You can copy a better version here.
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
When to round off, how to describe and why should you learn earthquake (basic concepts and principles)?
Dear children of God,
Whenever there is an earthquake, I don't usually take it seriously unless it is a matter of life and death. Besides, there are millions of earthquakes taking place in a year but most of the time we are oblivious of it. Some may be more sensitive to it while others are not. In my case, I am very much sensitive because I am in love (as always).
As I scroll for news in my Facebook news feed I am no longer surprised that Rappler posted first. It is always (well, most of the time) ahead of other news publishers online even to the extent of erroneous information. They should hire a science communicator.
However, scrolling further, GMA caught my attention not because of anything but the magnitude of the earthquake. Please refer to the screen capture below. The earthquake's magnitude is rounded off from 7.8 to 8.0 which is a great application of rounding off. BUT and a very big but are the underlying message it conveys to me as a science teacher.
Time and time again I would like to remind how important basic knowledge is even in the field of journalism. I don't expect everyone to be a science major, but they should have at least paid attention to their elementary science teacher.
Lesson 1: Rounding Off (Math)
Just because the magnitude is 7.8 does not mean that the number is taken as a natural number. A number is just a symbolic representation and one has to give meaning to the number itself. When we cannot bridge the math to science then we don't fully understand what the number is. I know I am biased towards Physics, but learning math is abortive of understanding the natural world. An increase of 0.1 to an earthquake's magnitude would result to a different intensity of an earthquake. Likewise, this is a magnitude scale and logarithmic at that. To put it simply, the table below will show you how rounding off would change how "strong" the earthquake is.
I know that the phase value of table is not good, and you are smart to notice it. What do you expect from Wikipedia?
Lesson 2: describing an earthquake (English)
I can always tell if an English teacher has mastered basic science competencies in his/her elementary grades the moment he/she opens his/her mouth. With a range of 6.0 to 6.9 magnitude, an earthquake is described as "strong". The USGS measured a magnitude of 7.8 which should be classified or described as "major". The news writer is not contented yet with the usage of "strong" and further described it as "powerful" to present the news.
I understand we need to vary our use of adjectives. I just cannot take "huge" or "big" as an appropriate word to describe the earthquake. Earthquake has no dimension. It is described in intensity. Great or massive would had been more appropriate.
Lesson 3: earthquake (Science)
In a dynamic world and in a country within the Pacific Ring of Fire, it is imperative that we should have at least an organic knowledge of earthquake. The sad thing is how he the misconception and our indifference to learning basic science competencies manifest in this news article.
If you intend to live on this planet, you should know how it works.
siraris
Whenever there is an earthquake, I don't usually take it seriously unless it is a matter of life and death. Besides, there are millions of earthquakes taking place in a year but most of the time we are oblivious of it. Some may be more sensitive to it while others are not. In my case, I am very much sensitive because I am in love (as always).
As I scroll for news in my Facebook news feed I am no longer surprised that Rappler posted first. It is always (well, most of the time) ahead of other news publishers online even to the extent of erroneous information. They should hire a science communicator.
However, scrolling further, GMA caught my attention not because of anything but the magnitude of the earthquake. Please refer to the screen capture below. The earthquake's magnitude is rounded off from 7.8 to 8.0 which is a great application of rounding off. BUT and a very big but are the underlying message it conveys to me as a science teacher.
Time and time again I would like to remind how important basic knowledge is even in the field of journalism. I don't expect everyone to be a science major, but they should have at least paid attention to their elementary science teacher.
Lesson 1: Rounding Off (Math)
Just because the magnitude is 7.8 does not mean that the number is taken as a natural number. A number is just a symbolic representation and one has to give meaning to the number itself. When we cannot bridge the math to science then we don't fully understand what the number is. I know I am biased towards Physics, but learning math is abortive of understanding the natural world. An increase of 0.1 to an earthquake's magnitude would result to a different intensity of an earthquake. Likewise, this is a magnitude scale and logarithmic at that. To put it simply, the table below will show you how rounding off would change how "strong" the earthquake is.
I know that the phase value of table is not good, and you are smart to notice it. What do you expect from Wikipedia?
Lesson 2: describing an earthquake (English)
I can always tell if an English teacher has mastered basic science competencies in his/her elementary grades the moment he/she opens his/her mouth. With a range of 6.0 to 6.9 magnitude, an earthquake is described as "strong". The USGS measured a magnitude of 7.8 which should be classified or described as "major". The news writer is not contented yet with the usage of "strong" and further described it as "powerful" to present the news.
I understand we need to vary our use of adjectives. I just cannot take "huge" or "big" as an appropriate word to describe the earthquake. Earthquake has no dimension. It is described in intensity. Great or massive would had been more appropriate.
Lesson 3: earthquake (Science)
In a dynamic world and in a country within the Pacific Ring of Fire, it is imperative that we should have at least an organic knowledge of earthquake. The sad thing is how he the misconception and our indifference to learning basic science competencies manifest in this news article.
If you intend to live on this planet, you should know how it works.
siraris
Is this the end of photocopiers?
Aside from audio-based research articles I wish for its existence, I hope to have this paper touchscreen as well.
Friday, April 12, 2013
force of opposition
After wrapping up my topic on friction, I considered valuing friction to human relationship.
siraris: so again, what is friction?
pisaya: sir, friction is a force of opposition to any force applied.
siraris: correct! but I would like you to consider the phrase "force of opposition". In physics, we call it friction but in life we call them kontrabida.
pisayo: but sir maybe not in all cases.
siraris: no, it is on all cases. i will show you an example.
pisaynon: *sample!*
siraris: in this classroom for instance, no matter how much I try there will always be one, two or several people who may not like me at all.
pisaya: emo ni?
siraris: did you hear that?
pisaya: no, i did not mean that. actually sir our class loves you very very much.
siraris: oowwwwss?!
pisaya: yes we do. indi bala classmates?
pisaynon: yes we love sir aris.
siraris: are you telling me now that we can already defy nature's law?
pisaya: ok, if you wont believe then why dont we ask them? classmates, who hates sir aris?
*nobody raised hands*
siraris: of course you just cannot just do that because I am here. The truth is what you feel in your heart that you alone knows.
pisaya: but we do love you and why won't you believe?
siraris: now, you just exemplify the so-called force of opposition.
pisaynon: hahaha
pisaya: ok sir i fell in your trap. the truth is we love you EXCEPT when you give us long test.
siraris: you are indeed a friction.
siraris: so again, what is friction?
pisaya: sir, friction is a force of opposition to any force applied.
siraris: correct! but I would like you to consider the phrase "force of opposition". In physics, we call it friction but in life we call them kontrabida.
pisayo: but sir maybe not in all cases.
siraris: no, it is on all cases. i will show you an example.
pisaynon: *sample!*
siraris: in this classroom for instance, no matter how much I try there will always be one, two or several people who may not like me at all.
pisaya: emo ni?
siraris: did you hear that?
pisaya: no, i did not mean that. actually sir our class loves you very very much.
siraris: oowwwwss?!
pisaya: yes we do. indi bala classmates?
pisaynon: yes we love sir aris.
siraris: are you telling me now that we can already defy nature's law?
pisaya: ok, if you wont believe then why dont we ask them? classmates, who hates sir aris?
*nobody raised hands*
siraris: of course you just cannot just do that because I am here. The truth is what you feel in your heart that you alone knows.
pisaya: but we do love you and why won't you believe?
siraris: now, you just exemplify the so-called force of opposition.
pisaynon: hahaha
pisaya: ok sir i fell in your trap. the truth is we love you EXCEPT when you give us long test.
siraris: you are indeed a friction.
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Why Physics
Dear children fo god,
I know that most of you will soon choose your college course. I also believe that you know exactly what course will I recommend. Alright if you still do not know then be a Physics major. There is nothing like Physics to make the rest of your life more meaningful.
I still dare you to tell me what field of study is not covered by Physics from humanities to hard-core science. Learning Physics to the fullest will assure you what life is all about. You can be rich, happy, famous or have them all at once. At the end of the day, learning Physics principles will guide you to what truly matters.
Share the joy that only Physics can offer and live the life worth living. It is in Physics that one makes sense what truly life is.
Love,
siraris
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
What reminds me of you?
A coral growing in a shard of soft drink bottle is what I found in the shore of Sibato island. Suddenly, I remembered the coral assemblage research. I don't know what is wrong with me; but, I am definitely fine with how I associate an object, plant or situation to all my research advisees.
Whenever I pass by the Bito-on bridge, I remember Paul and Francis. Bougainvillaea also reminds me of Raymond. Filter and rubber remind me of Paolo and Matthew. Banana reminds me of Rona, Colleen and Raymund. However, Rona reminds me of hair and her "grand" entrance in class. Mushroom, the shed in our school, reminds me of Bee Gee, Kathleen and Scarlet. It has nothing to do with their materials, but more on the drama which took place in mushroom. Leaves, twigs, branch and all plant parts remind me of Dwayne, Gengen and Sam. Until today I still think of shrimp's genitalia and associate it with Annie, Mariel and Jaya. Urine reminds me of Ruth while twist ties, crumpled pages of log book as well as Rhizophora reminds of Karlo. The prop root reminds me especially of Mariedel while pieces of traced graphing paper remind me of her two other companions, Krizl and Charlene. Any disturbing noise remind me of Harold and Miko and the silence, both literal and figurative, reminds me of Shaine, Sherwin and Maureen.
Blame it to countless jeepney ride from Pisay WV to Banate every other week, sumptuous meals in Joyjoy, boat ride, likewise the highs and lows of emotions and tides, I cannot just take it off in my mind the Banaters (Ela, Karli, Dustin, Minnie, Joebert, Eros, Baby Li Arolf aka LA, Melvin, and Kim). I have to admit that due to the length of time we were together there are so many things which remind me of you. Of course, sleep out, Nong Gil, Anilao, swimming and shrimp remind me of Natz, Lounie and Bea.
Staphylococcous reminds me of Vince and Von, the double Vs. Suicide and crocodile's eggs remind of Nico if I have to take him as a lone researcher while capital D-R-A-M-A if I have to include Yusay and Snow. So please don't ever provoke me or else they will know the drama.
Looking at my teeth reminds of Baby Payba, Kenn and Rhyll Joy. Yusay is the reason why I stopped drinking powdered orange juice. Muds (lots of them in breadth and depth) remind me of Ponpon, Karla and Lainly. Bits of styro balls remind me of Bea and Charlene. Human hair and water in a canal remind me of Kip, J-ann and Katreena. Fishes in wet market remind of Cathrina, Thea, and April. Faucet filters remind me of Jam2x and Robert while Tam-od redefined the meaning of patience and tolerance for me.
Most of all Dwayne reminds me of Shari and Shari reminds me of Dwayne.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)