CSB #8: Relation Between Oxygen Levels and Grip Strength

by: Eric Yu, Harry Xu, Albert Lin, and Chris Hildum

Summary: 
The purpose of our experiment is to find out if the amount of oxygen someone has affects their strength. If oxygen levels do have a relationship with strength, we want to find out at how many seconds someone starts to lose strength. A scenario where our experiment comes into play is when a person is trapped in a place with limited oxygen; we want to find out if the person will be able to lift heavy objects in order to escape. In our experiment, we used Logger Pro to record our data in a graph on a laptop. Other materials we used are a paper bag for each test subject, a Hand Dynamometer for measuring the force in Newtons before and after hyperventilation, and a Go Link Cable. In order to simulate the lack of oxygen, we made someone breathe rapidly into a paper bag and hyperventilate for periods of 10 seconds and 20 seconds. Our first trial was when the test subject squeezed the Hand Dynamometer for 5 seconds. Then, he would hyperventilate in the paper bag for 10 seconds and squeeze the Hand Dynamometer again. We would measure the force of the test subject before and after hyperventilating. The second trial for our test subjects is that they would squeeze the Hand Dynamometer for 5 seconds, hyperventilate into a paper bag for 20 seconds, and squeeze the Hand Dynamometer for 5 seconds again. Some possible variables in our lab are that the time each person squeezes the Hand Dynamometer and hyperventilates into a paper bag may be different for each person. Also, some people who were our test subjects may be stronger than others, thus having a stronger force than everyone else.

Before Harry hyperventilated, he was able to emit a force of 197.4 Newtons. After, hyperventilating for 10 seconds, his strength had decreased by 48.5 N.  However, when Harry hyperventilated for 20 seconds his strength only reduced by 15.4 N. The results for Eric and Albert were similar to Harry’s. This is because when they hyperventilated longer, their strength did not decrease as much compared to a shorter hyperventilation time. When Chris hyperventilated for 10 seconds, his strength was reduced by 3.8 N, but when he hyperventilated for 20 seconds, his strength was reduced by 12.6 N. Chris' results were slightly different compared to the others since his strength decreased steadily as his oxygen supply decreased. We also found that the average decrease in strength for 10 seconds was about a 21.8% decrease. The average decrease in strength for 20 seconds was about a 13.4% decrease. With the given results, the strength of most people increased as they had a lower amount of oxygen. However others had a decrease in strength with a lower amount of oxygen. This could be possible if the brain believes the human body is in danger. This way, adrenaline would be sent out throughout the body. Because of this, some people would have an extra amount strength. However, for some other people, the adrenaline can be sent out later than others. This explains why some people have lower strengths with a lower supply of oxygen.

Results: 
-Harry 

10 sec:

Highest before hyperventilating: 197.4 Newtons

Highest after hyperventilating: 148.9 Newtons

20 sec:

Highest before hyperventilating: 179

Highest after hyperventilating: 163.6

- Eric

10 sec: 

Highest before hyperventilating: 205.9 Newtons

Highest after hyperventilating: 151.9 Newtons

20 sec:

Highest before hyperventilating:190.3 Newtons

Highest after hyperventilating: 155.5 Newtons

- Albert

10 sec:

Highest before hyperventilating: 195 Newtons

Highest after hyperventilating: 130.7 Newtons

 20 sec:

Highest before hyperventilating: 212.7 Newtons

Highest after hyperventilating: 172.6 Newtons

- Chris

10 sec:

Highest before hyperventilating: 182.6 Newtons

Highest after hyperventilating: 178.8 Newtons

 20 sec:

Highest before hyperventilating: 187.1 Newtons

Highest after hyperventilating: 174.5 Newtons

CSB #7 Certain species of salmon are more likely to survive climate change

In the Fraser River, there are more than 100 different populations of salmon. Each one has a different route to spawn which vary in distance, elevation, temperature, and flow. Researchers from the University of British Columbia found out that, with a study of eight populations from the adult Fraser River sockeye salmon, the salmon with the more difficult migrations had the a more superior swimming ability and had specialized heart adaptations. The sockeye salmon have been on a decline since the 1990's. One contribution to this is that 40 to 95% of the salmon die on their journey to spawn. The river has also risen 2 °C since the 1950's and this has also been contributing to the high death rate. The Chilko salmon have one of the most hardest routes to their spawning grounds and they have been put into a control chamber where it has been found out that they can swim in a broader range of waters. The researchers also found out that the optimal water temperatures for the salmon were the ones in the past. How long do we have until all of the salmon will be wiped out? Can these fish adapt to the temperatures before they are wiped out? Can this happen to the rest of the fish?

Citations:

"Certain Species Of Salmon Are More Likely To Survive Climate Change."
     Environmental Research Web. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 May 2011.
     <http://environmentalresearchweb.org/cws/article/news/45881>.

CSB #6 - Efficient Wood Burning Would Improve Air Quality

At Baltensperger's laboratory, researchers have found that from wood-burning stoves, the secondary aerosols which are released, can vary from the type of wood burned and the design of the stove. PhD student Maarten Heringa and his fellow colleagues compared the emissions of two different log-wood burners and a residential pelt-burner under different conditions. Secondary organic aerosols were formed when the organic gases emitted by the different stoves oxidized when it was in the presence of sunlight, giving it organic particle matter. The two log-wood burners showed increases in organic material at the beginning and ending stages but in the pelt-burner, there was just a steady stream. They also found that newer types of log-burners also produce less aerosols. This topic was interesting to me because I was wondering what kind of differences there were in the different types of burners. It was also interesting to me that the differences were only mainly at the beginning and the end of the entire process not really at the middle.
Citations
Anscombe, Nadya. "Efficient Wood Burning Would Improve Air Quality."
     Environmentalresearchweb. N.p., 7 Apr. 2011. Web. 8 Apr. 2011.
     <http://environmentalresearchweb.org/cws/article/news/45617>.

CSB #5 Coral Reefs Report Warn of Mass Loss Threat

By 2050, nearly all of the world's coral reefs will be in danger. The consequences for countries that depend on reefs for food, such as the Philippines or Haiti, will be severe. 95% of the reefs in south-east Asia are on the danger list and are in immediate danger. Even reefs in Australia, where they are protected, will be in the danger zones. Jane Lubchenco, who leads the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, described the scenario as a "perfect storm" of local and global threats. She also warned that "It will take a Herculean effort to reverse the current trajectory and leave a healthy ecosystem to our grandchildren." One of the main dangers to the coral reefs is overfishing. This is very severe in places that use extreme methods of fishing such as explosives to get the fish out. This could be devastating to the places that depend a lot on coral for tourism and food. Other threats include pollution and for the last 13 years, scientists have been watching corals and say that climate change has posed a growing threat. These corals will eventually die because the warmer waters will kill the tiny creatures that feed the reefs and give them their color. Also, because of the increased amount of carbon dioxide in the air, ocean acidification will make it hard for the coral to harden and form reefs. According to current weather predictions, half of the world's reefs will experience coral bleaching by 2030 and 95% by 2050. I found this article interesting because I was wondering what was mainly causing the corals to die. I also have always wanted to go on a vacation to some exotic coral reefs so I was curious when I should go. What will countries that depend on corals for food will do if they cannot fish there as much? What will countries that depend on the tourism do when their corals are either gone or do not look as good anymore.

Citations

Goldenberg, Suzanne. "Coral Reefs Report Warns of Mass Loss Threat."
     Environmental Research Web. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Mar. 2011.
     <http://environmentalresearchweb.org/cws/article/news/45291>.

http://www.phoenixislands.org/1_images/1_pages/bleached_coral.jpg

CSB #4 How Old Is Your Cancer?

Cancer

• Prognosis - The likely course of a disease or ailment
• Pancreas - A large elongated exocrine gland located behind the stomach
• Cancer - The uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in the body

Summary

When a person is diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, the person has 5% chance of surviving once it has been diagnosed. This is because the cancer is usually diagnosed 15 years after the first cancer-causing cells appear. What the model says is that cancer cells appear ten years after the first cancer-causing mutation and then another five years pass before the cancer cells actually spread and become deadly. For the past two years, scientists have been bringing pancreatic cancer screening closer to reality. Scientists have found four RNAs in saliva of 60 treatable pancreatic-cancer patients and 30 cancer-free individuals. that can correctly identify cancer 90% of the time. These technologies are not commercially available but they will progress greatly in the near future.

Discussion


I think this article is interesting and important for everyone. This is especially useful for people who believe that they have pancreatic cancer because this will reduce the chance of death. If this technology is perfected then scientists  and doctors can see if a person has cancer and can easily provide treatment or remove the mutation before the cells become fatal and kill the person. Scientists should be aware of this because it can severely help people if this is perfected quickly. 


Questions

• Could this also help scientists find cancers in different parts of the body before they are deadly?
• How long will this take to be allowed to be used commercially and how much will it improve?

Citations

• Moyer, Melinda Wenner. "How Old Is Your Cancer?" Scientific America. N.p., n.d.
       Web. 9 Jan. 2011. <http://www.scientificamerican.com/
       article.cfm?id=how-old-is-your-cancer>.
• http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=how-old-is-your-cancer

CSB #3 Comet Hartley 2 is Spewing Ice

Definitions

• Comet: a relatively small extraterrestrial body consisting of a frozen mass that travels around the sun in a highly elliptical orbit
• NASA: The National Aeronautics and Space Administration; Their self-described mission is to "pioneer the future in space exploration, scientific discovery, and aeronautics research.

Summary
Hartley 2, a peanut shaped comet, is spewing out tons of fluffy ice chunks every second since the Deep Space spacecraft flew by it. The most fascinating thing about this comet is that the ice and water chunks were not being lifted off by the force of water vapor, but rather by jets of carbon dioxide. This is the first time that carbon dioxide has been observed doing this. Also, because water stays frozen longer than dry ice, the carbon dioxide blows it off while it is still solid. Although there were bright specks in the images, the spacecraft did not suffer any damage when it flew through the storm at 27,000 miles an hour. The scientist from NASA believe, from the absorption of the light, the chunks were more like a dandelion puff with air in the middle and can be easily broken. The carbon dioxide that is frozen would have to be very old to be frozen in the comet. This has never been found in a previous case with comets.
Discussion
I find this interesting that this has never been found in another comet. This may help us in finding water on other planets. I find it interesting how the carbon dioxide will push off the ice and water chunks.
Questions

• Could we harvest these comets as a water source?
• Could this help us find water on other planets?

Citations

Chang, Kenneth. "Surprise at a Comet Visited by NASA: A Snowstorm." The New York 
     Times: n. pag. Web. 19 Nov. 2010. <http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/19/
     science/space/19comet.html?_r=3&partner=rss&emc=rss>.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/19/science/space/19comet.html?_r=3&partner=rss&emc=rss

CSB #2 Plug-in Cars Pose Riddles for E.P.A.

Definitions

• E.P.A. = Environmental Protection Agency

Summary

• Chevrolet Volt and the Nissan Leaf are awaiting the thumbs up from the E.P.A. before their production and sales
• The Volt runs from 25 to 50 miles on battery before the engine kicks in and the Leaf is an entirely electric car
• Nissan is does not know what it is expecting from the E.P.A. but something in the range of miles per kilowatt hour and Chevy is expecting multiple fuel-ecomoney figures based on distance driven between battery charges
• E.P.A. is expecting that it will not come up with an official way to grade these cars until 2012
• The Volt will have a 310 miles when it depletes the battery which will make it 33.3 miles to the gallon
• The Volt became a source of debate because testers say that the Volt will, at high speeds, drain the battery quickly and use the gas engine to propel itself, making this the normal hybrid.
• G.M. describes the Volt as the engine powers a generator not the wheel

Discussion

• I believe that is it is interesting how new cars are are changing the way that E.P.A. has to look and grade them.
• These cars have started a revolution from coming from hybrid to full electric

Questions

• How will E.P.A. start to grade these cars and how will they tell which cars are good and which ones are bad?
• How long is it until we switch from gasoline cars to electric?

Citations

Bunkley, Nick, and Bill Vlasic. “Plug-In Cars Pose Riddle for E.P.A.” The New York Times: n. pag. The New York Times. Web. 15 Oct. 2010. <http://www.nytimes.com/‌2010/‌10/‌15/‌business/‌energy-environment/‌15auto.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss>.

http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2010/10/15/business/15auto.html