Frog Dissection

Well, we finally did it today. We got to dissect a frog. Not everyone has the guts to slice open a frog. Some queasy students just dread the thought of cutting open something that was alive. But what’s the big deal? We’re in science class. Aren’t we supposed to dissect animals in science class? Besides, the frog was dead already. I was kind of hesitant about dissecting a frog. I guess I was listening to all those queasy complainers. But it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. In fact, it was really interesting. There were four people in my group. We each took turns cutting out different parts of the frog. The first parts I saw were the liver and the fat bodies. Once I removed the liver, I saw the other organs such as the stomach, large intestine and the small intestine. I don’t think I need to list all the internal organs of a frog. I think most of you should know them. As for my group, during the dissection we were given permission to remove an eyeball from the frog. As we were trying to remove the eyeball, we learned an important lesson. Eyeballs are very delicate (because we popped it before we could get it out). During this dissection, I learned a lot. Since a frog is a vertebrate, I learned how a frog’s internal organs are similar to humans. I also learned that taking out a frog’s eyeball requires skill and a delicate hand.

In my opinion, dissection of frogs really helps you learn about the anatomy of the animal. Sure you can look at pictures and drawing, but seeing the real thing is much more interesting than pictures. I, like most students, learn best by seeing, touching and feeling objects. Dissecting a frog or any animal can be messy and gross, but they are very good learning experiences.

By:

greendragon

The Snowicane

We can all thank last week’s snowicane for our early dismissal on Thursday and our snow day on Friday. Meteorologists named last week’s heavy snowstorm a snowicane. Well, what exactly is a snowicane? According to the forecasting service, AccuWeather who coined the term, a snowicane is a snowstorm with hurricane-force winds and rain which can cause flooding.

Well how did the snowicane formed? Winter storms, such as the snowicane, usually form from the clash of two air masses of different temperatures and moisture levels. The water cycle plays an important part in the formation of snowstorms, like the snowicane. Warm ocean water evaporates into the atmosphere. The water then condenses into tiny droplets. As more and more water vapor condenses, the droplets grow. Cold air freezes this water into ice crystals. As the ice crystals come into contact with a warmer air mass, the air masses combine. They cause the ice crystals to melt a little to form snowflakes. Last week, weather forecasters monitored a low-pressure system, a whirling mass of warm, moist air, heading up the East Coast towards another system from the west. One system had moist and warm air from the Atlantic while the other contained colder air from the northwest. When these two air masses combined the snowicane was formed. The energy source that a hurricane needs in order to form and strengthen is warm ocean water. As ocean water evaporates and forms water vapor, heat energy is carried up into the atmosphere. When the water vapor condenses back into liquid water in a cloud, it releases this stored heat energy. The rising air spirals produce a low-pressure zone at the surface where thunderstorms begin to form. As these thunderstorms become more organized, they produce a cluster called a tropical disturbance. This storm system can continue to strengthen and begin to rotate, leading to the formation of a hurricane. All the earth's weather is dependent on that portion of the water cycle concerning evaporation and condensation (resulting in precipitation). So as you can see, the formation of a snowicane and a hurricane both require evaporation of warm ocean water and condensation resulting in precipitation in order to form.

The snowicane produced wind gusts of up to 91-94 mph in New Hampshire and Maine. These winds speeds were well above hurricane-force winds of 74mph.

The precipitation from a hurricane is heavy rain. The precipitation produced by the snowicane was a combination of snow and heavy rain. It produced a wet, heavy snow.

When a hurricane comes onto land, its heavy rains and strong winds can cause major flooding and wind damage to buildings, cars and trees. The snowicane did a lot of damage to cities along the east coast. Schools were closed. Major businesses and government offices also closed. Like a hurricane, the snowicane’s high winds and heavy rain downed trees and power lines and caused coastal flooding. It brought many forms of transportation to a standstill. It caused numerous power outages.

The global pattern of storms, like the snowicane as well as hurricanes, is affected by a combination of factors. This winter’s severe and more frequent snowstorms were caused by a combination of El Nino, a warm patch of water in the Pacific, the Arctic Oscillation and the North Atlantic Oscillation. The Arctic Oscillation and the North Atlantic Oscillation are both sending colder than usual air toward the eastern part of the United States. When all three factors are combined, much of the U.S., especially the North and East, experience cold, stormy, and snowy weather.

Meteorologists named last week’s snowstorm a snowicane because of its similarities to a hurricane. Like a hurricane, the snowicane brought with it not only heavy snow it brought hurricane-force winds and heavy rains. It caused major flooding in certain areas. Like a hurricane, the snowicane caused major damages to building and trees. The snowstorm’s similarities to a hurricane are the reason why meteorologists coined the name, snowicane.

By:

greendragon

Resources:

http://www.weatherwizkids.com/weather-hurricane.htm
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35627330/ns/weather/
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/snow-hurricane-threatens-east-coast-snow-flooding-winds/story?id=9931285&page=2
http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/02/28/2010-02-28_forecasters_fight_over_storms_call.html
http://www.usatoday.com/weather/climate/2006-04-19-global-climate-patterns_x.htm
http://www.learner.org/interactives/weather/iceandsnow.html

Global Warming

What is global warming? We hear this phrase on TV all the time. We see it in the headlines of newspapers and magazines. Well, global warming is an increase in the average temperature of the Earth’s surface. Global warming is the result of the greenhouse effect. When greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, water vapor and nitrous oxide, trap heat and light from the sun they cause the temperature on Earth to increase. Natural concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere help keep Earth warm enough to support life. But man’s increased use of fossil fuels, industrialization, pollution and deforestation have created much more greenhouse gases which in turn has caused the temperature on Earth to increase at a faster rate than ever before. The concentration of carbon dioxide increased from 290 ppm (parts per million) in 1900 to 316 ppm in 1959. This represented an average increase of 0.44 ppm per year. The concentration of carbon dioxide has increased from 316 ppm in 1959 to 387 ppm in 2009. This represented an average increase of 1.41 ppm per year. About 75% of the annual increase in carbon dioxide is caused by man’s use of fossil fuels. As the amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouses gases have increased, so has the Earth’s temperature. The 10 warmest years on record have occurred between the years 1997 to 2008. People may think, what’s the big deal? The earth is getting warmer. How can warmer temperatures hurt us? According to scientists, global warming is a worldwide issue that affects all of us. Glaciers around the world are melting causing sea levels to rise and causing water shortages to areas dependent on their melting ice as a source of water. Montana’s Glacier National Park has only 27 glaciers versus the 150 glaciers it had in 1910. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), sea levels could rise between 7 and 23 inches by the end of the century. As sea levels rise, the water covers many plants of low lying islands causing them to die. Plants are a food source. As they die off, animals and humans loose an important source of food. As sea levels rise and cover low lying islands, animals as well as humans will loose their habitants. Approximately 100,000,000 people living in coastal cities may some day loose their homes to rising sea levels. The effects of global warming have also been attributed to the increased numbers of forest fires, droughts, heat waves, cold waves and tropical storms. All of these have had a negative impact on our societies.


In my opinion, global warming is having a significant impact on plants, animals and humans around the world. The temperatures on Earth are warming up. As temperatures on Earth increase, certain species of plants as well as animals will loose their food sources and habitats and unless they can adapt to their new environments they will eventually be driven to extinction. Humans are also being affects by the erratic changes in weather brought on by global warming. Global warming is a serious world-wide problem that everyone needs to confront and solve. We only have one Earth. We must begin taking care of it before the damages we have done to it become irreversible.



By:greendragon

References:

http://globalwarming.sdsu.edu/
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/12/1206_041206_global_warming_2.html

The Tragedy of the Himalayas

Scientists are concerned about the impact of climate change on the Himalayas. Reports show that the amount of precipitation (snowfall) in the Himalayas during the last twenty-five years has dropped as temperatures have risen. The glaciers store precipitation as land ice. As precipitation decreases, the sizes of the glaciers in the Himalayas decrease. The glaciers of the Himalayas and the Tibetan Plateau, which covers parts of India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan and China, are the water tower of Asia. Every spring, the thawing ice and snow from the glaciers provide water to the region’s rivers and in turn provides water to the billions of people who live in the region. The melting ice provides a regular and dependable source of water to the huge population that lives downstream from the Himalayas. Independent scientific studies indicate that the Himalayan glaciers are melting fast probably because of warming temperatures brought on by global warming. Since 1960, almost a fifth of the Indian Himalayas’ ice coverage has disappeared. The 2007 global-warming assessment by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change concluded that the glaciers in the Himalayas were “receding faster than at any other place in the world.” If global warming continues, the glaciers of the Himalayas will decrease in size and in their ability to provide water to the billions of people dependent on them. As the population increases and the amount of melting ice decreases, competition for water will grow.

In my opinion the studies done by these scientists will make people more aware of the effects of global warming on the Himalayas. When we think of the effects of global warming, we usually think about the Arctic only. Now these studies will show that global warming is not just having an effect of the Arctic, it’s also having an effect on the Himalayas and most likely other areas we have not heard about. These studies will hopefully convince people as well as the world governments to do something to prevent future global warming.

By:greendragon

Reference:

http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1929071_1929070_1945667,00.html

Agricultural Chemist

“Significant Amount” of Water Found on Moon

Anthony Colaprete, a project scientist from NASA’s Ames Research Center, recently announced that a “significant amount” of water had been found on the moon. On October 9, 2009, the Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) crashed into the lunar south pole of the moon in a crater called Cabeus. The crash created a plume of debris. The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) collected data from the impact. Scientists then analyzed this data. Preliminary data from spectrographic instruments discovered evidence of water ice (or frozen water) on the moon. Based on the data, scientists estimated about 100 kilograms of water, the equivalent of about a dozen 2 gallon buckets, was present in the impact area. Scientists were impressed by the amount of water found in the small 20 meter impact crater. Experts believe that discovery of water on the moon is a major discovery because the water ice on the moon could be melted and cleaned to drink or be used to extract hydrogen for rocket fuel. Since NASA plans to send astronauts back to the moon in 2020 for extended missions, the presence of water on the moon will be a valuable asset to them.

In my opinion the discovery of water ice on the moon will have a great impact on the exploration of the moon. The water ice detected on the moon could be used for drinking water or in making rocket fuel. The discovery of water on the moon could mean that the moon may be able to sustain life one day. This could lead to the establishment of lunar bases.

Reference:

http://www.livescience.com/space/091113-lcross-moon-crash-water-discovery.html

By:

greendragon

Lab Safety

The laboratory is a place of great discovery and learning. But it can also be a place of danger. There are always dangers associated with the use of chemicals, flames and glass. Certain equipment and chemicals in a lab can cause serious harm. Lab safety rules are designed to help keep us and everyone else in class safe when experimenting. Be smart by always following all the lab safety rules.

Always wear proper clothing when working in the lab. This means that safety goggles must be worn at all time. I know that safety goggles are not fashionable and can feel uncomfortable on your face, but they need to be worn when working with chemicals or any heating apparatus. Long hair should be tied back. Wear proper shoes to protect your feet. Sandals or open toed shoes are not recommended because chemicals can be spilled or splattered on your feet or shattered glass can cut your feet. Do not wear contact lenses while in the lab. Even when worn under safety goggles, corrosive fumes can accumulate under the lens and cause serious eye injuries. Be aware of any clothing or jewelry that may dangle into chemicals or flames.

Always be prepared for class. Read all the directions for an experiment. Be sure to follow the directions exactly as they are written. Strict adherence to the directions will prevent any accidents. Be careful not to spill any chemical. Handle all equipment with extreme care. Ask the teacher if you are unsure of what to do.

Be cautious in the lab. Do not reach over flames. Point the opening of a test tube away from yourself and others when heating it. Keep materials way from flames.
Use tongs to pick up or hold hot containers. According to an article on lab safety published by the US Consumer Product Safety Commission, hot glassware looks just like cold glassware. (http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2007-107/pdfs/2007-107.pdf) Do not dispose of chemicals in the trash or sink unless you have permission from the teacher. According to the article, “Chemistry Laboratory Safety Rules”, some chemicals can be put down the drains. Others need to be dispose of in other ways. If a chemical is disposed of in the drain, make sure to run the water to wash it away rather than risk an unexpected chemical reaction between leftover chemicals in the drain later. (http://chemistry.about.com/od/healthsafety/a/aa080104a.htm) Never mix chemicals for fun and never ever touch, taste or smell a chemical.

Be aware of all safety equipment in the lab. Be aware of the location of the first aid kit, eye wash station, fire blanket and fire extinguishers.

Be aware of first aid procedures. Report all accidents to the teacher no matter how minor you may think they are. Minor burns should be soaked in cold water. If someone faints, give them fresh air. Apply pressure to bleeding wounds and notify the teacher immediately so that medical attention can be contacted. Report any poisoning immediately to the teacher.

While learning about laboratory safety I came across some interesting facts. I was surprised to learn that the accident rate in school laboratories is more than one hundred times greater than the accident rate in professional laboratories.(http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/541239/killer_science_lab_safety_is_important.html) Another interest fact I learned was that contact lenses should not be worn during lab because chemicals can get behind contact lenses and may cause serious damage to your eye before the lenses can be removed. Some corrosive chemicals can cause the contact lenses to melt while you’re wearing them. Something else interesting I learned was that it’s hard to tell if a test tube is hot or cold so always play it safe and use tongs to pick it up.

In my opinion lab safety rules are extremely important. A lab is a great place to experiment and learn new things but performing experiments with chemicals and certain equipment can be dangerous. We should all follow the lab safety rules to ensure a safe laboratory environment for ourselves and the people we are working with. I have learned that wearing the proper clothing such as goggles will not make me look cool but they will protect my eyes from dangerous chemicals. I have also learned that reading all experiment instructions prior to starting an experiment and following the instructions will prevent accidents. Following lab safety rules will enable us to learn new things without exposing ourselves or our classmates to the dangers of lab work.

By: greendragon