here. Then the fuel, tritium (which is radioactive) and deuterium or deuterium and deuterium is injected but its such a tiny amount, like the weight of a postage stamp. But they are found in water so its a renewable fuel and radioactivity is relatively low. If there is a failure the walls of the torus just absorbs the fuel and there is no dangerous explosion like with fission.

The nuclei of the fuel fuse together and form a larger atom which is unstable so splits into a helium atom and a neutron. The weight of the products is actually less than the reactants and due to mass energy equivalence this mass is emitted as energy.You can collect this energy with lithium blankets which in turn creates tritium to go back into the reaction. In a fusion power plant this energy would then go onto heat water, turn it into steam which would turn a turbine converting kinetic energy into electrical. That's what they hope to achieve in the next experiment in Italy which they are building now using the things that they have learnt at JET.

One of the ways that they have improved fusion technology is by experimenting with the materials that the tiles within the torus are made of. They used to be Carbon but they used to absorb the fuel and become radioactive which is dangerous. Then the tiles were sprayed with beryllium because even though it is metallic it is relatively small and so won't add too many electrons to the plasma. It is ideal since it filled the gaps in the carbon so that it was no longer porous. But just recently all the tiles were replaced with purely beryllium tiles However beryllium is toxic and anyone who goes into the chamber must wear a full body suit! Due to this robotic arms are used for most repairs. To practise using the arms they play jenga! The arms actually measure the force so that the user feels the pressure of what they are doing.

We walked into a lab where they analyse the data and there were so many desks! There are 2 sessions a day which work on different projects that last about 6 months with about 25 runs a day. That's a lot of work. In JET the plasma can last 30 seconds before collapsing (which is long compared to MAST which lasts half a second). This is due to the limits of DC current. If the current changed direction so would the plasma which is not possible within the JET design. There are also limits because the copper has to cool. Super condcutors woudl be ideal but they are expensive at the moment.

We put on some bright yellow hard hats, walked though a giant room of wires and buttons and lights, then through giant concrete doors. This was our first peak of the JET and was actually the best view because of all the equipment surrounding!

 

The JET is made of 8 segments and when they built her they made an extra one so we could see that really clearly (well through a screen!) They built a pretend torus around it so it looked more realistic which you can see on the left hand side.

 

 

To protect the machine from splitting apart like a chocolate orange, it is built with movement so that it can lift up from the floor if necessary though it is better to monitor the reactions in such a way that it can be controlled. One day near the begining of experimentation it lifted up by 1.5cm and the vibrations could even be felt in the data analysis rooms.

 

I think I've covered just about everything... This was kind of my goodbye to my old physics class since we're all off to university now and it's quite emotional!

Packing dilemas

Packing for uni has proven to be quite a challenge. I've been doing it bit by bit for the last couple of weeks and the stuff is really starting to pile up. There are so many different lists on the Internet of things you will need but I'm still afraid that there's something important I've missed. I am quite aware of the space restrictions both in transportation and when I actually arrive. I'm wondering if I've picked the right kind of accommodation but it's all done now.

One of the things I had to be really strict on was how many book I can bring... I have no idea how much free time I will have and what I will use it doing but just to be save I decided on three fiction and three non-fiction. After reading the first chapter of each to check that they weren't a waste of a choice! I'll be back in November so I can swap over then if need be. The three non-fiction books are: Alex's adventures in Numberland, Fermats last theorem (still not finished...) and QED (also unfinished...). Then I packed 2 physics and 2 chemistry revision guides. I don't have any Maths textbooks but I'm thinking that could've been useful... I've forgotten quite a bit!

I had fun the other day sorting out all my stationary! It's one of the few ways that I can start to feel prepared for whats to come I guess

Recap?

Okay, I don't know what happened... I mean sometimes it's hard in the holidays because physics stuff doesn't always happen but that's not the case this time... Lots of stuff happened!

I attempted a blog conversion over to a new blog because I wanted to fix a load of stuff but didn't want to lose my archive but it took AGES so I got bored... Maybe I'll finish one day...

I got about halfway through a universe in a nutshell and it was going so well! but then I went to the library and since I have a deadline for them I started reading six easy pieces. I was reading it while I waited to meet my friend and I just got to a bit about molecules not meaning to go in your nose so I smiled in amusement when she crept up on me and laughed at me for enjoying a physics book so much! I didn't believe they would actually be easy but so far it's been OK and is a perfect recap for next year.

Which actually brings me onto my next point - I'm going to Nottingham! And as the days pass by, it's becoming more and more real. I got an A* in Maths and Physics and an A in Geography, Chemistry and General studies and then an A in my Further Maths AS so was super pleased and actually still get a buzz when I think about it! I'm so grateful that all that hard work paid off and can't wait for next year!

Tomorrow is the day that I go to Culham experimental fusion facilities and I cannot wait!! I talked about it agggggggeeees ago here. I'm planning on wearing the outfit I put together for my first physics lecture because lets be honest in a crowd of new people I'm going to chicken out and not wear a space top. First impressions are so hard to get over...

So, I never got my calculator lid back. My teacher didn't come to prom in the end but I can't help and feel like she missed it to avoid me... oh well, I'll just have to live the rest of my life lidless... I explained how I lost it in this post.

And now I promise to write soon.

Destination: Svalbard

The Svalbard islands are a part of Norway located in the Artic Ocean.

This is a truly remarkable place. They have a variety of activities (e.g. skiing) and incredible views and unique wildlife. Plus you can stay in an actual ice hotel!

In the summer the Sun never sets and in the winter the Sun never rises. This poses an interesting dilemma for me as to when I should make my trip to this area. In the Winter it offers wonderful views of the Northern lights plus the nightlife must be incredible! Northern lights are also called an aura and are due to the deflection by the magnetic fields of the earth of charged particles ejected from the Sun which cause excitation and the emission of light. This is scientifically interesting and just jaw droppingly beautiful.

Then in the summer there are unique astronomy opportunities like the Venus transit which I've obviously now missed but hey I still haven't ruled out that time machine.

The Neverending Calculater Saga

Just when you think that nothing else could possibly happen, disaster strikes. It all started before my Physics resit. Just before we go in I have the sudden realisation that the calculator I hold in my hand has a lid. You aren't allowed to have calculator lid in an exam. This is a rule that I have previously overlooked and in these previous instances I have handed the lid into an invigilator who are always available and willing to return such items and so these situations have passed without issue.

However in this instance the nerves of the exam got to me. This gave me a mild case of verbal diarrhoea and an exaggerated sense of panic. So pre-examination when I exclaimed 'Oh no, I still have my calculator lid' with an expression of sincere concern on my face, it was only natural for my teacher to offer to take the illegal item from my hands. I didn't want to give it to her. I knew it was a bad idea and that there was a high probability that I would never see this item again. And yet.... I gave it to her. I don't know, maybe I was embarrassed by the situation. Or maybe it was the high volume of knowledge stored in my short term memory store that clouded my judgement but I handed her that calculator lid and I have since regretted my actions in that moment on many occasions.

I tried several times to reclaim my lid but there was always a class and then on the last possible opportunity, on the day of my last exam I saw my teacher. She said quite nonchantly that my lid was still awaiting my collection and so I went to the classroom. I went there and my lid was nowhere to be found. Then I went to the staff room and to find my teacher. And, well... She was nowhere to be found. I'm not saying that she kidnapped my calculator lid, fled the scene of the crime and is keeping my lid for an undetermined period of time. I'm not saying that. I'm just saying that I can't say that that isn't definitely not what happened. I'm just saying.

Now I am faced with the a dilemma before me. Do I email my teacher asking her to kindly bring my calculator lid to prom and return it to its rightful owner or do I leave it. I am quite certain my bag is large enough but should I move on with my life and pretend it doesn't matter to me? But no, how can I!? How can I go on with my keys unprotected? My calculator could turn itslef on at any point in my bag... It isn't solar powered, that could lead to some serious battery lossage... I'm pretty sure that counts as calculator abuse and she could be taken away from me. No, I have to send that email, it is decided.

Guillaume Le Gentil

So I watched this venus transit programme on BBC Iplayer today. I know the transit happened a while ago now but I was busy and missed it so since I have the luxury to catch up I figured there was no excuse really. A luxury not available to the poor French astronomer Guillaume Le Gentil of the 18th Century.

Transits are very rare because they require the alignment of the orbits of the earth and Venus which depends on the angle and position and so only occur twice every century or so. There was one scheduled for 1761 and so it was decided that to try and measure the distance of the Sun from the Earth as many measurements as possible should be made. This involved the participation of over 100 astronomers from different locations from all over the world. Guillaume Le Gentil was assigned India and so made his way to the French colony Pondicherry but travel was not so easy in those days. Boats were the best mode of transport and war had broken out between France and Britain. There were many pitfalls along the way and by the time Guillaume was to reach the Island the British had taken over and so he was forced to take measurements from the ship which meant a severe loss of accuracy as well as an inability to have an accurate measurement of location.

So after going to all that effort he decided to wait out 8 years until the next transit in 1769. The days leading up to the transit were beautiful clear skies but on the day... Well... It was cloudy, he saw nothing and was driven to the brink of insanity. To make matters worse his journey back took 3 years due to storms and illness.He was away for 11 years but during this time he was declared legally dead, his relatives spent his money, his wife remarried and lost his seat at the academy. Fortunately the King intervened and everything was restored to him and he remarried apparently very happily but I worry that this is a sugar coated happy ending.... So yeah I feel very lucky to be able to watch it in the comfort of my own home on demand.

Yeah, I'm going on about wave particle duality again

I started reading 'the universe in a nutshell' last night and I decided to do it properly, I mean with a textbook and exercise book by my side and everything! So I went off on a bit of a wave particle duality tangent and suddenly it clicked. Like I never really liked the idea of a photon as a particle because it doesn't have mass but then I realised, energy and mass are equivalent! It seems obvious now... Its just how you look at it. I still can't visualize but its just a concept....

Unravelling the mystery of the Higgs

So prepare yourself for a stream of consciousness, I apologise in advance but lets be honest its only me reading this!!

I have heard that the Higgs boson is a force carrier which I understand to mean that it acts on behalf of the field. Like the driver of a bulldozer is the field but the bulldozer exerts the field, acting between the field and the particle under attack.  But this seems very abstract when I think of it where the bulldozer is virtual and is only sometimes there and the field isn't a person its just like a magnetic field and actually a magnetic field has an exchange particle of its own...

But then the Higgs itself even has mass so it must interact with the field itself but how because is there a higgs boson acting between the field and another Higgs and another acting between the field and this one and so on?! And then where does it stop because it surely cannot be infinite?

Then this video talks about how there is an electron field and in concentrated areas of this field electrons can be found. Which I guess is okay. But then the Higgs field is different because this video suggests that is the Field that we interact with.

But then mass and energy are equivalent. So how does that work? I never really like that idea because to me mass was a thing but now it isn't a thing so it should be easier, right?

I'm into the live stream already but the room is empty so far... Exciting! But I don't expect to understand... I'm starting to think it will be better to forget everything I've ever known...

The mystery of the Higgs

So, I was as excited about the Higgs discovery as any person with a very very very basic understanding of the particle but... Well my understanding is so basic that its super frustrating! I watched a clip where the scientist was like 'yeah we found the higs boson' so I was like  'YAY!' But then he was like ' we don't know which one...' and I was like 'errrrr, there's more than one?!' mind blown...

Then  my teacher sent me this link for a live stream on Thursday at 4pm so I have a deadline to figure out as much as I possible can before then so that I can try to follow it! So yet again, HSW is my saviour as well as physicsorg!

The boy who harnessed the wind

It seems that there is never enough time but I have managed to read 'the boy who harnessed the wind' which is all about the life of William Kamkwamba so far and it was incredible. I mean really inspirational and just amazing. The book took us back to his childhood which I found really interesting. In geography we looked at the spread of disease and the causes of famine and this was addressed in depth in the book but the first person narrative allowed a really personal connection with the issues. By the end of the book I was left with an intense realisation of just how lucky I am and just the wish that others can be as lucky.

At times I cried so much that the pages were soaked through and other times I laughed so much that I went around telling everyone the story of how at the barbers power cuts can happen half way through a hair cut and you're just told to leave and come back in an hour with half of your hair missing!

My only complaint could be that I wanted more physics but I guess that's not what the book was about. It was about the strength of determination and the achievements possible with limitless aspiration. Also the importance of science to survive in our modern world. So yeah, definitely recommended.

It's all over!

So I'm back after being in solitary confinement for 2 weeks! Maybe I exaggerate a little bit, I mean it wasn't actually that bad. Exams went so quickly but I felt prepared for them and came out feeling I did the best I could, I just hope my best was good enough. Now comes the worst part, the worry. I really wish there was a way to know how we did right away, it seems so cruel to make us wait. Especially this year when the grades really matter.

And now its summer! But somebody forgot to tell the weather so picnics and days out will just have a wait for a while. I made a summer reading list with non-fiction physics books and about 30 fiction books that I have collected throughout the year! Why do I always make such unrealistic lists...

By the end of revision my physics corner looked like this:

And yesterday I took it all down so that my room looks really boring again! I'm putting off emptying out folder etc. until after results under the excuse of 'I don't want to tempt fate' but it's all hidden out of sight so that I can start to forget to worry, yeah?

My dreams got kind of boring during exams accept for one what I can kind of classify as Physicsy in which I was equipped with a set square to defend myself against goblins. It worked as a boomerang and was pretty lethal, let me tell you!

Okay, now I'm back in the swing to make real posts! Speak soon x

Penguins Passing

So, I've been revising and I'm sorry that all of my posts seem to start like that at the moment but you have to realise that is pretty much all I do at the moment. And yes, I realise that my starting every post this way I sound incredibly defencive as though I actually just spend all of my study leave watching YouTube and playing just dance... And apparently blogging even though I said I wouldn't. But, hey I guess today is just your lucky day!

So anyway I've been revising and since penguins are pretty much all I can draw (ha ha, I still think I can draw them no matter how much people laugh at them...) every time an animal appears in a diagram, I penguin substitute. It seemed a pretty good idea at first, you know a penguin on a swing, a penguin on a Ferris wheel, the penguin was having fun, I was having fun and everything seemed great. Until recently this week... Things rook a turn for the worst and unfortunately the penguin was put in some uncomfortable situations...

In Chemistry I penguin substituted the cow in the nutrients cycle:

(in case you can't see clearly/read my awful handwriting, yes that poor penguin is excreting...)
And then today in my physics revision about radiocarbon entering living things:

So it looks like I can't penguin substitute again...

Okay, so maybe acting like a drawing of a penguin would have a finite lifespan and feel emotions such as embarrassment makes me seem a little crazy but seriously this is what revision does to you! I haven't seen my friends in so long that they are about to get penguin substituted too...



Super Hero back up plan for when I fail my exams...

So I'm revising for my Physics Alevel and there's a chapter about particle accelerators but I'm currently up to the bit about magnetic fields, in particular Flemings left hand rule. This is a trick that you can use to find either the direction of the current, the field or the force produced assuming that you know the other two, basically you do this with your fingers.

So I was practising and felt a bit like Spiderman and I suddenly realised, imagine if it were exactly like Spiderman! Well, not exactly, shooting web is kind of stupid but what about a Spiderman Magneto cross? Like I could produce a magnetic field in my hand my thumb would shoot beams of magnetic force? I've been revising since 8.30am so by this point any valid excuse for a break is party time. So I got to thinking and trust me you might think this is a lame idea right away but the more you think about it the more awesome it becomes!

I'm thinking a super hero name of 'Flemingo' (cause its Flemings left hand rule, get it??) and I wear pink like a Flamingo. Still working on a catch phrase... May the force be with you? Oh wait is that already taken? Oh...

Anyway, you may think this is a slightly rubbish power but there is where you are wrong my friend! I made a list to prove it to you:

1. Dodge bullets (Matilda and the Carrot style)
2. Open cans
3. Get free drinks from vending machines (hey I don't have to use my powers for good)
4. Rob banks (but only from old pennies that are still magnetic)
5. Catch bad guys (like by pulling their cars back)
6. Beach comb (better than a metal detector)
7. Recycle (see I'll do my bit and make up for those drinks)
8. Deflect asteroids (this one is my favourite!)

Well, I guess the hand on the hip isn't compulsory... And I know what you are thinking, 'Are you sure you really want this power? With great power comes great responsibility. What if you can't control it? What if the bad guys all insult you and make jokes behind your back saying that you are repulsive (like a repulsive force, get it???)? worryworryworrybuzzkillworryworry'. Well to you I say, get your own catch phrase, when do you ever accidental put your fingers in a position that uncomfortable and finally - you're face is repulsive. BAM.

World trip: England

So I've been working really hard. Apparently leaving school isn't as easy as you would think. There are leavers masses and parties and presents to organise and my revision is piling up and I just today had the realisation that 8 exams in 2 weeks is actually quite a concentrated exam timetable so how am I going to revise for everything at once and I should really cut back on coffee and chocolate and I need to catch up on the blog list that is piling up but how can I when there is so much to do? Deep breaths...

So I deserve a holiday. Today I am going to visit the Joint European Torus Reactor. I chose this place mostly because I'm studying it as part of the fusion energy part of my Alevel course (actually one of the most interesting and enjoyable parts) and also because its actually less than 2 hours, I mean come on how am I supposed to visit the hydroelectric plant in Canada I have exams coming up people! There are actually 28 countries involved in this project!

Its an experimental nuclear fusion plant and it uses some really interesting technology. Nuclear fusion is a dream for electricity production because the 'fuel' (its like fuel but it isn't combusted so it isn't really) is plentiful since deuterium is found in water. It also has no nuclear waste and is a form a clean energy. Its how the sun makes energy but really high temperatures are needed to overcome the repulsion of two positive nuclei coming together.

Here's the coolest thing for me. Because of the high temperatures needed the plasma can't touch the sides of its vessel because it will lose heat. The solution to this works like the northern lights. here charged particles are caught by the magnetic fields of the earth and brought down in a spiralling paths and this pattern is used by the plant. The plasma is contained by magnetic fields, moved around the vessel in paths. I mean how cool is that?! Plus the pictures of the place in my textbook are ah-mazing!!

Actually looking at the website I found something quite interesting. Since the site uses a whole 1 percent of UK's power they aren't allowed to run at times when there may be a peak electricity usage such as half time of a football match.

Ps. this was completely fictional but you can actually visit this place! But they are fully booked for 2012... But there is a waiting list in case of cancellations! I might sign up for one in the summer, that'd be really exciting!! Oh my goodness, I've got to sign up to that reserve list! Excitement!

Sometimes I wonder what i would do if I couldn't vent some of my nerdy excitement on my blog... Probably explode.

Oh wait, you don't care...

So, I think maybe an update post is in order.

First of all, I got a new poster! It was free from the open university and it is pretty big! I really need to sit down and look at it but there is just so much on it!

It's still available so go and order one!

Second of all, my new math teacher arrived! She seems lovely and isn't too strict with us so that's nice. She knows what she is doing which makes all of my worries seem quite unnecessary now. Well I suppose most of my worries are! Our first lesson included a maths joke (math construction - classic) and a math trick (she stuck a number above the board and when we asked what it was for, she proceeded to get us to call out random numbers and they added up to the number!). I knew then that we would be ok.

Third of all is a new series I will begin shortly. It is called 'the end?' and will work like a competition between geography and physics in their bid to end the world first/best. So... We'll see how that goes?! I think Brian would enjoy it.

Fourth of all, I have wrote this on a piece of paper in the middle of the night 'Is there anti matter? I could go at the speed of light if I had a spaceship that weighed the opposite of me'. It turns out that anti matter isn't a thing yet but who knows what will be possible once we learn about the higgs field? Or am I being crazy? It seems crazy but that just makes it even cooler! I think anti matter would be repelled by the gravitational pull of the earth though so I could get to really high speeds easily. Construction and landing might be a but tricky though... Maybe it could be switched off?

Last of all, I did a physics mock last week but I'm really not holding high hopes. It's all getting a bit worrying! And then the other day I had a strange thought. I was doing some geography revision and I suddenly had the realisation - Physics should really be my priority.... And then I thought, ' Why haven't I thought of this before?!' And then I thought about how much I had to do and how much time was left so my chest tightened and I hyperventilated a little.

Sometimes I forget that just because I write the title at the end, you don't read it that way...

Dream a little dream of me...

I've been eagerly awaiting the next opportunity to build on this series and just when I though it was never going to come, here it is - the latest physics dream!

So, I and a group of friends are walking to one their houses for a birthday party. We stop off for drinks and I have to buy two bottles of coke because it is buy one get one free and they all like diet coke so my bag is super heavy and I really want to lay down. But now I think about it the weight doesn't really make sense so the gravitation field strength must be stronger in dream world or something. Anyway so we get there and it turns out that from what I can see, she lives in a cinema. So we sit in a corridor  and her mum comes out from one of the screens and asks if we want any drinks or anything. So far perfectly normal right? And then she says, 'Becca, have you turned on the Hadron?'. As in an actual hadron collider. A hadron collider. In. Her. House. So I'm pretty excited at this point. I'm the only one standing up and then the floor starts to vibrate and I'm super excited. A hadron collider. In. Her. House. Although, again, now I think about it, this doesn't make sense because actually in real life when I went to the diamond light accelerator they said that there can't be any vibrations because that would be bad for the equipment or something... Anyway then the amazingness ended because then her mum and I got pretty stressed out about running out of olive bread but I think that was just my subconscious expressing my fear of exams or whatever because it seems like all my dreams start extremely happy and end with being terrified nowadays.

But then in a few days the birthday party actually happened.There was no hadron collider. Or olive bread, I tried to hide my disappoint by singing really badly in karaoke. I succeeded.

Motivational Quotations

So... I've been busy okay? Can't a girl take a break and not have to explain herself? Get off my back okay?! Okay? Okay... deep breaths...

It seems I already tried to come back and started this post with 'It's a lovely sunny Sunday afternoon and I finally have some free time and so I have decided to blog! By free time I mean that I have no outstanding duels on Pottermore (it's just too addictive!) and yes, there is always revision that I could do but hey there's always tomorrow and I have done quite a lot today.'

I don't know why I didn't finish, I probably checked pottermore and got distracted... So now its a lovely Saturday afternoon and I certainly don't have free time... But it's okay I have cured my addiction of Pottermore and physics homework at the moment is literally never ending! Turns out it is pretty hard to keep motivated with no end in sight... Well, there is an eventual end but I am scared to look ahead to that because it involves leaving school and entering a scary, responsible, completely new and different, adult world which seemed exciting and fun about a month ago but is now not looking so cool. Deep breaths...

So my life is basically all revision at the moment but every now and then you need a good motivational quote I found some good ones and put them on my wall and here is my list of favourite ones:

1. Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending - Carl Bard
2. I'm not telling you its going to be easy, I'm telling you it's going to be worth it - Art Williams
3. No man is free that cannot command himself - Pythagoras
4. Every action of our lives touches on some chord that will vibrate in eternity - Edwin Hubbel Chapin
5. A lot of us would like to move mountains but only a few off us are willing to practise on small hills
6. Don't worry about moving slowly, worry about standing still - Chinese proverb
7. If we did all the things we were capable of we would astound ourselves - Thomas Edison
8. The most painful experience is not defeat but regret - Leo Bascaglia
9. Many of lives failures are people who did not realise how close they were to success when they gave up - Thomas Edison

200th post!

I made it through another 100 posts! Well I will have by the end of this post. To follow tradition I will now proceed to list my favourite blogs this 100 under the following categories (although the categories aren't particularly well defined since they are a slight after thought!):

1. New favourite scientist /change of opinion - Since I haven't really found any scientist to replace Tesla, I mean that is going to take some beating! However in regards to changing opinions, I have constantly been changing my mind about which university to go to! I have now made up my mind on Nottingham as made official in this post and looking back I always liked but there was a lot of chop and change inbetween!
2. Coolest picture / coolest thing I did - the coolest picture I have made HAS to be this one, although it certainly doesn't win any prizes for the most realistic! However the coolest thing that I have done must be starting this world trip series because it feels good to get it out of my head!
3. Funniest post - the fact that I am struggling to think of this one is quite a worry... although anyone that knows me will concur that I am not a funny person! I suppose the Brian Cox mask is what gave me the most laughs.
4. Favourite experiment  / excuse to mention a favourite person - There haven't been a lot of experiments but I suppose that I have to say the most recent minstrel in hot chocolate experiment since i think I am still riding out the sugar rush! The best excuse to mention a non physics favourite person has got to be that post about Olly Murs!
5. Most interesting factual post - I suppose this is the one that I found most interesting whilst writing. It was about making music from radioactive patterns and was a completely new concept to me and I wanted to show it to everyone!

Cheers and here's to another 100 posts! Poor you!!

Top hat trumps

Ages and ages ago I said that I would make top trump cards for all the physicists that i came across but I only made one for Nikola Tesla and forgot about it all. So today I have added cards for:

1. Harold Edgerton who developed stroboscopic photography which I have already discussed here.
2. Isambard Brunnel who was in my 'reading about science' book as a great engineer who allowed giant steam powered boats to be built. And I mean, just look at that hat!
3. Clerk Maxwell developed colour photography and the electromagnetic spectrum, by linking light with other forms of radiation. I found him in a magazine from a Kings university London magazine here.
4. Dorothy Hodgkin is one of the scientists that I had never heard of before reading this article in the new scientist. I said that I had a lot to learn and now I have learnt. She did a lot of work using Xrays
5. Andrei Sakarov is the other scientist I did not know but now I did. He developed thermonuclear devices and later became a human rights activist

I have added these to my new door!

Twitterness

On twitter today there was pure gold! Firstly CERN posted this website which just made me grin. It's all about this gnome that is being sent all around the world and having pictures taken in different physics related places. In each place the gnome is weighed and its to show that gravity isn't uniform around the world. The most interesting place was the SNO lab where it is underground and so was 1.03g less than it was in London. Aside from the fact that I'm jealous of a ceramic gnome, I did pick up some places for the world trip!

I also follow 'omgfacts' which aren't always sciency but this one was! Its a bit weird though. Its about using human hair instead of silicon in a solar panel because of the static electricity. Which kind of makes my skin crawl but then it just seems super cool because human hair is just here. But then there must be some kind of problem with it because it was originally reported in the Mail in 2009. It would be cool though!

And then lastly NASA posted this image of the day and it just made me laugh because they all look so uncomfortable. They are the three men that were on Apollo 13 which was described as a  successful failure because the oxygen tank ruptured but a lot was learnt in the rescue mission. And then I just really wanted the moon globe! I found 2 on Amazon, one was £70 and the other was £8 but I didn't get either because I decided I'd regret it later!

Ways to amuse myself

Today is day two of my physics revision this holiday and progress seems to have slowed. Considerably... However I have developed a new game! What you do is this:

1. Type the name 'emma' repeatedly without spaces. This is because thats my name and I find the double m particularly good to write (this part of the game is both challenging at high speeds and sounds like you are on a roll with writing revision notes!)
2. Then you hit the backspace bar and hold it down. Take your finger off of the key. The point of the game is to release the backspace key at a point between an a and an e.

The level of satisfaction from sucess in this game is surprisingly high. Especially considering it takes several hours to finish a physics unit... Productivity is up!

In other physics revision news I have started a revision wall invovling diagrams on coloured card. And since penguins are easier to draw than people and there is a whole unit about fairground rides, I naturally have a penguin on a swing on my wall. As you do.

Eastertide

So it was Easter at the weekend!

We went to my uncles for Easter as usual and he always sets up a treasure hunt. This year we moved to a new level with a traditional hunt followed by a personalised code to find a password and a contact name. Mine was an alphabet, number code followed by a Fibonacci division number code. It took me a long time. With assistance. But I think it was fun? The kind that is fun in hindsight!

For me the rest of Easter involves church and chocolate. And since the miracles of Easter seem beyond our current knowledge of physics I propose a new chocolate related experiment with the aim to find the perfect time for which to leave a minstrel in a cup of hot chocolate. The perfect time being defined as allowing the chocolate to melt to an ideal amount as defined by me and not leading to a loss of flavour or break down of outer shell. I can tell that I'm going to enjoy this.

Although there are several challenges faced in this experiment.

1. The subjective element of perfect melt levels - I decided that only my opinion matters
2. Temperature control since the hot chocolate should stay at the same temperature for all the trials - I decided to immerse all the minstrels simultaneously and have a frenzied fish out, eat and record every 10 seconds
3. A limit on the number of trials since I don't want to feel too sick - just 10 to begin and use skimmed milk.
4. Mouth burns - half water, half milk

The hot chocolate consisted of a heap teaspoon of options hot chocolate powder, half boiling water and half skimmed milk at 5*C.

My results showed that until 70s the centre still remained firm. However at 70s it was soft through but the shell had began to discolour although it was still hard. By 90s the shell had completely discoloured and by 170s the shell was far too thin and had begun to split.

70-80s is the optimum time immersed in the hot chocolate mix described above. However it does require quite a lot of patience!

Destination: Masdar city

I hate that I first discovered this location while studying ecotowns in geography but it is a physics place since I rediscovered it while watching a brave new world! Masdar City is near Abu Dabi in the United Arab Emirates and I am about to get super technical now and try to embed a map?

View Larger Map

Wow, I hope you are suitable impressed!

To be honest visiting Masda City seems the most realistic way to visit the future. It will be the first zero carbon, zero waste city which is quite an impressive title to own. Because they have built the city from scratch they have been able to implement an incredible infrastructure. There is an automated underground network of electric cars. This means that there will be no traffic congestion to ruin the landscape, no exhaust pollution, traffic accidents and make it much safer form pedestrians. And of course the eletricity is generated from sustainable, renewable sources. Plus they look completely awesome!

There are also lots of other innovative ways to make it such a sustainable city. For example it gets very very hot in this part of the world (feel free to look at the map again!) and so to air condition the streets they have this huge wind tunnel thing to get the wind from higher up and funnel it into the streets.
The only problem is that it isn't quite finished yet... Its planned to be finished by 2016 but you know these things hardly ever seem to finish on time so I won't book my plan ticket just yet! Or maybe that time machine would be handy after all... However James Cameron has visited (he made movies like Avatar and Titanic though I don't see why that means that he gets to go there... sorry that's just my jelousy talking!).

And the Masdar institute, is up and running and the university students are the first to live in the city. Why isn't there a leaflet for that in the careers library at school?! they don't have a physics degree programme as of yet but I may even have been tempted to take a material science course to go there!

Tv Scientist vs. Researcher

I read the first line of an article debating this in Eureka and decided to have a go at it before my head is full of their ideas.

On the one hand practising scientists are more important. Without their work the scientist super stars would having nothing to report. Actually in many ways without the previous work of practising scientists in the development of printing techniques, radio communications as well as televisions and the various camera and computer technologies connected to this, the TV scientists job would literally be impossible. But maybe that's taking it all a little too far... Scientists make cutting edge research that can advance the human race, how can you possible fault the work of genius that will save lives or revolutionise them.

On the other hand scientists in the media are more important. This is because by showing people really cool really useful work, the work can get attention and then comes funding so that the work can progress and get even better. It is also important to show people how wonderful science is and encourage them to want to contribute to this. Without science programmes and other forms of media, a lot of people would not be exposed to the wonders of science other than inside a classroom which is not the ideal learning environment for some people. Why should science only be for official scientists? Sharing knowledge is an important job.

Actually the article raised many of the same points as me. However there was a really good example in support of the TV science stars. Dr Evan Harris argued that Andrew Wiles proof of Fermat's Theorem is only well known due to Simon Singhs book about it and this is a very good point since that is the way that I learnt about it. Dame Athene Donald just gave examples of TV scientists that I had never heard of which proved her point that their lifetime is short. But it would have had more impact if I recognised any of the practising scientists names... I really have so much to learn!

Derby hall?

I just got my confirmation email through to say what accommodation I have been allocated! I will be in....

DERBY HALL!!

Derby hall? Yeah, it didn't mean anything to me either so I started some research and found this website that has 360 views outside the hall and inside the dining room and common room and bar and it all looks lovely! I mean from what I can see but that isn't a lot... But theres grass?! plus the pictures are from 2003... And every time I look at the picture of the shared study room it seems to get even smaller.... Ahhhhh! Starting to worry!! Gosh I can't just be excited for 10 seconds... Apparently its a party hall though!

Also, apparently its pronounced darby... Why do I always pronounce things the wrong way?!

Magic?

I was searching through my science dump app again and this time I found this video which is pretty impressive! It is a magic show using Ipads and I really enjoyed it, especially the robot bit!

Except I realise that it isn't exactly physics related... But it sort of is? I mean science and technology are always linked together. If it weren't for our scientific knowledge technology like the Ipad could not exist. But then in turn it is also important to remember that technology like the Ipad can then help develop our scientific knowledge. I read somewhere about various apps developed to use on Ipads for data collection and also the sensors used in the Xbox connect console but I can't find it...

Pretty Physics

In my clear out the other day I found a book called 'Reading about Physics' which seems an odd title and it is really for children so hardly goes into any depth at all but since I didn't read about Physics as a child it doesn't seem too strange to do it now. Anyway it is quite interesting and in the 'watching things move' chapter Dr Harold Edgertons work was referenced in regard to stroboscopic photography.

This picture is my favourite! It is a bullet passing through an apple. Pretty cool huh?

It works like this. All the lights are turned off and the shutter of the camera is left open. Any light that is reflected will be shown on the film. Then a strobe light flashes at a certain frequency and this produces an image that shows the movement because only when the strobe light is on is the image built on. This is really good because it allows us to see things that are normally too fast.

For example this has been useful in biology by calculating the speeds of a hummingbirds wings and the flight patterns of the Luna moth.

 Also in sport it is interesting to look at technique and make improvements. This is a back dive and the larger the gaps between the feet shows a period of faster speed.

And of course in art, this picture titled the Coronet was included in the Museum of Modern arts first photography exhibition. It is a drop of milk hitting a red plate which is so simple and yet very effective. This also demonstrates another field studied by this technique, surface tension. It is also an opportunity to quote Dr Harold Edgerton, he said “There is no such thing as a ‘perfect’ result or a complete study of a phenomenon. For example, although I’ve tried for years to photograph a drop of milk splashing on a plate with all the coronet’s points spaced equally apart, I have never succeeded.”

There's this wonderful website all about Dr Harold Edgertons work, his life and what a wonderful person he was. He has been added to my list!

Destination: 200million years ago

The world trip has suffered a slight set back as I have had a mental block on places. Somehow I woke up in the middle of the night a few nights ago thinking that Jurassic park would be a good place to visit. This thought was followed by the question 'which country is Jurassic park?' and then 'Dinosaurs are so pretty'. Yeah, 3 o'clock in the morning isn't the best time for me... In the morning I decided that time travelling or visiting fictional places and surviving giant ferocious animals that are likely to eat me was taking the imaginative element of this too far... But then I realised that there are no rules and I can do whatever I want!

The film/book is actually centred around an Island near Costa Rica where genetic scientists have cloned dinosaurs to create an amusement park. But I would rather go back in time to when there really were dinosaurs.

I would love to see what the world was like then. I mean we don't even really know how big the biggest dinosaur is because the bigger a dinosaur is the less likely it is that it will all have been fossilised. I found the top ten biggest dinosaurs so far but even when I read that one of them was measured 120 feet from head to tail, I can't even imagine it. The thought of what nature can create will never fail to amaze me. And I want to see it. All of it!

Of course, I will take suitable precautions such as a space suit for example. This is important since we don't know exactly what the atmosphere was like back then right? I don't want to get radiated or be unable to control my temperature or not get enough oxygen and actually it could be very important to contain whatever bacteria I may be carrying since I don't want to change the course of history... Then of course I will need on invisibility cloak, scent disguiser and silencer so that I am undetectable and won't be eaten... You may be thinking that this is too far fetched now but its easy once I have a time machine since I can just stop off somewhere in the future to pick up all that stuff before I go back!

So yeah, that's going to happen!

Old News

There has been four and a half days of Easter holidays so far and I have done no homework or revision at all so far. But its about to get very serious now that I have tidied. This is important for two reasons, the first being that I now have space to work and the other is that I found the coloured fine line drawing pens so I'm expecting my productivity to double at least!

I have at least booked my accommodation for Sussex and Nottingham though! I got a bit of a shock when I found that the prices for Sussex are the same as they are for Nottingham but Nottingham includes all my food and Sussex is self catered. And also when I read that they cannot guarantee that I will get accommodation on Campus since Sussex is my insurance and therefore I may stay with a host family in the nearby town. I really can't imagine that!! I guess I had better get revising so that I get the grades for Nottingham!

Whilst tidying I found a newspaper insert from December 2010 which was all about future technologies and the such like. I can't believe it took me over a year to read but it's actually probably slightly better this way. For example, my favourite article in it was all about piezoelectric threads in clothing to generate electricity using the kinetic energy transferred when we move. Another application could be in carpets schools and shopping centres or in 'trees' to use both wind and sun energy. The article then went on to make various jokes about plugging in your pants but I forgave them for that because it seems a perfect solution to greenhouse gases and depleting fuel stocks. Although I suppose production of the threads is an important factor in the renewablity... Anyway its good to have read it now since I actually understand how piezoelectric crystals work now! Basically by deforming the crystals, the charges are rearranged and a current flows. This works the other way too, so that by applying a current the crystals deformed. When this occurs at the correct frequency ultrasound waves are produced. But that's off topic! I am a little confused since the article says that the technology is inexpensive but the Internet says platinum wires must be used?! At the end of the article it says that the fibres should be on the market in a few years so I think I'll hide the article somewhere so that I can find it during my next clear out!

PS. The university of Bolton website is possibly the least useful website I have ever tried to use! I realise I'm about a year late but I couldn't find anything about the piezoelectric threads!

Wednesdays are fun

Today really was the weirdest day...

At lunch there was a talent show which was pretty average for most of the time. You know the usually trio of sings, a girl and her guitar and the GCSE dance class, then a teachers dance with a male teacher dressed as a woman failing about the place. But then the last act... Well it was hilarious, genius and just a tiny bit horrifying! 5 of the male teachers dressed as once direction lip syncing 'what makes you beautiful' including a dimmed light serenade to our head teacher... Cringing at the memory here!

And then straight after lunch was my last lesson with my favourite maths teacher, which was quite sad. I'm sure the new teacher will be good but this teacher was brilliant and I will definitely miss her.

Then we had physics after school which ended in hysterical laughter and an unintentional capacitor joke at 4 o'clock which is super early!

Gosh, I'm going to miss school!

P.s. I honestly was going to be productive tonight but since I can't find my USB and so will now have to start my geography essay all over again I kind of lost my motivation...

Destination Switzerland

I have to admit that Geneva was on my list pre physics anyway. This is pretty much due to the beautiful descriptions in Frankenstein but since that book is all about the morals of scientific discovery that counts as physics anyway right?!

I also wanted to visit CERN after reading about it in Angels and Demons a few years ago because it made it all sound extrememly cool! This website kind of disples some of the illusions described in the book but it says nothing about the wind tunnel so that must be true!!
However the main reason for this visit would be the LHC particle accelerator. Protons are collided to investigate the structure of protons and the interactions of quarks etc. This includes the search for the Higgs Boson. coincidentally the most recent sixty symbols video is all about their visit to the LHC and it is really interesting. I mostly love the video because of how happy Professor Copeland looks to be there. However I guess that they don't let just anybody walk around? But I have seen that school trips have been there so I don't really know what happens. But it doesn't matter, I'll be going there when I'm a famous physicist so they will definitely let me in and I have experience of visiting particle accelerators anyway! I suppose I will have to carefully plan my trip to happen when the accelerator is in shut down so that I can get in there...

I love this picture because the person looks so tiny and I have absolutely no idea what all of the things do! Remember when everybody said the LHC was going to make a black hole that would consume the earth? Hahaha!

Another last

Last week I had my last ever chemistry experiment but there was no time to be sentimental because it was a really stressful one! It was basically using all the tests that we learnt about over the last two years to find out what the samples were which would probably have been a more useful exercise if I could remember what all the tests we had learnt over the last two years were for.

Unfortunately we also used Hydrochloric acid which wouldn't be unfortunate except for the fact that it got spilt on a girls legs, disintegrated her tights and misted up the room. Luckily it didn't burn her legs but she didn't escape the embarrassment of having her legs washed in front of the whole class... That's certainly an experiment to remember though!

It was the last in chemistry but I'll have lots of physics experiments next year! Experiments were never really my strength, although chemistry has given me a lot of chances to improve, so maybe I'll chose more theoretical options when I can! I think I might miss chemistry a little bit next year...

Silly songs and serious inspiration

I recently watched two brilliant physics videos but they are both very different. The first is this one, it is the sillier of the two but it made me laugh! It is quite clever:

I used it for market research because I was struck with inspiration for a physics song the other day but I'll have to get back to you about that once I can sing... (never!) but here's my first few lines so far which I felt I should post because it will probably never be anything more:

 Like a neutron star dancing,

around a black hole

in the dark of the night

(reference to the evidence for black holes)

And like two lovers on a train

and a stationary observer

between them passing light

(reference to special relativity and the analogy for time and distance dilation)

See it kind of rhymes and everything! Plus its nice and creepy!!

The other is more serious and inspirational. I found in in my science dump app and was blown away (no pun intended!). This guy basically borrowed a textbook from a library and from a diagram built his own wind turbine to create electricity for his family. It is really impressive but made even more so when you add that he had to drop out of school because his family couldn't afford to pay the fees and needed him to work on the farm. I mean, it really makes me appreciate all the oppurtunities I have. Then they bring him to America to see a wind farm there and its just incredible. Imagine, living in a small village in Africa and then coming to New york, how mad must that feel?

There is also an autobiographical novel that I have to read so I added it to my amazon wish list, it is called 'the boy who harnessed the wind'

Physics Personal Statement

So since I have officially chosen my university I suppose it is now okay to make you personal statement public. I hope it helps future generations of physics applicants? And probably myself next time I get the feeling of 'why on earth am I studying physics, I am an utter imbecile'!

As a passionate student of Physics, structures in distant galaxies fascinate me and I am captivated by the possibility of a theory of everything. I find a few equations are good for the soul and when you look at some of the practical applications of Physics in our everyday life, I am truly astounded by human achievement; but it is not enough. I need to know more than I do. It is a desire to learn all that Physics can offer that drives me onwards in my studies.

I know that a degree in Physics is the ideal subject for me for several reasons. I have a genuine love of Physics that originated from an affinity for Mathematics and has really developed this past year. This is due to the fact that I have looked at the subject in more depth than in previous years and because several visits have encouraged my interest. In particular I thoroughly enjoyed exploring the Diamond Light Accelerator facilities in Oxford, the Royal Observatory in Greenwich and the Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition. I find that Physics is a subject that naturally extends beyond the classroom. For me this is in the form of membership of the Institute of Physics, private reading of books such as 'The Brief History of Time' and 'New Physics' as well as magazines including a subscription to 'the Physics Review'. Watching scientific programmes and reading the accompanying books have helped me to develop my understanding of various topics, especially space exploration, as has researching the vast resources of the Internet. I have always enjoyed a challenge and Physics continues to push me to the best that I can be. By continuing my studies into Physics I will gain an understanding of fascinating topics as well as a chance  to build on my problem solving skills, gain Mathematical insight and develop my research techniques.

I firmly believe I have the skills and personal traits necessary for undergraduate study. I have excellent time management skills as exemplified by my dedication to studying seven AS level subjects this past year without compromising other commitments. I also tutor several younger students in Mathematics and Physics as well as contribute to the school community as Deputy Head girl, a lower school Prefect and a member of the Chaplaincy Team. I have a determination to do well, a high level of self discipline as well as other independent study skills; all of which I feel have been demonstrated this past year in my study of AS Further Mathematics. The majority of this course has been and will be by remote tuition outside of normal school hours. I believe I am academically capable of following your course and progressing well through it, as demonstrated by membership of NAGTY as well as school awards for five different subjects, including Mathematics and Physics, in my secondary education.

I have attended several University courses this year, at Nottingham, Cambridge and Queen Mary London, which have given me an insight into the lecture hall, tuition group and computer laboratory learning environments. Several of these lectures introduced me to entirely new areas of Physics such as ultra cold atoms and fundamental particles which I found fascinating. Acceptance onto the Queen Mary summer school week allowed me the opportunity of contributing to some real research into condensed matter Physics involving Zeolites. I can confidently say that I am not afraid of hard work, as shown frequently in my school life but also in my perseverance with the Duke of Edinburgh award scheme at both bronze and silver levels. My experiences in this scheme have allowed me to expand my organisational, teamwork and motivational capabilities.

I eagerly await the next year as it signifies not only the next step in my education but most importantly the chance to explore Physics at a higher level.  I look forward to all the things a University with a reputation for excellence can offer and I thank you for your consideration.

Dadaaadum

The other day in maths I learnt how to integrate by parts and it is brilliant! For a while now I have been coming across so many questions that I couldn't do because I couldn't integrate when there were products and now I can!

It's like in Zelda when you're walking around but you can't get to some places because there are rocks in the way and you can't lift them yet. Then you find/win/buy a power bracelet and then you can get past the rocks and for a while you discover all these new places and find loads of rupees and you can finally afford the bow and arrow you have been saving up for for ages and its really great!

Learning to integrate by part is the real life equivalent to Zelda so even though I don't get to buy a bow and arrow it still feels pretty great.

Destination Canada

It's time to start the series that I have had in my head for a while, it'll be called project world trip and it's basically a make believe fantasy that one day I will have the time, money and courage to make a world trip visiting all sorts of physics places!

First stop (though there will be no particular order to this): Canada, Niagara falls! It's somewhere I've always wanted to go because the pictures I have seen are utterly beautiful. I've been researching trip details and found this website which is very helpful and even though I've not had a lot of experience with boats the boat trips are an absolute must! Niagara falls is actually the collective name of 3 water falls and combine to form the highest flow rate of any waterfall in the world. I suppose some geography might creep into this visit but I don't mind!

It is the second largest waterfall in the world and has a huge hydroelectric plant to harness the power of the moving water and turn it into electricity by turning turbines. The station first generated power in 1961 and today it generate 2.4 million kilowatts. This has many advantages in terms of cost and renewablilty. Nikola Tesla owned 9 out of the 13 patents for the original technology so there is a statue for him there which of course I must see!

Next Obsession

So its, pretty much official now. I am obsessed with the Big Bang Theory. I realise I am probably a little late with this one, embarrassingly late considering the name of the show, but its better this way because now my brother has the boxset I get to watch like 6 a day! Just kidding, I only did that once... And now I'm only allowed to watch a maximum of 3 at one time.

Its basically about these 3 physicists and an engineer and a waitress, Penny, who are all friends even though one of them, Raj, can't talk to girls unless he is drunk and Howard is super creepy and Sheldon is kind of annoying so I don't really know why Penny hangs out with them all the time when she doesn't even know that she like likes Leonard for a long time... Sorry! I'm just a little bit too involved with it all. Basically its super funny even when you don't understand half of the super long words that they use! Its delightfully nerdy and makes me feel completely normal!

Even my train of thought has delays at the weekend

Oh my goodness, oh my goodness, oh my goodness, OH MY GOODNESS! I just submitted my choices for university...

About a week ago I decided for sure that I want to go to Nottingham next year but I just couldn't bring myself to do it, its too real and scary! But then last night I had a nightmare where I was in Nottingham but I wasn't allowed outside because the crime rates were too high and it was all very distressing. Actually now I think about it maybe that was a reason not to go ahead and firm it today... But I decided I was being silly and should get over it... That was the right decision, right? Yeah...

In other news of my life - I wore my t-shirt (as discussed here) out for the first time and a stranger said he liked it! But that could have just been for a tip... Although are you supposed to tip at Nandos?! I never have... But then why wouldn't you tip? Its not like tipping is only for if someone comes to get your order from the table. Oh no now I feel bad...

Anyway then I ordered chips with Peri Peri salt but they arrived without Peri Peri salt, it was quite disappointing but not enough so as to give me the courage to go and complain and get new chips or just the salt or a refund or whatever a braver person would have got... Then this morning I suddenly realised a new level of tragedy - the tshirt and Peri Peri salt incidents are directly related! The guy who liked my tshirt clearly neglected to add Peri Peri salt to my chips on purpose to set up an opportunity to see my shirt again! Little did he know that I was such a coward and quite like ketchup anyway...

Wait, that wasn't about physics at all and this post has to have a happy ending.... Erm, I started physics revision? I started a new pad and I'm using colours and everything! Its all very exciting I assure you!

Reasons not to let yourself hate Physics

Forget about everything you learnt in class, most of it was boring and there's a high probability that the things you think you understand were actually only part of the story. There is also a high probability that it will all be proved wrong at some point. Physics isn't found in class and it definitely isn't found in exams. Or maybe I over simplified that, I did warn you that that can happen. You can learn the basics in class, the fundamentals some useful applications. Its also where you start to become interested but outside of class is where you cultivate your interest. Outside, on the Internet, reading books, going to lectures is where you sit up and pay attention. Doing homework at 10 o'clock at night, staying late at school, working through lunchtimes, marking endless equations and copying down pages of notes that are pretty much completely useless because your handwriting is bordering on illegible at the best of times. That's not physics just as reading about skydiving isn't skydiving. The really exciting stuff, the things to blow your mind and give you goose bumps, that's at university. I cannot wait!

Things I should have blogged

I can't believe I missed my blog birthday! I'm so disappointed in myself.

I've also always planned to make a post when we started learning about special relativity in class. A momentous day, the day when the questions where finally answered, the day when the universe made sense, the day I could call myself a physicist. But the day never happened. Well, it happened just not the way I imagined! I still don't get it... I mean I get it what they are saying but not how or why! So I'm still holding out for that wonderful day... One day...

Since I last posted I got rejected from Imperial but am no closer to deciding where to put as my first choice. I've set myself a deadline of the weekend and have decided to try an emotional test to see where I really want to go. I have until Wednesday of wanting to go to Nottingham, then I will make myself want to go to Warwick until Saturday and see which was better/easier or just postpone the deadline when I realise yet again that I have absolutely no idea what I want.

Results day was last week! As it happens I did quite well in the end! In further maths AS, I now have an A grade without any resits which I am completely shocked and very proud of. All that geography tortuous revision paid off as I have an A there too now, only dropped 4 marks! And then physics and chemistry... I got B's in both so will resit but it isn't the end of the world by any means! Except that I need an A in physics... And then had an end of unit test for physics last week and got 59%... Things aren't looking too great for physics in the summer! Maybe geography would be a better choice for me for uni... LOL! Today I spent a whole geography lesson looking at random videos such as this one. The dance moves are quite special...


I also got a new nerdy T-shirt:

I love it!!

Whta??!

There's been something playing on my mind this weekend that I just can't get over... I can't understand how there is a flaw in this simple but contradictory maths.You see the problem is this:

A third times 3 is clearly 1 whole right? But then when you convert a third to its decimal equivalent it is 0.3 recurring. Now multiply 0.3 recurring by 3 and you will get 0.9 recurring. Surely it should be 1?! Now I see that 0.9 recurring can be rounded to one without losing much accuracy but it is still incorrect to say that 0.9 recurring is equal to 1, right? Right? Oh my goodness... My stupid calculator messed it up because it converts everything into fractions! I wonder what my old calculator would have done...