More about Nitrates and Phosphates

For more on nitrates/nitrites, click:
http://www.ec.gc.ca/ceqg-rcqe/English/Html/GAAG_Nitrate_WQG.cfm

For phosphates/phosphorus:
http://www.ec.gc.ca/ceqg-rcqe/English/Html/GAAG_Phosphorus_WQG.cfm

May 2 is National Astronomy Day at Fernbank Museum

Fun science activities for the whole family next Saturday at Fernbank!

http://www.fernbank.edu/astronomyday.htm

Don't forget Krystal the Quartz!

http://www.oum.ox.ac.uk/thezone/minerals/index.htm

Once you've had enough of Rocky the Rock you can go to another section of the same page to work on your knowledge of minerals. Krystal the Quartz will instruct you and show you links to minerals games.

The Rock Cycle In Real Life

Meet Rocky the Rock!

Great name, huh? At this website you can review the rock cycle and quiz yourself to see how you're doing! This is a fun, interactive way to study for CRCT. Also, it can help you with your Geology Study Guide Project (DUE: Monday, April 27th). Enjoy!

http://www.oum.ox.ac.uk/thezone/rocks/cycle/index.htm

Happy Earth Week!!

Amid all the stress of CRCT, you may want to find a way to relax with your family. This link to the Nature Conservancy's site has many activities and ideas for Earth Week, which is part of its "Spring Outside 2009" campaign.

http://my.nature.org/earthday/

Research Regarding Kids and Video Games

This is not Earth science, but I thought parents and students would perhaps be interested in reading the latest research about youth and video games.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/19/AR2009041902350.html?hpid%3Dmoreheadlines&sub=AR

What is a Black Hole?

"A black hole is one of the strangest objects in space. It is an area in space where gravity is so strong that even light cannot escape from it. Since light cannot escape from a black hole, it appears black. Light can travel faster than anything we know of - at a speed of 186,000 miles (300,000 kilometers) per second. If light cannot escape from a black hole, nothing else that we know of can. A black hole is not really a hole and it is not empty. It is filled with a lot of material crammed into an extremely small space. This is what gives a black hole its super strong gravity. The term black hole is used because these objects look like black holes in space - since they put out no light." (http://coolcosmos.ipac.caltech.edu/cosmic_kids/AskKids/blackhole.shtml)

This is good background information on black holes:
http://www.kidsastronomy.com/black_hole.htm

http://coolcosmos.ipac.caltech.edu/cosmic_kids/AskKids/blackholes.shtml

What happens if I get sucked into a black hole?

This is another great question I have been hearing a lot. I think everyone is pretty safe from black holes, but theoretically....

If you were sucked into a black hole, your energy would convert into heat, and your body would reach incredibly high temperatures. As your superheated self fell closer to the center of the black hole, you would cross a threshold called an event horizon. The event horizon is like a point of no return. After the event horizon, any light from your heat would no longer be visible. Your would collapse into the center of the black hole, which called a singularity. The singularity is a dimensionless (not 1-D, 2-D, 3-D, 4-D, etc...) object of infinite density.

Long story made short: You would be squashed!!! Well, squashed into a dimensionless object of infinite density with no light. Try drawing a picture of that!

Here are the sites I used to research this question.
http://kids.yahoo.com/science/space/article/blackhole
http://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/StarChild/universe_level1/black_holes.html

Will looking at a solar eclipse make me blind??

This is a question I keep hearing in class. At this NASA website, the experts set the record straight. Can looking at a solar eclipse lead to permanent vision loss? YES. Do not look directly at a solar eclipse! It is safe, however, to look with the naked eye only during the short phase of totality (a total solar eclipse) when the whole moon is blocking the sun. In partial eclipse or any other time, it is very important to use eye protection!!

http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEhelp/safety.html

At this website, Mr. Eclipse explains more about how to protect your eyes.

http://www.mreclipse.com/Totality2/TotalityCh11.html

Even staring at the Sun on a regular day is dangerous. Be careful!