Today was Orientation day for High Tech High North County. Time for all the students to pick up their schedules and re-socialize with friends. Since the newcoming Freshman came by as well, it was a good time for everyone to start getting to know each other. The biggest concern, though, for most students, was which class they got into. And more importantly, which of their friends are in the same class.

By the way, here’s mine:

1/3. Humanities with Mrs. Fisk

2. Multimedia with Mr. D

4/5. Chemistry with Mr. Fozi

Orientation was also a great opportunity for the returning students to see their old teachers again. Good to see Mrs. P and Mrs. Clark again!

Can’t wait till school starts this Monday, will update soon!

After spending a lot of time with all these computers, we noticed something interesting: the iMac boxes have a very life-like, actual size picture of a real iMac.

So we decided to have some fun with it. Everything turns into a project at High Tech High.

So here’s what we did. Basically, we cut up the “iMac” on the box, luckily the exact size of a real iMac.After the painstakingly annoying job of cutting the box, here’s what we got. To pretty it up a bit, we sanded those nasty edges to make sure it at least looked a little bit real. We attached some extra cardboard from the box to the back of the stand, so it could stand up well. Once everything was finished, we set it up on Nikki’s desk, where she would see it right when she walked in. We even added a keyboard and mouse for added effect! It really looked amazing when seen from a distance. The trap was set, and in comes our target.She starts walking into her supposedly, untouched, office. Nothing much to see except a…new computer?! No way?!!!

What?!! So you’re saying it’s not a real computer?! I totally thought it was real!!!!

Definitely a fun little activity to  liven up the day. AND, she said she’d leave it on her desk for everyone to see. w00t!

OWNED!

Got my first DSLR!

Yes, the DSLR (one of those huge cameras) I’ve been saving up for has finally arrived! After some searching on Craigslist, I was able to find an amazing deal, and am now extremely happy with my Sony Alpha A-100.

Taking pictures is my new official hobby; I never knew what kind of experience photography could be. Feel free to take a look at my Zooomr.

Note: Shameless plug- Zooomr is my all time favorite photo sharing site, and is where I officially post all my photos. The reason I adore their service so much is that it provides something many of its competitors don’t have – Unlimited Storage, absolutely free. More on this later though.

My entire summer had something to do with Technology [or school]

Many people who know me would probably expect this, but almost my entire summer was spent with technology. The majority of this tech time was helping out Jason [tech guy] with the new computers for the the new students. Curtis and I labeld just about 150 computers. Individually. By hand. Watching a little Family Guy at the same time definitely helped pass the time.

It was all worth it though; I was able to get an insight on the inner workings of our school’s network. And being able to work with all those computers was the only way I can see my summer being spent.

More updates/stories coming, and I’m going to stay dedicated to this blog [I hope] .

This image is relevant to the project; I’ll explain later.

The main point of the project is to teach a Math concept, by any means we choose; as long as we get our point across and teach something

I was inspired by Donnie Hoyle’s amazing video series, You Suck At Photoshop.  I thought his videos were just hilarious, and they worked; much of what I learned about from Photoshop was from his videos. So my partner Ryan and I decided to do our own version for this project: You Suck At Math.

Please Enjoy, and feel free to tell me what you think. Also mention if you learned something from me.

Project Description

The goal of the Wind Chimes Project is for us to explore the Mathematics and Physics behind sound waves and wind chimes. We are to engineer our own wind chimes from raw materials that ride the wind to produce melodic tunes for enjoyment.

Our Plan

In this project, my partner, Raef (shown above) decided on a new take on wind chimes. A brand new concept. Attach a gong to a wind chime. Ambitious? Maybe. Possible? Definitely. Here’s a quick Photoshop rendering of our design.

The gong was sold to us, courtesy of Andrew of Gongs-Unlimited.com. He was nice enough to give us a deal, and provided us with some of the best service we’ve ever had. Thanks again Andrew!

The string to hang the actual wind chime is not shown in the illustration, because that portion is not decided, as of yet. It will be updated once that’s settled.

The Process

Building the actual wind chime was definitely one of the best portions of the project, as it was most fun and definitely most stimulating. Specifically, our wind chime required different materials than the standard.

10 feet of 3/4 inch Copper pipe

Approx. 4 square feet of wood (or enough for base)

Fishing line

Hack Saw

Jig Saw

Filers

Drill

Sand Paper/Power Sander

And of course, the gong.

Sawing the pipes was the most laborious out of all tasks.

Last Minute Changes

We definitely needed to add some color to our chime, so it wouldn’t be so, blah.

Raef decided on a Yin Yong (yes that’s the correct spelling, according to Raef) painted on the top of the base of our wind chime.

Also, instead of using the fishing line used by almost all other groups, we wanted something different.

We were able to find some hemp at Wal-Mart for about 5 dollars, though we ended up buying much more than we needed.

Instead of a generic clapper, Raef was able to find a wooden sphere which proved very effective. It creates a nice sound, and looks great.

The Final Product

When it all comes together, after all the hard work, here’s what we got. The picture above also features the
pièce de résistance, the gong.

Finally hung.

The Physics Explanation

This is basically the Math research paper.

In the case of wind chimes, the vibration occurs within each pipe and creates the sound wave. Natural frequency is an object’s certain set of frequencies when disturbed (vibrated). A wind chime’s natural frequency is determined based on its shape, size, and elasticity. For example, a wind chime pipe made of more elastic material will generate a lower frequency sound than an object less elastic, due to sound waves traveling slower. As this project involves wind chimes made from pipe, the shape will most likely cause a large variation in sound, as they are all typically the same shape.
Each pipe, though relatively similar will have many different sizes and diameters. The longer the pipe, the lower the note; the shorter, the higher the note. This happens because the sound waves within the pipe can travel farther inside a longer pipe than a shorter one. The diameter does not affect the frequency of the note, but does determine the amplitude of the sound wave. In other words, it affects how loud the wind chime is. The larger the diameter of the pipe, the louder it will be, as the sound wave will have a higher amplitude in a wider pipe than a thinner one. The taller the sound wave – in terms of amplitude, the louder the sound. When the wind chime is struck, it then creates its specific sound (natural frequency) at approximately 343 meters per second at room temperature (20°C).
For the wind chimes to resonate correctly, though, they must be hung at specific, mathematically defined nodes. These are located at 22.4% of the total length of each pipe. For example, a 15 inch pipe’s node (hang point) is 22.4% of 15 inches, or at 3.36 inches from one end of the pipe. This point on the pipe is generally chosen because it’s where the pipe will resonate longest, with a purified note without disrupting the sound wave.
Frequency, or pitch, can be found with the following equation: wavelength = 1 divided by frequency. For example, a pipe with a frequency of 1000 Hz, when inserted in the equation, the wavelength will then equal one thousandth of a meter.

Project Reflection

In this project I thought I did my fair share of work. The concept of the gong was thought of by Raef, and we worked on the initial design together. I detailed the design, though, and made a cleaner copy of our idea. I also went into Photoshop and created a CG rendering of our chime.

When it comes to the construction portion, though, Raef did more. We both decided on all the decisions of the project, and made sure we both agreed. Raef cut all the wind chimes and sawed the base, and we both split up drilling.

The physics explanation, though, was almost all my job. I wrote the paper (to make up for less construction work) and Raef edited.

As of now, we haven’t done a sound test, but I highly expect it to be equally done by both of us.

I enjoyed this project the very most thus far, and hope to do things similar in the future.

In Motorcycle Diaries, the detail Che Guevera inputs in his journal entries about
Machu Picchu shows his passion for his culture and the people who created it. He
speaks so eloquently about each aspect of the temple and the mountain itself, as if
he was there when it was forged. Che describes Machu Picchu as “impregnable” on
two sides, and is aware of how far down the river is from the ground (page 110). He
also knew the full procedure of a torture device, which he may or may not have seen
before in his life, but Che being so well spoken leaves this a mystery. Che closely
examined many details in the temple, such as how stones are cut to imply a level of
importance; it amazed me how such things can be deciphered in ways I’d never
expect. Che shows the most appreciation for his lineage when he describes the
treasures that he sees within the temple’s walls, and that even tourists and the non-
indigenous can be enamored at the sight of Machu Picchu (page 111). Che’s
examination on every aspect of even the littlest details showed me his intellectual
being and pride in his culture.
Che’s retelling of his journey through San Pablo gave an insight on his
unprejudiced outlook on people. He shook the hands of those of the leper colony,
even though it’s against their rules. Che treated them as equals, no longer animals
(page 146). On June 24, 1952, Che’s 24th birthday, he recited a speech, that didn’t
seem appropriate for his birthday, but was appropriate for mankind. He speaks of
how  Latin America is not devided; they all represent “a single mestizo race”, who are
all united by their race (page 149). His speech was one of the first signs of his
revolutionary mind. It shows his passion for change, unity, and an undivided Latin America.
The 6 days Che and Alberto spent on La Cenepa going to San Pablo deemed a
journey within itself. Although short in writing, Che’s struggle and discomfort, even
in the first class section, makes it seem so much longer. The boat only traveled by
day, there were plagues of mosquitos, and Che’s asthma attacks never left him. One
night, the mosquitos and asthma attacks prevented Che from getting any sleep until
morning (page 141). The stings also caused his butt to take on “gigantic
proportions”. Che even didn’t seem to enjoy the company of the first class people,
saying that their small accomplishments in life have gone to their heads and they
look down upon the non-wealthy (page 142). In addition to Che’s constant physical
pain, emotional distress hit him as well. A simple caress from “that easy girl” on the
boat resurrected a chain reaction of thoughts about his once beloved Chichina. He
recalled memories of Malagueño, where him and his significant other spent many
“sleepless nights”;  his memories then turned to thoughts of his Chichina, moving on
to another man (page 142). The fact that Che remained sane during this entire
journey amazed me, with so much pain and agony coming to him at once, all
because he’s trying to change the world.