Physics department

First In the Physics department in Otago University we did a bit of building. We had to make the tallest tower with only straws and pipe cleaners, but it had to hold a golf ball for longer than 1 minute. Everyone was split into groups of four. Once we had finished the building contest we moved on to this sound wave graph. On the screen there was a graph and at the end of the table there was a sensor that would see where your hand was using sound waves and when the sound wave would bounce back it would move your graph. You had to match your graph to the one on the screen. After we left the physics department we sat down to have morning tea.

When we finished eating, Miss Bates told us to get into a line and go to the next activity. The next activity was using a light box and making an alarm a spinning popsicle stick and using the Van de graaff machine it causes friction and makes your hair go up. Everyone loved that one.

By Louis and Leo

Van de graaff Machine

We all crowded around the round metal ball connected to a fat cylindrical pole. The science teachers hit the ball with another metal ball. It made a clink and they chose four volunteers to stand on the stools.

The volunteers held hands and the front person placed their hand and the science guys turned it on. Their hair started to go up. Phoenix was at the back and his hair went haywire. I think the person at the back’s hair went higher the best because the electrons coming out from the machine were trying to complete a circuit but couldn't so the electrons stayed at the end person. The audience got electric shocks when they got too close to the people on the Van de graaff machine.

Nico & Maddix

Butterflies

On Tuesday we went to the museum and we saw the butterflies. We had been told that there had been a new release of butterflies the day before and we were super excited to go see the butterflies. It was so hot in there but it was worth it!! Some people were lucky enough to have butterflies land on them. We also went down to have a look at the turtle and the tarantulas, the turtle was super cute and the tarantulas were cool but also a bit scary!! By the time we got out we were sweating and had to drink lots of water but it was such a fun experience and we hope we can do it again!

Amelia and Juno

Discovery world

After our group had lunch we went over to the discovery world in the Otago museum, we got to play with all the fun science contraptions and read about them and work. There was cool science contraptions like a small room with a light which makes it look like your colour blind with books, colour puzzles and lots of things with colours and there’s a torch which if you shine it on any the room the light from the torch overpowers the colour blind light letting you see the colours.

In the discovery world there is a contraption that will make you be able to hear a song playing when you bite down on the metal pole with a straw you can hear a melody of bongo drums playing in your ears with out seeing any speakers or output.

There is also a room called the void, it is a room where the walls are made of mirrors and there are lights that hang from the ceiling which flash colours, the mirrors create a reflection which goes on infinitely so it's like you're in a void with flashing lights.

By George and Flynn

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