The First World War, that began in 1914, put chemists to work. Their chemicals could harm as well as heal … but on balance the outcome was … horrific. As the author of two...
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Here are pictures of labs, data loggers, sensors and experiments from the 1990’s to the 2000’s. You’ll see different solutions to computers in a lab and for example, different colorimeters and different ways to...
When it is icy they put salt onto the roads to melt the ice. What the salt does is to depress, or reduce, the freezing point of water. The result is that the ice...
Batteries are a handy source of power. You’ll know that there are different kinds of batteries, and maybe that some are good for some jobs, and some for others. But battery power is expensive. It...
Radioactive materials decay, or lose their radioactivity, in a predictable way. If you have a fast decaying source, such as Protactinium with a half life of just 72 seconds, you can take a series...
You can use a temperature sensor to study the conduction of heat through materials. Two temperature sensors allow you to compare different materials at the same time. In this example, you heat strips of...
You can use a temperature sensor to study the insulating properties of materials. Two temperature sensors allow you to compare different materials at the same time. In this example two beakers of hot water...
Measuring the appearance of cloudy sulfur when we mix acid and sodium thiosulfate is a popular science teaching activity. We can change the temperature or concentration of the reagents, and see whether the mixture...
A lot of people use science at work and more so here in Cambridge, England. We started interviewing them for our radio show from 2011 up until 2014 and here they are. While the interviewers...
We’ve recorded dozens of scientists and entrepreneurs talking about what their work involves. We hear from experts in Cambridge, England as they talk about their inventions, discoveries and interests. We shout to twitter @105science.
How writing, communicating or presenting science can be helped by using a word processor or Powerpoint.
How science topics can be helped by using an IT measuring tool called a sensor. Explained, with examples nearby (from ‘IT in primary science’ by Roger Frost).
How data handling in science topics can be helped by using an IT tool called a spreadsheet program. Explained, with examples (from ‘IT in primary science’ by Roger Frost).
A ‘branching database is a must-try activity for sorting items and classifying animals.
IT ideas for primary science topics covering heat, energy, temperature, keeping warm.
IT ideas for topics involving heating, burning and changing materials
IT ideas for topics about choosing materials, what things are made of and so on.
Most substances reflect some light and that is why we can see them. White light is a mixture of many colours mixed together. When white light shines on say, a blue fabric, the fabric reflects blue and absorbs every colour except blue. Similarly a red fabric reflects red and absorbs all other colours. A black fabric …
We need light to see things and light comes from something that is hot or burning. A torch or light bulb has tungsten wire which glows when hot. Candles produce light by burning chemicals. Some light ..
Noise is sound being a nuisance or causing ear damage but sound proofing against this is difficult. This is because all sorts of materials vibrate and transmit sound. Having sound absorbers, such as carpets and curtains helps to absorb sound. Also ..
Materials which set up vibrations in the air make sound. These vibrations are little ‘puffs’ of higher air pressure followed by gaps of lower air pressure …
Hot things cool because they lose heat to their surroundings. We can help them to cool by making the surroundings cooler (by blowing) or by conducting heat away with a spoon. The greater the difference..
Babies and adults are warmer than their surroundings and constantly lose heat to it. Other things being equal, how quickly they lose heat depends on their size and the surrounding temperature. The
If a cup of hot water has a higher temperature than the room, it loses heat energy to the room. In contrast, ice water, which has a lower temperature than the room, will gain heat energy from the room. Knowing the temperature of
Weather station With a data logger several sensors can be used together to monitor the weather over periods lasting weeks. Suitable sensors include temperature, pressure, humidity, light or even a rotation sensor to check...
Burning a candle As a candle burns oxygen is used and heat and water are produced. A few sensors can be used to monitor this process – including a light sensor to indicate when...
Thermometric titration As acid reacts with alkali the pH changes and heat is evolved. This heat of neutralisation can be easily monitored using sensors – to produce a graph of temperature and pH against...
Acid-base titration As acid drains into alkali the pH changes. This can be monitored using a pH sensor and instantly produce a graph of pH against volume. The volume of acid added is entered...
Rates: marble and acid Apparatus Clamps, bosses, & stands, marble pieces (large, medium and small sizes), 1M hydrochloric acid HCl, flask, bung, delivery tube, a good gas syringe. Interface, position sensor. Setting up Set...
rogerfrost.com is a compendium of ideas for school teachers to use technology. It shows how IT helps find answers to science questions.
Roger Frost was a copywriter and journalist from 1998 to 2016 and this web includes his articles on how the Internet developed and how science is used at work. Contact him using the social links or add a comment to an article. Use this content freely and link back here if you can.
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