SPINNING SYCAMORE SEED EXPERIMENT

In the woods, a small groups of us came up with a sycamore seed experiment.  

Our questions was, do bigger sycamore seeds taken longer to fall then smaller sycamore seeds? 

What we did:  

• Picked one large and one small sycamore seed. 
• Stood on a flat area in the woods so the one sycamore seed would not land on higher ground than the other.  
• Held a stick at head height so that we knew where to drop the two sycamore seed from.  
• Held the sycamore seed by the seed end and faced them in the same direction so that we let go, the seeds had a more equal chance to fall to the ground first.   
• Let go off the sycamore seed at the same time.  
• Watched the sycamore seeds spin and hit the ground and repeated the process 3 times.  

Results: 

Every time the small sycamore seed hit the ground first!  

Why though? 

Since doing this experiment, I thought about the results and read around the reasons for why we got those results. My conclusion is... 

The larger sycamore seed has a greater mass compared with the smaller sycamore seed, which means larger one has a bigger force of gravity. However, because it has a larger surface area as well, there is more air resistance acting against it, so it takes longer for the larger sycamore seed to accelerate to its terminal speed. Meaning that it will take longer for the larger sycamore seed to fall to the ground. 

What does it mean for the sycamore trees? 

If the larger sycamore seeds take longer to fall to the ground, then they can travel further away from the tree it fell from. Compare this to the smaller sycamore seed which would probably fall closer to the tree. This means that the sycamore seeds probably spread quiet efficiently and if there is one sycamore tree, there are probably more in close vicinity.  

References:  

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/science/add_gateway_pre_2011/forces/fallingrev1.shtml 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/science/add_ocr_gateway/forces/fallingrev3.shtml 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/ks3/science/energy_electricity_forces/forces/revision/3/  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mCC-68LyZM  

SOME PEOPLE LOVE IT AND SOME PEOPLE HATE IT

Ivy. Some people love it and some people hate it. I am definitely a lover. 

I never really gave ivy much attention, apart from listening to others moan about how it ruins their house and gets everywhere. However, since researching ivy, there have been many interesting facts that I feel I just have to share, which explain my new found love for ivy.

The tropics... 
Ivy, or as it is also know Hedera Helix, is known for being apart of the botanical family of plants called Araliaceae, and is the only plants from this family in the United Kingdom. These kind of plants are normally found in the tropics. 

Dimorphic...

Ivy is dimorphic. This means that there are two different forms of the same plant. For instance, the leaves in image on the left are young leaves and are quite able to exist in the shade,  which is why you can find it covering the ground in the woods. The leaves in the image on the right are older leaves,  not all ivy leaves turn into mature leaves. These only really form if there is a lot of light, so at the top of trees. This is where they will produce either flowers or berries, depending on what time of year it is.  

Binding... 

When ivy climbs, for example up a tree, the ivy's roots change shape and arrange themselves differently so they have a larger surface area for binding to the tree and so that they fit into the structure of the trees surface. These small roots are called aerial roots. Once these roots have fit themselves into the tree surface, the ivy then produces a glue to secure itself to the tree. The roots then become dry and twist and turn so that the roots do not match the structure of the tree. At the tip of the root, it grows a hook which locks the root to the tree.  

What is ivy good for?  

• It can be a habitat. 
• Birds can eat the berries. 
• Bee and butterflies can get pollen from the flowers. 
• Insects, birds and mammals can use it for shelter.  
• Human can use it as a herbal medicine.

References: 

http://www.woodlands.co.uk/blog/flora-and-fauna/common-ivy-hedera-helix/  

http://www.hellistreeconsultants.co.uk/kbi1000030_ivy_on_trees_good_bad_or_indifferent.html  

http://hikersnotebook.net/English+Ivy   

http://www.woodlands.co.uk/blog/woodland-flowers/white-flowers/ivy-hedera-helix/  

http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_8701000/8701358.stm  
http://www.druidry.org/library/trees/tree-lore-ivy 

PHOTOSYNTHESIS REPRESENTATION

Inspired to do my own outdoors photosynthesis representation...

References:  

http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/ks3/science/organisms_behaviour_health/food_chains/revision/3/  

http://forestry.about.com/od/Treebiology/g/Trees-And-The-Process-Of-Photosynthesis.htm  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g78utcLQrJ4 

PART 2 - SENSES AND SCIENCE AROUND THE CAMPFIRE

Hearing...  

The sense that brings attention to sounds around the campfire... 

The boiling fluid, struggling to squeeze out of the wood and escape from the heat of the fire. Each molecule gaining more and more energy, sizzling and drooling, pushing its way out. They want to break free. Reaching its limits the trapped vapour, fights its way out. Pop. The vapour is free. Crackle, and now it is burnt away. 

My question today is, what happens when we are hearing?

References: 

http://www.austincc.edu/apreview/PhysText/PNSafferentpt2.html  

http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/guides/z8d2mp3/revision/2   

http://www.hearinglink.org/your-hearing/how-the-ear-works/   

http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/why-does-wood-crackle-when-it-burns/  

http://highered.mheducation.com/sites/0072495855/student_view0/chapter19/animation__effect_of_sound_waves_on_cochlear_structures__quiz_1_.html -