Comtemporary Science Research (Term 3)`

For this term, I would be researching about stun guns. Stun guns, also known as electroshock weapons, is a weapon designed to immobilize someone by disrupting superficial muscle functions. One type of stun gun is the conductive energy device (CED), an electroshock gun popularly known by the brand name "Taser".

Electroshock weapon technology uses a non-permanent high-voltage low-current electrical discharge to override the body's muscle-triggering mechanisms. The recipient is immobilized through two probes being fired out. He will feel pain and it is reported that applying it in sensitive areas is more painful. In the past, as there was no automatic stop to stun guns, many officers has used it again and again, resulting in the suspects' death and injuries. A person getting hit by a stun gun repeatedly would feel daze and will lead to medical risks such as cumulative exhaustion and breathing impairment.

Stun guns are being used by the Singapore Police Force today. On one incident, a man threatened two policeman and lunged at them with a pole. The policemen, fortunately, were able to subdue him using a stun gun. Stun guns, if used correctly, provides a non-lethal alternative to firearms. It safely and easily immobilizes a subject without resulting in unnecessary deaths and injuries.

Comtemporary Science Research (Term 2)

In term 2, I did research on lightning. Lightning is a slash of spark accompanied by thunder, which typically occurs during thunderstorms, and sometimes even during volcanic eruptions or dust storms. A bolt of lightning can travel at a speed of 220,000km/h and can mount to temperatures as high as 30000 degrees Celsius. Did you know that an irrational fear of lightning and thunder is astraphobia. The study or science of lightning is also known as fulminology, and someone who studies lightning is referred to as a fulminologist.

Lightning has the ability to heat the air in its immediate vicinity to about 20000 degree Celsius, which is about three times the the temperature of the surface of the sun. The sudden heating effect and the expansion of air results in a sound wave, which is known as thunder. The voltage involved is proportional to the length of the bolt. When liquid and ice particles above the freezing level collide, they build up large electric fields in the clouds. Once these electric fields are large enough, a giant " spark" occurs between them and the ground. Cloud-to-ground lightning usually occurs near the boundary between where the darkest clouds are, to where there is a lighter fuzzy appearance of the ground. Objects that are struck by lightning can catch a fire, but since the flash is so brief, they might even survive without a scratch at all.

Contemporary Science Research (term 1)

For term 1, I would be researching about lasers and its uses. A laser is an instrument that sends out light through optical amplification based on emission of photons. The word laser is actually an acronym at first, standing for "light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation". Many scientific, military, medical and commercial laser applications have been developed since the invention of the laser in 1958.

Military uses of lasers include applications such as designation of targets and ranging, defensive counter-measurement, communications and directed energy weapons. For example, in the case of counter-measurement, IR countermeasure systems use lasers to confuse the seeker heads on heat-seeking anti-aircraft missiles. Some weapons even go to the extent of disorientating enemies, an example of such a use of lasers is the Thales Green Laser Optical Warner. Lasers can also be used to increase the accuracy of firearms For example, a laser sight is a small visible laser place on a handgun or a rifle to ensure accuracy.

For industrial and commercial purposes, laser is used for the cutting of metals and used as guidance system. There are also numerous purposes for lasers. For example, in lunar light ranging. When the Apollo astronaut visited the moon, they planted retro-reflector arrays to make possible the Lunar Laser Ranging Experiment. Laser beams are focused through large telescopes on Earth aimed towards the arrays, and the time taken for the beam to be reflected upon the Earth measured to determine the distance the Earth and the Moon with high accuracy.

Term 3 progress

I did not want to make the same mistake I made in term 1, hence I started revising for science from the start of the term. I revised a lot for biology, as there was much to revise for sexual reproduction in man. However, I also did revised a lot on optics as well, doing more exercises whenever possible, and getting my tutor to teach me more on optics and sexual reproduction in man whenever possible.

Fortunately, my hard work did indeed gave me the satisfactory results that I wanted. I was able to cope with all the questions in the test. The test seemed relatively easy to me. Needless to say, I scored an outstanding score of 35/40, which was the highest score of science I had ever attained. I would still continue to put in effort to study science, and not be complacent like I had been in term 1.

Term 3

In term 3, we learned about sexual reproduction in man in detail. We learned about the different parts of both the female and male reproductive systems and their functions. We also learned about the male and female gametes, and are able to describe their size, numbers and mobility. In addition, we also learned about some of the physical changes that occur during puberty and early adolescence, and learned too about the menstrual cycle of females. Furthermore we learned about sexual transmitted diseases. We learned about the harmful consequences of sexually diseases, and through that, we also learned not to engage in premarital sexual relations with others.

We also learned about optics, and went on to find out what exactly is photonics and be aware of the applications of photonics around us, such as telecommunication and household devices. We also learned about reflection and refraction. We learned how reflection is affected by smooth surfaces and rough surfaces, and also understand the characteristics of an image formed by a plane mirror. We also have to observe and describe the image formed by a plane mirror. In addition, we learn how to construct a ray diagram illustrating reflection by plane mirrors. For refraction, we learn that the light ray bends towards the normal when travelling from a optically less dense medium to a optically denser medium.

My progress in term 1 and term 2

I was surprised at the low marks I got for my term 1 results. I got a score of 24 out of 40, which was a B4. I realized that I was to complacent and did not bother to clarify my doubts with my science teacher even though I did not understand the concepts well. In addition, I even got multiple careless mistakes on top of the mistakes I made due to misconceptions. Needless to say, I was very disappointed with myself for my abysmal results. I also did not revised as diligently as I had last time. Nevertheless, I resolved to score at least an A1 in the next term, and proceeded to study the term 2 topics before term 2 even began.

In term 2, I clarified every doubts I had with my science teacher and my tutors, hence I had a better understanding about the concepts in the topics that were taught in term 2. Nevertheless I still went on and revised harder. I went through my notes a lot of times and revised very hard indeed before the test. I managed to score 33/40, which was an A1 grade. I finally managed to attain a grade which I am satisfied about.

Term 2

In term 2, we learnt about ionic and covalent bonding. In term 1, we learnt that atoms can either lose or gain electrons to form ions. An ionic bond is the force of attraction between oppositely charged ions in a compound through electron transfer. We learned about the formation of ions by electron loss or gain to obtain the electronic configuration of a noble gas. We also learned how to construct a "dot-and-cross" diagram, and using it, describe the formation of ionic bonds between metals and non-metals.

A covalent bond is a bond formed by the sharing of a pair of electrons. Basically, it means that they share electrons. Covalent bonds are formed between atoms of non-metals only, and they can be formed between atoms of the same elements. We learned about the formation of a covalent bond by the sharing of a pair of electrons in order to gain the electronic configuration of an inert gas. We also learned, using the "dot-and-cross" diagram , the formation of covalent bonds non-metallic elements.

We also learned how to construct equation writing. We are to state the symbols of the elements and formula of compounds, and use them to construct, balance and interpret chemical equations. I had a hard time learning about chemical equation at first as I could not memorize the charges properly, and did not understand how to balance the equation at all. Fortunately, I managed to succeed to understand after much hard work.

Term 1

In term 1, we started learning about the periodic table and also about the atomic structure of an atom. We learnt that the periodic table was arranged according to elements with an increasing proton number. The group number also shares a relationship the ionic charge of the elements in it. We also learnt that there are similarities between the elements in the same Group of the periodic table in terms of their electronic structure. Furthermore, there is a change from metallic to non-metallic character from left to right across a period of the periodic table.

We learnt about the relative charges and the approximate relative masses of protons, neutrons and electrons. We also learned about the structure of an atom containing protons and neutrons in the nucleus and the electrons which are arranged in shells. We are also taught how to define proton number and interpret symbols of elements. In addition, we learned about isotopes and are able to deduce the numbers of protons, neutrons and electrons in atoms and ions given proton and nucleon numbers.

We did a lot of enriching science practicals regarding the structure of an atom.