How does a Xerox machine work?

Do you know why a Xerox machine is called a Photocopier?

Actually, that is what it should be called. Xerox was the first company (or probably one of the first) which brought photocopier machines to the market and so even today some of us call them Xerox machines!

But do you know how they work?

Find out!

It’s a very interesting machine. And it uses simple physical phenomena like Reflection of Light and Attraction between unlike Charges (yes, static electricity). Read up on the Internet or if you’re feeling plain lazy, just check this link: http://home.howstuffworks.com/photocopier1.htm

 

Review worksheet – Reflection of Light

Here’s a review worksheet containing some questions which will test how well you have revised Reflection of Light by Plane Mirrors. Hope you have fun solving the worksheet. Let me know if you have any doubts (AFTER you have thought enough!).

Will be away till Nov 16

I will not be accessing Internet till Nov 16. Will respond to any comments/queries only on 16th. Any new posts will also have to wait!

Getting bored at home?

Remember Arvind Gupta?! One who showed so many little toys in the assembly…

Here are some videos explaining how to make these toys: http://www.arvindguptatoys.com/films.html

Try some at home!

He has also LOTS of books available for free download on his website: http://www.arvindguptatoys.com

Go to the section Books on Science / Maths / Activities under English books. There are many interesting books there.

And if you are interested in reading some physics (written interestingly!), take a look at Isaac Asimov’s “Science Fact” Masterpieces.

Science Week at IUCAA

This is for those of you living in Pune:

IUCAA (Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics) is celebrating Pulastya Science Week from Nov 8 to Nov 13. On this occasion, there will be a lot of public outreach programmes IUCAA will be holding for astronomy enthusiasts, especially for children.

Following are the details of the programme:

Muktangan Vidnyan Shodhika at IUCAA,
celebrates Pulastya Science Week
Nov 8 – 13, 2010
(except on Nov 10)

From November 8 to 13, 2010 the IUCAA Science Exploratorium called Muktangan Vidnyan Shodhika will be celebrating Pulastya Science Week to commemorate the birth anniversary of late Shri Pu.La. Deshpande. This will be a celebration of Science in the league of similar activities taken up at the National Science Day celebrations in February, but for 6 days. The programmes are specially designed for school children who have vacations and time to spare in the afternoons & evenings. However grownups are welcome to participate. The special attraction would be the evening sky-watch sessions.

The activities planned are Science experiment demonstrations, Learning how to indulge in basic Astronomy, Story-telling drama about Constellation, Question-Answer sessions, Public talks and exciting Sky Watching sessions with telescopes at night. These activities will repeat daily in a pre planned schedule (given below) from 2:00 pm to 10:30 pm. The venue would be the Chandrasekhar Auditorium and the Science Park of IUCAA.

There are no fees charged for any session. However seats for various sessions will be given strictly on first-come-first-served basis until all the seats are taken. For the sky watching session Free passes are being issued, which can be collected from the security office of IUCAA.

IUCAA invite the parents and guardians to bring wards to participate in these activities on any one of these six days according to their convenience.

The Programme Schedule

2:00 pm to 3:00 pm :  Science Toys Demonstration
3:30 pm to 4:30 pm :  Visual Astronomy learning session
5:00 pm to 5:30 pm :  Astro-drama – ‘Constellation Stories’
6:00 pm to 7:00 pm :  Public Lecture by various scientists
7:30 pm to 10:30 pm : Skywatching sessions ( in 1 hr batches )
subject to the weather – in-case of cloudy sky IUCAA plans to conduct extra show on some other day.

Make a Pinhole Camera

You might have made a pinhole camera some time in school earlier.

I want you to make a pinhole camera at home. It’s a great way to start learning about light.

Here’s something you can start with and then innovate: http://www.exploratorium.edu/science_explorer/pringles_pinhole.html

And then (here spake the physics teacher!) answer the following questions (after some of your own ‘explorations’ with your camera, obviously!):

1. How does the image depend on the size of the pinhole? Experiment with the size of the pinhole and see.

2. Does the size of the camera matter? How does the size of the camera (i.e. the distance between the hole and the screen) change the image?

3. Is it better to have a large pinhole camera over a small one? Which one would you prefer? Justify your choice.

PLEASE BRING YOUR PINHOLE CAMERAS TO THE SCHOOL. I would love to see your different designs.

How to Study Physics

I found this really very interesting book on the Net. It’s called How to Study Physics. And it was published in 1955!

Take a look: http://www.lhup.edu/~dsimanek/chapman.htm

I would recommend going through Chapter 3 (General Study Suggestions), Chapter 4 (How to Make Notes) and Chapter 5 (How to Work Problems). You may also like to see Chapters 8 and 9, which are about studying for and taking physics examinations.

Looking Ahead

Some of you wanted to know what we’ll be covering in the course of the next term.

Here’s the ICSE syllabus for physics. Refer to pages 1-3 of this document.

We have to do many topics in the coming term: Fluids, Heat, Light, Electricity and Wave Motion. However, looking ahead at class 10, we’ll be spending a lot of time on Light and Heat. The other topics will be covered too but not in similar depth.

So I would like you all to read up a little bit in preparation towards the second term. Please revise Reflection of Light by Plane Mirrors. Those of you have got Hewitt’s Conceptual Physics, you can go through pages 530-535 (Chapter 28).

Do read up the chapters on Heat, Temperature and Thermal Expansion too from the textbook. You must have done most of it in earlier classes. Conceptual Physics has  two excellent chapters on this topic – Chapters 15 and 16.

I will prepare some worksheets for you as review exercises for these two topics.

Worksheet on Gravitation

Hi
Was busy at home with Diwali celebrations.
Hope you all have finished answering the exam paper.
So here’s your worksheet 1. This worksheet is based on Newton’s Law of Gravitation. Go through your notes before attempting the worksheet.
In case you need some help, here are some hints.

Conceptual Physics

Those of you who have got a copy of Conceptual Physics (Paul G Hewitt), READ IT!

You won’t find a better text for understanding physics at your level.
Highly recommended for those who’re planning to take science later.

Those who do not have the book, you can buy it online at: www.flipkart.com. The paperback edition is available for Rs. 453.