Wednesday, March 16, 2016

March Science Newsletter

It appears that Spring is here. We hope that you are enjoying the challenge of helping science come alive for your students. We also wanted to encourage you to contact us for assistance in finding the best science equipment to help in that endeavor.

And don’t forget to schedule your microscope service. Click here for full information. Servicing and repairing your microscopes is very economical. Your students enjoy working with a good microscope.

We hope that you enjoy the information contained in this Science Newsletter. Share the interesting science facts with your students and encourage them to discover more about the world in which they live.

Featured Products

National 210 Microscope


A new standard of precision optics, highly engineered mechanics and very rugged construction, all at a little more cost than a budget microscope. Objective turret (nosepiece) is in reverse position to permit easier changing and positioning of specimen slides. Preferred by teachers, the corded LED illumination system provides optimum image brightness, virtually no bulb heat and has a 50,000-hour rated bulb life. More Info

Ohaus PA84 Analytical Balance
The OHAUS Pioneer Series of analytical balances are designed for basic routine weighing in a variety of laboratory, industrial and education applications. With the right combination of performance and features, the OHAUS Pioneer offers uncomplicated performance for all your basic weighing needs. Pioneer’s draftshield is constructed of all glass panels and three sliding doors, which are easy to remove for cleaning or storage. The up-front level indicator allows the user to quickly make sure the balance is level prior to each use. More Info

WP 120 Spectrophotometer
The WP-120 Model Spectrophotometer is a great value for precise and accurate readings.This model features a 5nm Bandwidth design while high quality silicon photodiode detector and 1200nm lines/nm grating assures optimal performance. The large screen graphic LCD are easy to read and gives quick accurate readings in Absorbance, Transmittance, Factor, and Concentration. Each option can easily be selected with using the Mode button located on the control panel. More Info


General Science History
In 1813, Michael Faraday was appointed at the Royal Institution as Chemical Assistant to Humphry Davy, whom he succeeded as Professor of Chemistry in 1820. Since age 14, in 1805, while an apprentice bookbinder, Faraday had educated himself about science. In 1810, he joined the City Philosophical Society to attend lectures and discuss scientific matters. A turning point in his life happened in 1812. A client of the bookbindery gave him four tickets to hear Humphry Davy lecturing at the Royal Institution. Fascinated by the scientific topics, He took notes, which he took with him later to show Davy when he later asked for a position. Davy interviewed him, but there was no opening at the time. When a vacancy occurred in 1813, Davy recalled him and Faraday was hired.

Biology
In 1980, arguments were heard by the U.S. Supreme Court concerning whether a patent could be issued for a genetically-engineered bacterium in the case of Diamond vs. Chakrabarty. On 16 Jun 1980, in a landmark decision, the judges held five to four that the Patent Office should recognize “any” new and useful “manufacture” or “composition of matter,” and that the fact that micro-organisms are alive was without legal significance in the related patent law. Microbiologist, Ananda Chakrabarty had appealed the rejection of his 1972 patent application for a human-made, genetically engineered bacterium capable of breaking down crude oil, which no naturally occurring bacteria could do. The patent was eventually issued 31 Mar 1981.

Chemistry
In 1950, a new radioactive element, element 98, named “californium” was announced by scientists at the University of California at Berkeley. This is a synthetic chemical element of the actinide series in Group IIIb of the periodic table, isotope californium-245. The scientists Stanley G. Thompson, Kenneth Street, Jr., Albert Ghiorso, and Glenn T. Seaborg produced it by bombarding curium-242 (atomic number 96) with helium-ions in the 60-inch cyclotron. Since then, longer lived isotopes have been created, including californium-251 with an 800-year half-life, and microgram quantities of compounds such as the oxychloride CfOCl, the oxide Cf2O3, and the trichloride CfCl3. Also, californium-252, with a half-life of 2.65-years, has industrial and medical applications as a very intense point source of neutrons. Used as a neutron emitter and to analyze the sulfur content of petroleum and to measure the moisture content of soil.

Physics
In 1896, Henri Becquerel accidentally discovered radioactivity when he developed a photographic plate he left in a desk drawer with crystals of a uranium compound upon it. He found a fogged image of the uranium crystals resting on it, although the plate was wrapped in heavy black paper. He had left the objects together on 26 Feb, after postponing his intended experiment on phosphorescent emissions stimulated by the sun. Having being left in darkness, eventually he realized the crystals where not phosphorescing from sunlight. Instead he had found spontaneous and penetrating rays, independent of any input of energy. A glimpse of a new mystery of the atom had been revealed, investigated for years after by other scientists. He shared the 1903 Nobel Prize with Pierre and Marie Curie for their work on radioactivity.

Earth Science

In 1611, Johannes Fabricius, a Dutch astronomer, observed the rising sun through his telescope, and observed several dark spots on it. This was perhaps the first ever observation of sunspots. He called his father to investigate this new phenomenon with him. The brightness of the Sun’s center was very painful, and the two quickly switched to a projection method by means of a camera obscura. Johannes was the first to publish information on such observations. He did so in his Narratio de maculis in sole observatis et apparente earum cum sole conversione. (“Narration on Spots Observed on the Sun and their Apparent Rotation with the Sun”), the dedication of which was dated 13 Jun 1611.

Quote
If science is to progress, what we need is the ability to experiment, honesty in reporting results – the results must be reported without somebody saying what they would like the results to have been – and finally – an important thing – the intelligence to interpret the results. – Richard P. Feynman

Thank you for your support of Capital Microscope. Together we can bring the joy and excitement of science to students. They will then carry this knowledge into the future. Contact us when you need assistance in determining the best science materials for your classroom. We appreciate your support and the opportunity to work with you.

1 comment:

  1. Thanks for providing recent updates regarding the concern, I look forward to read more. digital microscope

    ReplyDelete