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Monday, January 4, 2010

Defying Gravity




When I was in High School, I was more of an English/ Arts student. However, I had two really awesome science teachers that developed my love for science. Mr. Salerno-White taught me Physical Science in 10th grade and Mr. Gelpke taught me Physics in 11th grade.

Their classes were known as being amongst the most challenging at the school, but they cultivated such a rich learning environment that you couldn't help but love the class and want to succeed. How is it that a girl who hated math(me), loved physics? These two guys made it possible.

I was grateful to them when I breezed through my college physics course.

I think of the experiments we ran in their class when I watch Myth Busters with Brian and the kids. (Brian and I have been known to review Newton's laws over breakfast with the kids...)

And today (and everyday) when I cleaned the bathroom, I thought of them as I tried to remember the scientific property that explains how fluids (read: pee) defy gravity and run up along a surface (read: the toilet and every tight nook and cranny!)

Seriously! EVERY NOOK AND CRANNY!

EVERY DAY, BOYS!

(I've begged Brian for a solid stainless steel bathroom. No tile- ick! grout! No wood- ick! too absorbent!)

P.S. I really can't remember what that physical property is called. It's the same effect when you pour a glass of water and the water runs along the glass instead of straight down. Surface tension.....?

Anyone....? (Mae? Mark?)


(pictured above are my illustrious teachers, Mr. Salerno-White and Mr. Gelpke. Isn't it great what you can find on the internet?)

4 comments:

Lisa Henderson said...

Oh my goodness it is the same in my house! Seriously its in the walls and the smell wont come out!

Animal Jam News said...

I'm sorry if it was my little boy that contributed to the mess....I know he defies gravity EVERY single time he goes! Just be sure to teach your boys how to clean it....that helps a little as they get older...they don't make the mess if they know they'll have to clean it up!
Brooke (I've got to sign Maggie out)

Mark and/or Lisa said...

Hey stainless steel would be nice... and perhaps the capillary action? That explains why water creeps up a paper towel or how plants suck water from the ground up to their leaves but I don't think it explains the part about water sticking to the side of the glass as you pour it down...wait a minute according to my good friend Wikipedia (after I decided to look up capillary action) that's called adhesion and the two are related cause adhesion is the building block that makes capillary action work: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adhesion

SoCal Rogers said...

That's cool that the lessons your teachers taught you are still on your mind. I totally have those flash backs too! You should email them and tell them.

By the way, we love myth buster too!