SCIENCE

VCE PHYSICS EXCURSION TO LUNA PARK

The great thing about Physics is that every day we experience its effects on us and there is no better place to experience its' extreme effects than Luna Park! With topics like circular motion, projectile motion and energy transfers in Year 12 Physics, the rides at Luna Park provide ideal conditions to deepen an understanding of the forces and motion involved.

The Year 12 Physics and Specialist Maths students all attended one of the VicPhysics Luna Park days in early March where they spun themselves silly on rides such as the Enterprise, Pharaoh's Curse, Dodgem Cars and Power Surge. Apart from feeling a bit queasy, this experience and the subsequent analysis of the motion and forces using data logging equipment will prove to be a valuable memory tool when tackling the problems and concepts in class and exams.

ENGINEERS WITHOUT BORDERS

In March, Engineers Without Borders, a volunteer organisation that carries out humanitarian aid work in Australia and overseas visited 8I to run a workshop about real-life energy transformations.  The students were presented with a problem - to try and create as much power as possible from regular materials such as milk bottles, plastic, duct tape, magnets and wire by creating a small water turbine. This was to simulate the idea that when finding power generation solutions in remote and disadvantaged societies, simple equipment can be used smartly to solve problems.

Students broke into groups, designed their solutions, built their models and tested how well they worked.  They learnt important teamwork, design and engineering skills and had the opportunity to reflect on what could be improved.

Jodie O'Connor - 8I Science Teacher