Cosmic Chemistry
For this project, we constructed three different items that conveyed the information we learned throughout this unit which included the Big Bang and its evidence, nuclear fusion and fission, and the formation of stars. My group made a comic book, did nuclear fusion and fission math problems, and constructed a podcast to show how we learned this info.
Our project consisted of two separate groups to be able to complete all the projects at once. Blossom and I did the math problems together and the other group with Diego and Jazz did the comic book together. After we both finished that we joined back together to write the script for and film our podcast. This was an efficient way to divvy up the three different forms of communication to represent what we learned in a short period of time.
The math that Blossom and I did took a while to finish (around an hour) because of our initial confusion on the subject but we learned quickly and we understood the process by the end of the class period.
Shown here is the video of our recorded podcast:
Shown here is the comic book we made:
Listed below are some concepts which are critical to understanding much of this project:
Atoms
The basic unit of a chemical element which contains a nucleus of protons and neutrons which is orbited by electrons.
Elements
Substances that cannot be broken down into simpler substances below atoms.
Alpha Decay
A form of radioactive decay in which elements eject an alpha particle which is a Helium-4 particle.
Beta Decay
A form of radioactive decay in which elements eject an electron.
Gamma Decay
A type of radioactivity in which some unstable element dissipates excess energy by a spontaneous energy burst.
Nuclear Fission
A nuclear reaction in which a heavy nucleus splits on impact with another particle. This reaction causes the creation of a smaller and more stable element along with the release of energy. This concept was used in my project in the math section in which we had to balance equations of larger elements breaking up into smaller elements.
Nuclear Fusion
A nuclear reaction in which atomic nucleus of low atomic number fuses to form a heavier nucleus with the release of energy. This happens regularly in stars to form larger elements and to release energy to keep the star pressured against gravity. This fusion in stars is a main way the universe has larger elements. This concept was used in my project in the math section as well in which we had to balance equations of smaller elements combining to form larger elements and also creating energy.
The Big Bang
The rapid expansion of the universe from a state of extremely high density and temperature that scientists theorize was the beginning of the known universe. This concept was used in my project in the podcast section in which multiple scientists talked about the Big Bang and the evidence we have for it.
Cosmic Background Radiation
The electromagnetic radiation that is a remnant from an the Big Bang and early stages of the universe, which is also known as "relic radiation". This concept was used in my project in the podcast section in which different scientists talked about how Cosmic Background Radiation contributed to our understanding of the Big Bang.
Redshift
The displacement of wavelengths so that the waves are stretched to the red part of the spectrum. This effect shows that galaxies are increasingly moving away from us. This concept was used in my project in the podcast section in which different scientists talked about how redshift seen by Hubble is evidence for the Big Bang.
Reflection:
I think some things I did well during this project was I produced quality work. I am very confident about Blossom and I's nuclear fission math solutions. Also our podcast follows the rubric perfectly and it was filmed and submitted on time. I was also a leader and facilitated collaboration in my group. This helped because we easily delegated all the work for the group amongst our members so that everyone was on the same page on what we should do. We perfectly delegated our work and both groups finished at around the same time and we came together to work on the final part of the project. These positive activities satisfy two of the 6 C's that San Marin strives for which are communication in making sure everyone was on the same page at all times and keeping the group on track and also being a collaborator by being an active participant in the project and giving/receiving constructive criticism.
Some things I didn't do as well was in time management and do critical thinking. I think my time management could be improved because much of the podcast was finished on the last day with not much time remaining. I really think if more work was done outside of the allotted class time we could have a more polished project. In the future I am going to spend more time out of class doing classwork. I also think that at times I didn't fully understand the material and so it was hard for me to explain and create project. The two 6 C's that I will try to improve by the next project are conscientious learner (self-management) and my critical thinking skills. I can do this by having a planner so I can plan out my homework and studying and to help my critical thinking I can watch videos outside of class on the subject to make sure I understand it.