SCIENCE FAIR '09!

The day has come! September 1, 2009 was our scheduled date for the

Science On The Move science fair 2009 at Island City Mall, Tagbilaran City.

The day before, we were told that our meeting place will be at the Bus Terminal

in front of the new building at exactly 5 o'clock in the morning.

For sure, everyone was very excited especially the Freshmen

for that was their first time on a tour as a high school student.

Students arrived already. Some were still sleepy,

but there are also some who are energetic enough already.

Teenagers can't help but to make noise so the teachers made sure that

everyone is behaving well.

We have 3 buses occupied. Each bus was occupied by two sections

together with their respective teachers.

Our departure was approximately 6:00 in the morning.

Everyone have fun on our way to Tagbilaran.

On our bus, we prayed the rosary while on our way.

Opening of the Science Fair!

When we arrived at Island City Mall, it was almost lunch time. So first thing first, we went with our classmates or companion and ate lunch with them. Some ate at the fastfood or restaurant inside the mall and some also brought their own lunch with them. After our lunch, we were given time to wander around the mall while waiting for the program to start. When we were called by our teachers, we gather around the activity area ready for the program. We found ourselves comfortable sitting on the chairs.

When the program started, different person with high ranks started delivering out their speeches and thoughts for this said event. Some also sang for us to be entertained too.

After the program, we directly went at the parking lot of the mall wherein the exhibits were displayed. As you can see from the picture below, we were preparing to enter the mobile. But before that, we witnessed the cutting of the balloon as the sign of opening this science fair.

We formed a line and started to walk through and found ourselves inside the mobile fascinated by different exhibits that they prepared.

3-D Glasses

Different exhibits were there on the science mobile. One of these is 3D Glasses. We watched a video clip and we noticed how it differs from what we usually see on TV using 3D glasses. We held the 3-D glasses near our eyes (the blue glass on our right eye) and viewed the video clip through them.
So, what happened? The video clip is an anaglyph, a stereoscopic motion or still picture in which images are made up of two color layers, but offset with respect to each other to produce a depth effect.
The picture in the video clip contains two differently filtered colored images, one for each eye. The filters on the glasses allow only one image to enter each eye, and your brain fuses this into perception of a three-dimensional scene or composition.

Anti-Gravity Mirror

At first, we were very curious what a single mirror does in that science fair. We observed for a few minutes until a guy came up to us and explained what the mirror is for. He stood on the right side of the mirror and aligned his nose to the mirror’s edge. He positioned himself within the 45-degree angle with the mirror. We watched him as he lifted his leg and moved his left arm up and down. As he did that movement, he appeared to be flying. Did you know why?
The human body exhibits bilateral symmetry. This means that only one plane, called the sagittal plane, divides the body into roughly mirror image halves (external appearance only). The two halves can be referred to as the right and left halves. The right half is similar to the left half in size, shape and parts.

Archimedes' Screw

Have you seen marbles moving up the screw? Well, we did saw it through Archimedes’ screw. At each turn of the screw, it’s lower end scoops up the returning marbles. These marbles become trapped in the spaces between the screw thread. With the continuous turning of the screw, marbles slide up the length of the screw and exit a hole near the upper end of the plastic tube. Then, each marble rolls down a loping frame with guiding pins. They enter the lower hole for their return and the cycle is repeated.
This screw is historically used for transferring water from a low-lying body of water into irrigation ditches in the Nile delta in Egypt and for pumping out water from ships. It is named after its inventor, the Greek mathematician and physicist Archimedes (237-212 BC.).

Bernoulli Blower

We scooped up Bernoulli Blower. Everyone did have fun trying this exhibit. We spotted Kaye and Jane trying. They placed the ball on top of the air nozzle and got on the bike then pedaled it. They took turns and pedaled the bike as fast as they can and the ball floated in the air. Do you know why that happened?
The ball stays afloat because the air from the blower exerts an upward force on the ball. The faster you pedal, the higher the ball will float.
When the ball is pulled partly out of the air stream, the air that is moving fast along the side of the ball exerts less sideways pressure on the ball than the still air in the room. The greater pressure of the surrounding air pushes the ball back to the center.

Bone Stress

From the instructions, we looked at the plastic bone and gently pushed the lever to squeeze the bone.
The plastic bone represents human thigh bone or femur. When we squeezed the bone, we saw stress patterns because the plastic bone is mounted between two polarizing filters.
Stress patterns and concentrations like ones visible in the plastic are also present in our bones, as they flex under the daily loads imposed upon them.

Colored Shadows

First, we turned on all the three lights and block the path with our hand. We turned off one switch at a time and observed the color of light produced when we turned off the red light or green light or blue light.
When we blocked the path of light over the table top, it produced three colored shadows: cyan, magenta, and yellow. The color of each shadow is the complement of the color of the light source- red, green and blue. These three primary colors make up white.


When we moved our hand closer to the table top, all parts of the colored shadows overlap. These overlapping areas are primary colors. The part where all the primary and complementary colors overlap is black.

Eddy Current Brake

We lifted two aluminum rings up to the top of the plastic tube. We dropped the bottom ring first, then the top ring.
The bottom ring fell faster because it has a slit across its width. When this ring went down the tube, eddy current is prevented from forming. That is why it fell fast. The ring without slit went down slowly.

Eddy Current Discs

The exhibit demonstrates the interaction between the magnetic fields of the aluminum discs and those of the permanent magnet which causes the discs to rotate. The middle disc has no gaps and rotates faster than the other two. It has a strong magnetic field because the eddy currents are interrupted and therefore much stronger than the disc with gaps.

Ferro Fluid

In this exhibit, we rotated the disc to move the magnet attached to it and we observed the black fluid on the pan.
The black fluid is Ferro fluid. This liquid is a colloidal mixture of small magnetic particles suspended in a liquid carrier. Ferrofluid becomes strongly polarized in the presence of a magnetic field. When the magnet is moved out of the pan, ferrofluid is dragged up to the side of the container.

Finger Tingler

When we rotate the crank, electricity is produced as indicated by the movement of the voltmeter needle. When someone placed a finger on a brass plate then rotate the crank, it felt nothing in he’s finger. But when someone placed two fingers on the two brass plates and then rotates the crank, there’s a tingling feeling or mild electric shock in the fingers. This indicates that electricity flows through the finger as in a closed circuit.

Flashing Pendulum

The pendulum bob has a magnet at the end. On each swing, the magnet crosses a coil of copper wire assembly. The LED (light emitting diode) bulbs light up as the magnet passes the coil.
The exhibit demonstrates the phenomenon of inducing a current by changing the magnetic field in a coil of wire. This phenomenon called Electromagnetic Induction is the basis for the design of all electric generators.

Floating in Aluminum

In this exhibit, we raised and lower the lifting magnet to make the small magnet float between the two aluminum slabs. We tried to keep the magnet floating between the slabs by adjusting the lifting magnet.
We noticed that the closer the magnet is to the aluminum, the slower it moves. As we draw the lower magnet up with the upper magnet, the motion includes eddy currents that slow down the lower magnet’s motion. This effectively sets up a feedback system slow enough for us to keep the magnet suspended in mid-air.

Following Faces

We stood from a distance and looked at the faces. We walked to the left and to the right as we looked at the faces. We also lowered and raised our body while looking at the faces. The face is a concave translucent mask. Our eye-brain system has learned that faces are usually convex, that is, curved outward rather than concave. When we walked, the face seemed to turn and follow us wherever we went. When we moved up & down, the face also seems to nod. This makes the entire face appear to be following us.

Frozen Shadow

While roaming around the displays, we ended up on a small, dark room covered with black curtains. We found out that that exhibit is called "FROZEN SHADOW". We were familiar with this one because we also saw it on our previous science fair. Many students were entertained by this one. Some even gotten into arguements if who will try first.

This exhibit is fun because of it's special effect. Someone pressed the button and we went near the wall. We made a funny pose while waiting for the flash and then stepped away from the wall. And then, do you know what happened?

Our shadow was still on the wall. That was very interesting for us. The wall is painted using glow-in-the-dark pigments and white paint binder. The pigments or phosphors absorb light and continue to glow for 2 to 3 minutes even after the light switches off.

Head on a Platter

You can see the head on top of the platter because it is the only part of the body left uncovered. The table legs clip the mirror's edges so that you hardly notice that the two front sides of the tables are actually mirrors. This gives the illusion that the head - the only visible part is separated from the body!

Gravity Well

When the coin lands on the well, the force of gravity should make it go straight down to the hole. Instead, the coin moves round and round the cone gradually moving towards and into the hole.

Hexagonal Kaleidoscope

We pushed the button to turn the video on. We look through the hexagonal viewer and we saw many identical images through it. We saw moving images. When we looked directly through the kaleidoscope, we saw an image in the center and on each of the six sides of the kaleidoscope. All six images on the sides were identical to the one in the center.

Here are some shots that we took:

Hot Spot

We held our hand in front of the dish and moved it until we felt the hottest part. The hot spot is close to the dish's focal point. The focal point is where parallel light waves directed at the dish is concentrated. The parabolic shape of the dish captures heat from the lamp and focuses it to a single point.

Hydropower

When we pressed the button, a motor pump was switched on to transfer water to an elevated container. Water gains potential due to its height. This potential energy is converted to kinetic energy when water falls on the turbine.

Hydropower is the energy of moving water. The largest use of this is to produce electricity, w/c allows low-cost energy to be used at long distances from the water source.

Hyperbolic Slot

The double curve cut into the acrylic board is an example of a “hyperbola”. Two parts of a hyperbola are formed when a pair of cones, joined at their tips, is intersected by a plane parallel to the axes of the cone.
In this exhibit, the stick traces out the surface of the pair of cones, while the acrylic board acts as the plane intersecting the cones. The slot was cut to follow the exact path of the hyperbolic intersection.

Hyperboloid String

The exhibit is a model of the quadratic surface called a hyperboloid of one sheet. It is an example of a surface of revolution wherein the shape is produced by rotating a hyperbola (two parabolas) about the perpendicular bisector to the line between the foci.
The hyperboloid of one sheet is first discovered by Archimedes. In 1669 Christopher Wren, the architect who designed St. Paul’s Cathedral in London, showed that this kind of hyperboloid is what mathematicians now call a ruled surface – a surface composed of infinitely many straight lines.

Illusions

In this exhibit, we saw a white equilateral triangle but in fact none is drawn. This effect is known as a subjective or illusory contour. Also the non-existent white triangle appears to be brighter than the surrounding area. Actually, it has the same brightness as the area around it.

Look Who's Talking

The exhibit can be perceived either as two white faces looking at each other with a black background, or as a black vase on a white background. When we pushed the button, the persons appear to be talking to each other.
This exhibit is classified as figure-background illusion. The shape of the figure depends on which side of the outline is regarded as a part. The changes in the figure that we saw may be due to our shift of attention on the shape of the outline. Our experiences and interests can influence how we perceived the figure. This would affect our inclination as to which side of the outline should be given emphasis.

Magnetic Field

In this exhibit, it helps us to visualize magnetic field lines by observing the effect that the lines have on compasses. The magnet generates a magnetic field which extends to the area around the magnet. Magnetic fields affect a compass. A compass is built as a stand-alone sealed instrument with a magnetized needle turning freely on a nearly frictionless pivot point. It can be used to detect small magnetic field.
The exhibit identifies the magnetic field of a magnet by placing compasses at various locations around the bar magnet and observing where the compass needles point. As it goes closer to the magnet, the compass begins point more and more toward the magnet as a result of the force, or the magnetic field of the magnet. The compass needle aligns itself with the magnetic flux lines of the magnet.

Magnetizer/De-magnetizer

In this exhibit, we placed the tip of the modified screwdriver between the magnets, and we removed it at the same manner after a few seconds. Then, we touched the top of the metal washer with the screwdriver and picked it up, and we rubbed the tip of the screwdriver against the top of the magnet, and picked it up.
Magnets attract some materials. The tip of the screwdriver is made up of materials that are attracted by magnet. They are called magnetic materials. All these materials are metals. It is possible to magnetize and de-magnetize magnetic materials. Stroking a magnetic material such as the screwdriver with a permanent magnet causes tiny magnetic domains in the material to align. The material itself becomes a temporary magnet. It attracts the washer which is a magnetic material.
Rubbing the screw driver’s tip on the top of the ring magnet will arrange magnetic domains in random. The screwdriver becomes non-magnetic again. That is why it cannot pick up the washer.

Mirage

In this exhibit, the object that we saw is actually an image in space created by two concave mirrors facing each other.
The object is placed at the center of the bottom mirror. When light from a point on the object hits the top mirror, it reflects in parallel rays. These parallel rays hit the bottom mirror and reflect so that they come together and form a point located at one focal length from the bottom mirror. The image produced by the mirror is a real image, since the light that forms it actually passes through the location of the image.

Money Detector

When we placed the bill under the lamp (the device that let us know if the bill is genuine or fake), some parts of the bill glow and reveal interesting marks. The marks are called fluorescent prints and they fluoresce or glow when exposed to the lamp.
The money detector has a special bulb called the UV lamp or black light. This emits ultraviolet light which causes the fluorescent dye on the bill to light up. Fluorescent marks usually portray the denomination of the bill. The dye is also incorporated in the serial numbers and security fibers. This causes them to glow as well.

Pedal Power

Two of our classmates tried this exhibit, when they pedaled slowly, the lower bulbs light up, when they pedaled faster, all the bulbs light up and we also heard a musical sound.
Energy transformation makes these things happened. Energy exists in one form or another- it cannot be created nor destroyed.

Photovaltic Cells

Pressing the button switches on the two focusing lamps. The solar panel directly converts light energy from the lamp into electricity. A mini fan at the bottom of the tube blows air that keeps the ball floating. The height of the ball depends on the speed of the fan which itself depends on energy recieved from the lamps. Regulate the amount of light from the lamps to see how it affects the output which is the height of the ball. Readings on the ammeter and voltmeter show the amount of current and voltage respectively.

Plasma Sphere

The plasma sphere is made up of a glass flask that contains a mixture of inert gases under a reduced pressure. At the center of the flask is an electrode that releases electrical energy. When electrical energy passes through the gas mixture, atoms that make up the gases become highly ionized. We saw these ionized gases, called plasma, streaming from the central electrode towards the glass like short lightning bolts.
When we touch the surface of the sphere or even just hold your fingers very close to the surface, the streaks move towards your fingers. When you move your fingers over the surface, the streaks move and follow your fingers. Your fingers conduct electricity, “looking for an outlet to discharge.”

Rotating Discs

In this exhibit there are two discs, the depth spinner disc and the Ben ham’s disc. In the first disc, when we stared at the moving pattern, our eyes and brain got used to seeing the movement. When we looked at the wall, it appeared to be moving. On the second disc, when we gazed at one place, we were looking at alternating flashes of black and white. Our eyes and brain could see the white color only when all three cones were responding equally.