This is an assigned content essay. I felt like writing about something to do with science because my last two essays were about social studies. This essay is about traveling at high speeds on earth, through space, and even at the speed of light.
If someone had a gun and shot a bullet that travels at 600 ft/sec, and they were in a car driving at 600 ft/sec, how fast do you think the bullet would go? 600 ft/sec, 1,200 ft/sec, or would it not even leave the barrel? It's questions like these that inspired Albert Einstein to develop his Theory of Relativity. Since the gunpowder explosion increases the velocity of the bullet by 600 ft/sec relative to the gun, and if the gun is traveling at 600 ft/sec relative to the ground, then the speed of the bullet would be 1,200ft/sec. Essentially all speeds are relative to something else. This very instant, we are moving through space even if we are "at rest" relative to the ground, because the Earth is moving around the Sun.
Here's another question. Do you think that if you were traveling at the speed of light you'd still be able to shine a flashlight and illuminate the controls of your ship? Would the light simply stop? Or could you flip on your headlights and illuminate something outside? According to Einstein's equations, it is impossible for anything with mass to reach the speed of light. However if you were in space traveling at close to the speed of light, you could use a flashlight to illuminate your console, and you could also flip on the headlights and shine them on something outside, because the one exception for the fact that all speeds are relative to something else is light.
The speed of light, 300,000 km/sec, is always the same to all observers, regardless of the speed of the observer or the light emitter (in this case, a flashlight). When you travel faster and approach the speed of light, distances shorten and time slows down so that light still travels at 300,000 km/sec relative to you.
Scientists found that an object in motion actually experiences time at a slower rate than one at rest. Although this may seem crazy to us, we travel incredibly slow when compared to the speed of light, so we don't notice the hands on our watches ticking slower when we're jogging or flying on an airplane. Scientists proved this by sending atomic clocks up with high speed rockets. When they returned to Earth, the clocks were slightly behind the clocks on the ground.
So this brings up one last question. If you were traveling at the speed of light, would you arrive at your destination younger than when you left? And what about going back to Earth, would you be even younger or older? Someday scientists may be able to answer confusing questions like these. Only time will tell.
Light
Author's Note: In this piece I am working on adding my voice. I also tried to add some of my vocabulary words. The style of introduction I used was Interesting Fact or Statistic.
When we think about light, we might only think of it as on, off, or colored, but it's more than that. Light is perceived in different ways. Do you know why there is a black frame around most TV screens? Our eyes actually see the picture on the screen more crisp and bright with that black edge. You probably already know that different light colors can be mixed to make other colors. The color of light can also have a big impact on your mood.
Have you ever been to a concert where they had different color spotlights? Did the different colors go with the songs? There is a story about a sheriff that used the color pink on the walls of a prison. It made all of the prisoners feel less aggressive. But pink's calm feeling is only part of the initial exposure to the color. Prisoners may become even more agitated or livid once they are accustomed to the color. Blue can make you feel sad or tired. Green can make you feel relaxed. Angry or excited can be red. White is cold, bland, and sterile. Yellow can be cheery and warm. Orange can be used to draw attention or give a feeling of caution. Traffic signs are an example.
When we think about light, we might only think of it as on, off, or colored, but it's more than that. Light is perceived in different ways. Do you know why there is a black frame around most TV screens? Our eyes actually see the picture on the screen more crisp and bright with that black edge. You probably already know that different light colors can be mixed to make other colors. The color of light can also have a big impact on your mood.
Have you ever been to a concert where they had different color spotlights? Did the different colors go with the songs? There is a story about a sheriff that used the color pink on the walls of a prison. It made all of the prisoners feel less aggressive. But pink's calm feeling is only part of the initial exposure to the color. Prisoners may become even more agitated or livid once they are accustomed to the color. Blue can make you feel sad or tired. Green can make you feel relaxed. Angry or excited can be red. White is cold, bland, and sterile. Yellow can be cheery and warm. Orange can be used to draw attention or give a feeling of caution. Traffic signs are an example.
There are three main colors of light. Red, green, and blue. In a computer screen there things called pixels. They are little squares of light that each has three lights in them. A red, a green, and a blue light. When using different combinations and brightnesses of those three colors you can make many other colors. Red and blue make magenta. Red and green make yellow. Blue and green make cyan (like turquoise). All three make white. Obviously, the absence of all three make black (not black light; rather no light at all).
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Do you see the black dot on Mario in the picture in the picture above? That is the size of a pixel. Do you also see that Mario is made up of blocks? If each of those blocks was a pixel, then Mario would be this size:  |
LASIK Eye Surgery
Author's Note: This is a report on Lasik eye surgery. My mom had it done on her. Here is a like for a step by step animation. Click "HERE"
You are given 5 mg of Valium for relaxation before procedure. Numbing drops are put in your eyes.
In the procedure room lying under the laser, mechanical clips are used to hold your eyelids open and still. A suction ring is used on the eyeball around the cornea to hold the eye still while the corneal flap is cut and while the laser reshapes your cornea to correct your vision.
You are instructed to look at the red blinking light above you continuously. Your vision is blurry and you can sense the laser operating, but it is not painful.
After checking your eyes through a microscope, you are released with a pain pill and a sleeping pill.
Discharge instructions are to sleep at least four hours following the surgery.
Antibiotic drops and steroid drops are prescribed for the eyes several times a day for the next week.
"At home I slept for several hours. Upon awaking my eyes felt heavy and had a sensation of stinging or burning causing me to want to keep them closed. Therefore, I went back to sleep until morning." – My Mom
You are to wear a mask sort of like safety goggles while you sleep to prevent any contact with the eyes.
In the morning all discomfort is gone and vision is good. Drops help to keep the eyes moist and comfortable.
There is a quick appointment with the doctor the day after surgery to have your vision is tested. My Mom was pleased to now have 20/20 vision.
Another appointment is needed in one week.
During the following week, you need to be careful not to touch or rub your eyes and always sleep with the mask on. You cannot wash your face in the shower or by splashing water on your whole face because you must avoid water, soap, any other particulate from entering the eye. Because of this no eye makeup can be worn. The eye drops are continued. Drops are especially helpful upon waking from sleep as they eyes are dry and sort of stuck together, hard to open.
All activities may be resumed as normal the day after surgery provided care is taken to protect the eyes from possible contact.
"For instance, when running I used extra headbands to soak up perspiration and also wore sunglasses to block wind." – My Mom
After the first week if healing looks good, the drops are discontinued and so is the mask for sleeping. You must continue to avoid contact with the eyes, rubbing the eyes, and anything entering the eyes. Tears, perspiration, etc., must be allowed to run down your cheek where you can wipe from there as opposed to around your eyes. Any tugging, rubbing, wiping can dislodge the flaps that have been cut and are now healing back to your eyeball. This is important for the duration of one month. Red hemorrhages are present under the eyelid for about 3 weeks as a result of the suction ring on your eye during surgery.
Throughout the month, there are times that your eyes may be itchy, watery, or dry.
Preservative-free moistening drops are continued as needed.
"Lasik is an amazing process that has left me feeling as if I've been cured from a disease or disability. My eyes simply work as they should had they been perfect." – My Mom
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