Honors Assignment 1

 

Amazing Materials (Choose form one of the following)

 

Do some research and find out more about aerogel:

1.     How is it made? What are its properties?

2.     What are its applications? (give a sample calculation, using the tools we learned in class; in particular, compare it [quantitatively] to more common 'insulators', like asbestos, fiberglass, etc.)

3.     What are the problems with widespread use?

4.     Try to relate to the concepts and calculations done in Physics 213.

 

Modifications to the Ideal Gas law:

5.     Do some research on the 'corrections' to the Ideal gas law (Hint: van der Waals).

6.     Why do we need them? What impact do they have? Why can we often neglect them? (i.e., answer quantitatively for a particular gas. What % change they would make in a calculation around standard temperature and pressure?)

7.     Also, look up the constants 'b' for both a monatomic and a diatomic gas, and use the values to estimate the size of the atom and molecule.  Interpret your result.

8.     Try to relate to the concepts and calculations done in Physics 213.

Remember to follow the instructions on how to name your files (see P213 JS link)!

Deposit your paper here by 5pm Wednesday, March 17, 2010.