Christmas and Hanukkah Wishes

First, I hope all of you have great holidays, even those who are not celebrating a specific holiday. Spend time with those folks who are important to you and to whom you are important.  Also, many times the holidays do not live up to expectations, probably due to unrealistic expectations. Please remember every moment you spend regretting what isn't happening, instead of appreciating what is happening, is a precious moment of life wasted.

Second thanks for the responses from nearly all of you re: your results and needs.

Third, I expect to be at Ridge on 1/3 and 1/13, mostly to help with the Physics Olympics.

Four, somewhat against my better judgement I have joined facebook. I will be friends with any of my students AFTER they graduate from Ridge.

The past weeks have been full of errands and shopping, some walks along country roads, but most of all wood working. I am trying to regain or improve on the woodworking skills I had  about twenty years ago, while building a gift for my wife.  Its amazing how many different kinds of errors I have made. I hope I can forget how to make them on the next project.

Last weekend I finished writing and modifying the last rec. Monday afternoon was spent copying and mailing. Tuesday my wife and I took a walk in a forest on the William Cullen Bryant estate ( a 19 th century poet who emphasized the importance of nature). It has not been logged in at least two hundred years and there are many magnificent trees and some beautiful streams.

Wednesday we bought groceries for, and helped serve at a Christmas dinner for the indigent, an annual gift from out Temple congregation to the community. I spent much of the afternoon, you guessed it, copying and mailing recs. Still have a few to go.

Thursday was more woodworking and picking up my son, Daniel, in Boston. Yesterday was more woodworking and shopping with Daniel. Tonight dinner with Daniel, and Chris (my stepson) and his family, including his sister in law and her family.  Jean (my wife)started cooking three days ago and now Daniel is pitching in. So much for weight loss.

On the physics front, I have reviewed matrix algebra and determinants and even derived Kramer's Rule on my own.  Back to general relativity soon. Currently reading about non local causality ( which implies events at one point can affect other events more than c delta t away) and will review the EPR paradox, Bell's inequality, and the Aspect  experiments sooner or later.

Application Results

I am writing recs for 38 students. Of these thirty one had early deadlines. I had told those thirty one that I would not send out any recs that had due dates beyond 12/15 unless I heard from them.  I need to hear from you about what has happened to all those early actions and early decision applications and what you want to do now. There are still about a dozen of you with whom  I have not had correspondence. I am not happy about this.


Let me remind you of a few things. I spend hours thinking of ways to say positive things that are neither untrue nor boring about students. I have to drive 23 miles each way to get your letters copied. I lick a few hundred envelopes because most of you don't use the self seal type. I spend time checking addresses that are faulty and correcting them. I fax applications when the post office or admissions offices lose the first ones I sent. I fill out forms that you were supposed to. I spend a couple of hundred dollars on cartridges, copying, paper, etc. I lose my correspondence with you because someone in the Basking Ridge administration closed out my email account without warning or explanation. What do I ask. I simply ask that you keep me posted on your results and your current needs. Remember, I cannot see any correspondence we had on my bernardsboe account, so if you need me to know something you need to make sure it reached my gmail account.

Urgent: Loss of Email

My email account at bernardsboe is not working at this time and I have not yet been able to ascertain why. I was hoping to sort this out before bothering any of you but time is getting short for the Dec. 31 and Jan 1 deadlines. In any case, at this moment I do not have access to the my inbox or the mailboxes that have all my correspondence on recommendations. This has three immediate consequences.

1) I have not contacted most of you whose name begins with a letter after "H" about which schools I have sent recs to. I'll try to recommence this process using the info I have from your folders.

2) I do not know what will happen to any electronic recommendation requests sent to my bernardsboe address. If they have deadlines coming up soon I suggest you revise your request to refer to my gmail address.

3) Please use my robertcherd@gmail address to keep me posted on where you were accepted and what schools I still need to send to.

Please pass this on to anyone you think I may be writing for or those who need to reach me for other reasons.

Early December

General

The unusually warm December has made construction work and furniture making more enjoyable in one sense ( I'm not freezing in the barn), but harder to do because the temptation to go for long walks is nearly irresistible. I'm not sure why I wrote nearly, having taken long walks on 4 of the last 6 days, including two with my wife. Nearly everyone who drives past while we are walking waves and a few even stop to chat.

We visited Historic Deerfield, a town full of original colonial and federal era structures, furniture and other artifacts, and home of the Deerfield Academy. I was there to study some details of furniture construction as well as enjoy the beauty and history of the town. I highly recommend it as a place to visit.

Thanksgiving was a real pleasure. Daniel was in from Ft. Collins and then off to a meeting held by the DOE on ideas for a high intensity neutrino source. He managed to stay here for a few days in between visits to his friends in Boston. It was something of a sacrifice because our terrible internet service makes it hard for him to get his work done. We also had Chris and Tracy ( stepson and daughter in law for those of you new to my ramblings) and their three children, (Audrey 11, Walter, 9, Henry 6) friends of Daniel's and their two children, and my middles sister and her husband. This is the smallest Thanksgiving group my wife has cooked for in 30 years. Daniel couldn't take his usual mountain of leftovers home, no nieces or nephews were here and we still ran out of pumpkin pie and turkey in less than a week. Life is hard sometimes.

We spent several days in the past few weeks stopping in at local artists and artisans, spending money because they made pretty and sometimes objects and we felt their skills and efforts deserve some support. We kid ourselves into thinking we know someone who can use the items or that we need them in our house. Maybe we are not really kidding , my feelings on this vary with the time of day. Some of the stuff is we bought edible and I know I will use that!

Speaking of purchases, someone please tell Bardia I bought a new tweed jacket. Couldn't resist since it was made in USA of Scottish tweed.

My Physics

I am continuing to read up on linear algebra so I can be fluent when dealing with the matrices in general relativity. The jury is still out on the faster than c neutrinos. It could be error or some new physics, but I'd be surprised if special relativity is overthrown by these results.

Ridge Stuff

I hope the Physics Olympics team is doing well. I expect to see you folks early in January.

Recs

Two more recs to write and then a bunch of mailing to do for those who have not ended up going to one of their early schools. I have heard of one success and one dis appointment so far. Keep me posted. If you had early applications (ED OR EA), I will not send out your later ones unless I hear from you. . I will let each of you know to whom I have sent recs. Many of you have already heard from me on this

Late November Update

I very much enjoyed seeing and talking with so many of you last Thursday. I slipped into the routine of being at Ridge so easily that I drove right past the visitor parking spots and was almost at my old spot before I remembered my new status. At least I did not go to the main office three time to check my mail box as I did on my last visit.

I am glad to see most of you are having rewarding senior years and most of you have not yet shut down the learning process.

I was very impressed by the number of juniors at the Physics Club meeting. The club has a solid future. I conclude that this is a very positive reflection on the new advisor and club officers.

I hope that many of you will participate in the New jersey Physics Olympics. It's a great combination of physics, engineering, craftsmanship, teamwork, camaraderie, and fun.

Here is a link about a contest some of you interested in the environment and media should consider: pearson@communications.pearsonschool.net

I have finished cutting away most of the rotted wood in the north end of my barn; capping the fieldstone foundation with reinforced concrete; installing and anchoring sill plates for two thirds of it and getting studs and sheathing in for a quarter of it. The rest should be easy, but won't be for one reason or another. After that,its on to reinforcing posts and joists and then the south wall sill. In the meantime brake pads, generator ( on order), transfer switch also on order), and trying to get approval for the new septic. Then I can start on the house's carpentry problems. Ah retirement

I spent a few hours working at my old scout camp on Friday and Saturday. A fellow veteran camp volunteer cuts up our fallen trees into 18" lengths and then hand splits these lengths with an 8 pound mall. In about two hours of splitting before he went to work Thursday, he created a pile about 6' high and 8' across. A pretty handy guy to have around a camp.

In physics, the big excitement is neutrinos apparently going faster than the speed of light in a vacuum. I'll wait a little longer for the dust to settle and the data to be confirmed before I try to revamp my understanding of a limiting speed in the universe.

I wish all of you a very Happy Thanksgiving (even you Elena and even Zach Halpern) and of course including my alumni ( I have no former students [Hi Amber, Allie, Anshul, Alex[es], and Ashley and Zachs - sorry about you guys not at the start or end of the alphabet]). Remember how much you have to be thankful for and try to spend time with people to whom you really matter.

Snowstorm, Halloween, and Recommendations

1) Last Saturday the hill towns around here including Ashfield got about 20 " of snow. However, because it started as snow and it was breezy, the trees accumulated little extra weight and there was almost no damage. Our lives have been pretty much normal except for gas station lines. The nearby towns in the valleys where the storm started as sleet and wet snow sustained lots of damage, probably worse than Basking Ridge, and power won't be back in some cases until Friday. The loss of power has so much effect on us that it reminds just how dependent on electricity and electric utilities we are.

It's a shame that so many trees will be lost as a result of the storm.

2) Yesterday was Halloween. The town shuts down main street at dusk and nearly all the kids in town and the associated parents and other adults go down the street in costume, trick or treating and having a great time. My wife and I went down to see the event, and walked around carrying a candle lit Jack o Lantern. It was nice to see so many people exhibiting such good spirits, but I do miss Halloween at Ridge

3) Everyone for whom I am writing recommendations should have received an email with the following message. Pay attention to the message and email me if you did not get it.

"Folks,

All rec letters with due dates of 11/1 or earlier went out in the last two weeks. This covers 30 of you. In fact, if you had a due date of 11/1 or earlier, all your recs with due dates before 12/16 should have gone out. If the colleges haven't received them by 11/8, let me know. DO NOT count on the Common Application site to tell you. I have heard that it only tracks electronically submitted recs.


If you had early due dates I WILL NOT SEND OUT THE LATER THAN 12/15 due date letters UNTIL I HEAR FROM YOU!!!!!!!!


Good luck and do have the consideration to keep me posted.


Dr. Cherdack"

Festivals, Visits, etc.

One thing we have up here is fall festivals and fairs. I have been to the Franklin County Fair and watched an ox pull ( they are huge, some over 6 ft high at the shoulder), to the Conway Festival of the Hills ( more mud than hills on that day), to the Ashfield Autumn Festival ( great weather) where I heard some great Celtic music, and the lower key Williamsburg Craft Fair, where I got some apple chutney to go with I don't know what, and to the Turner's Falls Pumpkin Festival where there were enough unwholesome foods being consumed to rival a major refinerey in terms of oil consumption and health effects.

I have finished getting the old rotted north sill out of my barn and now have to figure out how to replace it on the rough fieldstone foundation. Level it with mortar, pour in lots of concrete, ignore the problem and just lay some large boards down, are among the choices. Since we just got 7" of snow, fast and no water looks best right now. I've gotten most of the holes and damage to ramps from Irene fixed but I do need to lay down some paving stones. It looks like the house will have to wait for late spring for external and structural repairs except some rafter reinforcements.

I plan to visit Ridge on November 17 to, among other things, help a bit with the Physics Club's NJ Olympics team. DO NOT bring in any brownies, I am still 16 lbs over weight.

I have been writing recs like crazy and my facility for creative writing is becoming alarming. If only you guys were half as good as I say you were.

With some of you applying to a dozen and a half schools copying is worse than ever, in time, cost, and worst of all for me, keeping things straight.

I am rereading Einstein's 1916 paper on general relativity, but I need to prove some of the matrix algebra to myself rather than just accept what he's written. It's not that I think he might be wrong ( although there are some typos in this translation), its just that I don't know what it really means in terms of its effect on transforms from arbitrary reference frames to "natural coordinates" until I work out the steps.

Calculators

Going through old emails I found this one from the media center from last January:

"If any of your students are starting to wonder where their calculators have gone, they may find an answer in the Media Center. We have found:

1 TI-84 Plus Silver Edition

1 TI-84 Plus (with an Apple sticker on it)

3 TI-89 Titanium"

I don't know if they still have them, but I hope some students get connected with long lost companions though this. Again, tell your friends... it's hard to believe, but some people are benighted enough to not read this blog.

Research has its rewards.

Just got this from Mr. Heineman. Pass it along to your friends. Its about a symposium next spring but deadlines for applying etc. are NOVEMBER FIRST!

Please visit the following website for directions and forms:

http://soe.rutgers.edu/jshs

We are pleased to invite you and your school to participate in the Rutgers University Junior Science and Humanities Symposium, a science fair for high school students interested in science, mathematics, and technology research. Students who have undertaken their own scientific research, underclassmen who intend to conduct research in the future, and high school teachers are invited to attend our symposium on the campus of Rutgers University’s School of Engineering in Piscataway, NJ. This year’s Symposium takes place March 19 - 20, 2012.

High Schools of the students participating must submit the School Registration by November 1, 2011. Students who have conducted scientific research submit research papers to the competitive portion of our program. These students must submit abstracts of 200 words or less detailing their work by November 1, 2011. They then must submit full research papers of their work by January 9, 2012 (Teacher/Student Registrations and Parent/Guardian Permission forms are due on January 9, 2012 as well). Based on the research papers, our panel of judges selects up to 22 of the top students as Finalists, who are chosen to give oral presentations of their work at our symposium in March.

The judges will also select up to 50 other students as Poster Finalists, who will give poster presentation of their work at our symposium. Finalists compete for 4 expenses paid trips to the 2012 National Symposium on May 2-6, 2012, in the Washington, D.C. area, as well as Scholarships of $2,000; $1,500; or $1,000. Poster finalist compete for 1 expenses paid trip to nationals and additional prizes.

Students who have not yet conducted research or are just beginning projects are welcome to attend the symposium as observers. On the first day of the symposium (March 19, 2012), all student researchers, observers, and sponsoring teachers participate in a series of events designed to excite their interest in science. The first day will comprise concurrent presentations from researchers at Rutgers, possible site visits to local corporations that hire large numbers of scientists, and a college & career panel. At night, students will be treated to a formal dinner recognizing their scientific achievements, hear from a keynote speaker, and take part in team based math, science, and engineering challenges.

Sincerely,

Jean Patrick

Mid October Update

Wow, almost three weeks without a post. My excuse is I have been busy. It still sounds like an excuse rather than a reason. After all, how long does it take to tell what is going on in the life of someone who is retired?

In any case here is a summary of what has been going on.

1) House and other duties. i) I have been working on my barn. It needs some repairs to the sills (the pieces of wood between the foundation and the walls) . The north wall is now jacked up and I have removed the first course of siding sheathing and interior wall. Trying to figure out how level to make it and how to make it that level are taking a ridiculous amount of time.

ii) My wife's car needs repairs to the door. While she was taking a yoga class seeking inner piece [really working to retain flexible joints] some miscreant backed into her driver side rear door and drove off. She won't let me try to replace the door, I don't blame her.

Yesterday, Tuesday was a typical day. I started out writing recommendations and then moved onto replacing spark plugs in my Volvo, then to securing studs to a joist so when I jacked the joist up it would support the wall so I could remove the sill. I ran out of the lag screws I was using . My car's exhaust system had failed the day before and I had ordered the parts. The FedEx Express site said they were loaded on a truck at 7:30 AM and were heading for me, but they weren't here yet. No problem, I'll just hop on my bike ride down the hill three miles to the local hardware store (and mail that rec letter on the way). Then before I have a chance to do that the owner of a quarry a mile up the road stops by and we have a nice chat about how much and what kind of stone I need to replace what hurricane Irene took from around my barn, not to mention John McPhee and Loren Eisley and evolution. Start down to get the screws and about 100 yards from the store I remember that they are closed on Tuesdays. Well, at least I mailed the rec letter. Pedal the 3 miles and 300 feet uphill back home and still no parts. Now have to ride to Cummington Supply, 12 hilly miles away to buy the screws. On the way there at the highest point of the route, who passes me? the Fed Ex truck ten minutes later he passes me again. He has either finished delivering my parts or is about to do so, but do I go back. No, by the time I get back, fix the car, and get to Cummington, they will be closed. Besides, the sun has come out and I need the exercise.

Twenty five miles and $9 worth of hardware later. I am back home, changing into car repair clothes. From 6:15 to 8:15 I am under my car in the dark (with a portable light), in my driveway, replacing tail pipe, exhaust pipe, and two mufflers. One reason for moving was to find a big enough garage and barn so I could fix cars in a well lit, smooth floored, and possibly warm building. Maybe some day.

Got cleaned up and welcomed home my wife who spent the day sending our grandkids off to school, substitute teaching and then traveling 30 miles each way to help local League of Women voters develop their policy on public education and now cooks a light supper.

The rock arrived this morning and I spent four hours moving about an eighth of it. I wish I knew something about this stuff. I am not sure where the big rocks go in relation to small and mediums and how will I ever get grass to grow back? Any masons and landscapers out there?

Then back down to the barn basement to expose some more studs and sill.

Ahhh retirement.

2) Ridge related i) I visited New Jersey staying with friends in Glen Rock. Tuesday I drove down and got to spend some time with the current scoutmaster of Troop 15, "my troop" for the past 28 years. Wednesday was spent visiting more friends.

Thursday was the big day. Started with some minor errands including picking up many recommendation folders. Then came the physics club meeting. A great turn out and lots of energy and lots of juniors. Obviously the current officers and Mr. Lee are doing a great job. Nice presentation by Eric Wei on his work on using plasmas to treat surfaces.

It was great to see so many of you throughout the day. Even some of you I spent all year yelling at showed up. I hope none of you were bored. Please remember when visiting, you are free to leave whenever you wish. I understand that you may have other things to do besides listen to my pearls of wisdom, no matter how precious they are. It was very generous of Mr. Lee to let me use his room most of the day.

It was also nice to see the staff members I worked with, most of whom remembered my name.

After school and the last students I had dinner with several close friends on the faculty and then drove home ( 220 miles).

iii) Since then I have been sharpening my creative writing skills, writing letters of recommendation. How to not tell the whole truth and not lie is a skill I am trying to perfect.

3) Family and friends. Made a one day trip to NJ Sunday for the unveiling of my mothers footstone. Got to spend time with sisters, brothers in law, and nieces and nephews. My mother's fondest wish was to get her brood together often. Its nice that we get on so well. Maybe the distance that normally separates us helps us appreciate each other when we do get to be in one place. Maybe we are really, really nice people, me included. I'll let my students form their own opinions on that one.

In addition to trips to NJ we have had several visitors up here and we realize how lucky we are to have friends willing to travel to visit us.

4) Physics. Haven't you been reading this? Who has had time for physics? Well I have had some time. Reading articles on physics education and on general relativity and the relationship between quantum mechanics and causality. I really have to organize my reading and start writing notes. I am convinced, so far, that the fact that action is quantized and general relativity assumes infinitesimal displacements is what leads to their incompatibility. If I get to figure out what this explains I'll write a post from Sweden. Don't hold your breath.

Trip Report and Visit to Ridge

Yesterday we returned from two weeks in England. We went to attend the wedding of a good friend's daughter at Bath. The wedding took place in a church that had Saxon origins and was of largely medieval construction ( Norman, Early English and Decorated Gothic in style, for you architecture aficionados ). It was in a beautiful village. The wedding reception was in the Roman baths (ca. 300 AD but only uncovered in the nineteenth century) and the Georgian Pump Room. This was a once in lifetime opportunity to enjoy these facilities at an exclusive party.

Bath has many other interesting sights including other Georgian social gathering spots and a truly beautiful and huge late medieval Abbey. Throughout this trip, I was continually reminded of the amazing amount that was accomplished by manual labor with relatively small populations. The number of huge cathedrals, large churches, and other structures made of stone, usually intricately and beautifully decorated, puts our current architecture and civil buildings to shame, particularly when you consider the technology and resources we could bring to bear if we weren't so tied up in amassing personal piles of junk.

We then went to the Cotswold countryside, walking through wonderful villages perfectly sited on green hillsides and in pleasant valleys. Verdant fields, well fed cattle and sheep, and lovely mature forests were everywhere you looked. The stone buildings blended in with their locations perfectly. Several villages had streams serving as their main street. The weather was very good, only one day of real rain and a few showers at other times.

We also visited some larger towns and a couple of cathedrals. The food was fine and we will not discuss the beverages on this blog. Driving on the left is always a thrill, especially on roads that we would call bike paths here.

You can see from the above that we had a very good trip.

Now that I am rejuvenated I can get back to work on the barn and house, but even more taxingly, I can come visit Ridge. I will be there on Thursday October 6. I'll try to be in 506 when its not being used and I'll try to post my whereabouts near the 506 door at other times.

Right now, both my old and new email addresses are working. The new one is robertcherd@gmail.com.

Post Post Irene Post

Completed a root canal yesterday with essentially no pain. Good dentists are worth their weight in physics books ( good physics books).

Well we had five or more inches of rain in the past 60 hours so a lot of the mud and gravel I shoveled out of the barn basement decided to revisit. Spent two more hours shoveling. As much as I enjoy brainless manual labor, this could get old quickly. I think I enough of the debris restricting the stream's normal channel that I stand a good chance that there will not be a repeat soon.

Reread article on Einstein's general relativity, it's growing on me _ the article, not general relativity.

Sent out instructions on recommendation letters to 33 students. If you expected these and did not receive them, email me at my bernards address.

Good luck and have fun in the new year. I'll try to visit this fall.

Post Irene Report and Recommendations

Post Irene Report and Recommendations

1) Storm Report: We survived Irene without too much damage. The little stream that runs between our house and barn which about dried up this summer became a 30 foot wide torrent and flooded the basement of the barn to a depth of 6 feet and pushed the back wall off its foundations a few inches so it could make its way through. It also left about 300 cubic feet of mud behind. The towns in the valley below us suffered some real damage. Many roads were just eaten away in places by the rushing water. We lost power for about 30 hours because the water washed away some poles.

Still it was much worse elsewhere. We had only moderately strong winds. My old street in Glen Rock lost several big trees.

I spent much of Monday cleaning out the mess with the substantial help from my older son, Chris. I'll have to repair the barn sill and some sever erosion spots. Oh well, I was looking for something to do [ not really]. Today I spent much of the day trying to repair a starter motor for a Gravely tractor we used yesterday. I did not quite succeed [ that means I failed to get it to run well].

Let me know of any adventures you've had.

2) Recommendations: I sent a brief note out to everyone I have on my list for college recommendations. If you should be on the list and did not get a message by Thursday, send me an email to that effect.

3) Hope you guys are having a great summer and are looking forward to learning and getting together with your friends. I do miss the anticipation and excitement of a new year and the chance to work with the likes of you. I do not miss the chance to get up at 5:30 every day.

Scholarship Opportunity

Questbridge is a program that provides high performing students with low family incomes up to full scholarships at many of the best colleges and universities in the nation.

Find out about it at

http://www.questbridge.org/images/stories/pdfs-documents/cm11_bw_flyer.pdf

Scholarship alert and Pre Hurricane Irene Post

Actually not quite pre since we have already had an inch or two of rain so far.

Hope you are all riding out the storm in peace and safety.

Questbridge is a program for high performing students wishing to attend truly top schools whose family income is below something like $60,000. Awards of full tuition and room and board are available

August 22 '11 Update

Social Report: Had some friends and relations for company.

Academic Affairs: If you asked me for a recommendation, you should be receiving an email from me in about a week covering the materials I would like from you, including the maximum denomination you should include in the plain brown paper bag full of cash. If you do not hear from me by say September 8, email me immediately. Both the Bernardsboe and the gmail address work, but for this use the bernardsboe.

Cultural Report: We've been enjoying the cultural events around here again. While managing to miss two of the Shakespeare plays I planned to see we see a play by Goldoni: The Venetian Twins Ca 1700s. It was done by some of the younger actors with Shakespeare and Co. in Lenox. They hammed it up throwing in lots of musical and almost slapstick features. There were several modern touches including this dire threat "If you bother me again I'll cut your heart out and sell it on Ebay." The timing and juxtaposition with the late renaissance play context made it seem much funnier than it does just in cold print. They had a great time doing the play and we had a great time watching it. I could imagine many of you rascals playing similar roles.

Live musics and theater is all around you. Get involved as performer, stage hand, scenery constructor or AUDIENCE MEMBER. Stop looking at screens and get out there. [ I know many of you already are]. We, who have no performing arts talents ( actually my wife can sing pretty well), signed up as volunteers at Tanglewood for next year.

The evening before we heard Schuman's piano concerto and Beethoven's Third Symphony ( one of the great achievements of civilization) at Tanglewood.

House report: Much time has been devoted to installing lighting fixtures and a fan.

My workshop at the west end of the house is pretty functional. I finished the work bench, including making four new drawers.

The barn loft is now usable and holding a fair amount of stuff. The working spaces of the barn are almost there. The new electrical panel and some circuits are in, I need to add several more. Hung up some of my many spare wheels and bikes today. I'll need to replace some sills by next summer.

We bought the house knowing it needed a new sceptic system. We are awaiting Mass DEP and local conservation committee rulings on our application as well as estimates from potential contractors. Things don't move at a lightning pace up here.... except for the lightning, of which we have had plenty.

Personal report: Been getting some good, but not epic rides in . Mostly 20-30 miles with about 2,000 feet of climb. I'll be looking to do some longer, harder ones as soon as my latest tooth problem is solved.

Today, after a dentist visit, we walked up to a fire tower overlooking the Deerfield River Valley near Shelburne Falls. Nice walk, nice views.

Early August Update

Wow, August 8th already. I celebrated my birthday on the 4th by taking Walter, my 9 year old grandson to buy a bike and also ended up buying my wife car rack attachments for her kayak. It's a good thing my birthday only comes once a year. I couldn't afford it any more often.

Finished the master bedroom, including painting, setting up a grandfather clock and hanging curtains. It does look pretty good.

Did a little more work in the barn, got a few more supports in. With the lumber racks complete and most lumber stored on them the barn almost is useful. A few more supports and moving some stuff to the loft and some more to the basement, and moving some of the larger tools and a few more cabinets and benches, and running some more circuits [ if the electrician gets the new power installed in the barn] and I'll be ready to start work ....... or totally exhausted and unable to work.

In the last few days replaced the exhaust header and catalyst on my blue volvo, repaired the door handle and then sold it today! Still having withdrawal symptoms. We had some friends up from New Jersey, and went to my son's annual summer party at his home about four miles away on Saturday. About 75 people showed up despite intermittent rain.

With the blue car being for sale my maroon Volvo has been acting up, looking for attention I suppose. I'll try replacing the engine speed sensor/ ignition impulse generator Wednesday and see if that clears up the problem.

Speaking of looking for attention, our upstairs cat ( has come down only twice in the the two months she's been here), stands at the top of the stairs and meows at 9 PM every night insisting we come up and keep her company. She has a peculiar voice and often sounds almost human. Her name is Natalie and she is nominally my younger son, Daniel's, cat. His new digs in Ft Collins, Colorado do not allow cats, so she is ours for now. She is very territorial and every time our cat Sally tries to come upstairs Natalie chases her back down.

Been talking to plumbers about a new boiler and engineers, commissioners, and excavators about the required new septic system. . The electrician is supposed to return tomorrow and install our new connection with the utility and our new circuit breaker panel. We'll see.

Its a little frustrating not having important things directly in your own hands, but it will probably all work out.

Heard from several students which is always nice, and Mrs Mitchell's visit was a highlight. We are open to visitors most of the time.

Physics, or at least reading physics, has taken a back seat to all of the above. Am almost finished with An Old Man's Toy, which discusses cosmology at a " popular" level, but leaves many fundamental issues unaddressed. For example he writes about the rapidly expanding universe expanding so rapidly that light from one region can't reach another, without addressing the apparent contradiction with special relativity's limit on the speed of material object's to less than c. Expansion velocities are sort of not true velocities, but are the result of the enormous energy of the big bang. This is to my mind a contradiction. Oh well, I'll keep trying to get a fundamental understanding of this and I'll keep you posted.

Have gotten a few bike rides ( all hilly ones around here) and a little walking in.

So long for now.

Finally Some Pictures

Finally got some pictures posted to my server. Now if only the links would work.

Here's one of our new ( actually 126 year old) house.


http://h1.ripway.com/DrCherdack/1180%20Ashfield.JPG" />



Here is one of our back yard with its part-time occupants ( my neighbor's cows).


http://h1.ripway.com/DrCherdack/1180%20Backyard.JPG">

And here is one of my 9 year old grandson. Now doesn't this make some of you girls wish you were nine years old again.

http://h1.ripway.com/DrCherdack/Walteronhike2.JPG">

He is actually my stepson's boy so he has none of my genes so I can brag about him. I took this picture when we were on a 5 mile hike. He was cheerful and interested the whole time despite lots of mosquitoes. He is great company as long as you keep him fed.

Report from Ashfield 7/28/11

I cannot get files to load to the server I store them on from here - the Hughesnet satellite service is awful. In fact I have just been told that I am no longer connected... ah, its back again.

In any case I have been fixing up work spaces by hanging cabinets, building benches and supports and lumber racks, restacking lumber in a way that I can see what I've got ( lot's of mahogany mostly of weird sizes and more 2x8's than I can use right now.). I am also midway through painting a bedroom after I insisted on tearing off some turquoise wallpaper. I am also in the midst of replacing the rpm sensor on the maroon volvo, while tomorrow I'll be picking up a new fender for the blue one( don't drive while sleepy).

Some electricians were here yesterday to install some underground wire between the house and barn ( I hate digging) and do some other stuff. Don't know when they will be back to finish. Contractors are a whimsical bunch.

I've also taken a few hikes, one with my grandson. Gone for a few short walks and done some bike rides ncluding one of 40+ miles and nearly 3000 feet of total climbing. The new hip works well if I keep moving.

Been to Tanglewood a total of 4 times so far this season and each performance has been great.

On the physics front, not much to report except one very practical application. A new soap bottle was very hard to open. I realized that it was warmer than when filled so it was likely under net pressure. I distorted the bottle to increase its volume and reduce the internal pressure and the bottle opened easily. Physics is always with us. I am reading an "old Man's Toy" about general relativity ( Einstein being the old man) and cosmology. Some neat ideas, but too many oversimplifications and some just plain errors. Still, overall worth reading.

Stay in touch, and visit if you can.

Update from Ashfield July11

On the Ridge front, I was informed that the board will appoint me a volunteer assistant advisor to the Physics Club for the coming year. This should maintain my Ridge email account. I'll let you know if this is not true.

On the home front, today's adventure was installing a new pump and pressure tank in our house. Took a little extra time because I could not acquire all the parts I needed to do it the most efficient way so I had to ad lib a bit. It also took a lot of extra time because I had no idea where I put anything once I put it down. Its a good thing our basement is nearly empty or I would still be looking for the tubing cutter.

On the culture front, we enjoyed a great concert at Tanglewood in the Berkshires on Sunday. It is a vast shed with an even vaster lawn outside in a beautiful spot in the hills. The Boston Symphony Orchestra, one of the world's best, plays here most weekends in July and August. Good seats can be had for less than $30, lawn tickets on Friday's are only about $10! We heard the Scottish Fantasy for Violin and orchestra by Max Bruch, a contemporary and surprisingly enjoyable piece called loco, and a magnificent performance of Tchaikovsky's 6th Symphony. The conductor captured all the manic energy and pathos perfectly and the orchestra's sound was beyond superb.

On the physics front, I was disappointed to learn that the article I chose to read on superluminal velocities concerned only apparent speeds greater than c due to geometric effects. It goes into details on the effects of the relativistic Doppler Effect and other matters, but I was hoping for discussion of light sources moving away from us at apparently greater than c due to the expansion of the universe. I'll have to see what I can find.

Hope to post some pictures soon Stay tuned in and stay in touch. Enjoy your summer.

Weekly Report

Hi folks,

The tone of this blog will change as I just give a weekly or so report on what's happening in our new home. There will still be physics content as I sort through books and papers and work to obtain a better understanding of the under pinnings of our universe.

It's another beautiful day in Western Massachusetts ( I think I've spelled it right.) I Got back Wednesday night after clearing my room out - sort of- and doing about twelve other things Monday, Tuesday and earlier Wednesday.

Thursday I spent too much time running ethernet from the west end of the house where our dish is to the east end where my "office" and computer are so I could locate the router there. Satellite internet is a little better than dial up, but still terrible compared to DSL or Fios.

Also, Thursday our 18 year old cat finally gave up the ghost and is now buried under a lilac ( I think) bush. She had a good run and was just worn out.

The place has been busy: we are watching our 3 grandchildren for 8 days and with them and friends and neighbors and even strangers around, the place is jumping. The strangers were people who drove up saying they were the great great great grand daughter of the builder of the house and her daughter and grandchildren. So her grandchildren represented the sixth generation of Howses to set foot in the house.

I moved another 20 boxes of books yesterday after having unloaded the old Volvo and our mud room is now free of boxes.

The place is shaping up and open for visits.

Going out for a bike ride - hip is doing well now and will read some cosmology this evening as a treat to myself for all the work I've done. Look up superluminal galaxy velocity and you'll see what I am reading about.

Regards to all you Southerners in New Jersey.

Return to Ridge

Greetings from
1180 Hawley Road
Ashfield, MA 01130

If you plug that address into maps.google.com and click on satellite you can see a pretty good view of our new home. It is the one just above Hawley Road and to the left of Apple Valley Road.
The building on the right edge of the property is my barn and the one to the left of the barn is our ca.1884 farm house. There is a stream in between and you have to cross a small bridge to get to the barn. Pretty neat place to live, but it will take some fixing up.

If anybody needs to see me I will be in 506 most of this Tuesday. If no one needs to see me, I will still be there, cleaning things out.... ugh.

If you need to email me try my bernardsboe address; but if it doesn't work use robertcherd@gmail.com

Enjoy your summer

All Students

I will be working late tonight, but I won't be in until about 9:30 tomorrow, which will give me only 30 minutes to update your grades. Please check your email in the morning for any requests for documents, etc. from me that may relate to your grade.

Honors and AP

Please check this blog tonight before going to sleep. If I need something from you in the way of a lab or homework or a test grade, I'll mention here or in an email, so check both.

Honors Equations and Defintions

Folks here is the latest version of what you can use on your final. It is a pretty good summary of what you should have learned this semester.

http://h1.ripway.com/DrCherdack/EqnsDefinitionsFinal11.doc

All Students

Bring in your text books ASAP but no later than your exam if you are using them to study.

Honors Review Homework

Complete review package including the fusion/tokamak material and JxB =Delta P/delta r stuff.

Homework is due date of the exam

Projects

1) All honors project reports are due Wednesday. They must encompass more than your slide shows. They should address the points from the blog post of early May. They are repeated here:

Plasma: number density (particles per cubic meter, temperature, energy confinement time, required fields

Plasma heating: neutral beams- current, voltage, power, fraction of accelerated particles which remain uneutralized and thus do not enter the plasma

Magnets: dimensions, turns, currents, fields i plasma and field at coil for all three sets of coils

First wall blanket: Dimensions, temperatures for first wall, blanket structure, liquid lithium ( inlet and outlet if lithium flows; flow rate of lithium.

Thermo dynamics: Temperatures, flows (kg/sec) and energies (joules/kg) throughout the cycle.

Generators: Currents, voltages, rotating field strength, area of coils, turns per coil- remember - 3 phase

2) sorry to have missed the demonstrations/presentations of today. I'll be available any period 1st,4th,,6th,9th) I do not have a final or duty to see them. All presentations should be provided to me via email or personally. Since the AP finals will only have a few takers I can be available 3rd and 8th for quiet demos.

Wednesday Morning

I will be available to those seeking help during the period 9 final exam time.

AP Kaity Problem solns

Kaity Vermillion is skating at .8c. How long does it take her in her frame to reach the end of rink 100m away in the rink’s frame?

Her time is t’=gamma (t-vx/c^2) x also =vt. so

t’ = gamma(t-v^2t/c^2) = gamma t (1/gamma^2) = t/gamma where gamma =1.67 Another, easier way is is t=gamma(t’+vx’/c^2) but Kaity is at the origin in her frame so x’ =0. and t=gamma t’

How long does she think the rink is?

This requires finding out how far from her in her frame is a colleague moving at.8c with respect to the rink who is at the end of the rink when Kaity is the beginning. Colleagues x’ is given by x’=gamma(x-vt) but what is t at this time? Try a simpler way.

x=gamma(x’+vt’), but t’ is 0 when Kaity is at beginning so x= gamma x’ and x’=x/gamma or 60 m.

If she starts skating at noon on her watch and the rink’s clock at the back end of the rink, when she thinks she the rink has gone -25m, where is she in the rink and what time does the rink clock at that point say?

Kaity’s time, t’, will be 25 m/.8c, x =gamma(x’+vt’) x’ still =0 for Kaity

so we have x = gamma(0+.8c x 25m/.8c )= 1.67 x25 m. Rink time is 1.67x25m/.8c

She is shining a green 6x10¹⁴ Hz laser over her shoulder ( pointing backwards). What frequency light do you, standing at the back of the rink, see?

f = f’(sqrt((c-.8c)/(c+.8c)) =f’/3 = 2x10^14 Hz

Her coach passes her at a speed Kaity sees as .2c. How fast do you think the coach is going?

ucoach in rink = (.8c+.2c)/ (1+.2c*.8c/c^2) =c/1.16

Given that momentum is gmv and KE is (g-1)mc², and Kaity’s mass is 58 kg, what are her momentum and KE.

Honors Solutions

Here are the solutions to the Year End Review. They are as good as 3 hours sleep will get them. They are brief and sometimes to dense. They ARE NOT a replacement for your trying, your using the notes from the course, your paying attention in class. Get through currents, magnetics and start thermo tonight. We only have 70 more minutes together.


http://h1.ripway.com/DrCherdack/YearendSolnsHon11.doc

AP Relativity Problem

Kaity Vermillion is skating at .8c. How long does it take her in her frame to reach the end of rink 100m away in the rink’s frame? How long does she think the rink is? If she starts skating at noon on her watch and the rinks clock at the bank end of the rink, when she thinks she has gone 25m, where is she in the rink and what time does the rink clock at that point say?

She is shining a green 6x10¹⁴ Hz laser over her shoulder ( pointing backwards). What frequency light do you, standing at the back of the rink, see?

Her coach passes her at a speed Kaity sees as .2c. How fast do you think the coach is going?

Given that momentum is gmv and KE is (g-1)mc², and Kaity’s mass is 58 kg, what are her momentum and KE.

Honors Review Material

Here is review material for this semester. If you can do this, you should be in good shape for the final. It is due the day of the final for your class but you will be requested to do several problems each day on a particular subject each day. This way you can ask pertinent questions about problems you cannot do on your own. I am also posting a first version of the equations you can use on your final. It will probably be revised a bit, but use it for now.

http://h1.ripway.com/DrCherdack/HonorsYrEndRev2011.doc

http://h1.ripway.com/DrCherdack/EqnsDefinitionsFinal11.doc

AP and Honors 3 Back Homework

AP 5 Two back Free Responses came in today with no name. See meHonors 3Four homeworks with no name on them came in today. If you are the author of these, please see me. You need some help.

Honors Thermo Test

So far I have received one email about the thermo retest. I assume more than one person wants to take it, but I will not give the test to anyone who has not requested it and told me the time at which they want to take it.

Honors Labs

I need to see the following people about lab reports tomorrow Please bring in all your 4th quarter labs.
Honors 3: Chris, Colleen, Jackie, Alex, Adrien, Shannon, Goedele, Paul, Erica, Josh

Honors 2 Bonbon and Krishnan

Honors 2 Homework

While not quite as appalling as your colleagues in Honors 3 your homework record is near an historic worst. I am posting my current record of your homework. You have until Monday to make up missing work. It will receive 80% of full credit.


http://h1.ripway.com/DrCherdack/H2_Homework_6-7B.xls

Honors Thermo Retake

Because Thursday will be a short day the thermo retake will be held on Friday outside of your class time, or Thursday at noon if you can get home without a bus. You must email me with when you plan to take it. Note that the retirement reception begins at 3 on Friday so you'll only have 25 minutes after school on Friday.

Honors 3 Homework

Here is the rather disgraceful record of your homework performance. Get your late assignments in by Monday.

http://h1.ripway.com/DrCherdack/H3Hwrk6-1.xls

Thursday All students Going or Not

Students Going:

All students, report to your first period class. Wait for the announcement and then proceed to the old lobby and to your bus. Honors 2 AP4 and AP 5 are all on bus C.

Honors 3 is split between bus B and J : Bus B Aaron (Jack) through Kauffman (Erica)

Bus J: Leffler through Van Landegem

Tonight: look through the lab sheets you picked and see what information you need to get at the park. Make sure you have something to write on and with.

Stay with your group in the park, individuals get lost faster than groups.

Leave the park promptly. Be at the fountain by 2:45 and head for the bus. Do NOT get on long ride lines that will keep you beyond 2:45. Do not make 400 people wait for you.

You must stay on your assigned bus!!!

Students not going:


Subs or places to send students

Period 1 – study hall Hunscher

Period 2 room 534 Marin

Period 3 room 534 Marin

Period 4 room 536 McCarthy

Period 5 room 536 McCarthy

Period 6 – room 407 Hunscher

Period 7 room 534 Marin

Period 8 room 536 McCarthy

Period 9 room 534 Marin

Honors Presentations

I need electronic copies of all Honors 3 presentations created so far this quarter emailed to me.

Honors 3 Schedule


This Friday: Plasma and Generators


Next week: Monday Thermo and Plasma Heating
Thursday First Wall and Blanket, Magnets

AP Assignment

Complete the tunnel problem as posted with v = .6c.

Remember, homework is a larger portion of your grade this quarter.

Rides and Labs

You must ride at least one of these( or use data if you do not ride)

Carousel, Batman, Log Flume, Runaway Train, Rolling Thunder.

Labs will be due next Wednesday. None will be accepted after Friday. Each day after Wednesday costs 5 points.

Great Adventure Instructions

You must form groups of three or four to travel in and turn in your group roster in writing tomorrow (Wednesday).

You must go on at least one ride of those to be listed in the next post. You must note vertical accelerations using the tubes provided.

You must do at least one lab. You will receive up to 10 points of extra credit for each additional lab.

AP problem

A train which is 300 m long in its frame is traveling north and comes to a tunnel that is 300 m long in the earth's ( the tunnel's) frame. If the back of the train reaches the south end of the tunnel at t' =0 and t = 0, how far out of the tunnel is the engine driver when the driver's watch says t' =0?

Observers are standing throughout the tunnel. Where is the observer ( i.e what is x) who observes the engine driver at t=0. What time does the driver's watch show to this observer?

If you do this correctly, you will have shown how the train can appear longer than the tunnel to people on the train and shorter than the tunnel to people in the tunnel.

Use x and x' of the rear of the train and station =0 at t'= 0,t=0. Thus x' of the engine driver is 300m and x of the tunnel north end is 300m.

Memorial Day Weekend, etc.

Sorry to be out of touch so long. Life has been hectic and challenging. Honors should be honing their presentations and emailing them to me. AP, stand by for some relativity problems to be posted soon.
Enjoy your memorial day and do remember it commemorates those who lost their lives in our countries wars.

Honors

Study for thermo quiz

AP Assignment

A train is traveling at .6c . All teh clocks on the train and the station are arranged so that t' =0 and t =0 when the back of the train is at the back of the station. The train measures 240 m long in its own frame, i.e. x' of the engine driver is 240m. A passenger is standing at the point which so that when his watch says t=0 the engine driver is exactly even with him. Where is he standing on the station? ( i.e. what is his x?). What time does he see on the engine driver's clock (what is t' at x' =240 and t=0).

Honors Thermo Quiz

We may have a guest speaker on nuclear power on Thursday, therefore today will be spent on nuclear energy, tomorrow on thermo review, and the quiz on Wednesday. Sorry to put you off this way, but it will be good for you to hear about nuclear power from the perspective of someone who works with it daily.

Honors Thermo Due Monday

Here is your assignment for tomorrow. Use all you have learned so far. Use notes and text as needed, but do it!

http://h1.ripway.com/DrCherdack/Hnr%20thermo%20cycleA.doc

Honors Assignment due 5-20-11

Honors Thermo Assignment Due 5/20/11

1) Write an equation relating delta U and delta T for a gas.

2) List the c_v s for monatomic, diatomic, and triatomic gases.

3) 4 moles of monatomic gas are heated at constant volume from 300 K to 600 K. What is Qin?

4) Qin to 4 moles of monatomic gas is 25,000 Joules and DU is 15,000. What is DT? How much work was done by the gas? Can you tell what kind of process this was? If Tinitial was 300K what is Tfinal? If Pinitial=100,000 Pa what was Pfinal. What was Vinitial? What was Vfinal?

Honors Thermo Assignment for Tomorrow

Iso thermal means no change in T.

Write an expression for Qin for an iso thermal process

If the work done in an isothermal process is 100 million J what is Qin?

Adiabatic means no heat in or out. If the work done by the gas in an adiabatic process is 100 million Joules what is Q in ? What is Delta U?

AP Relativity Notes

Finally here they are:
Read through page 8
http://h1.ripway.com/DrCherdack/NotesonSpecialrel18.doc

Tee Shirts

Order must be in by tomorrow. Order forms are in my room

Honors Labs

Remember 10 points off for each of the Magnet and Archimedes Lab not in my hands by tomorrow 5/13

Merck Exam

Students interested in taking the Merck Exam from 7:30 to 9:30 Tuesday should let me know immediately. There are slots for bio, physics, chem, enviro ( maybe-not sure) and integrated. If you think you are really pretty good at one or some of these and want the chance to gain some prestige for yourself and Ridge, let me know.

AP Practice materials

1) all un-entered homeworks are due Thursday end of school.

2) All materials, MCs and FRs are to be returned ASAP

3) Your FR 2008 form B must be turned in even if you got it back initialed.

4) Section 5 missed some important lessons in projectile motion today

T shirts

Drop dead date to order your tee shirt is 5/13, i.e. this Friday.

AP Assignment

Pick a project you will research and build as a major part of your 4th quarter. Criteria for grading are amount you learned doing it, amount we learned from you, and overall quality of the project including the presentation. Let me know what it is by Thursday. Teams of 1 to 4 allowed.

Honors Labs

Magnetics Labs and Archimedes labs are way overdue for many of you. I will reduce your last Quarter grade by 10% for each missing lab not turned in by Friday. That's your quarter grade not just your lab grade!!!!

Great Misadventure

Tmorrow is the last day for checks, I'll take cash until Friday

AP Advice

Get plenty of sleep, it is better to be alert and know a bunch than to be foggy and forget the everything you learned the night before. Eat some protein in the late morning.

AP Review

Okay from McCarthy, Kohut (3rd) and Segale so far. Still checking with Blackwell, Kilpatrick, Marin, Marsh, Chin, Lime

AP Review Monday

I'll be doing review session 1st, 3rd, 4th, and 5 th tomorrow. All APs and Connor are welcome. Let me know ASAP if I have to ask your teachers if its okay. You must respond to my email address not by commenting on the blog. Tell me which periods and teachers.

AP Homework

Do all of 2008 form B FR for tomorrow and turn it in at the beginning of class. Do your absolute best to get it all right, I will grade this as a test.

Honors Thermo

Nothing like an early start to the day, or is it a late end to the night before. In any case here is your schedule for thermodynamics.

http://h1.ripway.com/DrCherdack/HonUnit15Thermo-10-11.doc

http://h1.ripway.com/DrCherdack/Notes%20on%20Heat%20R3.doc


http://h1.ripway.com/DrCherdack/Gas%20and%20Plasma%20Problems%20%20.doc

http://h1.ripway.com/DrCherdack/NotesonKineticMoleculaR1.doc

http://h1.ripway.com/DrCherdack/Notes%20on%20FluidDynamic%203-10.doc

http://h1.ripway.com/DrCherdack/Heat%20and%20Energy%20Conversionr2.doc

http://h1.ripway.com/DrCherdack/NotesonThermoR6.doc

http://h1.ripway.com/DrCherdack/Thermonotes-prob-basic%20.doc

AP Assignment

Do electrical, optical and modern physics Free Response problems for 2008 Form B. See site address from last week to find the AP exams.

Honors Assignment -Fusion Power Report Link

http://www.efda.org/eu_fusion_programme/scientific_and_technical_publications.htm

Download the reports from this site. Read the summary. Read and learn portions of report relevant to your part of the plant. Find the numbers I assigned to you last night ( the one's for the tokamak and plasma, not the ones for your system)

Honors Project Quantities

Each par of the fusion power plant has some key quantities associated with it. Part of your job is to determine these quantities and explain to the how the quantity was determined. You should be making progress on the first two of these tomorrow. They include the following:

Plasma: number density (particles per cubic meter, temperature, energy confinement time, required fields

Plasma heating: neutral beams- current, voltage, power, fraction of accelerated particles which remain uneutralized and thus do not enter the plasma

Magnets: dimensions, turns, currents, fields i plasma and field at coil for all three sets of coils

First wall blanket: Dimensions, temperatures for first wall, blanket structure, liquid lithium ( inlet and outlet if lithium flows; flow rate of lithium.

Thermo dynamics: Temperatures, flows (kg/sec) and energies (joules/kg) throughout the cycle.

Generators: Currents, voltages, rotating field strength, area of coils, turns per coil- remember - 3 phase

Honors Assignment

In the European Fusion Power plant find: the number of particles (nuclei plus electrons) per cubic meter in the plasma. The peak or average temperature in the plasma, the volume of the plasma, the fusion power ( not electrical power ) output, the volume of the plasma, the current in the plasma, and the poloidal and toroidal magnetic fields-either average or at the center of the plasma - not at the coils.

AP Assignment

Complete FR 2002 B tonight.

Make sure you pick up MC3 and MC 4 tomorrow even if you are leaving early for the prom. They will be in folders on the lab table by the sink.

Honors Assignment

Project day tomorrow. Work tonight so you will have some points on your outline ready to be filled in. Presentations will resume next week.

Calculators

I am short a TI-83 and have an extra TI-84. It would be nice to clear this up soon.

AP Homework

For tonight, do the 3rd and 4th problems from AP Free Response 2002 Form B.

Here is the link I use: http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/members/exam/exam_questions/157189.html

News

I would rather you hear this from me directly than otherwise, so here it is. This will be my last year at Ridge. While I have found the last eight years of teaching here extremely rewarding (even this year's juniors), it has come time for me to pursue other interests. It is time to spend more time with family and the other occupations I have neglected for these past years. There are many trails to be hiked, lots of country roads to be ridden, many furniture pieces to built, and much new physics to be understood.

I will still write recommendation letters next fall for those who request them, but do email me if you change your mind because of this news.

I do hope to often visit Ridge where so many people have created such wonderful memories for me. I'll probably have to stop by often anyway to find all the stuff I've lost over the past eight years.

...and for all of you, DO NOT make the mistake of thinking this will make me any easier to deal with than it has been in the past.

Honors Assignment

Do these for tonight.

http://h1.ripway.com/DrCherdack/Fluids%20Problems%204-25-11.doc

Honors

Nice to see your shining faces again. Since we did not meet for period 2, the quiz will on fluids will be on Thursday, but you better know some fluids by then!!! Check back later today for your assignments for the next few days.

AP thin film Interference

Too many of you are still trotting out inappropriate formulae instead of looking at the physics. No reflection means destructive interference between waves reflected from the top of the coating and waves reflected from the bottom. This means that the round trip through the coating must take half a period and thus be equal to half a wavelength. Thus the governing equation is

2 x thickness = (1/2) wavelength in the coating or 2t = (1/2) (lambda vacuum/n coating)

AP Notes

Mr. Gilmore asked me to post these for you sitting in on his class the next two days. One of these is huge, so be patient.

http://h1.ripway.com/DrCherdack/Unit%2015%20Magnetic%20Fields.ppt

http://h1.ripway.com/DrCherdack/Unit%2015%20Induced%20emfs.ppt

3rd quarter Grades

I have been in touch with some of you by email about grade changes. For some reason to do with HAC I will not be able to post these changes until May 2. Sorry, I thought I could do it today, but the entries are locked in until 5/2.

This Week

A reminder that I will be out this week as I continue to recover from having a new hip installed.

Honors you have already been told your schedule.

AP will be meeting with Mr. Gilmore's classes and you will be getting a review of magnetism and induction. Do bring in your AP exam break assignments and the modern physics worksheeet posted below. You can work on the green free responses and the modern physics worksheet when you are not working with Mr. Gilmore.

http://h1.ripway.com/DrCherdack/WorksheetModernPhysics.doc

Break Assignment and Schedule Change

1) I have received only a couple of emails for the break project assignment each including a meeting report and a real question you would like help in answering. I should receive 42 by tonight.

2) Monday 4/18 and Tuesday 4/19 will be research days. The project work assigned for Thursday is now due Thursday. Wednesday and Thursday will be for doing fluids worksheets. Bring in FD-1 on Wednesday so you can do it in class. Turn in completed worksheet FD-1 on Thursday and FD-2 on Monday 4/25. Here is worksheet FD-2 Please read it before Thursday and bring it to class so that you will be able to do the problems in class on Thursday.

http://h1.ripway.com/DrCherdack/Fluids%20Worksheet%20FD-2.doc

AP MC

Sorry the MC that we did half of in class was MC 5 not MC 4

Honors Schedule and Materials for Fluids

Hope you are having fun during this break despite the weather. Here is your schedule for fluids and for project work . After all, I can't let you have too much fun. Bring all this stuff to class next week, I won't be there so you can do some wotk during class to reduce the homework burden.

http://h1.ripway.com/DrCherdack/HonUnit14Fluids10-11.doc

http://h1.ripway.com/DrCherdack/Notes%20on%20FluidDynamic%203-10.doc

http://h1.ripway.com/DrCherdack/Fluid%20Dynamics%20WorksheetR1%20.doc

http://h1.ripway.com/DrCherdack/Review%20Sh%20Fluid%20DynamicsA.doc

http://h1.ripway.com/DrCherdack/NotesonArchimedes.doc

AP Assignment:AP Tests and Modern Physics

Do not write on any of the tests. Show work, record free response answers on a separate sheet from what you plan to turn in. This way we can review the tests before you homework gets entered. I'll try to get the scantron back to you within one day. This assignment is worth 8 homeworks.

The two green free response and completing MC4 and doing MC2 or whatever MC you have EXCEPT MCB6, are for free practice and can be done open book or even with help from your group. MC B6 and the white free response ( begins with a roller coaster) are to be done as a simulated exam. The MC should be done in 90 minutes with only the information ( first ) page of your info and equation sheets, and NO CALCULATORS. After a 5 minute break, do the free response in 90 minutes using the equation and info sheets and a calculator. Again this is to be done as if it were a real test. No outside help. Show work on all tests

Here are the modern Physics Links:

http://h1.ripway.com/DrCherdack/ModernPhysicsReview.doc
http://h1.ripway.com/DrCherdack/ModernPhysAPSummary08.doc

Honors Project Assignment for Break

Groups should meet at least once and preferably more over break. Each student must email me a meeting report (who when where and what was discussed.) The what should encompass at least two whole real live sentences. Your email also must include at least one real question you would like my help in answering.

Honors Assignment

The assignment from last night (Chapt 10 not 3 ) is due tomorrow. do the assignment below for Friday. Friday will also be a research day.

Read Chapt 10 Sect 5,6,and 7.Do Chapt 10 Prob 11,14, 17, 24, 25

AP Derivation of f = R/2

Here is a derivation of why f = R/2 for a spherical mirror

http://h1.ripway.com/DrCherdack/Derivoffforsphmirrr1.doc

AP Series Parallel Lab

I just finished grading the series parallel labs for AP 4. Every single one of them got most of the questions wrong for parallel circuits and AP 5 wasn't much better. If two bulbs or other resistances are are in parallel they see the same voltage. The current expected in each resistor or bulb is found by dividing that voltage by the resistance of the resistor in question. There is no consideration of the other parallel resistances in this process. As long as the voltage is not altered the current in resistor 1 does not vary regardless of the value of or even existence any other resistor in parallel to it. All of you used this valid approach in calculating the currents in the resistors in part B. Yet when asked what happens to current in a resistor when another parallel resistor was removed, you all incorrectly assumed that the current from the removed resistor still existed and now how to travel through the remaining ones.

The fact that you combine this unfounded and incorrect assumption about current remaining when the element through which it flows is gone with the [correct] way you predicted the current in parallel resistors [where the current through resistor 1 is calculated without any reference to resistors 2 s value or existence or the current that might or might not flow through resistor 2] in the same lab shows you are still not thinking analytically.

Let me put it numerically. I have resistor 1 of 40 ohms with 20 volts across it. A current of 0.5 amps flows through it. I now connect resistor 2 of 20 ohms in parallel with it. Resistor 2 sees the same 20 volts across it and produces a current of 1 amp, while resistor 1 produces the same 0.5 amps. I now disconnect resistor 2 and have resistor 1 in the exact same circumstance it originally was in. Now you are telling me that even though everything is the same as before, it will produce more than 0.5 amps and you would probably say 1.5 amps. I hope by now you realize this makes no sense.

You all should know that the voltage drop across an element [ bulb, resistor, etc.] causes the conduction electrons in that element to move. If you remove that element those electrons are no longer there, the current they provided is gone. The only reason removal of one parallel resistor would increase the current in the other remaining parallel resistors is if there is another resistance in series. In this case, the reduction in current due to the removal of the parallel resistance would reduce the current through the series resistance. This would reduce the voltage drop through the resistance in series, leaving more voltage drop available for the remaining parallel resistances causing an increase in their current. This increase is only very indirectly related to and certainly not equal to, the current that used to flow in the removed resistor.

Honors Assignment

Try to get some of this done tonight. The total assignment is due Thursday. A full schedule will be posted tomorrow, if all goes well.

Read Chap 10: Sect 1,2,3,4 and Notes on Fluid Dynamics pages 1 and do Chapt 10 question 3 (its tough and you’ll have to think) and prob 2, 5, 7,9,

http://h1.ripway.com/DrCherdack/Notes%20on%20FluidDynamic%203-10.doc

Magnetics Notes

A student asked why there was no N/h in the equation for filed produced by a current in a solenoid. The equation uses the number of turns per meters of solenoid. This is exactly the same as taking the total number of turns and dividing by the height (or length if its horizontal) of the solenoid, i.e. turns per m = N/h

AP Geometric Optics Schedule

We will now study light's interaction with optical devices those that reflect or bend light to form images. We will continue at our rapid pace so pay attention and hang on. There are some enjoyable aspects to this topic, some illusions and magic tricks so we will have some fun, but we will move fast.

The problem sheet assignment for this unit is problems 13 through 18 on the problem sheet from Unit 14 A

Also note the break assignment. This assignment is key and will make up a large part of your grade for fourth quarter. We will have fewer than two full weeks together between my return and your exam, so be mature and bear down for the home stretch.

http://h1.ripway.com/DrCherdack/APUnit14BLightsched-11.doc

http://h1.ripway.com/DrCherdack/NotesonGeometricOptics4-10.doc

http://h1.ripway.com/DrCherdack/SummaryofGeoOpticsrev4-10.doc

AP Physical Optics Notes

Sarah Valente uncovered another error in my notes. I hope this is the last one. Here is the link again.

http://h1.ripway.com/DrCherdack/PhysicalOpticsSummary11.doc

Retest

Those taking the retest tomorrow should email me with the time they are taking the test which must be outside of their physics class hours.

AP New Notes on Physical Optics

Use this, the old one has typos.

http://h1.ripway.com/DrCherdack/PhysicalOpticsSummary11.doc

Late Labs

Since I made the offer to one delinquent I will make it to everyone. Labs due before 3/18 will be accepted until April 4. They will receive half credit, i.e. half of what they are graded at. This does not apply to resubmits, which are also due by April 4.

AP Problem Sheet

For tonight just try 1-8, then do 9 through 12 Wednesday night. We'll do the rest later.

Honors Project Tasks

Each group should turn responses to today's tasks by Wednesday

AP Lightwave Notes

Read these tonight.

http://h1.ripway.com/DrCherdack/PhysicalOpticsSummary08.doc

AP Schedule for light waves

Here is your schedule for Unit 14 A

http://h1.ripway.com/DrCherdack/APUnit14Asched10-11.doc

http://h1.ripway.com/DrCherdack/Unit14problemsheetr1.doc

Honors Revised Magnetics worksheet M

Here is the link to a revised sheet with fewer errors. I'll try to post a better magnetic fields and transport set of notes soon.

http://h1.ripway.com/DrCherdack/Magnetics%20Worksheet%20MR1.doc

Retest

I am offering one retest to Honors and one to AP. The retest will be on one of the following: Electric force and fields, Electric Potential, Currents. The choice will be yours, one choice for AP one choice for honors. You must work it out amongst yourselves, and appoint one spokesperson for AP and one for Honors. I need an email by Monday so I have time to write the tests.

The retest will replace your lowest score among the three topics listed above, even if its not the same topic. It must be taken next Thursday, outside of your normal class hours. No regular class time will be spent on discussing it or reviewing for it, whatsoever. I make ample time available outside of class hours.

Overdue Labs

All Labs due by last Friday will be accepted no later than tomorrow.

Outages

I will be out tomorrow periods 1,2,5,6,7,9. Honors folks: Plan on doing research. Really!

I will be out Monday periods 5,6,7,8,9. Honors will do research, AP will have worksheets(I hope.)

Honors Schedule etc. for magnetic fields

Here are your schedule and materials:

http://h1.ripway.com/DrCherdack/HnrUnit13Magneticsch10.doc

http://h1.ripway.com/DrCherdack/Magnetics%20Worksheet%20MR1.doc

http://h1.ripway.com/DrCherdack/Notes%20on%20magneticsR10.doc

http://h1.ripway.com/DrCherdack/MagneticsWorksheetM2.doc

http://h1.ripway.com/DrCherdack/TokamakFields.doc

http://h1.ripway.com/DrCherdack/NotesMagFldsandTransprtPrt1%20.doc

http://h1.ripway.com/DrCherdack/Rotational%20Motion%20in%20Magn.doc

Magnetics Notes

There is an error in sample calculation of magnetic field with 5,000 amps in wire. I left out 2pi from the denominator.

Honors

For your homework this weekend, review everything we have done about currents and make sure you can do all the problems assigned so far. Also make sure you understand that currents arise when materials that contain mobile electrons are exposed to an electric field, i.e. have a voltage drop placed across them ( like get a battery plugged in across them.

Make sure you understand that parallel components are those whose right ends are connected and whose left ends are connected and that currents through parallel components add to yield the total current.

Series components are where right end connects to left end and a single current flows through all elements in series.

If you have any questions make sure you bring them up on Monday.

AP Schedule

We are now in sprint mode. I am having surgery on April 11 ( during break so my recovery time will have minimum impact on you) and hope to return by April 25. When I look at the schedule I see we have fewer than 30 days together until the exam. During this time, we must cover magnetism, light, and modern physics and have ample time for review. Therefore, it is imperative that you do your assignments. Again your homework grade will be a large component of you overall grade for this and next quarter.

Here is your schedule, etc.

http://h1.ripway.com/DrCherdack/APUnit13Mag10-11.doc

http://h1.ripway.com/DrCherdack/Notes%20on%20magneticsR8.doc

http://h1.ripway.com/DrCherdack/Unit13ProblemSheet.doc

http://h1.ripway.com/DrCherdack/Unit13Worksheet1.DOC

http://h1.ripway.com/DrCherdack/Unit13Worksheet2.doc

Everyone Back Pack Collection Drive

Got a back pack you no longer love. Here's a way to give it to someone who really could use it. A backpack drive for Hondurans:

All of the backpacks collected from the drive will be sent to Hearts for Honduras, an organization that helps disadvantaged Honduran students escape poverty through education. We are requesting gently used backpacks, but any backpack would be greatly appreciated! There is a collection box next to the welcome desk in the main lobby and will be there until March 31.

AP Test

The lab durations having reached new records have led to the circuits
test being pushed back 'til Monday. Make sure you study over the weekend. We will do a little more review tomorrow but we will also start Magnetics. Your assignment for tomorrow is:


Read Chapt 24 Sect 1-4 and 8Do Chap 24 Concept Ques 3,5,7 probs 1,3,9

Honors and AP Quizzes

Due to the truly extraordinary amount of time we are spending on labs, the AP quiz will be on Friday and the Honors quiz will be on Monday or Tuesday, to be determined by class vote.

AP Help sessions will be on Tuesday and Friday afternoons, from now on.

Field Plotting Lab

Regarding the two questions at the end of the packet:

First question. Consider the distance between two equipotential lines that differ by 1/2 a volt. If the field is weak this distance would be large. If the field is strong the distance would be small. Since field lines are supposed to be closer together where the field is strong, equipotential lines would be closer together, provided that each equipotential line is a constant delta V higher ( or lower) than the next, wherever the field lines are closer together.

Ignore the second question.

Calculator

WE have a silver Edition TI-84. On the other hand someone is missing a different TI-84 silver edition. Please check to see if the TI-84 silver edition in your possession is yours.

HAC

I have posted your grades on HAC. Again, only the three category grades are relevant, HAC's overall grade calculation is not correct.

My guess is a bunch of you should no longer be counting on Mom and Dad rushing out and getting that new car for you after all. A little more homework and a few more labs wouldn't be a bad idea.

If your lab grade is low, maybe its time to clear up all those see me notes you have been ignoring.

AP, remember that homework is a bigger component of your overall grade this quarter and next.

Pleasant dreams everyone.

Honors Schedule for Currents

Currents are the flow of charged particles. We will study them for several reasons including gaining understanding of electric energy and power, magnetic fields, and plasma heating and confinement. Here are your schedule , notes, etc. This schedule covers our introduction to currents. MAKE SURE YOU READ THE NOTES BY CLASS MONDAY

http://h1.ripway.com/DrCherdack/HonorsUnit12CurrentsSched11.doc

http://h1.ripway.com/DrCherdack/Currents%20Worksheet%201.doc

http://h1.ripway.com/DrCherdack/Notes%20on%20Currents.doc

http://h1.ripway.com/DrCherdack/Currents%20Worksheet%202.doc

AP Schedule for Currents

Here is the Unit 12 Schedule:


http://h1.ripway.com/DrCherdack/AP%20Unit%2012Currents%20Sched11.doc

http://h1.ripway.com/DrCherdack/Unit12ProblemSheet.doc

http://h1.ripway.com/DrCherdack/Unit%2012%20Worksheet%201r1.doc

http://h1.ripway.com/DrCherdack/Unit12Worksheet2kirchhoff.doc


http://h1.ripway.com/DrCherdack/Notes%20on%20Currents.doc

Honors

Here is a good resource for fusion power research. Download the summary and full report and read the summary by Friday. It is focused on the reactor so its a weak on the thermo and generator portions of the plant, but it can form the basis for the designs of the four other groups.


Also note there are four variations based on plasma physics differing assumptions about the plasma physics. Don't worry about these details yet. We'll pick one soon.

It's not a live link so you'll have to copy and paste it.

http://www.ipp.mpg.de/ippcms/eng/presse/pi/02_06_pi.html

All Students

I realize that the end of the year is approaching pretty rapidly and I still don't know much about you. I know how you behave in class and a little bit about your outside interests, but not much.

Here is a voluntary assignment. Write a little biography about yourself. Give me some background about who and what you are, family, birthplace, etc. Tell me what you like or don't like about school. What subjects, academic and otherwise that interest you, what you have accomplished. What activities you have participated in - in school and out; how you help the community ( other than not being triplets so we don't have to put up with three of you). Anything else you would like me to know.