Breeanna Noi and Sabrina Stewart-McDonald

This PSSA topic is centered around the life cycle of stars. The star is born from the nebula is goes through a process in which the core changes, eventually running out of energy and collapsing on itself or becoming dimmer. The process depends on how big the star is. 

By Alex and Kam

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Here You Go!

Major Understanding:

The basic major understanding of atoms are that they composed virtually everything in the universe. Everything is composed of atoms, from your mom, to your dad and even something huge like the Sun is composed of atoms. Without the basic structure of atoms, mass, and objects with really large masses couldn't exist. Also with things such as ionic and covalent bonds give way to much more complex structure and organisms like humans, and the Sun. 

Simple Questions

Genetics explains why we are the way we are. It explains how our parents effect our lives, and the traits that we inherit, and generally how our body works. Genetics also explains what can effect our lives, for example how our environment changes how we act or look. It could impact our future greatly, depending on what happens with cloning. Cloning people could provide endless organs, which would save a lot of lives but it is very controversial whether this is morally correct to do or not.

We have both a creative source of information, and a traditional presentation format. Please enjoy both, and happy PSSA testing! 

Here is our own Biome map of the U.S. This is here to help refresh our minds on some of the world's biomes.

Everything on pdf

Topic	Key Points	Important Diagrams
Theory of Evolution	Animals Evolved  to adapt during different weather conditions. Many theories of evolution are just hypothesis.	The monkey to man diagram
	What I learned	Questions
	How humans and other species have evolved to adapt in their environment.	What would happen if the land disappear? Would humans adapt and grow fins.

RESEARCH AND EXPERIMENTS:

Through research we encountered a variety of experiments to gain knowledge of our topic, Energy Transformations. We gathered that there is Potential, Kinetic, and Elastic energy. In one simple experiment of dropping a ball both factors of Potential and Kinetic was shown. When the ball is in the air Potential (gravity) is stored, once released the ball's energy transforms from potential to kinetic as kinetic energy becomes greater as the stored (potential) energy is transferred. Another experiment done was of a catapult launching an object through the air. Depending on the structure of the catapult there is Elastic energy within a spring-like material to then launch the object, the transfer of energy is from Elastic to Kinetic but may be dissipation where some of the energy is wasted due to friction.

HOW TO SHOW THROUGH QUALITATIVE DATA:

There are several ways to express Energy Transformations through visuals such as LOL diagrams and pie charts. LOL diagrams are diagrams showing Initial Energy, The Flow of Energy, and Final Energy. Pie Charts represent qualitative and/or quantitative of how the energy is being transferred.

Example 1: (LOL diagram)
Scenario: Free Fall of a Ball = Potential (gravitational) to Kinetic (before the ball comes in contact with another force)



Example 2: (Pie Chart)
Scenario: Catapult Launching an Object = Elastic energy becomes kinetic over time



GENERAL UNDERSTANDING:

Overall, Energy Transformation "is the process of changing energy from one form to another." Energy Transformation is in everyday life from dropping a ball to sliding down a playground slide. Energy can be potential (stored), kinetic (moving)
elastic (spring constant), dissipation (lost), and radiation(waves). Throughout the process of energies changing there can be more than one in existence. For example you may have a dart shoot into a ceiling and then remain in place due to initially the dart had kinetic energy then one hits the ceiling dissipated energy but also has some potential (gravitational) energy.

4. An example of the types of questions (multiple choice) related to your topic that might appear on the PSSA with an explanation of how you can decide on the correct answer.

A child kicked a soccer ball. How is energy being transferred?

A) Potential (Gravitational)
B) Kinetic
C) Dissipation
D) Radiation

Explanation: Since the ball is in motion the only logical answer is Kinetic.

What units is energy measured in?

A) Newtons
B) Kilograms
C) Joules
D) Pounds

Explanation: With process of elimination; Newtons measures force, kilograms measures mass, and pounds measures weight with the only option left is "Joules".

Which energy transformation is used to cook food in a microwave?

A) Radiation
B) Dissipation
C) Friction
D) Gravity

Explanation: Radiation travels in waves which cooks food in a microwave its a type of heat. Choices B,C, and D are irrelevant.

Sound is _______ energy?

A) Heated
B) Dissipated
C) Cold
D) Kinetic

Explanation: When sound is distributed it transforms into nothing more than just rhythms or syllables to our ears. When energy is not transferred than it is lost; dissipated.

This is our third and final PSA, and it's for people who turn around to talk to people in the backseat of the car.