Class Update

I hope everyone is having a relaxing Labor Day weekend and enjoying time with family and friends.

Mr. Schmadeke here with yet another physics class update!

The West Valley View Newspaper will be out next week to snap some photos of students in action and to check out our PowerWheels and Wall projects. Honor’s Physics Students: Remember to check with friends, family, neighbors and on Craigslist for free (out of order) PowerWheels. I’m looking forward to the drag race around the E-Hallway! I had to laugh on Friday because one group totally disassembled their entire PowerWheel. Remember, we’re just rewiring them, not stretching them into six-seater, roll-cage, long travel suspension, 60mph golf carts. Although, the addition of 12V neon lights below the chassis would be cool…

Honor’s Physics
While students may argue otherwise, it was a blast watching certain honors physics students pull their hair out and struggle through figuring out the quantitative side of magnetic forces.

Two quick points:

A) When a charge moves in an electric field, the field does “work” on it, which introduces the concept of potential, or the work done on the charge (W). If you divide work by the magnitude of the charge (q) (work per Coulomb), one can arrive at this: V=W/q

B) Electric motors usually have permanent magnets built into them (Thanks Xavier!), and the fields they create cut through electric coils that rotate. The coils are the objects that turn in an electric motor, which works because the force on the electric coil generates a torque.

I think the Boston question (#4) on the alternative assignment drove most students crazy.

The magnetic field in Boston, Massachusetts has a horizontal component to the north of 0.18 x 10¯4 T and a vertical component of 0.52 x 10¯4 T straight downward. a) What is the magnitude and direction of Earth’s magnetic field in Boston? b) If a 2.0-m-long household wire is carrying a current of 15 A in a direction perpendicular to the field, what is the magnitude of the magnetic force experienced by the wire?

Remember to always argue your point! Many of you just “accepted” my vague responses as fact and immediately sat down and stopped thinking for yourself. I encourage each of you to put up an argument when appropriate. http://www.wikihow.com/Argue-With-Teachers

Conceptual Physics
The Walls of Doom have taken shape and are ready for wiring. I’ve been tremendously impressed with how sturdy the projects are turning out. Have you thought about how your team will run the wires to incorporate the two outlets, switch and light? If you haven’t already googled it, now might be a great time to do so! I was wondering if it might be a good idea to switch to metal boxes instead of the blue plastic ones… Your thoughts? I’ve checked out a few How-To Electricity books from the public library and will have them available on Tuesday for reference.

Two thumbs up for the great work in keeping things on the “safe” side. I appreciate you wearing the hearing and eye protection and for practicing the safety tips we discussed in class.


Take care,
Mr. Schmadeke