sciencng

Type: student-created

Item: report

Unit: climate change

Big idea: “Global climate change is influenced by both natural and human factors.

People have the responsibility to assess their impact on climate change and to identify effective courses of action to reduce this impact.”

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1NT8mLZk-YipOkgvHhwH9zJ3G6zyClV4iQHAjX8ps_yM/edit?usp=sharing

Description: a report on a possible method of space travel without the use of rocket propellant.

Relation to big idea: rockets, no matter their propellant being liquid hydrogen and oxygen or fancier solutions, rely on a combustion reaction to produce enough thrust to travel. In addition to this, most companies that built rockets (apart from SpaceX) do not make their spacecraft reusable, and each time they need to build a new rocket, they do so from scratch. All of this of course releases greenhouse gases, and is a human factor contributing to global warming, which leads to climate change. I took it as my responsibility to assess the impact of the greenhouse gases released from the combustion reaction of rocket propellant and production of rocket parts to think of a solution to reduce the impact of the space industry on climate change.

Type: career

Item: article

Unit: chemistry

Big idea: “Chemicals react with each other in predictable ways”

Description: a NASA article explaining a multi-phase experiment being conducted on the ISS that explores combustion in a microgravity environment.

Relation to big idea: astronauts are sent to a variety of places in space, including the ISS. On the ISS, many experiments are done to best understand how certain natural phenomena change when in an environment with very little gravity. One in particular, ACME (Advanced Combustion via Microgravity Experiments), explores the chemical reaction of combustion in space. In this new environment, characteristics and behaviours of flames are easier to identify, allowing scientists to better understand the patterns, or “predictable ways”, of combustion reactions. It is this scientific exploration that allows us to understand that chemicals react in predictable ways, because scientists, like the astronauts on the ISS, are the ones who conduct these types of experiments over and over again to discern these patterns.

Relation to theme: astronauts do their job in space, and this type of research can only be conducted in space (and/or microgravity environments)

Type: Internet-curated

Item: image

Unit: biology

Big idea: “Plants and animals, including humans, are made of specialized cells, tissues, and organs that are organized into systems.”

Description: a photograph of Canadian astronaut and neurologist Roberta Bondar working in the International Microgravity Laboratory (IML-1).

Relation to big idea and theme: Dr. Bondar is a Canadian astronaut most famous for her work in the Spacelab during NASA’s STS-42 mission. She does research in space medicine, and while on the STS-42 mission, she examined how organs and organ systems of organisms were affected by microgravity by conducting experiments on eggs and bacteria. She also examined connections between various systems in the human body using conditions and time spent in space, such as finding connections between astronauts experiencing the after-effects of microgravity from their time in space and neurological illnesses like Parkinson’s and stroke.

Roberta Bondar Facts & Accomplishments. (n.d.). Retrieved June 17, 2019, from https://www.mheducation.ca/blog/roberta-bondar-facts-accomplishments/

Type: career

Item: image

Unit: physics

Big idea: “Light has characteristics and properties that can be manipulated with mirrors and lenses for a range of uses.

Society has benefited from the development of a range of optical devices and technologies.”

Description: a picture of Jocelyn Bell Burnell, a famous radio astronomer who first observed pulsars (rapidly spinning neutron stars that emit radiation, in this case, that radiation came in the form of radio waves) . 

A radio astronomer is a specific type of astronomer (someone who uses math and science to explore and understand the universe) who uses and analyses radio waves. In Dr. Burnell’s case, she is not only a radio astronomer, but she made a great advancement in the field during her time as a student, becoming the first person to observe a pulsar.

Relation to big idea: radio astronomers observe the universe using radio waves, a wavelength of light. They capture radio waves by using a radio telescope, which is basically a huge concave satellite dish and a receiving antenna in the middle. This instrument manipulates light (radio waves) so that it converges on the receiving antenna as it reflects off the concave walls of the satellite dish. Society has benefited from other similar technologies, such as radar detection systems.

Relation to theme: pulsars. Need I say more? Interesting fact though: since the radiation being emitted was radio waves, Dr. Burnell, her thesis supervisor (Dr. Hewish), and the rest of their team thought that they were receiving extraterrestrial communications. However, they realized that the radio wave pulses were coming at regular intervals, leading them to the conclusion that they were actually observing a rapidly spinning neutron star that was emitting radio waves at regular intervals.

Britannica, T. E. (2018, July 11). Jocelyn Bell Burnell. Retrieved June 16, 2019, from https://www.britannica.com/biography/Jocelyn-Bell-Burnell

Type: Internet-curated

Item: website

Unit: biology

Big idea: “ Plants and animals, including humans, are made of specialized cells, tissues, and organs that are organized into systems.”

Description: a webpage dedicated to explaining the field of astrobiology.

Relation to big idea: astrobiology is an interdisciplinary field that often guides future space missions. Astrobiologists look at the requirements for life, and life as we know it often requires the same things. This is because all life is made of one or more cells, and although these cells can specialize and organize themselves in different ways, at the foundational level, all life is built upon cells and these cells need the same things to survive (water, energy source, etc.). 

Relation to theme: one of the main requirements for a habitable planet is the presence of water, something that astrobiologists have already determined. Astrobiologists and astronomers believe that if an exoplanet has all the materials (such as water) for simple life, complex life is possible as the simple life can evolve and form more complex systems.

Type: career

Item: meme

Unit: climate change

Big ideas: “Earth’s climate is dynamic and is the result of interacting systems and processes.

Global climate change is influenced by both natural and human factors.”

Description: a modern and accurate representation of how different people view the field of meteorology.

[Meteorology meme]. (n.d.). Retrieved June 16, 2019, from https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/536350636843663986/

Relation to big idea: meteorologists study and analyze atmospheric data, whether it be for day-to-day weather pattern use or observing long-term trends (depicted by the 2 images in the middle column). This includes using and analyzing weather data from the past over long periods of time (studying climate) to make predictions for the present and future, and from this, changes in climate and weather patterns can be observed.

The changes in daily weather data and the overall trend in weather patterns over time show meteorologists how the Earth’s climate system is dynamic. They often see correlations as well between different systems and characteristics, seeing how humidity and precipitation for example are linked. Comparing climate data from the past and comparing it to the present, meteorologists also can see the fluctuations of climate and, more presently, the steady increase in global temperature and atmospheric CO2, both of which demonstrating how climate is influenced by natural and human factors.

Relation to theme: meteorologists not only use past data, they collect current data too. One such way is by using atmospheric instruments and weather satellites (which can also track natural disasters/strong storms). In addition to this, space agencies like NASA, the CSA, and the ESA also gather climate and weather data. 

Famous person: Alfred Wegener

Alfred Wegener was a meteorologist and geologist, most famous for his continental drift theory. However, as he was also a meteorologist, he also studied polar air circulation and taught meteorology at Marburg, Hamburg, and Graz.

Britannica, T. E. (2019, April 05). Alfred Wegener. Retrieved June 16, 2019, from https://www.britannica.com/biography/Alfred-Wegener

Type: curated from Internet

Item: image

Unit: physics

Big ideas:  “Society has benefited from the development of a range of optical devices and technologies” and “ Light has characteristics and properties that can be manipulated with mirrors and lenses for a range of uses. “

Gunn, C. (2016, May 2). Low Light James Webb Telescope [Digital image]. Retrieved June 15, 2019, from https://www.flickr.com/photos/nasawebbtelescope/26504730220/ 

Mirrors Overview [Digital image]. (2011, July 1). Retrieved June 4, 2019, from https://www.flickr.com/photos/nasawebbtelescope/sets/72157658888594928/

Description: the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is a reflecting (only uses mirrors) telescope that observes infrared radiation that came from the first stars and galaxies in the universe. It will be launched into space in 2021 to serve as a solar-orbiting observatory. 

Relation to big ideas: the JWST will gather data and observe the formation of primordial stars and galaxies, allow astronomers to compare this data to current stars and galaxies, and reveal details of the atmospheres of other planets. All of this benefits society as this data will help answer questions pertaining to the origins and formation of the universe. These questions include “how did galaxies and stars form in the early universe?”, “how did these celestial bodies evolve?”, and “what are the properties of celestial bodies in our galaxy today?”.

The JWST can do all of this because light can be manipulated by mirrors and lenses for our purposes. The JWST is more specifically a “three mirror anastigmat” telescope. It has 1 concave mirror (the primary), 1 convex (secondary), and one that flattens the focal plane and removes astigmatism. All of this serves to manipulate light so that a focused image and a wide field of view is achieved. The JWST’s primary and secondary mirrors work together to focus on the object it is observing, and it does this by using actuators behind each hexagonal part of the mirror. These adjust the pieces’s centre of curvature. By doing this, incoming light can be focused (manipulated) without moving the telescope out of orbit. 

Relation to theme: the JWST will help astronomers answer questions relating to the first celestial bodies that formed after the Big Bang. It is also a piece of technology that will physically be in space.

Mirrors Webb/NASA. (n.d.). Retrieved June 15, 2019, from https://jwst.nasa.gov/mirrors.html

Type: curated from Internet

Item: article

Unit: biology

Big idea: “Plants and animals, including humans, are made of specialized cells, tissues, and organs that are organized into systems.”

link to article: https://www.nasa.gov/hrp/bodyinspace

Description: this article describes some of the main differences between space (in particular, the conditions of Mars) and Earth and how these differences affect human health. This includes the difference in gravity fields, radiation, and closed environments that can easily transmit pathogens.

Relation to big idea: the systems that exist in the human body (cardiovascular, digestive, immune, musculoskeletal) are optimized for living on Earth. However, these systems start to behave differently in space due to parts of them, whether they be one or several organs, having trouble functioning in the new environment (which then affects the entire system). This includes decreases in bone-mineral density (skeletal system), cardiovascular deconditioning (cardiovascular system), increased susceptibility to disease due to higher cortisol levels from stress and the closed environment (immune system), damage to the central nervous system (nervous system), and increased risk of cancer (affects DNA of cells, which then do not function properly, dividing uncontrollably to create a tumour).

Relation to theme: the foreign environment of space negatively impacts the systems in the human body. This must be researched to better understand these impacts and help keep astronauts healthy. In addition to this, more research must be done on the long-term effects of space on the human body if humans wish to establish an extraterrestrial colony (perhaps on Mars!).

Type: student-created 

Item: poem meme

Unit: chemistry

Big idea:  “Chemical reactions may have a negative impact on the environment, but they can also be used to address environmental challenges.”

I am plant

and i feast

on greenhouse gas in air

That human make

Miam i say

as i cromch

Now it is me and human breathe

in venus colonie

Description: this poem is written from the point of view of a plant on Venus. It is photosynthesizing (which it calls “feasting”) on CO2, producing O2 that humans can breathe.

Relation to big idea: humans release many greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, not only through breathing but other chemical processes as well. Whether it be by the combustion of fossil fuels or the metabolic reactions of livestock, these greenhouse gases in excess are harmful to the environment and are released through chemical reactions. However, another chemical reaction removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Plants do photosynthesis, which reacts CO2 and H2O to produce C6H12O6 and O2. As such, this chemical reaction helps slow down the environmental challenge of global warming.

Type: Internet-curated

Item: image/chart

Unit: physics

Big ideas: “Light has characteristics and properties that can be manipulated with mirrors and lenses for a range of uses.

Society has benefited from the development of a range of optical devices and technologies”

Description: 1st image - how a spectrometer works. 2nd image - emission spectra of 5 different elements. 

Relation to big idea: a spectrometer works by separating electromagnetic radiation (either by a prism in the past, or presently, a diffraction grating), and then projecting the radiation onto a photosensitive material (such as CCDs, or charge coupled devices, in modern spectrometers). Notice the thick lines that appear intermittently in the emission spectra. These are what indicate what element it is, because different elements absorb and emit light differently, leading to different spectral lines in their respective emission spectra. This useful tool, the spectrometer, and all its uses are due to the characteristics of light (such as its wavelengths which can be diffracted by a prism or diffraction grating, the way different elements absorb light, etc.) can be manipulated by mirrors and lenses.

Relation to theme: astronomical spectroscopy is the use of spectroscopy to analyze the composition of different celestial bodies. For example, if an astronomer was trying to determine the composition of an exoplanet’s atmosphere, if the spectral lines for hydrogen and nitrogen show up, the astronomer would know that that planet’s atmosphere contained hydrogen and nitrogen.

Spectroscopy. (n.d.). Retrieved June 17, 2019, from https://astronomy.swin.edu.au/cosmos/S/Spectroscopy

Type: Internet-curated

Item: image gallery of selected maps

Unit: climate change

Big ideas: “Earth’s climate is dynamic and is the result of interacting systems and processes.

Global climate change is influenced by both natural and human factors.

Climate change affects living things and natural systems in a variety of ways.

People have the responsibility to assess their impact on climate change and to identify effective courses of action to reduce this impact.”

First global map from OCO-2. This and all following data are recorded from the topmost part of the Earth’s atmosphere by NASA’s Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2.

Global solar induced fluorescence (SIF) from August - October of 2014. Warmer colours (more fluorescence) indicate higher levels of photosynthesis.

Atmospheric CO2 concentration from September 8, 2014 to October 9, 2014. 

July 1, 2017 - July 30, 2017

OCO-2 Data Products Gallery [Digital image]. (n.d.). Retrieved June 16, 2019, from https://ocov2.jpl.nasa.gov/galleries/gallerydataproducts/

Description: various visual representations of data obtained from NASA’s Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2. 

Relation to big ideas: the last two images show the changes in Earth’s atmosphere over the course of 3 years, with a noticeable increase in CO2 ppm. This change shows that the climate is dynamic. This change is due to a number of factors, but in recent years, the number one factor has been human disruption of the carbon cycle. Although humans may release excessive amounts of CO2 from one area of the world, due to the fact that climate is a result of interacting systems and processes, this CO2 is dispersed throughout the atmosphere via air and ocean currents. 

This increased concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere is affecting living things and natural systems in a variety of ways. Many organisms are having trouble adapting to the new, warmer conditions caused by this increase in greenhouse gases. Many other natural systems, such as thermohaline circulation and the water cycle are also being thrown off-balance due to disruptions in the carbon cycle (excessive release of CO2). 

However, NASA is showing a responsibility to the environment by taking upon missions like the OCO-2 and is gathering data to monitor changes, like that of the concentration of atmospheric CO2, to help bring about change so that organizations (like the GOVERNMENT AHEM) cannot refuse to implement environment-protecting policies in the face of irrefutable data and statistics.

Type: curated from Internet

Item: chart 

Unit: biology

Big idea:  “Developments in medicine and medical technology can have social and ethical implications.”

via https://www.genetics.org/content/198/2/443, cited below

Description: this chart depicts the number of new disease-causing genes identified by whole-exome sequencing (WES) versus the same of whole-genome sequencing (WGS), both of which are next-generation DNA sequencing (NGS) technologies.

Relation to big idea: although humans are still a ways away from the totalitarian dystopia of being forced to share all medical information with the government, employers, and colleagues, the possibility for this to occur brings about a social and ethical dilemma. Questions such as “should people be forced to undergo genetic screening to determine predispositions to certain diseases like Parkinson’s or Huntington’s?” and “who will be allowed to access this information?” are extremely important. Examples of ethical concerns include the following: someone might not want to live their life knowing that they are at risk of developing a terminal illness, or an employer or insurer might request this information and refuse to employ/insure someone based on their predisposition to disease. Examples of social concerns include things like people not wanting to have children with someone because of the risk of an undesirable gene being passed down to their hypothetical children, or if they choose to do prenatal genetic screening, parents must decide what to do in the event that their child has a genetic disorder/mutation.

Relation to theme: the implications of testing on employment are most notable when discussing how this relates to space. Many space agencies (including NASA and the CSA) have physical requirements for people applying to the astronaut candidate program. If someone applying to the astronaut candidate program had a predisposition to a certain illness and they had to provide this information to their space agency, this would greatly affect their chance of employment.

Hieter, P., & Boycott, K. M. (2014, October 01). Understanding Rare Disease Pathogenesis: A Grand Challenge for Model Organisms. Retrieved June 16, 2019, from https://www.genetics.org/content/198/2/443

Type: Internet-curated

Item: equation

Unit: chemistry

Big idea: “Chemicals react with each other in predictable ways.”

Description: the chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen in liquid form. A synthesis (more specifically, combustion) reaction that produces water vapour and energy, which generates enough thrust for a rocket to lift off.

Relation to big idea: the product of this chemical equation can only be predicted due to the fact that chemicals react with each other in predictable ways. Scientists have determined this through repeated reactions, verifying that chemicals react in certain ways (and then using this knowledge to identify patterns and predict future reactions of the same substance or similar types of reactions). Likewise, scientists can predict that liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen will react in a combustion/synthesis reaction that produces water vapour and energy.

Relation to theme: this reaction is what allows rockets to escape the Earth and go into space. It also allows aerospace engineers to determine how much fuel they need to bring aboard the spacecraft.