Mineral Lab

Earth Layers

First Layer: Lithosphere
Activities: Brainpop video and music video.
Topics: Earthquakes, volcanoes, seismic waves and plate boundaries.


For my topics I watched raps of Seismic Waves and Plate Boundaries. Seismic waves are waves caused by Earthquakes. Seismic waves consists in 3 types of waves. P- Waves are elastic waves that can travel through gases, solid and liquid, including the earth. P- Waves are very fast and can move track and forth. Then we have S- Waves are the waves with lowest energy and they move up and down. At least we have Surface Waves that are the most powerful waves. And raps of Plate Boundaries. Plates boundaries consists in 3 types of boundaries. Those boundaries are convergent, divergent and transform. When two plates come together (converge), they create mountaisn or if one comes down the other it cause a volcanoe to be form. When the plates separte from each other (Diverge) tre crust broke up apart causing magma to came out, but it depends were it happen, if land or sea, this process make mid-ocean ridges or a rift valley. When two plates move past each other (transform) it cause an earthquake. And also I watched brainpop videos of Volcanoes and Earthquakes.


Layer 2: Asthenosphere
Activities: Foldables & mini-quiz and demostration lab
Topics: Plate tectonics, plate boundaries and convection currents.


For layer 2 I made foldables, quizes and a demostration lab. My foldables were about plate tectonics and plate boundaries. Plate boundaries are the two other layers of the earth's crust that move and float on the mantle. Also the mantle moves the heat to the interior of the earth and this force the plates to move depending on its temperature. If it's hot it would go up and if it's cold it would go down. And plate boundaries, that are composed by 3 types of boundaries. We have divirgent, convergent and transform. Divirgent is composed by 3 parts, Sea-floor Spreading, Mid-ocean Ridge and Rift Valleys. Convergent boundary is also composed by 3 parts. Subduction Zone, Deep-sea Trench and Mountain Building. At least we have Transform boundary which only consist in only transform boundary. I made a foldable of each and the quizes of each one. I made a lab with other classmates about the Convection Currents. The lab had 3 parts. First we place 4 cups upside down on the table, then we fill the plastic tub with water and we place it on top of the cups, at next we waited for the table to stop moving and then we put two drops of coloring food into the center of the tub and watched what happened. We did the same procedure for the other 2 parts, but in both of them something changed. In the second one we place other cup with hot water in the center of the tub and we put in two drops in the middle and watched what happened. In the last one we place a cup with hot water, but this time instead of putting the drops in the middle, we put them in  one side and observed what happened. We did this lab to compare this to the convection currents. Convection currents are plates that float on the top of the  mantle, which is very hot under big pressure causing the magma to go up and then sinks creating a circle. That's why we used hot and cold water, because the hot watter represented Outer Core and the cold water represented Crust.




Layer 3: Mantle
Activities: Evidence paper
Topics: Plate tectonics


For this layer I did evidence paper about the plate tectonics. I searched information about this topic on books that supported the theory of plate tectonics, providing different evidence and I made a reference paper. 
As we know plate tectonics are the other two layers of the earth that move and float because of the heat on the earth interior. There exists many theories that prove the evidence of plate tectonics. First I found about the theory of continental drift, which explains why the plates move and how crust forms through the ocean floor, moving the plates along with them moved by the force of the heat inside the earth. Also we have convection currents, which proves that because the heat on the earht interior was able to provide energy to move the plates and also cause a lot of features which is more realted to physical movement of plates, because the plates float on the top of the  mantle which is very hot and under big pressure, causing a circle in the earth. The last evidence I found about plate tectonics, was the evidence of sea-floor spreading that proves more than jus that the continents were moving. sea-floor spreading says that the upper mantle and crust are divided into separate plates, becuase the heat on the middle of the earth. Those are evidence that support the plates tectonics, each agreed that the heat on the earth interior cause the continents to move. 
 That was what I did for my project. 


Critical thinking question:


Do you agree with the theory of plate tectonics? Why or why not?


Yes because there are many evidence that prove that the theory of plate tectonics is right. First we have the theory of continental drift which says that plate tectonics was evidence the scientists found that was more acurate to support the theory of continental drift which cause the continents to move, moved by the force inside the earth caused by the heat inside it. Then we have the theory of convection currents which says that heat on the earth interior provided energy causing features on the earth and caused the plates to move by its force. At least because sea-floor spreading is explains how the upper mantle and crust were separate into plates because the heat on the earth interior which have such force to make contients(plates) to move on the top of the mantle. That's why I agree with the theory ofplate tectonics.


Reflection:


1. What did you enjoy mos about this project and why?


- That in each layer we had the opportunity to chose the activity and the topic.  Because it's better if each person chose the topic and activity they feel more confortable with and feel more interest in doing.


2.What was most challenging for you during this project and why?


- I think what was most challenging for me was that we had certain time to get this done and sometimes Ms. Kara was so busy helping others that sometimes she didn't had time to help you, and with each person doing different things it was kind of crazy.


3. What new skills did you learn from doing this project?


- Time management and be self sufficient, to work alone.


4. Is there anything that you could have done to imporve any of your work? Explain


- I think I should had been more quick in doing my work to finish on time and fix mistakes, because sometimes I was very confuse with the work that I was left behind. 

Lunar Phases

LUNAR PHASES

Vocabulary


New Moon / Luna Nueva - No moon, the moon is not visible
Waxing Crescent / Creciente - Less than half of the moon is visible and the moon face is on the right side.
First Quarter / Primer Cuarto - Half of the moon is visible and the moon face is on the right side.
Waxing Gibbous / Luna Creciente - More than half of the moon face is visible and is on the right side.
Full Moon / Luna Llena - All the moon is visible.
Waning Gibbous / Cuarto Menguante - More than half of the moon is visible and the moon face is on the left side.
Last Quarter / Ultimo Cuarto - Half of the moon is visible and the moon face is on the left side.
Waning Crescent / Menguante Creciente - Less than half of the moon is visible and the moon face is on the left side.
Waxing / Creciente - When the moon is growing, getting bigger.
Waning / Menguante - When the moon is shrinking, getting smaller.


Summary


The moon have to go trough a cicle, call phases of the moon. The moon phases repeats each month. The moon gets its light from the sun. For the moon to go around the earth it takes 28-31 days(1 month). The first phase of the moon is New Moon, this happens when there is no moon. After new moon we have Waxing Crescent, this phase of the moon is when the moon is getting bigger, less than half of the moon is visible and the face moon is on the right side. First Quarter is when half of the moon is visible and it's face is on the right side. Then we have Waxing Gibbous, it happens when more than half of the moon is visible and it's face is always on the right side when is Waxing. Then it goes to Full Moon, when the full moon is completely visible. Next we have Waning Gibbous, is when the moon is getting smaller, more than half of the moon is visible and it's face is always on the left side when is Waning. After that goes Last Quarter, is when half of the moon is visible, and it's face is on the left side. At least we have Waning Crescent, when the moon is getting smaller and the moon face is on the left side. This cycle repeats each month.


Video




Critical Thinking Question
How is earth affected by movement ( revolution )?


Earth is affected by it's own revolution and moon revolution because as the earht revolve over it's axis, and the lunar revolution movement cause the earth to have seasons. The four seasons are fall, winter, summer and spring. The moon, sun and earth have a big effect on the earth movement because of the solstices and equinoxes. The solstices point far away from the earht it can get the shortest day of the year. The equinoxes happens when the sun move up and then it move west, causing equal night and equal day. The equinox and solstice cause the earth to have four different seasons.


Reflection


1. What did you enjoy most about this project and why?


I enjoy the most finding information about our topics, because we were looking at something we dind't know much.


2.What was most challenging for you during this project and why?


I think that making the video, because that is something that we don't do frequently so each on the group have to colaborate to make the video and it's kind of hard when someone is absent. Also having to remember others groups topic, because you get to learn more about your own topic.


3.What new skills did you learn from doing this project?


How to comunicate in a better way with classmates because sometimes it is really hard.


4.Is there anything that you could have done to improve any of yout work? Explain.


Maybe on the video, I didn't like my groups video, I think it could be better, because it was so simple.

The Triassic Period

Summary:

The Triassic period was when the dinosaurs and mammals evolved.
During this period the Pangea began to brake up apart. The end of the Pangea killed many marine animals and many others. The climate of this period was hot and dry. There were no dinosaurs at the beginning of the Triassic period, but during this period after the Pangea broke up apart the dinosaurs and other mammals evolved. The Triassic period ended because a huge volcanic explosion that killed most of the animals and plants during that time.


Reflection:

1.What did you enjoy most about this project?

That we choose the period we wanted, we had the option to work alone or with partners, to do either a blog or a video and that we learn how the earth its divided by different periods, eras, eon, years and others.

2.What was most challenging about this project? Why?

Remember to save the references, because I was more focused on get all the information and sometimes I had to go back to all the pictures and look for the references, also it took most of the time.

3.What you change about this project and why?

I don't think I would change anything of this project, honestly I liked this project it was easy and we had the option to do it the way we wanted. Maybe I would change to do it with more detailed information.

4.What are 3 things that you learned from this project?

That the Earth was only one continent.
That the dinosaurs died because of a big explosion of a volcano.
Also that the fossils are the mark of a die organism and there existed a lot of different specie's of organism during each period.

The Stars



A STAR

What is a star?


A Star is a ball of hot gas held into the space by it's own gravity. The hot gas of the star it's right inside in the middle of the star, the interior heat and radiation is provided by nuclear reactions.A star has to go thought different phases and is classified by seven different types of characteristics, this characteristics are; luminosity, type, age, size, color, spectral class, and temperature. Each star has it's own name.All the stars are born in a big cloud of gas and dust call Stellar Nebula after the Stellar Nebula all of the star have to go through different phases.


Types of Stars




Types of Stars



There are different types of stars. The most know stars are classified in those four type of stars; Supergiants, Giants, Main Sequence and White Dwarfs. The Supergiants are one of the largest stars, also they are middle age, they are very bright stars and the temperature of the supergiants is middle, most of them are red and the spectral class is from M to A (2,000-10,000). The Giants are cold, bright, they mostly red, they not so big but not small stars, the giants spectral class is M to K (2,000-4,900). The Main Sequence, well the main sequence stars have all the size's, color's, temperature, luminosity, all the spectral class M to O (2,000-50,000), because they everywhere. The White Dwarfs, those stars are hot stars, but dim stars, the color of those stars are white and blue white, those stars are very small and the spectral class for those stars is G to B (4,900-28,000).

H-R Diagram




H-R Diagram



The H-R Diagram (The Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram) is a graphical tool that the astronomers use to classify stars according to their luminosity, spectral type, color, temperature and type.  This diagram describe the characteristics of each star. This diagram is very helpfull to clasiffy a star by they own characteristics. The H-R Diagram contain the luminosity, color, surface temperature, size and the type of the star with the name of each star.

Nuclear Fusion




Nuclear Fusion



A nuclear fusion is the the nuclear reaction inside a star, that change two hydrogen gas molecules into a helium molecule. Because of the nucelar reaction a satr is born. The process is big clouds of gas (Stellar Nebula),  then they become smaller because of the gravity, the the satr become hotter and after that the nuclear reaction satrt int he middle and a star born.

The Life Cycle of a Star




The Life Cycle of a Star

All the stars are born in a giant cloud of gas call Stellar Nebula, but all the stars go throught different cycle, it's depend on the type of star it is. The Sun Like stars are born like all stars in the Stellar Nebula, then it become a Red Giant, then it become a Planetary Nebula a star made of gases of the explotion of the Red Giant, then it become a White Dwarf and after that it ends with a Black Dwarf a cold satr that become less and less bright. The Huge Stars, born in the Stellar Nebula, then it become a Red Super Giant, after that it become a Supernova a star created because the explosion of a star, the red supergiant, finally it become a Neutron Star a star formed after the supernova explode, is small and spin really fast. And at least the Giant Star, born in the Stellar Nebula, then it become a Red Super Giant, after that a Supernova a star created because the explosion of a star and finally it become a Black Hole a star that is invisible and make everything that goes in dissapear.

Planet Neptune



Neptune



Neptune is the planet number 8 away from the sun, the last planet.

The distance from the sun is of 4,498.3 million Km.

The mass of Neptune is 1.0244x10  Km. The diameter is 49,528 Km

The rotation is 16 hours and the revolution is 164.8 years.

The number of Moon is 13 moons and are Jovians.

Neptune is a large planet full of gas. Neptune is the planet that it's more far from the sun, the last one. Neptune has a dark colored, also Neptune's atmosphere is active and changes rapidly. Neptune probably has a rocky core and it has a thin atmosphere made mostly of nitrogen.

The names of the planets in the solar system come from Rome or Greek mythology. Neptune was a Roman god of the sea. The Neptune's rings are young and probably won't last very long. Also Neptune have a layer of liquid water, methane and ammonia that change to solid ice. At the very center of Neptune it's the planet's core. The core of Neptune is made of iron.

Hurricane Irene Project

Critical Thinking


1.What time of the year do hurricanes occur? Why do they only happen during that time?The hurricanes happen mostly during the summer, because in that time the water is hot. This is because of the evaporation, that is when the sun hit the water.

2.How can the timing of the tides (high or low) effect the devastation of a  hurricane?
Because if the tides are really low the hurricane could stop, because the hurricane need a lot of water to become more powerful.
If the tides are high this help the hurricane to become more powerful, but if doesn't the hurricane would become weak.

3.If an area is fully saturated, will a hurricane have more or less impact on an area?
If the area if full of water it would be have a big impact because the water won't be able to infiltrate into the ground, because is fully saturated of water, and this may cause a flooding.

4.How does groundwater saturation affect rivers and streams?

The groundwater affect in the way that the water would go straight to the rivers increasing the water level and creating a lot of flooding.

Reflection


1.What is something that you liked about this Mini-Project?
I liked that we learn 5 different topics, that somehow are related to each other and that we learn 5 topics by sharing with others.

2.What was difficult for you on this project?
Trying to remember the other topics because like me, I was like more concentrated in what was my topic about.

3.What would you change about your work on this project?

Maybe do it in group because it's more easy, that do it by yourself.

4.How did this project help you learn about Hurricane Irene?

It helps me a lot, because it doesn't only help to learn about Hurricane Irene, instead it help me to learn how the Hurricanes are made of, how the happen, when they happen, what contribute to hurricanes to happen and the affects that this natural disasters have in peoples lives.