Following on from our study of solids, liquids and gases, we decided to investigate how compression of a gas (air) leads to an increase in pressure. We investigated how the size and shape of different plastic bottles affected the length of flight when they were shot into the air. The scientists: Filling the rocket some water: […]
Read more
Archive | February, 2010
How Many Faces…
February 24, 2010 
1 Comment
How many faces can you see in the branches of this tree? Clever isn’t it – who are they?
Read moreCompetition Four…
February 18, 2010 26 Comments
I am getting fed up with how quickly you all seem to answer my competition questions so I am going to try again! All you have to do is identify the following sound. I have not chosen a prize yet but I will bend my mind to it. Good luck! [Only SF boys eligible to win […]
Read moreSpray-On Glass…
February 18, 2010 1 Comment
Some of you will have read the various press pieces about German company Nanopool who have announced their production of spray-on glass. Their November press release states… “SiO2 – ultra thin layering” is the technical term for Liquid Glass. The flexible and breathable glass coating is approximately 100 nanometres thick (500 times thinner than a […]
Read moreLost In Translation…
February 16, 2010 11 Comments
Thinking about a comment from Eden I tried the following experiment. I copied the second and third paragraphs from the Headmaster’s introduction on the Summer Fields website. I pasted this text into an online translation website. Firstly I translated the paragraphs into French, then that translation into German and finally back into English. At each […]
Read moreDrawing Graphs…
February 15, 2010 2 Comments
Often, when an investigation has been completed, you will need to draw a graph to represent your results. There are a few simple rules to help you decide what sort of graph to draw and a few other useful guidelines to make sure that your graph is as clear as possible. The first thing to […]
Read moreLong Leave Photo…
February 14, 2010 0 Comments
I was amused by these two photos, which are such simple illusions. and I wondered whether you might try to create some photographic illusions if you have any spare time over Long Leave. Let me know if you produce anything you would like to have published here. And another thing… Some time ago I asked for further translations […]
Read moreCompetition Three…
February 14, 2010 10 Comments
[Fraser has won Competition Three] OK. I have a copy of Evolution: How We And All Living Things Came To Be by Daniel Loxton as a prize for Competition Three. This is the best prize yet and will go to the SF boy who best answers and explains the following problem. Mr Bishop has an […]
Read moreWhat Is Science? We Just Don’t Know…
February 14, 2010 0 Comments
Well actually, unlike with birds, we do know what science is. Science is a process that allows us to acquire knowledge. This is done by using observation and investigation to describe and explain the natural world. This allows us to produce useful models of reality. The word science is also used to refer to the […]
Read morePractice Makes Perfect…
February 8, 2010 2 Comments
The guitar is a fairly simple machine. It converts kinetic energy (the movement of the strings) into sound energy. The pitch of the sound is governed by the weight of the string and where on the fretboard the player puts his fingers. The thicker strings vibrate more slowly than thinner ones and hence produce a […]
Read more2P Crush Cans…
February 5, 2010 0 Comments
Mr Corry’s excellent demonstrations show the incredible power of air pressure. We take the weight of all the air pressing down on us for granted because our body fluids are at the same pressure. Normal air pressure at sea level is about 10 N/cm2. A small volume of water is heated in an open metal […]
Read more
Recent Comments