Physical Science
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Physics
Exploring electromagnetic radiation
Students will watch a NASA video about the electromagnetic spectrum to learn about properties of the various types of radiation. Then, students will explore and discuss technologies that use specific types of electromagnetic radiation.
- Materials Science
Hiding heat radiation
Students will answer questions about the Science News article “Coating provides infrared camouflage,” which explores the physics and potential technological applications of a material.
- Physics
A world of acoustics
Students will use decibel meters to understand how the volume of a sound changes as it travels away from a source. Concepts covered include sound waves, the inverse square law, absorption and reflection. The activity also asks students to consider how the characteristics of a space affect the sound.
- Physics
Designing soundscapes
Drawing on their experiences with how sound behaves in different spaces, students will explore the engineering process by designing and sketching a room to meet specific sound requirements.
- Physics
Sound science at Notre Dame
Students will answer questions about the Science News article “Saving Notre Dame’s sound,” which explores how scientists resurrect acoustics of historic places.
- Humans
What’s that smell?
Students will explore how our sense of smell helps us interpret the world around us, and how those interpretations may vary. Students will practice analyzing data and determine how temperature affects vapor pressure and thus the intensity of scents.
- Science & Society
Ten top science stories from 2019
Students will answer questions about one of Science News’ Top 10 stories of 2019.
- Planetary Science
Lunar orbit
Students will practice analyzing and graphing data about the moon’s orbit. The activity will help students understand the Earth-moon system and the nature of elliptical orbits.
- Life
Do not disturb
Students will explore the immediate and long-term effects of specific environmental disturbances, including how energy enters or leaves an ecosystem, how the biotic and abiotic characteristics of the ecosystem change and how organisms evolve under the new conditions.
- Chemistry
How are elements created?
Students will explore how elements are created — in nature and in the lab — while focusing on the concepts of atomic structure, stability and stellar evolution.
- Science & Society
A Nobel timeline in tweets
Students will track the scientific progress associated with a discovery or advance that was awarded a Nobel Prize by creating a timeline of key events and players.
- Science & Society
And the Nobel science prizes go to…
Students will answer questions based on the Science News article “Nobel Prize winners announced.”
