Category: Science 9

Science 9 – Artifacts of Learning

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This semester in Science 9, I learned many new things about the Periodic Table, circuits and electricity, cells and the reproduction cycles, and climate change.

Safety

                

During the start of Science 9, we learned about the health and warning symbols on daily and household products that we should be aware of, such as the corrosive sign, the health hazard sign, the compressed gas symbol, and the flammable symbol. Each symbol or sign has its own meaning of what it means and what it does so you can protect yourself and others around you.

For example, the compressed gas sign means that whatever is being compressed is a gas and can exploded out the material if not cautious with the product.

Chemistry

During our chemistry unit this year, we learned about the periodic table and their groups, families, and features. I also got to familiarise myself with the table and how it was arranged, some other compounds that weren’t on the periodic table, polyatomic ions, element features, and their chemical reactions to other substances.

For our final chemistry project, we had to choose an element and do some research on it as well. For example, the element that I chose to research was platinum which is made to make records with.

Physics

                                                                                         

Throughout our physics unit, we learned about Ohms Law along with voltage, current, and resistance. We also learned how to read resistors with their different coloured bands, how to read a voltmeter and an ammeter with one, five, and ten volts for a voltmeter or amps for an ammeter.

                                                                                         

For our lab, we did the Currents of the Kitchen Lab where we had to make a circuit with fruits from our home.

My group and I used half a lemon, half a potato and a whole banana. We then had to try and make an LED light turn on with only using the food that we had. We made series and parallel circuits and we learned how electricity moves through different objects.

Biology

Our Biology unit was full of new things that needed to be learned, such as mitosis, meiosis, the cell cycle, cell division, and reproduction. We learned all of this with the help of our may learning experiences along labs, worksheets, and group projects.

                         

Here are some pictures of the projects we did during our biology unit of Science 9 with Mr. Robinson.

Climate Change

                           

With climate change, we’ve learned about the carbon in our air, the four spheres to our Earth, biotic and abiotic factors, and what we can do to help make a change.

                           

We also made our own innovation to help solve climate change called the Carbon Compressor and Collector in Minecraft with the help of Elandi and Emily.

Skype With Catherine

   

With Catherine, we learned how most girls can’t go to school because of pregnancies or because of the commute to the school itself.

That can be hard on them, especially without water or it being so far away to reach. Climate change is even a bigger factor in Uganda because of it’s rising heat temperatures nowadays.

Here is a picture of all the questions we asked Catherine:

My Core Competencies Reflection: 

Core Competencies Self-Assessment for Science 9

Science 9 – Emily and Elandi – Climate Solution Fluency

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Define:

Climate change has always been a huge problem for our environment and for our Earth, so we diecide to change that with one of our own ideas. 

The challenge that we have been faced with is to think of a problem that we can solve with our own innovation regarding climate change. Our problem that we came up with was how to get rid of carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases from our atmosphere and our lives. 

Discover: 

For our research, we investigated in what others have created and done, such as smog towers. There are multiple smog towers in Dehli, Beijing, and in Korea in order to get rid of the ridiculous amount of carbon in the air. In Iceland, they have the world’s largest direct air capturing facility that can remove carbon from the air and is then injected into a volcanic rock. China has been working on refurbishment projects to help with the many problems that carbon dioxide is causing to our Earth. China also have lots of valuable points on how we can help our reducement of carbon in the air.

With all of this information, this will help us in the future so we can know how to improve our ways of life and try and use less carbon in all our lives.

We also found some facts about climate change that effect Canada and the rest of the world:

  • Climate change is mainly caused by the increase of greenhouse gases – also known as GHGs – in our atmosphere.
  • This change in our climate has multiple impacts on our environment such as on our health and our economy
  • Canada’s total greenhouse gases emissions were found in 2020 with approximately 672 megatons of carbon dioxide in the air
  • Between the years of 1990 and 2020, Canada’s greenhouse gases emissions have increased by 13.1%, but went down again between 2005 and 2020 by 9.3% with the help of the use of electricity in our daily lives

We even came up with our own definitions of what carbon is and what greenhouse gases are too:

What is Carbon:

Carbon is a gas that has no odor or colour to it. It is made when animals or humans turn food into a useful energy. Carbon can help plant plants and can help animals grow, it can also release heat into the atmosphere. Sometimes too much carbon gets released into the atmosphere and that causes the result of climate change to our Earth.

What are Greenhouse Gases:

Greenhouse gases are gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect by absorbing lots of radiation and lots of carbon dioxide.

Dream:

Some solutions that we came up with together were these:

  • Extracting carbon dioxide from our atmosphere
  • Planting more trees and helping our forests collect more carbon
  • Creating global goals to reduce the rising carbon in our environment
  • Ecosystems that can have an enhanced capacity to store more carbon into a chamber
  • More windmills and turbines to help with the air circulation
  • More carbon and smog towers around the world
  • Recycling our waste and composting it into the Earth
  • Replacing aluminum window frames with recycled aluminium

Deliver:

Here is a drawing of our prototype for our Carbon Compressor and Collector:

How our Carbon Compressor and Collector works is by placing on a roof so it can collect any carbon floating around the machine itself. After that, all the carbon gets compressed in a chamber and gets turned into fuel, oil, or jewelry. It then gets dispensed into crates to get transported to wherever its need to go.

Debrief: 

The process we went through for our solution fluency project was to start off with what our problem was and how we wanted to resolve it. Then, we did our research on what carbon dioxide is, what greenhouse gases are, what other countries have done it the past, and what’s going on with Canada with the resources of Destiny Discover. We then turned everything into paragraphs using our own words.

We also came up with various other ideas ans solutions to end the amount of carbon in our atmosphere and in our lives. Our carbon collector can compress the carbon into energy once again after it has already been used once. That will make the carbon reusable and more efficient to use in our lives.

Finally, Elandi drew our prototype for our invention called the carbon compressor along with what it does exactly. For our project now, Elandi and Emily will be constructing it in Minecraft as I create a video demonstrating how our carbon compressor would work. 

Sources:

Science 9 – Climate in Canada Project

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About Heartland, Ontario:

Heartland, Ontario is known to be one of Canada’s largest power centers for retail shops and speciality services. First off, where is Heartland in Canada? It’s found in the southwest of both Québec and Ontario with service industries as the main industry in Heartland. This is because of it’s convenient location and population of around 3 million people and 79% of the province’s employment and economy.

That’s half of the country’s manufacture workers and half the country’s total amount of production found in Heartland. With around 98 billion dollars in manufacturing sales and over 190 storefronts, that is 2 million square feet of real estate (about the size of West Virginia).

Heartland is such a great place to live and work for multiple reasons, such as the good fertile soil and landscaping, along with a rocky and mineral-rich center and fertile farmland in the south with grassy lowlands from the north. There are numerous jobs in cultivate crops, mine minerals, manufacture automobiles, design software, information and communication technologies, biotech, medical devices, and on the edge technology.

All of this makes Heartland the ultimate place to eat, shop, and work.

Causes:

The problem with all of these industries found in Heartland, that means that there are lots of natural hazards to be found. That can be heat and cold temperatures rising and descending at insane rates. Not only that, but there’s also the rising air and ocean temperatures causing more and more natural disasters every year.

Effects:

A lot of effects on Heartland can be easy and gradual changes of sea level rise and plant species migration or dying, adaptations, and preventions of new opportunities in the northern parts of Canada for its economic development. In the summer, the temperature can be as high as 30°C (86°F) and as low as -40°C (-40°F) in the winter. That is a big difference from what is was 10 years ago. With these rates, the temperatures won’t stop rising and sinking every year.

Cites:

“JavaScript Is Required to View This Site.” Ontario.ca, https://www.ontario.ca/page/about-ontario.

(Ontario Climate Change and Health Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessment Guidelines, 2006)

Warren, F.J. and Lemmen, D.S. (2014): Synthesis; in Canada in a Changing Climate: Sector Perspectives on Impacts and Adaptation, (ed.) F.J. Warren and D.S. Lemmen; Government of Canada, Ottawa, ON, p. 1-18.

 

Science 9 – Mitosis Lab Modeling

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Interphase: 

During the beginning of interphase, the cell performs normal functions as usual and keeps on growing. Interphase is also the longest phase during the cell cycle and still absorbes nutrients during the phase.

During the late stage of interphase, the DNA copies itself in the nucleus for the process of replication.

This part of stage involves the DNA molecules to unwind with the help of ab enzymes which separates the DNA molecules. Then, new bases pair with the original one along with the original DNA.

After the DNA is copied, the last step of interphase is for the DNA molecules to join together to form sister chromatins and replicates to make an identical copy of the DNA.

Prophase: 

These spindle fibers form from opposite ends of the cell.

The nucleus disappears for a reason that scientists don’t really know why yet. Then, the spindle fibers attach themselves to the both ends of the sister chromatins.

Metaphase: 

All of the chromatins line up in the middle or in the equator of the cell during metaphase.

Anaphase: 

In the anaphase process, the chromatids are being pulled away from each other and they are being divided into two.

Each one of the halves of the chromatids is on the opposite side of the cell.

Telophase:

During the final stage of mitosis, the spindle fibers disappear and a nuclear membrane start to form around each of the separated set of chromosomes.

Cytokinesis: 

Cytokinesis is the separation of both nuclei that are finally dividing into their own two daughter cells.

The very last step forms both of the nucleus again in each cell.

Science 9 – Edible DNA Lab

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Here are some pictures of my edible DNA: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1. What is DNA?

DNA is something that we all have in our bodies and it define who we are to what we look like. From the colour of our eyes to our hair colour, that’s what DNA does. DNA is usually found in the nucleus of a cell and contains deoxyribonucleic acid. It is also known as the molecule that sends a set of instructions to the other cells telling them how to function, what to produce, and when to stop.

DNA looks like a twisted ladder that has two strands wrapped around each other in a spiral shape – like in the photos above. Both of those sides are made up of sugar (glucose) and phosphate. If DNA were a ladder, then each one of the steps are made of four different nitrogen bases that connect to one another. Adenine (A) connects to thymine (T) and cytosine (C) connects to guanine (G).

2. What does DNA do? 

Most of the time in the nucleus, DNA is in the from of chromatin, which contains DNA and proteins and then coils into a very tightly X or Y shaped chromosome. In every organism, it has a specific amount of chromosomes, such as the human body which has a total of 46 chromosomes arranged into 23 pairs. Usually, the 23rd pair determines the sex with XX for females and XY for males.

The genes are the smallest segments of DNA located on a chromosomes and can carry thousands of them. Each gene stores information needed to produce specific proteins for the body, such as enzymes and hormones which carry out very important functions for the body.

3. How does DNA copy itself?

The nucleus receives a chemical sign in order to make a specific kind of protein. The DNA then massage’s the protein is to be copied into an even smaller molecule called RNA and that leaves the nucleus through the nuclear pore.

Then, the RNA sends a message to be delivered to a ribosome to make protein. After that, the protein enters the endoplasmic reticular (the ER) and a vesicle forms at the end of it carrying the protein all the way to the Golgi body. The Golgi body then receives vesicles from the ER and repackages protein for transportation out of the cell. A vesicle then forms off the end of the Golgi body to carry out the protein to the cell membrane and the protein is then released out of the cell.

Elemental Fluency Project – Platinum

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Here is my elemental fluency project on platinum: 

1. What questions did you need to research in order to create your Sway?

The questions that I used to research in order to create my Sway were “What is platinum?”, “What is platinum used for?”, “Where is platinum found?”, “Is platinum dangerous?”, and “How many electrons, neutrons, and protons does platinum have?”

2. What new or familiar digital tools did you try to use as you worked through this project?

Some new and familiar digital tools that I used to work through my project were Google, Pexels, Creative Commons, Ducksters, EasyBib, The Vancouver Sun, and Live Science.

On Destiny Discovery, I used World Book Online, World Book Advanced, Gale Engage, Web Library, Explora, KNOW BC, and Topic Finder.

3. What was the process you used to investigate the topic and how did you verify and cite the information you found? 

The process that I used to investigate the topic is that I started with one question, took my notes, then cited the site or the source that I used, after that, I continued from there with the next source.

I verified and cited my information with EasyBib and I always made sure that the website that I used had similar if not the same information as other sites, and that the site I was using was secure and safe.

4. How did the process of completing this challenge go? What could you have done better? 

The process of completing this challenge went very well for me. I worked very hard every time in class and at home, I did my work, I cited my sources, I added some pictures, I took the right notes, and I had good, thorough, and thoughtful questions to ask and to research.

I could have improved on some finer details of my research if I had a bit more time, but other than that I think I did a pretty good job.

Science 9 – Currents From The Kitchen Lab

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The Purpose of this Experiment :

Which fruit or vegetable will produce the most electric voltage during this experiment?

My Hypothesis: 

When I attach both the galvanized nail and the copper strip to my banana, then the greatest voltage possible will happen.

The Materials Needed:  

  • One voltmeter
  • Two wires
  • One galvanized nail with zinc
  • One copper strip
  • A banana
  • A knife

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(We also had half of a potato and half of a lemon to use)

The Procedure: 

  1. Attach the galvanized nail and the copper strip to the fruit or vegetable
  2. Attach the voltmeter using both wires to the fruit or vegetable
  3. Record all of your results
  4. Compare your results with other pieces of fruit or vegetables

Reason Why: 

With the banana, I noticed that it had work for previous experiments that I did at other schools, so I decided to try it again with this experiment. Bananas are usually a great source of energy, so I thought, why can’t it be a source of electrical energy as well.

My Observations: 

  • When we had both our galvanized nail and our copper strip in the lemon, it ended up working better when we moved the nail around, especially more towards the center.
  • When we moved both pieces of metal around, it worked better in the center for the banana, the lemon, and the potato.
  • When we poked the vegetable or fruit with the nail or copper strip, the voltage went up and down rapidly, but it went back to the original voltage in the end when we stopped.

Results:

The voltage of my banana : 0.5 (what happened at first), 0.79 (what happened with both the galvanized nail and the copper strip in the center of the banana)

The voltage of the potato : 0.7 (what happened at first), 0.8 (what happened with both the galvanized nail and the copper strip in the center of the potato)

The voltage of the lemon : 0.9 (same in both the center and what happened at first)

The voltage of both the potato and the banana (the potato was on top of the banana) : 0.87

The voltage of the banana, lemon and the potato (the banana was on the bottom, then the potato in the middle, and finally the lemon on top): 0.95

 

 

Here was what the banana looked like in the end with all of our tests to find the most powerful voltage possible.

 

 

 

 

 

Here is what our potato looked like in the end of our experiment with all of the leftover colour of green from the copper strip.

 

 

 

 

Finally, this was the final outcome of our lemon with no more citrusy juice unlike before when we moved the galvanized nail all around the centre of the lemon.

 

 

 

Conclusion: 

With this experiment, the fruit with the most voltage was the banana when both the galvanized nail and the copper strips was in the center of the banana. The voltage for that was 0.79 volts at the end of both tests.

I was also correct with my hypothesis when I said that the banana would produce the most voltage when I attach both pieces of metal.

I now wonder what would happen if it was in ammeters. Instead of finding the most powerful voltage for this experiment, what would happen if we were to find the fruit or vegetable with the most powerful mA?

Some Extra Questions:  

  1. What was causing the electrons to flow during this experiment?                                                                     The fruit is an electrolyte solution like with all fruits more or less, so that was what causing the electrons to flow on the metal during this experiment.
  2. What were the dependent, the independent, and the controlled variables during this experiment?       The dependent variable during this experiment was the voltage, the independent variable was the type of fruit used each time, and the controlled variable was where we placed the two pieces of metal each time on each fruit or vegetable.
  3. How can we modify the experiment to improve our results?                                                                             One thing we could have done to improve our results was to try to use more citrusy fruits to see if our results would improve or if they would just stay the same in the end. We could have also try to compare both citrusy fruits from the less citrusy fruits to see what would happen then. Would there be any different or similar results from before?
  4. What could be a source of error or of uncertainty in your experiment?                                                          For us, we could have brought more fruit to class for our experiment, picked a more citrusy fruit or a bigger fruit to see what would happen then, and had a whole potato or lemon instead of a half.
  5. How can I use this in my everyday life?                                                                                                                   I could use this in my everyday life if I ever need a bit of electricity from a different source, for example, a fruit.

Science 9 – Periodic Table Feedback Reflection

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What I know well about the periodic table:

What I know about the periodic table are the families, how many periods there are in the table, the groups and their names, the amount of valence electrons for each family, how the table is arranged, and what are the metals, the non-metals, and the metalloids.

I did well with knowing how many elements were in the periodic table, which elements are liquids, solids, metalloids, gases, metals and non-metals. I also know who created the periodic table, how many families there are, what is not on the periodic table, and how to describe an atom.

I did really good on knowing if elements can be decomposed, what Bohr models are and their shells and electrons. With that, I think that I did I pretty good job on learning and understanding about the periodic table.

What I still need to work on regarding the periodic table:

Some things that I still need to work on is remembering what a ductile is. For example, I know now that a ductile is strong and has some flexibility to it as well as durability, which is why it can be made into a wire.

I also need to remember that Halogens is the only family that has a solid, a liquid, and a gas chemical at room temperature. Not only that, but that a Sulphide ion – or a Sulfur ion – has more electrons than protons, which is why there is a 2- where the ion charge is.

Along with that, what happens with an exothermic reaction, and the difference between a physical and chemical change. When a exothermic reaction happens, heat is released. The difference between a physical and chemical change is when a physical change has no new substances added to it.

What I wonder about the periodic table:

What I wonder about the periodic table is if anyone will soon discover if there are indeed more elements to go with the periodic table or not. Other than that, I don’t have any other questions about the periodic table.

What goals will I set to understand the periodic table better:

What I want to do in order for me to better understand the periodic table, is to retake the Kahoot, because then I can see for myself if I have improved or not.

I also want to try and learn more about the periodic table if I can, so I can have a better understanding of it, but also to test my knowledge.