In our previous science fair project we had a look at chlorophyll and how plants use this chlorophyll, sunlight, water and carbon dioxide to produce glucose (a form of sugar.) What else, that is very important, is produced through photosynthesis? (In the process carbon dioxide is taken from the air, what is released back into the air?) Now we are going to do a good science fair project to demonstrate how plants actually reach for sunlight. We know by now that they cannot survive without light, which we proved in our previous science fair project. Now we are going to do a really fun science fair project. If you want to do a really good science fair project, it might be a good idea to combine these two science fair projects as it gives you a very clear and visual picture of plants growing and needing sunlight.

Today's science fair project is a good science fair project for someone that is a little handy. We are going to make a maze in a shoe box to demonstrate how the plant searches and reaches for light.

What you will need for this science fair project:

* First you need a shoe box

* You will need a pair of scissors

* Stiff card

* Some sticky tape

* Black paint

* A paint brush

* A pair of gardening gloves to protect your hands

* A runner bean

* A plant pot

* Some good compost

* Water

Now for the fun part: making your maze in your shoe box!

1. To start cut a hole in the one end of the shoe box.

2. Making a maze in your shoe box is very easy, start by cutting eight flaps out of the stiff cards. The flaps must fit securely into your shoe box in the width.

3. Now paint your shoe box and the eight flaps all over with black paint. Do you know why we are doing that? Think about the light reflecting...yes, the black paint is to stop the light entering through the hole from reflecting inside the shoe box!

4. Now you can make a maze by sticking the eight flaps of card inside the shoe box with sticky tape. Cut slots into your flaps at a different place in each flap to form a maze (if you are not sure how to do this, ask for the help of an adult who knows what a maze looks like.)

5. Plant a runner bean in a small plant pot with compost.

6. Water the soil each day to keep it moist but, do not make it too wet. Keep it in a warm place until the bean has a shoot. Remember to keep the soil moist, depending on the temperature; it may not be necessary to water the bean everyday.

7. When your plant has a shoot place it at the bottom of your maze.

8. Close the lid and place the maze in a sunny spot.

9. Remove the lid once a day to see if your plant needs water.

10. Now you can observe what is happening.

11. If you did it right, the plant will grow and find its way through your maze to steadily move towards the light.

12. Eventually your plant will poke through the hole at the top of your shoe box.

13. For display purposes it is a good idea to take a photo of your plant growing zig-zag through your maze and out the hole at the top.

This is a good science fair project for someone interested in gardening. It is also a good science fair project for someone that loves crafts as this can double as a craft because of the maze you have to make. Good science fair projects can never be done too fast, so give yourself enough time.

Magriet is a work at home "Gran" with websites on a number of family related subjects such as science fairs, kids crafts and homeschooling. Her webs are: http://www.learnerscience.com and http://www.homeschooling.topknacks.com and http://www.kidscrafts.topknacks.com Get all the excellent information on these subjects in an instant.

WHAT IS AN ACCELEROMETER?

An accelerometer is an instrument for measuring acceleration, detecting and measuring vibrations, or for measuring acceleration due to gravity (inclination). Accelerometers can be used to measure vibration on vehicles, machines, buildings, process control systems and safety installations. They can also be used to measure seismic activity, inclination, machine vibration, dynamic distance and speed with or without the influence of gravity.

HOW DOES AN ACCELEROMETER WORK?

Used for calculating acceleration and measuring vibrations, the accelerometer is capable of detecting even the slightest movements, from the tilting of a building to smallest vibration caused by a musical instrument. Inside the accelerometer sensor minute structures are present that produces electrical charges if the sensor experiences any movement.
Accelerometers need to be placed on the surface of the object in order to determine the vibrations. It is not capable of work in isolation or apart from the object it is required to assess, it must be firmly attached to the object in order to give precise readings.

KINDS OF ACCELEROMETER

The two kinds of basic accelerometers are:

1. ANALOG ACCELEROMETER

At times Inputs and output readings also matter especially when it comes to determining the kind of accelerometer that needs to be placed on a certain object. If the output is digital then a digital accelerometer must be placed and vice versa. The main feature of this accelerometer is that the output tends to change when there is even a slight change in the input.
The most common type of this accelerometer is used in airbags of automobiles, to note the sudden drop in the speed of the vehicle and to trigger the airbag release. Even laptops are now being equipped with accelerometers in order to protect the hard drive against any physical dangers, caused mainly due to accidental drops.

2. DIGITAL ACCELEROMETER

The digital accelerometer is more sophisticated than the analog. Here the amount of high voltage time is proportional to the acceleration. One of its major advantages is that it is more stable and produces a direct output signal. Accelerometers are now also used in aerospace and many military applications, such as missile launch, weapon fire system, rocket deployment etc. Many a times these accelerometers are used to protect fragile equipment during cargo transportation, and report any strain that might cause a possible damage. Some companies have also managed to develop a wireless 3-axis accelerometers which are not only low in cost but are also shock durable. This 3-axis accelerometer has sensors that are used to protect mobiles and music players. Also these sensors are used in some of the devices used for traffic navigation and control.

PIEZOELECTRIC SENSOR

Depending upon the kind of work, the accelerometers vary in the way they are prepared and how they work. Some accelerometers use piezoelectricity, these are man-made. In such accelerometers the acceleration is calculated based upon the charges derived from the microscopic crystalline structures when they are accelerated due to motion.

MEMS ACCELEROMETER

Another kind works with the capacitance and the changes initiated within it as a result of some accelerative force. This technology is used from automotive industry to agriculture industry and from NASA to military researches and operations.

STRAIN GAUGE

This device is used to measure strain in an object, which is detected by a foil strain element. If the object, to which the gauge is attached is some how deformed that creates electrical charges and is known as the gauge factor.

ACCELEROMETER IS USED IN:

AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY

Due to high demand and wide spread use of accelerometers in the automotive industry and new hi-tech technology, these sensors are now light weight and are available at low cost and reduced prices.

MICROPHONES

Microphones also carry accelerometers. That is how they are able to detect the minute frequencies.

ROBOTICS

The forces that can cause vibrations which are detected by the accelerometer can be static, dynamic or gravitational. Certain accelerometers are rated G. G stands for Gravity. Such accelerometers are used mostly in robotics. They are more sensitive to motion and can be triggered at the slightest changes in gravitational pulls.

Read more about Accelerometer.

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Understanding the phases of the moon can be a tricky concept for a child in elementary school. There are many different aspects of the phases of the moon that children should learn. A moon phase lesson plan should be educational, yet fun so the students can better understand the lesson they are taught. Some concepts of teaching about the moon phases will be reviewed here.

First, you should help the children understand moon phase activity (the cycle of the moon), which is divided into 4 parts: new moon (where you see no moon at all), first quarter (only half of the moon can be seen), third quarter (only half of the moon can be seen), and full moon (the entire moon can be seen).

Your moon phase lesson plan should explain the difference in these moon phases. Use pictures and diagrams or software that illustrate what these moon phases look like.

Your moon phase lesson plan should go over the earth and moons orbit. You should first explain that the earth orbits the sun. Explain that the earth orbits the sun in about 365 days. Next explain that the earth rotates on its axis a full circle in about 24 hours. Then explain that the moon orbits the earth. The moon takes about 28 days to orbit the entire planet of earth. Then you can explain how the position of the earth, sun or moon affects the phases of the moon and which part of the moon we can see.

Next, explain how the moon does not produce any light, it merely reflects light from the sun. You should also explain that the moon can be seen both during the day and night.

To help your students understand this concept, you may like to do a hands on experiment. For this experiment you will need a darkened class room, soft balls or styrofoam balls, and flashlights. Information on how to execute this experiment can be found at www.eduref.org. It will help you in teaching the phase of the moon. This experiment is approved for children in grades K-6.

Allow plenty of time for your moon phase lesson. If your students have questions, be sure to answer them and clarify it by example, as the phase of moon can be a very confusing subject.

Keep it fun and interesting for the students. Remember that students will understand the phase of the moon better (and enjoy your lesson more) if you use a variety of teaching tools such as hands on experiments, diagrams, pictures, software and verbal explanations.

David Rose is the creator of QuickPhase Pro, a popular moon phase software program. Visit http://www.calculatorcat.com/moon_phases to discover the fun and easy way to view the phases of the moon.

Turtle aquariums are not hard to clean, but they do take time. Turtles are messy reptiles - they eat, drink, swim, urinate, and defecate in the same water. Eventually, all this mess will lead to dirty water that can cause diseases.

Grimy turtle aquariums are also an eyesore in the home. It not only looks out of place, but also attracts insects and bacteria. Therefore, it is important to maintain a clean aquarium so that your turtle can live in it freely and safely.

To clean the aquarium, you will need the following materials:

* water vacuum

* plastic siphon tube

* gloves

* toothbrush

* baking soda

* white vinegar

* paper towels

Once you have all the materials, you are ready to start the cleaning.

Move your turtle elsewhere. You can probably put it in a box or a kiddy pool. Just make sure that the temperate is around 75 degrees. It is also recommended that you keep the turtle near so you can check up on it from time to time.

Attach the plastic siphon tube on the water vacuum. Direct the other end of the hose towards the sink, the tub, or out the window, if you want to use the water for the plants.

While the vacuum empties the turtle aquarium's tank of water, remove decorations, accessories, and other objects from the tank. Use a toothbrush and white vinegar to clean and rinse them. If you are going to add more decorations, make sure that they won't crowd the tank. Also, if you picked up the decorations outside, sterilize them before you add them to the tank.

For the filter and media, use water to rinse them out. Make sure there is no dirt, algae, or other things in the filter.

Scrub the walls of the tank using a toothbrush and baking soda, especially for hard water stains. Use a paper towel and white vinegar around the tank's inside. Scrub and wipe the glass thoroughly.

Once the tank is empty, remove the siphon tube from the vacuum. Rinse out the tank once again, to get rid of vinegar and baking soda residue. Give the water time to settle before you dump them. Do this process at least three times. Do not use glass cleaners on turtle aquariums because these can cause problems from the turtle.

If you find that the aquarium is clean enough, you can add fresh water now. Attach the tube to the faucet and fill the tank with water. While the tank is filling, you can return the accessories inside the aquarium. This is your chance to rearrange or change the aquarium's layout.

Changing 10% of the water in the aquarium once a week maintains sanitary conditions. To keep the water clean longer, remove leftover food or debris from the tank every day. Better yet, you can move the turtle to a separate tank during feeding so it won't make much of a mess in its own habitat.

Turtle aquariums can be cleaned out every 45 days, so you won't have to hassle yourself too often.

Learn more about Turtle Aquariums and how to best care for your pet turtles at: http://www.TurtleTanks.Org/turtle-aquarium.html