physics photo contest 2010

ReflectionLiu Volpe 

 Thisphotoillustratesthelawofreflection.Thebaseballfieldisreflectedatanangleontothelensesofthesunglasses;thereforeweseethefieldatanangleoffofthesunglasses.ThisimagewastakenattheCitizen’sBankparkstadium.

*FIRST PLACE*

ADropofColorMeredith Spann 

ThephysicsthatisappliedhereisNewton’s3rdlaw.Thislawstatesthatwitheveryactionthereisanequalandoppositereaction.Thisisshownwhenthefood‐coloringdropletisdroppedintothewater.Theforceofthedroplethittingthewatercausesareaction,whichisshowninthepicture.Thisreactionmakesthedropletbounceoffthewaterandbackintotheair.Thephysicsofwavesisalsopresentedassomeoftheenergyfromthedropletisbeginningtocreateringletsaroundtheplaceofimpact.

*SECOND PLACE*

GravitationalPotentialEnergyTyler Sandiford 

Here,mylip,nose,andearsprovidethesupportfroceforthepencilstobalance.Theyallhaveagravitationalpotentialenergythatisdefinedasthemassofanobjecttimesgravityandtheheightfromtheground.Thegravitationalpotentialenergyisgreaterforsomeofthepencilsthanotherpencils.Forinstance,thepencilonmynosehasmoregravitationalpotentialenergythantheoneonmylipbecauseitishigher.Theonesonmyearshavethemostbecausetheyarehigherthanboththenoseandlippencils.Whenthepencilsfall,thegravitationalpotentialenergywillbeconvertedtokineticenergybecauseofthelawofconservationofenergy.

*THIRD PLACE*

ReflectionMackenzie Ballentyne 

Thispicturewastakenoutsidelookinginthroughaglassdoor.Normallyacamerawouldtakeapictureoftheinsidealone,buttheglassactedasamirrorandreflectedbacktheimageofmyselftakingthepictureandmybackyard.Someofthelightwentthroughtheglasswhilesomeofthelightwasreflectedoffofit.Glassdoesn’thavetheexactsamepropertiesasamirrorsothatexplainswhythereflectionisfaintandslightlysee‐through.

*Honorable Mention*

FallingWaterHannah Baxter 

Inthisimage,thewaterappearsstoppedinmid‐air,andeachstreamstaysinthetightformationofacylinder.Thishappensbecausewatermoleculescontainatightcovalentbondwhichmeansthatthehydrogenatomsshareanelectronwithanoxygenatom.Ifthewaterrunsthroughathickshortpipeitwillhavetheleastamountofresistance,sothewaterwillflowatahighvelocity,andpushthewatertostayinthecylindricalformation.

*Honorable Mention*

Refraction Kelsea Brewer

The property of light displayed in this photo is refraction. When light enters the water, it can't move as fast and it has to slow down slightly. Because the light enters the water at an angle, the change in speed between the open air and water causes the light beam to bend away from its original path. Since the pencil is at an angle, the image is at a bigger angle in the water than in the air, thus the pencil appears as if it was bent.

*Honorable Mention*

SurfaceTensionMia Gold 

 Waterdropletsonplantsareformedbecauseofthesurfacetensionbetweenthewatermoleculesandtheplantsurfaces.Watermoleculesarenaturallypolarized,whichmeansthatonesideoftheatomismorenegativelychargedthantheother.Thismeansthatthemoleculesattracteachother.Themoleculeswanttohavethesmallestvolumepossiblesotheyformsphericaldroplets.Aroundthesurfaceofthesedropletsthecohesiveforcesarethestrongest,whichiswhatmakesthemkeeptheirformontopofplantsurfaces.Thiselementthatkeepsthewaterdropletsintactontopofsurfacesiscalledsurfacetension.Morningdewisalsocreatedthesameway.Surfacetensionisalsothereasonthatyoucanfillupaglasswithwaterallthewayandtheglasswillnotoverflow.Thesurfacetensionofthewaterholdsthewatertogethersothatitcrestsabovetherimoftheglass.

*Honorable Mention*

PhysicsFlipsRachel Zuckerman 

Inthispicture,mysisterisdoingafliponatrampoline.Sheisabletorotatethroughtheairbecauseofcentripetalforce.Centripetalforceisaimedinwardtowardsthecenteroftherotation.This“center‐seeking”forcedirectsabodyinacircularrotation.

*Honorable Mention*