Day 1 reflections
Importance of Water - Dirty and Clean by Prof Ng Wun Jern
There were issues with water pollution in Singapore 50 years ago. Unclean water when consumed costs sicknesses like Cholera, Typhoid fever, Dysentery, etc. Microbes are also used to treat these dirty water. Water pollution should bother us due to the smell, the infectious diseases it causes, Chronic health risks, environmental degradation, Societal and Economical Effects. Around the world, approximately 1.1 billion people have no access to drinking water, 2.4 billion people have inadequate sanitation facilities, and 3.4 million people die because of waterborne diseases, which is why we should not just make a difference for ourselves, but also make a different for others.
Revolution of Microelectronics Technology by Prof Yeo Kiat Seng
Due to transformation of Singapore’s electronic industry, it leads to higher add value products. Asia is also becoming a focal point of electronic companies. Electronics are also currently driving Global demands. Electronics is pervasive. Electronics enable. Integrated Circuits consist of Bio, Radio, Auto, Info, Nano, H2O, Audio, Video, and m.c(two). Examples of BioNano Electronics are Programmable Blood, Electronic Contact Lens, Brain Implant and the Epiretinal implant device which allows the blind to see.
Interactive breakthroughs in Nano-Science and Technology by Prof Ma Jan.
Nano-cells help to remove Body Odour, freckles, and others. When the nano-particles have a smaller size for a fixed volume, there is a larger surface area. Nano-technology: design, fabrication, etc, of nano-materials. Spiderman’s spiderweb are made of Carbon Nano-Tubes (CNT). Quantum Dots is to remember things, example, all the information in the library, into something that is only a sugar cube size. Nano-particles also can detect cancerous tumors when they are only a few cells in size. An example of Natural Nano-ceramics is the Shark’s tooth, which is hard and strong. I also learnt that difference in purity gives different colours, example, ruby and jade.
IT for Animation by Prof Seah hock Soon
There are 3 types of animation. Stop-motion animation, 2D animation and 3D animation. Stop-motion is usually used for story-telling. An example of 2D animation is the Lion King, which is the highest grossing 2D animation of all time. An example of 3D animation is Toy Story, which showed simple, hard plastic toys. Mathematics is used in movies, for example, geometry, linear algebra, calculus, physics. Motion capture, image processing and computer vision also has Mathematics involved. Information Technology has become part of our everyday lives. Between 2D and 3D animation, 3D is more efficient due to it being more cost efficient and less labour is needed.
Disappearing glaciers, rising sea levels, and why gravity is even more important than you think by Asst Prof Emma Hill
We learnt that a geodesist studies the shape and size of the Eartg, also the Gravity field and the changes happening around the Earth. Sea level rise will not be the same everywhere, however, sea level rise will be highest farthest from the glaciers, which we need to prepare for. Sea level rise is measured by tide gauges.
Day 2 Reflections
I chose this project because when I read the title and description, it caught my attention. I thought it was an interesting an exciting project, and since it had 2 different sub-projects in it, I decided that the project fit me.
Fastest Ball Challenge - My role in the group is to start and stop the photogates and "announce" the timing so that someone could record the timing.
Extraction of Caffeine from beverages - My role in the pair was to make sure the experiment was going smoothly. My partner and I also helped each other out during the experiment, taking turns to do the different procedures to "evenly" distribute" the experience of "professional" hands-on work.
Fastest Ball Challenge - Some challenges my group encountered was the inconsistent results when the ball was dropped from the height, finding the right height of release of the ball as the results were somewhat similar. We overcame these challenges by just trying out until we find the certain height which gives us the consistent results.
Extraction of Caffeine from beverages - A challenge which really bothered us was the Buchner Filtration. We had to do that certain part of the experiment thrice before it we succeeded. With the help of the facilitator, we had managed to do it successfully.
Fastest Ball Challenge - Through this project, I discovered that the angle not necessarily has to be larger. I also discovered the precision was very important as a slight accidental change might change the results dramatically. I also learnt that the ball with the oil rolls down the ramp slower due to it sliding down the ramp instead of rolling down the ramp.
Extraction of Caffeine from beverages - Through this project, I discovered that the lower the pressure, the lower the temperature and the higher the pressure, the higher the temperature. I also learnt that carbon dioxide from its gaseous state becomes solid state straight away, but in some instances (eg, Fire Extinguisher), carbon dioxide is in its liquid state.
As an individual, I have gained more knowledge about different things like physics and chemistry especially, just like liquid nitrogen, the effect of the difference of 1degree angle of the ramp on the ball.
In the future, I want to do more similar experiments but more professional in a way, just like handling the liquid nitrogen and finding different things using/about it. I also want to find the perfect "angle" of the ramp by using equations and measurements instead of just trial and error.
