Right Hand Rule.

To execute the right hand rule, all you need is your right hand, and your voice - so you can meow.

Right Hand Rule #1 (for conductors):

Take your right hand, and point the thumb in the direction of the current (I) flow. The current will be travelling in a conventional current, meaning from positive to negative. Now meow and curl your fist. The direction of the fingers is the direction of the magnetic field (B) around the conductor, as seen in the diagram below.

Right Hand Rule #2 (for coils):

Once again, take your right hand, meow, then grasp the coil so that the fingers are curved in the direction of the current (I). The thumb points in the direction of the magnetic field within the coil and represents the north (N) end of the electromagnet produced by the coil. Take a look at the diagram below!

Concept Maps.

After spending majority of our physics class cutting, gluing, and scribbling our thoughts down on a piece of paper, our group somehow managed to end up with a decent looking concept map. Sure, Dennis’ handwriting looks like chicken-scratch and it isn’t laid out in an artistic fashion, but as a group, we felt that it was easy to follow and accurate. What else do you really need from a concept map?

Here are TEN things I learned from this assignment:

1) electron flow is from negative to positive charge, while a conventional flow is positive to negative charge.

2) Ohm's law states that current (I) is directly related to voltage (V) and inversely related to resistance. (R)

3) equation for current is I = Q/t, where I represents current, Q is the charge in C, and t is for time in seconds.  

4) in series circuits, charge flows along one path, and in parallel circuits, charge flows along two or more paths.

5) Kirchhoff's laws are a current law, which states that the total current flowing into a connection equals to the total current flowing out of a connection. Kirchhoff's laws are also a voltage law, which states that the algebraic sum of the potential differences around a closed pathway equal to zero.

6) electric charge is measured in coulombs, where 1C = 6.24 x 10^18 elementary charge (e), and 1e = 1.60 x 10^-19 C.

7) electric current is defined as rate of flow, of charge, past a point and is measured using an ammeter, connected in series. Electric current is measured in coulombs per second, which equals amperes, which can be written in the equation, I = Q/∆T. I represents electric current, Q is the quantity of charge and ∆T is elapsed time.

8) electric charge is represented in the equation Q= Ne, where Q is the quantity of charge, N is the number of elementary charges and e is the number of coulombs per elementary charge.

9) potential difference is can be calculated by E/Q, where V is represents potential difference/voltage in volts, E stands for energy or work in joules, and Q is the charge in coulombs.

10) power can be represented by P = IV, P = V²/R and P = I²R where P is power, I is current, V is voltage and R is resistance.  

Knowing all this information makes me want to fist pump.

Ohm and Kirchhoff.

Ohm's law states that current (I) is inversely related to resistance (R) and directly proportional to voltage (V).

"The amount of current flowing through a resistor varies directly as the amount of potential difference applied across the resistor as long as other variables, such as temperature are controlled. There is a resistance of 1 Ω when 1 A of current flows with a potential difference of 1 v across a resistor." - Physics: Concepts and Connections.

Gustav Kirchhoff's research led to the publication of his laws in regards to current, voltage and resistance.

In series circuits,

In parallel circuits,

Kumba.

When I was a little girl, I used to have the fear of falling out of roller coasters and dying, so I’ve always opted for rides like the spinning teacup. However, growing up with an older brother who didn't really give me a choice when we went to amusement parks, I quickly learned that adrenaline rushes were not so bad after all. To this day, a little part of me still has the fear of falling out and would rather stay away from the ones that drop from tremendous heights, and go for the shorter ones with multiple sets of loops. Kumba, a steel-twister coaster, was the first ride to feature interlocking corkscrews and a diving loop from the Bolliger & Mabillard Consulting Engineers Inc., and can be found in Busch Gardens, Tampa Bay. Kumba is 44 m tall, 1212 m in length, 7 inversions and a maximum speed of 97 km/h. Within the 2:54 minutes of this ride, the roller coaster will go through a 35 m vertical loop, Zero-G and cobra roll, as well as 2 interlocking corkscrews. 

If I had to fall and die from any ride, this would definitely be my choice.

For additional information and videos, check out the website below! http://www.buschgardens.com/bgt/Explore/Rides.aspx?id=594

Batteries to Circuits.

A source of electricity, such as a battery or a generator is used to create chemical energy. The chemical energy produced is used to create voltage (electric potential difference) between the battery and the electrode. The movement of charge from a negative to positive charge, known as a electron flow, occurs in this process. The product of this process is electrical energy, which will then be converted into different forms of energy. This process gets repeated continuously for the same results, which in this case would be to light the lightbulb, as shown on the diagram above.

The Energy Ball Activity.

Just as I was about to crack a joke about how we should all whip out our ping-pong paddles, the ping-pong ball look-a-like began to emit an irking sound. Little did we know, the white ball contained a circuit system, batteries, a sound generator and a small, red light bulb. When a conductor (ex, hands, metal tip of scissors, etc.) touched both of the metal strips on the ball, a one-pitch sound was emitted, along with a bright, red light.

After tossing around some ideas within our small groups, the whole class was given a challenge. If we were able to complete the challenge, our prize would be going to the "A.Y. Jackson Multicultural Lunar Festival." As Mr. Chung caught onto the looks we were throwing at each other, he quickly amended that we would go regardless of the situation. What a loss.

Within a big circle, we quickly discovered the meaning of a series circuit; if any one of us were to stop touching pinkies, the circuit would break, and the balls would no longer make the sound and light up. When we put a line of students in the middle of our circle, and depending on who stopped touching each other, we discovered the meaning of parallel circuits. I felt a sense of accomplishment and power that out physics class could control which ball reacted, and which didn't.

I really appreciated that we didn't have to learn this out of the textbook, but rather by having an in-class activity. This experiment was an ample way to start our semester together.