Laser Challenge
 Description
Norbert
and Zot need help taking
data on cloud and aerosol
samples. Norbert will
shine a laser through
a cloud or aerosol sample
and Zot will measure
the intensity of the
light after it passes
through the cloud or
aerosol. Your student's
job will be to place
a series of known thickness
cloud or aerosol samples
in the test area, tell
Norbert to turn on the
laser, record the measurements
that Zot takes, and plot
the data. This will tell
them how the intensity
of the laser beam depends
on cloud or aerosol thickness
(scientists call this
calibration). Then they
can measure unknown clouds
and aerosols to determine
their thickness. Finally,
your students need to
analyze the data to determine
what is happening and
develop an algebraic
model that can predict
the result of future
measurements. They can
also work with exponentials
and logarithms if you
are covering that material
or want to challenge
your students. There
are four challenges to
do relating to the above
material.
Instructional Objectives
The student will
- learn about measurement
and calibration by
taking data on laser
beam intensity as
a function of cloud
or aerosol thickness.
- plot
the data and take
ratios to analyze the
data.
- use their data plot
to predict the new
laser intensity when
they add another
cloud or aerosol
cell.
- use their data
plot to determine
the unknown thickness
of a cloud or aerosol.
- scale
the simulation thicknesses
to actual cloud and
aerosol thicknesses.
- work
together cooperatively
and analyze and present
their results.
Go to Squeak Laser
Challenge Web Activity
Challenge
5: The project
has four identical cells
of cloud and aerosol material
for your students to test.
Your students need to figure
out how the cells are made
and how they work. They need
to make a fifth cell that
is identical to the other
four and gives the correct
result when Norbert and Zot
perform the experiment on
five cells. We would like
to see examples of your student's
solutions to Challenge 5
so we can post them for others
to see. Click below to submit
your Squeak projects.
Submit your solutions |
