Thomas,+Matthew

This article discusses the 'made up' elements of science fiction and fantasy. The first is mithril, an easily crafted and polished yet ridiculously strong metal from Tolkien's The Hobbit. The second element is dilithium from Star Trek, a quartz-like crystal that can interact with anti-matter and fuel faster-than-light engines. The final element is vibranium, a Marvel element with two isotopes. The first absorbs kinetic energy and stores it until it reaches a max and explodes. The second releases kinetic energy and liquifies all metal within its range.

Matt, Looks like you picked out the main points. 5 stars. MW

I agree that the kilogram should be redefined; a tangible object is not reliable and subject to change. But I do not think it should be the mass of a certain amount of atoms. It would be too difficult for the average scientist to measure that value. I think it should be another property of matter that is constant and easy to replicate. At this point, it is very difficult for an individual to compare the standard kilogram to a personal weight. A universal standard would make it much easier to standardize the system of weighing so that comparisons could be more accurate and precise. I think they should use something like 'the mass of a 10 cm x 2 cm x 2 cm piece of a certain substance. This would make the weighing system more even and standardized.

Matt, Interesting thought. Be sure you find three distinct points from the article. 4 stars. MW

This article is very interesting. It talks about Einstein's experimentation with light beams, sort of like Rutherford's Gold Foil experiment. I didn't know that he researched and won a Nobel Prize for his light experiments. Also, the heat sensor detects the radiation of heat from a living thing. This is comparable to our class discussion about radiation. In the same way that some substances radiate particles, living things radiate heat that a sensor can pick up to detect said thing. Finally, the article talks about how a smaller, faster particle will have more penetration and electric transfer power than a larger, slower particle. This is the same relationship as alpha and beta particles. The alpha particles are bigger and have less penetration power than the smaller beta particles.

Matt, The particles aren't faster or heavier but they do have a great deal more energy due to the nature of their waves. It's all about quantum theory! MW