Radiation on Vassar’s Campus: Group One’s Project Plan

Roles:

We are planning on taking on the responsibility of measuring the radiation in buildings around campus as a group. Considering there is one primary task to be accomplished, we feel that it would be best if all three of us were involved in the data collection process.

We are also hoping to conduct interviews of physics and astronomy professors who have been at Vassar for a significant amount of time. Depending on our personal schedules, we will try to complete these interviews as a group as well in order to maximize our understanding and to create the best possible environment for consensus.

Equipment/Supplies:

SensorDrone with an attachment for detecting radiation if need be
Any other available radiation detectors

Science/Technology involved in experiment:

Depending on the available detectors, there are a few types of radiation detectors that we may be using. The first is known as a scintillation detector, which uses sodium-iodide (or another similar material), which glows when radiation hits it. This light is reflected and multiplied to increase the “signal”, which in turn hits a photocathode. As photons hit the photocathode, electrons are released towards a pair of plates that in turn multiply the electron signal even more until the signal is millions of times stronger than the initial radiation entering the device. To get a radiation reading, this electron signal is detected at the anode of the instrument and displayed in some way on the device.

The second possible type of detector available is known as a gas filled detector, which ultimately does function similarly to the scintillation detector using a signal amplification process. Radiation passes through a gas in the device and the molecules in that gas are ionized, leaving positive and negative ions in the chamber. These ions move toward separate charged sides (the anode and cathode), creating a current which is then measured.

Either of these types of devices would be appropriate for our experiment, but it is essential that we have a sensitive enough device that we can find very small levels of radiation (if there are any).

We hope to be able to use devices that will be able to measure all three types of radiation: $\alpha$ , $\beta$ , and $\gamma$ , but depending on the sensors available, that may not be possible.

Activity plan:

Refer to Professor Magnes for names of Physics/Astronomy professors to interview regarding known instances of radiation contamination on Vassar’s campus(Mon. 2/10)
Conduct interviews during the course of the following week
Conduct radiation research (Sun. 2/16) (Note: This date may be contingent upon access to buildings, Sander’s Physics in particular.)
The maximum and average radiation levels at each site will be recorded during a “pass through” (i.e., a steady paced walk through the building)
The academic buildings to be tested are as follows: Olmstead, Sanders English, Sanders Physics (if available), Mudd Chemistry, The Old Laundry Building, Chicago Hall, The Old Observatory, Blodgett Hall, Kenyon, Swift Hall, Rocky, Vogelstein (if access is available), Skinner Hall, and the Library.

Expected outcomes/data:

We expect to find mostly normal levels of radiation in Vassar’s buildings. Vassar is a fairly significant institution, so it would be inconceivable that its buildings would have unhealthy levels of radiation. The only building that we expect to possibly find higher levels of radiation than normal would be Sander’s Physics as there has been a recent discovery of radiation contamination. There is the possibility that some of the other science buildings (i.e. Mudd and Olmstead) may have higher than “normal” radiation levels due to the use of NMR or other radioactive equipment.

Group 9 Project Plan: The Role of Contaminants in the Opacity of Liquids

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Our project involves the analysis of different liquids spectroscopically. We will also measure the opacity of the same liquids. We want to analyze which contaminants have a stronger impact on opacity. Can we tell the difference between liquids contaminated with different substances based on their opacity? The data obtained using a spectroscope will allow us to determine the compositions of different liquids. We would like to examine any correlations between the spectroscopic data and the opacity measurements we take for the same liquids.

The equipment we hope to have access to is a spectrometer and any kind of light sensor such as the sensor drone. Spectroscopy works by analyzing the wavelengths of light that are either emitted or absorbed by a substance. Because each element possesses a unique pattern of wavelengths, we can determine the composition of different substances.

We will be collecting any and all kinds of liquids that we have access to (coffee, juices, alcohol, sodas, etc.). We will certainly use different kinds of water (tap, mineral, distilled, sparkling, etc.) and also water that we contaminate with various substances (salt, fertilizer, spices, chemicals, etc.). In terms of supplies, we will need multiple containers to hold the liquids. The experiment will be done using only one transparent jar which will house the liquids so as to keep the effects of the jar constant. The sides of the jar will be covered in a way that no light escapes and we will create a setup allowing us to place the light sensor under the jar. A constant source of light such as one flashlight will shine at the top of the setup. The light sensor placed under the jar will be housed in a small cardboard box having a hole in it. This will ensure that no other light interferes with the sensor’s measurements.

As far as roles are concerned, all 3 of us will collect as many different containers, liquids and contaminants as we have access to and we will all be present for the data collection. This is the most efficient way to go about our project because all our data can be collected in one place. We are meeting every Friday at 11 am to discuss the project and carry out any necessary research, data collection or other activities. We will set additional meeting times when necessary. We will also be doing every write-up (such as this one) together.

All in all, we expect some correlation between contaminants and opacity. However, we are unsure of what to expect without analyzing the data.

Abstract

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A rail accelerator is a device that uses electromagnetic force and metal rails to propel objects at high speeds. For this project our goal is to build a small functional rail accelerator based on publicly available instructions, and then to take data on experiments run with our final product.

Once the rail accelerator is finished we will take data on the electromagnetic forces generated around the rails to propel our projectiles. As well as the velocities of the projectiles themselves as they leave the rails, possibly varying the type of projectile.

Abstract

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Many worry about the possible side effects of various electronic devices, especially during this time period were even toddlers carry around an electronic. However, are there any side effects? What I plan to do is to use the magnetic field probe and take data between different brands and sizes of televisions. I will measure popular brand names as well as house brands; in regards to size, I will look at the top three popular sizes of 32 inches, 40 inches and 55 inches. I will then compare these values against one another and against”safe values” found in the literature.

Group 7 Abstract

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Our group is going to measure the amount of radiation that is emitted from various foods that are consumed frequently. We will begin by selecting foods that are known to emit radiation on a measurable scale. Furthermore, it will be determined how much radioactive food must be consumed in order for one to develop acute radiation syndrome.

The effects of a variety of sounds on the human ear (G3 Abstract)

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The purpose of this study is to determine which common activities expose students to sounds that lead to hearing damage. A Vernier labquest pro sound level meter will be used to measure the amplitudes of various sounds students encounter on a daily basis. Data will be collected by three students with different schedules – several activities will overlap, so that there will be more data on particular activities of interest. Some of these activities include: studying in the library, going to a concert, studying in a dorm, a walk around campus, meals at The Retreat, and meals at ACDC. The data will be compared to amplitude levels that have been shown to contribute to hearing loss.

Group 3 members: Phelan Arata, Hannah Fenton, and Christopher Alba.

Group Six Project Abstract

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We will be researching the effectiveness of three different “smart” technologies: a smartphone, a tablet, and a laptop. We will be conducting different tests which compare each device with regards to energy consumption, cost effectiveness, battery life, and temperature fluctuations. These tests will include, but are not limited to: running different apps, using the internet, powering on/off, and charging.

Group 4 Project Abstract

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Our group will be investigating the daily energy consumption of the average TH as well as the corresponding cost. We will do so by measuring the watts of energy the various appliances found around your typical TH use, and the associated expense, using Watts up Pro. We will then calculate what percentage of this cost we cover in our senior housing fees. We believe it will be interesting to see how lenient, or not lenient, the college is in providing their seniors a flat housing fee as opposed to charging an electric bill.

Group Two Project Abstract

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Our group will be constructing a device to translate sound waves into a visual representation. The device consists of a cup with a balloon stretched over one end, with a laser pointing at a mirror taped onto the outside of the balloon. As sound waves enter one end of the cup, this causes the balloon to vibrate, and reflects the light respectively.

Each person will test the device on one of three categories of sounds: differences in human voices, musical instruments, and live concerts. We will gather the decibel level of the sound waves to see what effect this has on the size of the laser projection. We will also be filming the resulting laser projections to compare the visual data.

We plan to meet on Sundays to take data and conduct specific experiments. In addition, we will attend live concerts on campus to gather this data. We expect to find distinct patterns relating to differences in sound type and origin. We also expect that the decibel level will correspond to the size of the visuals.