/-/https/www.sciencebuddies.org/cdn/Files/21464/5/sb-logo.png){kind=logo}
/-/https/www.sciencebuddies.org/cdn/Files/21464/5/sb-logo.png){kind=logo}
Science Fair CSI Help
Moderators: AmyCowen, kgudger, bfinio, MadelineB, Moderators
-
TAG24
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Fri Oct 26, 2012 11:13 am
- Occupation: Student: 8th grade
- Project Question: I am doing the Science Fair CSI project and I believe I am doing something wrong.
- Project Due Date: 11/1/12
- Project Status: I am conducting my experiment
Science Fair CSI Help
I am doing the Science Fair CSI: Can You Predict the Spatter? project and I am having trouble with my origin points. So far I have done two tests from different distances (58 and 258 mm. from the corner) and i have found the angle of Impact as well as plotting them with string. I am done with two of my three tests and the string never lands on the sponge. Sometimes two droplets will have the same calculated origin point but I think I'm doing something wrong on account of the string/twine never hitting my actual origin point. Am I doing something wrong? If so what?
-
deleted-90600
- Former Expert
- Posts: 23
- Joined: Tue Sep 18, 2012 2:54 pm
- Occupation: Student: 11th grade
- Project Question: Science Buddies Mentor
- Project Due Date: n/a
- Project Status: Not applicable
Re: Science Fair CSI Help
Hello,
You have probably made pretty accurate measurements and calculations if you found that the drops have the same angle of impact and origin point. I would try drawing strings from as many droplets as possible to find the truest origin. Step 11, which says "Do the strings converge at the location where you hit the sponge? ...What is the difference in actual location and the calculated location?" seems to suggest that it is okay to have some difference between the location of the sponge and the point of convergence of the strings. As always, the best way to obtain meaningful results is to complete numerous trials, so just try again if you really are not satisfied.
I wish you luck!
You have probably made pretty accurate measurements and calculations if you found that the drops have the same angle of impact and origin point. I would try drawing strings from as many droplets as possible to find the truest origin. Step 11, which says "Do the strings converge at the location where you hit the sponge? ...What is the difference in actual location and the calculated location?" seems to suggest that it is okay to have some difference between the location of the sponge and the point of convergence of the strings. As always, the best way to obtain meaningful results is to complete numerous trials, so just try again if you really are not satisfied.
I wish you luck!
-
Jacobie09
- Posts: 61
- Joined: Fri Oct 26, 2012 4:01 pm
- Occupation: Student
- Project Question: Not applicable: I do random projects all the time just for fun (although I turn in all my results)
- Project Due Date: Not applicable
- Project Status: Not applicable
Re: Science Fair CSI Help
Cgiara is probably correct.
The subject I hate is the subject I love: Math
-
Jacobie09
- Posts: 61
- Joined: Fri Oct 26, 2012 4:01 pm
- Occupation: Student
- Project Question: Not applicable: I do random projects all the time just for fun (although I turn in all my results)
- Project Due Date: Not applicable
- Project Status: Not applicable
Re: Science Fair CSI Help
Excuse me, Chiara is correct. (Typo)
The subject I hate is the subject I love: Math
-
TAG24
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Fri Oct 26, 2012 11:13 am
- Occupation: Student: 8th grade
- Project Question: I am doing the Science Fair CSI project and I believe I am doing something wrong.
- Project Due Date: 11/1/12
- Project Status: I am conducting my experiment
Re: Science Fair CSI Help
Thank you, but any new answers would be welcomed.
-
deleted-71882
- Former Expert
- Posts: 338
- Joined: Sun Jul 10, 2011 5:48 pm
- Occupation: retired physicist
- Project Question: n/a
- Project Due Date: n/a
- Project Status: Not applicable
Re: Science Fair CSI Help
Hello TAG24,
Since I can't see your splatters or the other aspects of your setup, I really can't know what might be going wrong.
One method to figure out how an experiment might be failing is to use "test data." In other words, instead of pretending that you don't know the position of the sponge and trying to deduce it from the spatters, consider that you do in fact know where the spatter drops came from. Pick one spatter and compare its shape to what you would calculate the shape to be from the known source.
Is the drop the shape you expect? If yes, then when you retrace the path, it should go back to the sponge. If the shape is not as expected, then examine your setup and figure out why the spatters are not shaped as expected.
Good luck, WW
Since I can't see your splatters or the other aspects of your setup, I really can't know what might be going wrong.
One method to figure out how an experiment might be failing is to use "test data." In other words, instead of pretending that you don't know the position of the sponge and trying to deduce it from the spatters, consider that you do in fact know where the spatter drops came from. Pick one spatter and compare its shape to what you would calculate the shape to be from the known source.
Is the drop the shape you expect? If yes, then when you retrace the path, it should go back to the sponge. If the shape is not as expected, then examine your setup and figure out why the spatters are not shaped as expected.
Good luck, WW