Download STEM Activity Booklet - MIT Lincoln Laboratory

STEM
ACTIVIT Y BO O K
September 18, 2016
Community outreach and
education programs are
an important component
of MIT Lincoln Laboratory’s
mission. The Laboratory’s
outreach initiatives are
inspired by our employees’
desire to help people in need
and to motivate student
interest and participation
in science, technology,
engineering, and math (STEM).
We invite you to enjoy these
STEM-inspired activities and
experiments with the young
people in your life.
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
Crack the Code
2
Build a Cartesian Diver
5
Shoot Lasers in a
Fish Tank
7
Extract Strawberry DNA
9
Model Our Solar System
11
Inspect Really Small Stuff
13
Write with Light
15
Propel Your Glider
17
Create a New Utensil
19
CRYPTOGRAPHY
Cryptography is the study of secure communication.
Using cryptography, you can share information with
some people, but hide it from others. You can also check
that no one tampered with your information. Secure
communication is very useful—it can help you pass secret
notes in class, and it can help protect national secrets!
EXPERIMENT
Crack the Code
Draw letters inside the pig pens above
to decode the secret message!
These are a farmer’s pig pens, and
each letter of the English alphabet
is a pig.
How many pigs will fit in the pens?
“
”
.
Fill each group of pens with letters in
alphabetical order, then move on to
the next.
Crack the code at left by matching
the shape of each pen with its letter.
At MIT LL, we use cryptography to solve
many of today’s problems with the storage
and management of private information.
This technology enables users to store,
access, and search private data (such as
email) securely on the cloud.
SEE THE SOLUTION AT THE END OF THE BOOK
The pig pen cipher is an example of the kind of ciphers
that were used before the 20th century. These ciphers
made it very hard—but not impossible—for someone
other than the intended reader to figure out the message.
Modern cryptography would make this secret message
practically impossible to decode.
3
BUOYANCY
EXPERIMENT
Build a Cartesian Diver
Objects float at a depth from the surface of the ocean
where the object’s weight is equal to the weight of the
ocean water it displaces­—the buoyant force. The buoyant
force depends on the volume of the object, but the weight
depends on the volume and density of the object.
MIT LL has established a new group
that researches advanced systems and
technology to improve the ability to
navigate and explore the undersea world
with both manned and unmanned platforms.
Have you ever experienced the difference between
swimming in the ocean and swimming in a freshwater
lake or pool? Fish use their fins to get forward motion
and have a swim bladder, which expands or contracts
to rise or sink. Since freshwater is less buoyant than
salt water, freshwater fish have larger swim bladders.
1
Remove the labels from
a plastic bottle and fill to
the very top with water.
2
Place a small pea-sized
piece of modeling clay at
the end of a pen cap.
3
Slowly place the pen cap
into the bottle, modeling
clay end first (some
water will spill out—
that’s okay). It should just
barely float. If it sinks,
take some clay away. If
it floats too much, add
more clay.
4
Screw on the bottle cap
nice and tight.
SQUEEZE
the bottle hard and the
pen cap sinks.
RELEASE
the bottle and the pen
cap rises.
CLAY
You can really make this!
Visit http://makezine.com/projects/soda-bottle-submarine/
You can now raise and lower the pen cap at your
command. Can you get it to float right in the middle?
5
FIBER OPTICS
EXPERIMENT
Fiber-optic communication is the dominant means of
communicating at high rates over long distances. It has
played a crucial role in enabling the Internet and the
World Wide Web.
1
Add a few inches of water to an empty fish tank or
other clear glass container.
2
Position a laser pointer to shine through the waterfilled tank from one end to the other.
3
Add a few drops of skim milk to the tank and stir.
At MIT LL, we are trying to find new ways
to reliably send as much information as
possible across long fiber-optic and
laser links. Fiber-optic links span
the globe, and laser links are used to
communicate with aircraft in the sky and
satellites in space.
Snell’s law is a formula used to describe the relationship
between the angles of incidence and refraction. It applies
to light or other waves passing through a boundary
between two different isotropic media, such as water, glass,
or air. In the field of optics, this law is used in ray tracing
to compute the angles of incidence or refraction, and in
experimental optics to find the refractive index of a material.
Shoot Lasers in a Fish Tank
SKIM
MILK
Shine the laser pointer through the tank again and
change the angle of the laser entering the tank.
Notice that the angle of the laser changes when it enters the tank due
to refraction. Light travels slower when it enters water because its speed
depends on the index of refraction and Snell’s law.
Angles less than 49 degrees should demonstrate total internal reflection,
but the laser will still exit the other side of the tank.
The angle of the laser into the reflection will be equal to the angle of the
laser after reflection.
7
WHAT IS DNA?
Deoxyribonucleic acid—the genetic
code of all living things. DNA is a
complex molecule that encodes all
the genetic information required to
build an organism. DNA is composed of
four bases (adenine, guanine, thymidine,
and cytosine), all strung along a sugar
phosphate backbone. It is through
these interactions that DNA strands
can bind specifically with each other
to form a double-stranded helix, which
forms the chromosomes that are in the
nucleus of almost every cell in your body,
and that of most living things.
ADENINE
EXPERIMENT
Extract Strawberry DNA
THYMIDINE
1
CYTOSINE
GUANINE
Molecular biologists at
MIT LL analyzeDNA to
look for better ways
to identifypeople with
forensic evidence, to predict
what people look like and to
whom theyare related, and
to provide personalized
nutritional and training
feedbackto soldiers.
DNA contains the code for all of our physical
characteristics, including our predisposition to illnesses.
We can also analyze DNA from crime scenes for evidence,
or analyze the DNA of bacteria in food for food safety
testing, and improve our food supply by learning about the
DNA of plants and animals.
Place one strawberry in a
ziplock bag and mash it up.
2
Add 1/2 cup water containing
2 teaspoons dishwashing
liquid and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
Remove most of the air from
the bag, seal, and mix gently
for1 minute (try to avoid
making bubbles!).
3
Pour the mixture through a
paper coffee filter and save
the liquid that comes through.
4
Gently layer an approximately
equal volume of 91% rubbing
alcohol on top of the liquid
and swirl gently.
Watch closely! You will see whitish strings with bubbles of gas
attached—the DNA strands—appear in the alcohol layer.
Spool the DNA onto a wooden toothpick. It will look like very gooey,
viscous thread as you slowly stir the solution.
9
EXPLORING
SPACE
EXPERIMENT
Model Our Solar System
Astronomers study space to satisfy curiosity about our
place in the universe, to challenge understanding of the
physical world, and to discover resources that could help
advance civilization. We now know that Earth is one of many
worlds and are hoping to discover whether other planets
and moons also harbor life.
MOON
1/4 Step
VENUS
51 Steps
MERCURY
27 Steps
EUROPA
1/2 Step
MARS
107 Steps
EARTH
71 Steps
At MIT LL, we build satellites that can
survive for years in space, sensors that
can collect information about stars
and planets, and communications systems
that can send that information back to
Earth. One of our newest projects is the
Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite,
which will discover planets around stars
beyond the Sun.
Find someplace where you can walk a long
distance, such as a bicycle trail.
2
The picture below illustrates a model of the
relative distance you would have to walk to
reach each of the largest Solar System objects.
Bring a piece of chalk to mark where you
reach each Solar System body.
CALLISTO
1 Step
SUN
1
GANYMEDE
3/4 Step
IO
1/4 Step
JUPITER
366 Steps
TITAN
3/4 Step
URANUS
1354 Steps
SATURN
673 Steps
TRITON
1/4 Step
PLUTO
2785 Steps
NEPTUNE
2121 Steps
ERIS
4775 Steps
Studying distant worlds is challenging because space is so
vast. If you could drive a car around the world at 65 miles
per hour, it would take 17 days. Driving to the Moon would
take more than 5 months. Driving to Neptune would take
5000 years. Advanced technology is needed to explore
these distances.
BONUS ACTIVITIES
Look up the sizes of the above planets and moons, and place objects with
sizes to scale at the locations you marked with chalk. In the scale above, Earth
would be the size of a peppercorn (2 mm diameter), and the Sun would be the
size of a soccer ball (22 cm). Can you see Pluto through binoculars from your
model Earth? Can you make a model Solar System with a smaller or larger Earth?
Challenge your friends to find your planets!
11
MICROSCOPES
EXPERIMENT
The light (or optical) microscope uses light to
illuminate and magnify objects. Lenses bend
or refract the light, to make the sample appear
larger. The maximum magnification is lower than
that of other types of microscopes.
The following images were taken with an SEM. Study the images very closely:
what kind of patterns and details do you see?
The scanning electron microscope (SEM) is used to look at
the surfaces of solid objects at high magnification. It uses
electrons instead of light to image the object.
Inspect Really Small Stuff
A
B
C
D
E
F
AT MIT LL, we use different types of
microscopes to help us make and analyze
state-of-the-art microelectronic,
optical, and mechanical devices, and
develop new materials.
ROBOC
SEM produces a beam of electrons by heating a metal
filament. The electron beam travels down the microscope
column through electromagnetic lenses, which focus the
beam onto the sample surface. Other electrons are ejected
from the sample and collected by detectors that convert the
signal into an image that is displayed on a screen.
OP
Can you match the SEM images with the objects below?
Integrated Circuit Chip
Coral
DVD Disc
Fruit Fly Eye
Flower Pollen
Blue Morpho Butterfly
SEE THE SOLUTION AT THE END OF THE BOOK
13
Write with Light
M S A
A sensor is a device that can detect a physical
stimulus, such as light, sound, heat, or radio waves.
Sensors have become very important tools that
allow people to better understand and interact with
the world around them. In many cases, sensors can
“see” things our eyes cannot. For example, nightvision goggles allow us to see in the dark, and radio
telescopes help us see emissions from distant objects
in our universe. Sensors are also part of our everyday
lives, such as the cameras in our cell phones.
P
TO
In a darkened room, place a digital
camera on a tripod or a table to
hold it steady. Follow the camera’s
instructions to set it to “Shutter
Priority Mode” with a slow shutter
speed of about three seconds.
AU
SENSING
OVER TIME
EXPERIMENT
(With your parents permission, you can use apps
that can do this on a smart phone.)
Using a flashlight (LED works great), stand in front
of the camera and draw shapes or write letters in
the air while taking a picture.
At MIT LL, scientists and engineers
design advanced cameras, radars,
and laser-imaging sensors to
help our soldiers better see and
understand the environment around
them. Our engineers also develop
computer processing and algorithms
to help interpret and use the
sensor data.
Most sensors collect data over time. An important
parameter is how long a sensor listens and records
the data. For example, radars receive and integrate
radio waves over time, while cameras collect photons
of light. A laser imager measures individual photons
of light very quickly and can be used to make highresolution 3D maps.
You can set a timer on the camera or have a friend take the picture. Remember
to write the letters backward or else they will be mirrored in the picture!
EXPLORE FURTHER
Why does the light appear continuous?
What happens if you set the shutter speed slower or faster?
15
HOW DOES AN
AIRPLANE FLY?
EXPERIMENT
When an airplane or bird moves through the surrounding
fluid (air) in a way that turns or accelerates the fluid, a
pressure is applied to the body, generating a force—lift­—in
the opposite direction of the turned fluid. While any shape
can generate lift under the right conditions, airplane wings
are designed with unique shapes called airfoils, which
happen to be particularly good at turning the surrounding
fluid while also minimizing the drag that’s generated.
1
Cut propeller blades out of the water bottle, leaving
a flap on each blade to secure the propeller axle.
2
Disassemble the pen, and cut the end off of the tip,
and off of the pen’s cap. Remove the plug from the
other end of the pen, and drill or melt a hole into the
end plug. Then cut the plug so that it’s 1/8" long.
Propel Your Glider
You’ll need a glider, a ballpoint pen, a paper clip,
a rubber band, and a plastic bottle.
3
At MIT LL, aerospace engineers use fluid
mechanics to design advanced airframes
that are able to fly farther and faster
while using less energy, supporting
applications like environmental monitoring
and rapid delivery.
Cut and twist the paper clip, thread it through
the end plug, then bend each end of the paper
clip 90 degrees to form the axle.
LIFT
THRUST
DRAG
GRAVITY
Drag is a resistive force that acts in the opposite direction
of the direction of motion. In the case of a glider soaring
through the air, drag will slow down the glider, which in turn
will decrease the amount of lift. To maintain lift, an airplane
needs to generate some sort of propulsive force, or thrust, to
counteract drag. When all four forces are balanced—lift with
weight and drag with thrust—the airplane flies level and steady.
4
Secure the axle to the propeller blades, thread the
rubber band through the axle loop, then thread the
rubber band through the pen tip, through the pen
barrel, and loop it over the cap.
5
Replace the cap firmly on the end of the pen.
Tape your rubber band motor to your glider, spin
the propeller to store energy in the rubber band,
and go flying! Try experimenting with different
propeller shapes.
17
APPLIED DESIGN
EXPERIMENT
How is a cave different from a house? A big difference
is that a house is designed—someone considered its
purpose, then built it with that purpose in mind. Although
we may not notice, people use design all the time to make
something easy to use or easy to understand through
elements like color, shape, materials, and words. For
example, you can flip through this booklet and notice how
the color, text size, and page layout, make every page feel
like part of the same whole.
1
Ask a friend or family member about their favorite food. What do they
like about it? How do they like to eat it?
2
Think about how these characteristics will affect the utensil’s shape.
How will your design change if the food has toppings or a sauce?
Is it served in a bowl or a plate? What will make it easier and more
enjoyable for your friend to eat their favorite food?
Create a New Utensil
Using your research, design a new utensil for your friend. You can
sketch a picture of your utensil in the space below, and decide
what kind of material you could use to build a model.
When you’re making something you want to
share, how other people experience it
depends a lot on the design. That’s why
we incorporate design into everything
we create at MIT LL, from hardware to
software and reports to presentations.
How does good design come about? The process is
surprisingly similar to the scientific method.
DESIGN PROCESS
SCIENTIFIC METHOD
Define the problem
State your question
Do background research
Do background research
Specify requirements
Formulate your hypothesis
Create alternative solutions
and choose one to develop
Design an experiment and
establish a procedure
Build a prototype
Test your hypothesis
Test and redesign as
necessary
Analyze your results and
draw conclusions
Communicate results
Communicate results
http://www.sciencebuddies.org/engineering-design-process/
engineering-design-compare-scientific-method.shtml
What can your utensil do that cannot
be done with a regular fork or spoon?
19
PIG PEN CIPHER SOLUTION: My Facebook password is “fuzzypinkpigs”
SEM IMAGES SOLUTION:
Integrated Circuit Chip—F; Coral—D; DVD Disc—B; Fruit Fly Eye—C;
Flower Pollen—A; Blue Morpho Butterfly—E;
S C I E N C E , T E C H N O L O G Y,
E N G I N E E R I N G , A N D M AT H
MADE FUN!
Approved for public release; distribution unlimited.
This material is based upon work supported under Air Force
Contract No. FA8702-15-D-0001. Any opinions, findings,
conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material
are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect
the views of the U.S. Air Force. 509501