Category: Technology

Seeing temperature, kinetic energy and color

We read that temperature is the average kinetic energy of a substance but you can (especially if you’re a visual learner) nicely internalize this from simple videos or animations. UCAR has a little animation with their definition of temperature. I however, adapted an interactive, 3d animation that I think does a nice job, and also introduces a couple of other interesting concepts too.

I’ve also used this model, at different times, to show:

  • The relationship between temperature and color emitted by objects. The main way we know the temperature of stars is because blue stars are hotter than red stars. Blue light has a shorter wavelength than red light, and things that are at higher temperatures emit shorter wavelengths.
  • Absolute zero (0 Kelvin) – where (almost) all motion stops and the objects stop emitting light.
  • Pressure in a gas – you really get a feel for the force exerted by the particles on the side of the box (although it might be even more interesting once I figure out how to add sound).

It is an interactive model, but it’s pretty simple because the only control is a slider that lets you set the temperature.

Finally, in the age of 3d movies, like Avatar, the models can be easily shown in 3d if you have the glasses (redcyan).

The model is easy to install and run on Windows, but you have to install the programming language VPython separately on a Mac (but that isn’t very hard). I have this, and a bunch of other models, at http://earthsciweb.org/GeoMod/.

Evil, mad, scientist!

Why have I not found this site before, Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories. A place where people will put serious thought, rigorous design and atrocious single-mindedness to create, well I’m not sure I can call it anything other than, “very interesting” projects. Applications of robotics that would make Asimov cry (probably with joy at human ingenuity, probably).

They carefully detail how to create such wonderful projects as:

And many more interesting and eclectic projects for an interesting middle school.

Auto-Tune and the trajectory of fads

This intelligently done history of Auto-Tune is wonderful for several reasons. First, it has a simple, elegantly executed story arc, where it describes the trajectory of a fad from introduction to over-exposure to parody/remix and finally to a new equilibrium. And it discusses these concepts in a clear and entertaining way.

Know Your Meme: Auto Tune (featuring “Weird Al” Yankovic) from Rocketboom on Vimeo.

Second, Auto-Tune is a great example of something that was created for one purpose but finds a new life in a completely different discipline. The technology was created for analyzing seismic signals in petroleum exploration before being applied to music. It is amazing what can come from working with people of diverse backgrounds, and having a broad appreciation of the world. Group work is important.

Third, in touching on parody, it brings up an issue that adolescents, in particular need to understand; parody is not just a cheap joke, it has something important to say. It uses humor to address significant issues:

While making fun of something is easy [mockery], parody requires a study of both technique and form, before creating its own recontextualization.

Third, the overexposure stage of fads and memes is something everyone should be aware of. The meme infiltrates so many aspects of the culture that it becomes irritating. As a Middle School teacher I see it primarily in the language my students use. By introducing this concept to my student, we now have a common language for talking about at least one type issues in the classroom.

Finally, equilibrium. An important concept in natural and social science, the concept is neatly encapsulated in how the fad starts off small, overshoots and gets smaller but does not disappear as there remains some lower level of use.

The future of SketchUp

World Builder from BranitVFX on Vimeo.

Google’s SketchUp software is a great way to work on, and test, higher level geometry skills. This video is a well made, poignant introduction to what software like SketchUp could one day become. It has excellent story development, and has produced a great response from my students.

Asynchronous lessons

Halite
3D model of halite unit cell from GeoMod

An interesting thing happened last week that I perhaps should have anticipated. Because we had a little extra time during Thanksgiving week I offered to do a technology lesson on 3d programming if anyone was interested. One student was very interested and a couple others wanted to do it later. I usually try to do basic lessons for everyone at the same time in order to save time, but because the one students was very excited about the lesson I just gave it to them.

Over the next two days, the first student had given the lesson to another who’d planned to wait until later, and I was having requests from other students who had not been interested in programming at all to be able to do the subject.

I guess I learned a couple things from this. First, that asynchronous lessons might be something I should do more often. If certain students are more interested in the subject then the lesson is more effective given to them. Second, that student interest in infectious. If they are excited about a subject they tend to want to share with others, and that seems like a very effective way of propagating information; each student only gets the info when their interest has been sparked. Furthermore, since different students are more interested in different subjects they, theoretically, all have the opportunity to be the expert, if they’re interested in that type of recognition. The trick, I guess, is making sure that everyone gets the lesson and information at some point before they loose interest.