Electric Charge and Force

The class began by continuing on more information regarding electric fields and dealing with uniform objects.

First, we predicted what an electron would do if passing through two bars of negative and positive charge. We also found an equation regarding a particle moving through many directional charges. Our work is shown above.

We then had another programming activity regarding two spheres and an electric field around them pointing around in a circle. The predictions of how it would look like are shown in the picture above. 

The picture above shows an exercise that Professor Mason gave us to do regarding the faces of every solid given to us. This probably was to introduce us to charges on the faces of solids.

Electric Charge and Force

The class revolved around electricity with special regards to electric fields. 

The picture above shows a basic set up of Coulumb's Law but with respect to an electric field. We solved the equation for the electric field and got E = kq/r^2. It also has similar properties to work.

We then moved on to a programming activity that dealt with making a 3D model of an electric field. We were supposed to predict what it would look like. The picture above shows our prediction.

We then used python in order to graph the electric filed. The picture above shows how it looked like.

We then moved on to more properties of electric fields but this time with multiple point particles. We calculated the different electric fields surrounding the particles in graph and our calculations are shown below that graph.

We then did another problem which involved a lot of calculations so we decided to do it in Excel. It involved an integral and having to sum up all of the values.

Lastly, we did an integration that involved centers of mass within a thin rod but this time it was regarding a charge. The calculations are shown above.

Entropy and Cycles

We began class by touching up on some of the previous cycles we had learned and we were introduced to couple new ones. 

This engine dealt with using change in surface temperature in order for the propeller to begin moving. 

We then moved on to the coefficient of performance and how it is within different systems like refrigerators or even heat pumps.

We also dealt with efficiency of different systems depending on the heat output they had.

One of the last problems we did was the energy output of a refrigerator and how efficient it truly was. The total heat output we got was -1719654 J.

Heat Engines and Cycles

This day dealt with the introduction of heat engines and cycles as well as the efficiency of them and also the use of PV diagrams and using a table to document the different changes depending on the processes.

The picture above was of an engine that ran on the change in temperature. On one side was cold water and on the other side was hot water. The machine spun clockwise when the compartments were full.

The engine then ran backwards when the hot and cold water were switched and then Professor Mason used the compartment shown above to get a reading on the energy of the cycle.

The main cycle of the day was the Carnot cycle also known as the most efficient one in existence. Using our previous equations we used the different conditions of a Carnot cycle (which involve constant pressure and constant volume) and found relationships.

Using the different conditions of the Carnot Cycle we were able to find out the relationship between the final pressure and volume of the system.

We then used what we learned in order to find the total energy in a system that involved an engine which in this case was a refrigerator. We found the energy usage of it to be 1246 J.

Lastly, we used a PV diagram and found the change in internal Energy, heat and work of the system at each of the specific points.

Kinetic Theory and PV Diagrams

We began the class by using the ideal gas law equation of pV = nRT and finding out the relationships between each of the variables.

The picture above shows the relationships between each of the variables.

We then began to learn about the different types of processes that dealt with constant variables like either constant volume, pressure or temperature.

After that we gave examples of each of the different processes and are shown in the picture above.

We then solved problems and created a table that involved the different processes and filled in what was happening at each stage using the first law of thermodynamics.

Same thing was done for the picture above except using a different process.

Again, the same thing was done for the process above.

First Law and Kinetic Theory

The day began by an experiment called the heated syringe. It allowed us to see the relationship between pressure and volume.

The picture above shows the set up of the Heated Syringe. 

Before the experiment began, we were supposed to predict what was going to happen to the syringe and how this whole process was going to work. The idea was that the temperature increase will cause the pressure to increase as well which in turn will make the syringe compress which results in a decrease in volume.

We then were introduced to the first law of thermodynamics which was change in E = Heat - Work. Then, Professor Mason asked us to predict circumstances under which there was no heat but only work present and only heat present and no temperature. The results of what we got are shown above.

We then used the first law of thermodynamics along with the conservation of energy principle in order to find the work done on a copper bar along with what the volume was. The results are shown above.

After that we moved on to a different topic involving Kinetic Theory involving the Kinetic Energy in relation to pressure and volume. This deals with the movement of atoms and their relationship with both the change in pressure and volume.

Then we moved on to the Kinetic Theory involving gases which gave us the equation of Energy = 3/2 NkbT. Using that equation we then found the relationship between temperature and volume. 

To end the class we were briefly introduced to an experiment called the Fire Syringe involving an adiabatic process. The result is shown in the video above.

Using the length and using the initial temperature we were able to calculate the final temperature.

Gas Laws and First Laws

The class began by predicting how a can when heated would react if then put into a bath of ice water. 

The picture above is Professor Mason heating up the can. We were supposed to predict whether the can will implode really fast, really slow, water will fill up the can or nothing. We predicted that the can would implode and we were right.

Then we decided to predict the relationships between pressure and volume. The graphs of what we predicted are shown above.

The graph above shows how pressure and temperature are correlated by doing an experiment that dealt with heating up water in a flask that is connected to a fully compressed syringe and measuring the pressure there.

The picture above shows the experiment and how it was set up by doing an experiment that dealt with heating up water in a flask that is connected to a fully compressed syringe and measuring the pressure there.

The graph above shows how pressure and temperature are correlated which in this case is directly correlated meaning as pressure increases so does temperature.

We then used the ideal gas law in order to solve a diving bell problem. It involved finding the height of air that would be present within the diving bell at a certain height. We got it to be 0.171 m.

We then decided to construct a vacuum chamber demo involving two marshmallows. The contraption above is what was used for the demo.

Lastly, we made the marshmallows inflate by decreasing the pressure and as a result we got giant marshmallows. Some people also ate them.

Thermal Expansion and Latent Heat

The class began with a question involving thermal expansion. Now everyone knows that when something is heated up it expands but what about something with a hole in the middle.

My group decided that both inside and the outside of the hole were going to expand since we know that heat makes things expand and since the hole has two open areas it would expand both ways.

We then talked about linear thermal expansion. Professor Mason made us think about what factors would contribute to thermal expansion. The answer we came up with are in the picture above.

We then had to predict an experiment. This dealt with heating up a metal rod and thinking about if one side were to be heated, what would happen to the other side of the rod. The rod was made up of different metal so depending on that we based our predictions.

The picture above shows the bar and the blowtorch used.

We then cooled the bar and we also predicted what would happen. Since there was a temperature change we predicted that it would bend towards the other side which it did but not by much.

We then decided to explore how the change of phase takes place and Professor Mason set this up and showed us the graph on the board. 

The graph we acquired is shown above.

We then decided to do some problems relating to phase changes and finding out the total Energy within the system.

Same thing was done above except we found the final temperature of the system.

Again we did some phase change calculations and got the mass of the water that was used.

We ended the experiment by measuring the gas pressure using a manometer. The video above pretty much explains what was done that day. We were ale to get the pressure by measuring the length of how high the water would go. We marked the tube and got our results.