Challenge #3 Reflection
At first, we didn't really know how we were going to build our mousetrap car. And one that would fit and work under the criteria that we were given. The criteria was that the car needed to be mousetrap powered and needed to travel 3 meters and then shoot a catapult into a bucket another 3 meters away. So, Ethan and I began to brainstorm on how we were going to build a mousetrap car that would launch the ball after the car has traveled the certain length that we needed it to.
In the beginning of the build, we decided to use tension from the mousetrap that powered the wheels to release a mechanism that would ultimately release the spoon that would launch the ball into the bucket. Our very first tests didn't look promising. The car would veer to the right or left. So, we corrected this issue by adjusting the wheels in a certain way and then tightened the axles. This solved our problem.
The next problem we witnessed was when the car would get to the 3 meter mark, it wouldn't shoot the ball. We decided it would be best to scrap the first mechanism that we had (which was a very loose and an unorthodox type of system that we "built". It was just a small curved piece of metal that would spin slightly, releasing the spoon but that never worked because it wasn't well built. I ended up taking off the whole system and then replacing it with a better system. It was more solid and it the same type of concept, using tension. However, once we got the ball to launch and the car to go. We couldn't get the ball into the bucket every time.
We fixed this problem by just angling the car toward a specific path, let it go and then adjust accordingly. Down below is a photo of our car so you can get an idea of what it looked like. This was a fun challenge, it was tough a challenged me and that's what I like, especially in education.
In the beginning of the build, we decided to use tension from the mousetrap that powered the wheels to release a mechanism that would ultimately release the spoon that would launch the ball into the bucket. Our very first tests didn't look promising. The car would veer to the right or left. So, we corrected this issue by adjusting the wheels in a certain way and then tightened the axles. This solved our problem.
The next problem we witnessed was when the car would get to the 3 meter mark, it wouldn't shoot the ball. We decided it would be best to scrap the first mechanism that we had (which was a very loose and an unorthodox type of system that we "built". It was just a small curved piece of metal that would spin slightly, releasing the spoon but that never worked because it wasn't well built. I ended up taking off the whole system and then replacing it with a better system. It was more solid and it the same type of concept, using tension. However, once we got the ball to launch and the car to go. We couldn't get the ball into the bucket every time.
We fixed this problem by just angling the car toward a specific path, let it go and then adjust accordingly. Down below is a photo of our car so you can get an idea of what it looked like. This was a fun challenge, it was tough a challenged me and that's what I like, especially in education.
Challenge #2 Reflection
At first, we came up with our design by simply using a mousetrap with a spoon attached to it and a string to launch the ball. The reason why we did it this way was because I've built one before in middle school and remember the mechanism. Once we built the mechanism, we put all of this on a wooden block to give it more of a stronger base to launch the ball more precise. After a few trials, we realized that the ball could only go 3 meters and it must land in a bucket so the experiment to be successful.
So, we did some tinkering. We figured out that if you put a stop to how far the spoon can be pulled back, this would play a role in how far the ball can travel. So once we put a stop on our catapult, we tested the distance it would travel again and then corrected our stopper according to that.
So to reiterate, when we built our mousetrap catapult at first, the ball traveled a lot further than 3 meters. So After tinkering and re thinking our design process, we corrected how far the ball would travel and eventually got it into the bucket at 3 meters. We were successful!
One thing that we could have improved on would have been the stability. Ours wasn't the most stable, but through this learning, we will make sure that our next experiment is more thorough and stable.
So, we did some tinkering. We figured out that if you put a stop to how far the spoon can be pulled back, this would play a role in how far the ball can travel. So once we put a stop on our catapult, we tested the distance it would travel again and then corrected our stopper according to that.
So to reiterate, when we built our mousetrap catapult at first, the ball traveled a lot further than 3 meters. So After tinkering and re thinking our design process, we corrected how far the ball would travel and eventually got it into the bucket at 3 meters. We were successful!
One thing that we could have improved on would have been the stability. Ours wasn't the most stable, but through this learning, we will make sure that our next experiment is more thorough and stable.
Calorimetry
I did a lab experiment and learned a lot more about calorimetry. Calorimetry is the study of heat transfer or the measurement of heat that's been exchanged. To start with this investigation of calorimetry, we started off with a lab where we did various tests on different types of foods where we tried to measure the amount of energy that was released from each food group. After we collected all of our data of each food group (cheese itz, graham crackers and tortilla chips). Next, we calculated the mass of the water, the change in temperature of the water after we burned the food, the change in mass of each food group, the energy gained by the heated water and finally the energy of content of each food group. Down below is an example of one portion of our work.
Calculate the mass of the water.
47.97g
Calculate the change in the temperature of the water, Δt.
43 C
Calculate the change in mass of each food sample, Δm.
1.66 g
Calculate the energy gained by the heated water. [(mass of water) X (Δt of water)]
2,062.71 J
Use your answer in Step 4 to calculate the energy content of each food sample. [Energy gained by water / Δ mass of food]
1.24259 calories (BEFORE WE CHANGED THIS, WE HAD 12.24259 CALORIES)
Read the Nutrition Label on the cereal box to determine Calories/1 g. Were you close? Why/why not?
Official number of calories in ¼ of graham cracker: 14.75 Calories
We calculated the energy content of each sample, so for example before we figured out that we did something wrong, we had 12.2459 calories. But then, we realized that number was wrong because the decimal point wasn't in the right place. So once we moved the decimal point and looked at the numbers, it made much more sense to us that we were off by a lot. The reason why we weren’t close at all in any of these was because it didn’t burn efficiently for each test.
We kept having to relight the graham crackers each time the flame went out. To give more information on why we were wrong is because we realized that there could've been more aspects of each test that we didn't execute properly. For example, there could've been more or less weight on each test because we didn't wipe down the residue on the can holding the water each time, the food holder could've been higher or lower each time or maybe the temperature of the water was slightly compromised for each test that we did.
After we figured the lab out and we got more into an equation that was this - q=MCΔT
The q represents the symbol for energy or energy that's been transfered (joules), M represents the mass of the water in grams, C represents the specific heat capacity and ΔT represents the change in temperature.
For example, q=(700g) X 4.184 J /g X c X 100° - 20°
For this, we had to figure out how much energy in kJ were released into the room. To solve this, I first subtracted 100 and 20 because that's the change in temperature. 100° represents the boiling point that cooled to 20° . Then I multiplied 700g from 4.184 joules and got 2,928.8g. From there, I just multiplied 2,928.8g from 80° C and found the answer of q= 234,304 kJ.
Overall, I learned a lot in this study, found it particularly interesting and have fun doing it.
Calculate the mass of the water.
47.97g
Calculate the change in the temperature of the water, Δt.
43 C
Calculate the change in mass of each food sample, Δm.
1.66 g
Calculate the energy gained by the heated water. [(mass of water) X (Δt of water)]
2,062.71 J
Use your answer in Step 4 to calculate the energy content of each food sample. [Energy gained by water / Δ mass of food]
1.24259 calories (BEFORE WE CHANGED THIS, WE HAD 12.24259 CALORIES)
Read the Nutrition Label on the cereal box to determine Calories/1 g. Were you close? Why/why not?
Official number of calories in ¼ of graham cracker: 14.75 Calories
We calculated the energy content of each sample, so for example before we figured out that we did something wrong, we had 12.2459 calories. But then, we realized that number was wrong because the decimal point wasn't in the right place. So once we moved the decimal point and looked at the numbers, it made much more sense to us that we were off by a lot. The reason why we weren’t close at all in any of these was because it didn’t burn efficiently for each test.
We kept having to relight the graham crackers each time the flame went out. To give more information on why we were wrong is because we realized that there could've been more aspects of each test that we didn't execute properly. For example, there could've been more or less weight on each test because we didn't wipe down the residue on the can holding the water each time, the food holder could've been higher or lower each time or maybe the temperature of the water was slightly compromised for each test that we did.
After we figured the lab out and we got more into an equation that was this - q=MCΔT
The q represents the symbol for energy or energy that's been transfered (joules), M represents the mass of the water in grams, C represents the specific heat capacity and ΔT represents the change in temperature.
For example, q=(700g) X 4.184 J /g X c X 100° - 20°
For this, we had to figure out how much energy in kJ were released into the room. To solve this, I first subtracted 100 and 20 because that's the change in temperature. 100° represents the boiling point that cooled to 20° . Then I multiplied 700g from 4.184 joules and got 2,928.8g. From there, I just multiplied 2,928.8g from 80° C and found the answer of q= 234,304 kJ.
Overall, I learned a lot in this study, found it particularly interesting and have fun doing it.
What I Want to Accomplish for 3rd Term
The main chunk of credit that I still need are Science and electives. This term I'm going to 100% knock out all Science so I don't have to worry about it for next term. I also want to teach a workshop with film. I'm going to talk to Scheider and Martin today about what I think I could teach as well as my thoughts. This term, I want to work with those two to construct the class, like what the teaching will look like week to week from start to the end. Through teaching, my goal is to earn all of the elective credit that I need and the rest of the english credit. If I can't get all of the elective credits, I'm taking a class next term to get more and I will also talk to Kerr to do some art work to build even more on getting that credit. I've realized that last term I've been doing everything in silence but that's going to change this term and next.
Reflection on the Year (December 13th, 2016)
For the past 18 weeks I've been in Mosaic and there are key aspects that I wanted to share. My Priority has been my video making business. I've decided to find work on a few gigs where I've never managed and helped with video before. For example and surprisingly, weddings. Most videographers start out with weddings but I've never shot a wedding before this year. But through working on things that I haven't done yet, I've found that it helped build more on my demo reel and experience.
I will be doing more wedding shoots beginning 2017 as well as more promotional video work with various businesses and companies. Finacially, those types of video have been where I've earned the most money. I want to begin to do them a lot more next year.
Another aspect that was big for me for a few months were my vlogs. Talking to the camera, showing the audience what your day to day is like. At first, it was very tough to keep the consistency going. But for me, that wasn't the struggle. The struggle was the ability to talk to my camera, to my audience and explain to them what's going on. I've never been someone that's been comfortable in front of the camera. Over time though, it became second nature to me, I spoke clearly, and then I found a pattern to create these videos. It became easy for me and that was never the intention of the vlogs.
The main purpose was to push myself and create new and original content very consistently. When it got easy for me, it became a chore. At first, it was exciting, something new, and challenging. So we ended the vlogs consistently. We're still doing them but not on a consistent basis. This gives us more time to focus on other stuff, like the actual business behind videography.
I've been doing some other stuff such as origami work. We found that origami connected so well to mathematics. We learned about the parallel between angles, 3D objects, circles and the different types of folds in all kinds of shapes that will ultimately turn into 3D shapes. Probably one of the most interesting math "classes" I've ever taken.
I've been focusing a little bit more on Science this last term however will be finishing all of the Chemistry that I need next term. I've learned about how bacteria can be a good thing, the different types of illnesses (big and small), and recently I learned more about calorimentery and are in the process of figuring out what we got from our different tests.
All in all, I felt my last first half of high school has been a productive one and I plan to up my game even more to graduate for the last half.
I will be doing more wedding shoots beginning 2017 as well as more promotional video work with various businesses and companies. Finacially, those types of video have been where I've earned the most money. I want to begin to do them a lot more next year.
Another aspect that was big for me for a few months were my vlogs. Talking to the camera, showing the audience what your day to day is like. At first, it was very tough to keep the consistency going. But for me, that wasn't the struggle. The struggle was the ability to talk to my camera, to my audience and explain to them what's going on. I've never been someone that's been comfortable in front of the camera. Over time though, it became second nature to me, I spoke clearly, and then I found a pattern to create these videos. It became easy for me and that was never the intention of the vlogs.
The main purpose was to push myself and create new and original content very consistently. When it got easy for me, it became a chore. At first, it was exciting, something new, and challenging. So we ended the vlogs consistently. We're still doing them but not on a consistent basis. This gives us more time to focus on other stuff, like the actual business behind videography.
I've been doing some other stuff such as origami work. We found that origami connected so well to mathematics. We learned about the parallel between angles, 3D objects, circles and the different types of folds in all kinds of shapes that will ultimately turn into 3D shapes. Probably one of the most interesting math "classes" I've ever taken.
I've been focusing a little bit more on Science this last term however will be finishing all of the Chemistry that I need next term. I've learned about how bacteria can be a good thing, the different types of illnesses (big and small), and recently I learned more about calorimentery and are in the process of figuring out what we got from our different tests.
All in all, I felt my last first half of high school has been a productive one and I plan to up my game even more to graduate for the last half.
Reflection Writing 9 (November 3rd, 2016)
Today, I gave a very small presentation on a video that I'm going to make for my question which is, "Why do less people go to the movie theaters nowadays?" I showed everyone a small shot list of what I'll be making the video into and gave a few ideas that I have that I can put into the video, got a few people who gave me helpful feedback and a few ideas that I can put into the final video.
Reflection Writing 8 (November 2nd, 2016)
For the past month or so, I've been focusing on gaining more connections, talking to more people, making more things happen for myself with films and gigs. I've been emailing and talking to a lot of individuals in businesses and it's really helped me gain more opportunities. On top of this, we've changed the schedule for vlogging. Instead of doing it every day, it's now been cut down 3 vlogs every week. I'm also finishing up on my next Science bolt with Mrs. Lang and it's been a cool learning experience. We've been exploring bacteria.
Reflection Writing 7 (September 27th, 2016)
I've been working more on organizing my research for my question so I can finally cut it together in an inspirational/motivational video. I'll be shooting the video over this weekend and editing it on through the week to have it ready to present next Thursday. With my business/YouTube channel we've been growing. We've gained over 100 new subscribers and are still growing because we're uploading consistent content.
Reflection Writing 6 (September 12th, 2016)
Can you believe that people push themselves well past their comfort zones? This is where the exploration begins. For decades, there have been examples of people venturing out into the unknown. The moon landing in 1969, the Mars rover landing in 2012, etc. What drives someone to explore? It all begins with the right mindset. If you want to do something that moves you and gets you excited everyday, having the right attitude is key. Having the right attitude toward the very thing that you want to explore more and push yourself in is critical. As people grow and strive, they will have to cross a bridge in life. What do I mean by that? If someone gets stuck in the state of normality, three things happen. One person can think it's the safe and right thing to do, another person actually crosses the bridge, gets to the toll booth on the other side and experience a different type of fear of uncertainty and become unsettled and turn back around not following through with their exploration. Finally there are the "insane" people who cross the bridge, get to the toll booth, see the signs that say "uncertainty awaits" and still have the mindset to follow through. So many people want an easy, safe and comfortable life. But if you truly have something that you want to dedicate a lot of your time to and really explore it then you'll need to take the risk, acknowledge the uncertainty and follow through with whatever it is that ignites the fire inside of you.
Reflection Writing 5 (September 7th, 2016)
Nick, Chris and I got through the first week of daily vlogs. It's been a lot of time commitment and work. I've never really enjoyed being in front of the camera, talking to my audience and showing them what I do. But through this work, I've realized that I love it. What I'm doing is pushing and forcing myself past my comfort zone to go out and shoot a very wide variety of shots and it's challenged me to make great quality content. I had a few meetings with Chris and Nick about some marketing tactics to grow our channel and get our names out there. We're going to be implementing these tactics into our channel. More to come.
Reflection Writing 4 (August 24th, 2016)
For the past week I've finished my first inquiry block as well as been working with Nick to recruit another member to put on our channel. We found someone who will be committed to the work and loves filmmaking. It's important to have people on your team that are positive, dedicated to do the work and in my opinion, a lot like yourself. We just edited a new announcement/channel trailer and will upload it today! One it's uploaded, it'll be on my display page! I'm excited to continue this.
Reflection Writing 3 (August 19th,2016)
I'm about to do a lot of work. And I'm beyond stoked to begin the process of actually doing it. For the past few weeks, I've been focusing on not only my first inquiry blocks question in school which I find to be super interesting (the question is "what if there wasn't a status quo?"). But I'm very happy to have met and recruit a new person on my filmmaking team. His name is Nick Price and he lives in Michigan. We've been designing a work schedule/business plan for the past few weeks and we'll be putting it into action starting this weekend with crafting an announcement/trailer video about what the work we're going to dive into. After that, we'll each begin posting videos every other day, so it'll become an everyday work schedule. We'll also be marketing our video channel via an Instagram account since Instagram is a growing platform to take advantage of and to leverage ourselves. This will be happening over the next year on one purpose: to grow our brand and to make content on a consistent basis. More to come.
Reflection Writing 2 (May 6th, 2016)
For my "On Display" page I decided to display the thing that's the most important to me. My career and passion. That's filmmaking and I've been doing it since 2009. I think this is what will stand out to job recruiters the most because it's my work, it's real and it's a legit career where I worked with various clients and through this, it's really helped me with the idea of business and how you need to work the hardest to see results. I've been humbled by doing this and that's why I wanted to show just a few examples of the past projects that we've shot. I'm very proud of that!
Reflection Writing 1 (May 5th, 2016)
I just completed my archives page and I did a lot of organizing and figuring out where everything goes. I asked myself different questions during the process such as, "What would you want to show to your boss if they asked you what you've done?" and most importantly, "What would you think about your website as a whole?" I have a lot of work so the things on this website are just a few of the best examples that I have but I think all in all, it turned out pretty well.