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Showing posts from November, 2018

Using Google Earth to Investigate Plate Tectonics

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HELPFUL PLATE BOUNDARYS - click down the bottom to move onto other types A copy of the assignment can be found here In this assignment you will explore data about: - Bathymetry (shape of the ocean floor) - Topography (shape of the continents) - Age of the Ocean floor - Volcanoes  - Earthquakes  to make decisions about what sort of plate boundaries are where. The skills you will use during this assignment are comparable to those used by geologists and geo-physicists to understand the processes which shape the Earth  - if you enjoy the assignment and the unit - maybe there's a career in Earth Sciences for you! HOW TO GET STARTED: 1. Download   Google Earth    on your device. 2. Download (and save to your device) the   Google Earth data files #1   and  Data #2: EARTHQUAKES  and Data #3 VOLCANOES 3. Open up both of the files in Google Earth.  4. Begin following the instructions on Page 1 of your assignment.  Note ho...

Historical Influence on Biodiversity: Plate Tectonics & Climate

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When we look at the biodiversity of life today it is vital we look at it through the eyes of history - what historical influences have led to life on Earth as we know it today? The movement of continents and the effect this has had on climate is obviously a big one. The movement of continents has been vital for the evolution of biodiversity because: It facilitated the spread and separation of animals and plant s around the globe. Changes the albedo and thermal properties of land and sea, in turn affecting climate. Creates and breaks super continents : Which influences albedo, currents, winds, rainfall and consequently climate. Creates volcanoes : Which influences CO2 levels of the atmosphere. Mountain formation : Influence on rainfall and moisture of surrounding regions.  It also creates a whole new biome. 100 Greatest Discovery: Earth's Core : Video The Deepest Hole in the World: Video Continental Drift  The aim for this lesson is to get a general overview of plate tectonics...

Nuclear Power - A Debate

Here are a few links to get you started: How Do Nuclear Reactors Work : How Do Nuclear Reactors Work?  BBC Nuclear Power Stations (more pictures) Sexy Tyler the Chemist Explains Fission (video) What are the Pros and Cons of Nuclear Reactors? Is Nuclear Power Safe for the Environment? Sydney Morning Herald: Nuclear Pros & Cons 5 Minute Debate: Is Nuclear the Solution to our Energy Needs (video) 3 Reasons Nuclear is Awesome (in a Nutshell video) 3 Reasons Nuclear is Terrible (in a Nutshell video)

Light & Plant Growth

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Light is obviously a limiting factor on photosynthesis: without it plants cannot take up carbon dioxide to form energy.   The three main attributes of light that concern plants are 1. The Quality: Including wavelength (colour)  2. The Quantity: How much exposure they receive (intensity) 3.The Duration: How long each period of light exposure goes for Activity 1: Photosynthesis and light availability   Watch the video below and see how availability of light (winter vs summer) limits the photosynthetic activity of plants (darker shades of green). In turn, reflect on how this must impact the overall food web and ecosystem of an area.  ACTIVITY 2: PLANT GROWTH AND LIGHT Watch this video The Effect of Light on Plant Growth . Dot point list (in your book) a quick summary of some of the ways that light impacts plant growth ACTIVITY 3: PHOTOSYNTHESIS AND WAVELENGTH Plant Growth and Wavelength Virtual Lab (requires Flash) What to Do: 1.  Run the simulator using ...

Assessment this Week:

Your assessment for the Physics Unit will Involve: 1) A 20 question multiple-choice test 2) A practical test, using the light boxes 3) A research assignment You will have three lessons to complete the assessments Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday this week. A ppt with more information can be found here: Wave Theory Slideshow

Lenses Assignment: Monday & Tuesday

VISUAL PATHWAYS When we see the world, we not only see things upside down (because our  eye lenses are convex) but also we see DOUBLE (because we have two eyes).  How does our brain make these two, upside-down, images into one right-way-up image? This woman is almost as dreamy as  SEXY TYLER  (the chemistry guy), and she will explain how our eyes and brain work together to make sense of the world (over a very long 11 minutes I'm sorry not sorry) The Visual Pathway  If you are finding this too long and you don't find yourself loving this woman as much as I do, then you can try  Crash Course  but urgh he is so annoying and fast and not at all as tender and loving as Visual Pathway woman.   ISAAC NEWTONS THEORY OF LIGHT It was Isaac Newton who first theorised that white light was in fact derived from tiny particles, the size of which dictated the different colours Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet. Learn about  Newton's Corpu...