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!!