Accelerometer

We just learned about the Altimeter.

Another part of rocket science is the Accelerometer.

This is something in the rocket that tells the rocket how fast it is accelerating.
This isn't the same as it's speed, which is just how fast it is going.
Acceleration is the difference in speed over time.

So think about it like if you are walking, and then you are jogging, and then you are running as fast as you can.
When you switch from walking to jogging, there is a difference in speed, and it however long it takes you to get from walking speed to jogging speed is the acceleration.

Gravity is another way to think about acceleration.
If a rock is dropped off of a tall building, it starts falling slowly, but then gets faster and faster, and by the time it hits the ground could be going fast enough to really hurt if it crashed into something.

The difference in how fast it is falling every second is the acceleration.
That is what the accelerometer measures, so that the rocket knows how much faster it is getting every second.



(from: wikipedia - accelerometer)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Plasma Cutting

Armhook Squid

We just learned about the Broadclub Cuttlefish.

Another cephalopod is the Armhook Squid, also called the Gonatidae.

These are a type of squid that don't have just normal suction cups on their arms.
Most squids have rows of two cups all the way down their arm, but the armhook squid has four, and some of the suckers are actually more like hooks.

They are red, purple or brown, they live in the ocean, and they grow to about 10 inches.





(from: wikipedia - gonatidae)



The Hidden Ocean, Arctic 2005: Boreo Atlantic Armhook Squid - oceanexplorergov

Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Pacman Frog

Maxillary Second Molar

We just learned about the Maxillary First Molar.

Another tooth is the Maxillary Second Molar.

These ones are just like the Maxillary First Molars, just further back on the jaw.
They have 4 cusps, and they work to help grind up the food.

Some people get another row of teeth behind these, but for other people these are the last teeth in the mouth.


(from: wikipedia - maxillary second molar)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Nail Plate

Bran Castle

We just learned about the Malbork Castle.

Another famous castle is Bran Castle, built in 1300s in Romania.

This castle is sometimes called "Dracula's Castle" because the famous ruler Vlad Țepeș stayed in this castle a few times.

The book Dracula by Bram Stoker is just a made up story, but the writer Bram Stoker used the real person Vlad Țepeș (also known as Vlad the Impaler) as part of his book and made up a story about him being the vampire Dracula.

Vlad was a real person and Dracula was a fake story, but since Vlad stayed in Bran Castle they like to tell stories about this castle!



(from: wikipedia - bran castle)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Nova Scotia

Amplias - Bishop of Odyssus

We just learned about Andronicus, Bishop of Pannonia, one of the seventy disciples.

Another of the seventy is Amplias - Bishop of Odyssus, also known as Ampliatus.

Paul the Apostle talks about Amplias in the book of Romans and says "Greet Ampliatus, my dear friend in the Lord.".

Historians believe he went on to the country of Bulgaria to help spread the word of God.


(from: wikipedia - ampliatus)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Proverbs 16 - Wisdom better than Gold

Mao Gong ding

We just learned about the Da Ke ding and the Da Yu ding.

Another ancient Chinese sculpture is the Mao Gong ding.

Along with the other two dings, these three are some of the most famous Chinese sculptures.

This ding weighs 75 pounds, and is made of bronze.
People think it was made around 800 BC.

There are carvings on the inside of 497 characters telling about the history of the Kings of China in the old days.



(from: wikipedia - mao gong ding)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Leonardo's Horse

Greek - Fifteen

We counted to 10 in Greek, now let's learn some bigger numbers!

11 ένδεκα (éndeka) - sounds like AY-n-day-kah
12 δώδεκα (dódeka) - sounds like DOH-day-kah
13 δεκατρία (dekatría) - sounds like day-kah-t-DEE-ah
14 δεκατέσσερα (dekatéssera) - sounds like day-kah-TAY-say-dah
15 δεκαπέντε (dekapénte) - sounds like day-kah-PAY-n-tay


(from: wikipedia - center for the greek language)

ASL: eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen

Italian: undici, dodici, tredici, quattordici, quindici

German: elf, zwölf, dreizehn, vierzehn, fünfzehn

Spanish: once, doce, trese, catorce, quince

French: onze, douze, treize, quatorze, quinze

Altimeter

We just learned about GNC - Guidance Navigation and Control.

One type of tool used to help navigation is an Altimeter.

This measures the pressure in the air to figure out how high up off the ground a rocket is.
When a rocket is close to the ground it has higher air pressure, and when it goes further up off the ground, the air pressure gets less and less.

With an altimeter inside the rocket's controls, the rocket can tell how high up in the sky it is.



(from: wikipedia - altimeter)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Water Jet Cutting

Broadclub Cuttlefish

We just learned about the Plectronocerida.

Another type of cephalopod is the Broadclub Cuttlefish, also called sepia latimanus.

This is a type of cuttlefish living in shallow water in the pacific, that can change it's colors just like most other cuttlefish.

When these animals are hunting, sometimes they will change their colors almost like flashing lights to try and mesmerize or hypnotize their prey until they attack and gobble them up!




(from: wikipedia - sepia latimanus)



Broadclub Cuttlefish - Hypnosis - winterlike

Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Central Coast Stubfoot Toad

Maxillary First Molar

We just learned about the Maxillary Second Premolar.

Another tooth in the human mouth is the Maxillary First Molar.

These teeth have cusps or pointy parts on them like the bicuspids, but they have four points instead of the two of a bicuspid.
There are two cusps on the cheek side, and two on the tongue side.
Sometimes people have a fifth cusp called the Cusp of Carabelli.

Molars are used for grinding up food that is in the mouth.

There are primary or baby teeth molars, but those are replaced by premolars.
The adult molars show up further back in the jaw after the mouth gets big enough to have space for them.


(from: wikipedia - maxillary first molar)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Nail Matrix

Malbork Castle

We just learned about Edinburgh Castle.

Another famous castle is Malbork Castle, built around 1300 AD in Malbork, Poland.

This is the largest castle in the world, with a land area of over 52 acres!

Long ago the castle was one of the palaces where the royal family would stay.
Because of all the wars Poland was involved in, the castle has been owned by a few different countries.

During World War II there was a lot of damage on the castle.
After Poland took the castle back they have fixed it up, and it is now a museum for people to come visit.


(from: wikipedia - malbork castle)


(from: wikipedia - malbork castle)


(from: wikipedia - malbork castle)


(from: wikipedia - malbork castle)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Saskatchewan

Andronicus - bishop of Pannonia

We just learned about Epænetus, bishop of Carthage and one of the seventy disciples.

Another of the seventy was Andronicus - bishop of Pannonia.

When Paul was writing a letter to the people in Rome, one of the parts of the letter was written to Andronicus, who he said was in prison with him, and was a Christian before Paul had a vision of Jesus and believed.

Paul also mentions Junia, who people believe was the wife of Andronicus.
Andronicus and Julia went on to the place called Pannonia to spread the word of God.
Pannonia was a part of the Roman empire long ago, but now it is split up into parts of a bunch of different countries like Hungary, Austria, Croatia, Serbia, Slovenia, Slovakia, Bosnia and Herzegovina.


(from: wikipedia - andronicus of pannonia)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Proverbs 4 - The Path of the Righteous

Da Ke ding

We just learned about the Da Yu Ding.

Another famous Chinese sculpture is the Da Ke ding, made around 1000 BC in Shaanxi China.

Just like the Da Yu ding, this is a large sculpted bowl on a tripod, used to hold things usually for special ceremonies.

Along with the Da Yu ding and another ding, it is one of the most sacred historical treasures in China.

During the many wars through the years in China, enemies would come through towns and try to destroy all of the special sculptures and take the treasures of people.

The Pan family was the owner of the Da Ke ding, and they knew people would try to destroy it so they buried it underground to hide it.
Armies came into town and tried to dig around and find it, but they never did, so it is one of the few pieces of history telling the story of what happened long ago.

It is about 36 inches tall and weighs over 400 pounds.
It has special patterns and dragons carved into it, and inside are 290 letters inscribed telling the story of Ke, the ruler of the Western Zhou dynasty.


(from: wikipedia - da ke ding)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Equestrian statue of Bartolomeo Colleoni - Verrocchio

Greek - November, December

We already learned that January, February is Ιανουάριος (Ianouários), - Φεβρουάριος (Fevrouários),
March, April is Μάρτιος (Mártios), Απρίλιος (Aprílios),
May, June is Μάιος (Máios), Ιούνιος (Ioúnios),
July, August is Ιούλιος (Ioúlios), August - Αύγουστος (Ávgoustos), and September, October is Σεπτέμβριος (Septémvrios), Οκτώβριος (Októvrios).

Let's keep going!

November - Νοέμβριος (Noémvrios) - sounds like no-AY-m-v-dee-oh-ss
December - Δεκέμβριος (Dekémvrios) - sounds like day-KAY-m-v-dee-oh-ss


(from: wikipedia - center for the greek language)


ASL: November, December

Italian: Novembre, Dicembre

German: November, Dezember

Spanish: Noviembre, Diciembre

French: Novembre, Décembre

GNC - Guidance, navigation and control

We just learned about Gimbaled Thrust.

After a rocket is launched, it needs to be guided to make sure that it goes to the right place, whether that's outer space or just up into the atmosphere.

This is called Guidance, navigation and control, sometimes shortened to just GNC.

GNC is the science of how to control a rocket after it's been launched up into the air.


(from: wikipedia - guidance, navigation and control)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Electrical Discharge Machining

Plectronocerida

We just learned about the White Spotted Octopus.

Another type of cephalopod is the Plectronocerida.

These are an extinct type of cephalopod like a nautilus that had a shell on it's back.
These cephalopods would crawl along the bottom of the water and eat food, almost like an underwater snail.


(from: wikipedia - plectronocerida)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Eastern Narrow Mouthed Toad

Maxillary Second Premolar

We just learned about the Maxillary - First Premolar.

The next teeth in the mouth are the Maxillary Second Premolars.

These also have two "cusps" on them like the First Premolars, so they are also bicuspids.
They are not as pointy as the First Premolars, so they are used more for grinding up food than tearing it up.

Just like the First Premolars, there are no baby or primary premolars.
The Second Premolars come up in the place where the baby molars were at when they fall out.


(from: wikipedia - maxillary second premolar)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Nails

Edinburgh Castle

We just learned about the castle Cité de Carcassonne.

Another famous castle is Edinburgh Castle, built around 1100 AD in Scotland.

This castle is believed to be one of the most attacked ever in the world, with over 26 battles where people tried to take over the castle.
It is built on top of an extinct volcano, called Castle Rock.
There are other buildings in the castle area, like a chapel, barracks and even a royal palace.




(from: wikipedia - edinburgh castle)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Manitoba

Epænetus, bishop of Carthage

We just learned about Crescens - bishop of Carchedon in Gaul, one of the seventy disciples.

Another of the seventy was Epænetus, bishop of Carthage.

Epænetus was called "my beloved" by Saint Paul in the book of Romans, and was said to be the first person to become a Christian in Asia.

He is believed by many to be the first Bishop of the city of either Carthage or Cartagena.

(from: wikipedia - roman carthage)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Proverbs 31 - A Wife of Noble Character

Da Yu ding

We just learned about the Yixian glazed pottery luohans.

Another ancient Chinese sculpture is the Da Yu ding.

A ding is used for storage or for special ceremonies and rituals.

This bronze ding sculpture was made around 1000 BC in Shaanxi China.
It has patterns and animal faces engraved on it, and on the inside of the ding is carved a speech from the Chinese King Kang of Zhou.

The speech talks about a few things:
Don't drink too much wine.
People need to support the king.
Everyone should try to be like the king's old grandfather Nang Gong.
All of the stuff the military owns and who is in charge of it.
The ding was made for his grandfather Nang Gong.

In the old days during wars a lot of times old sculptures like this would get destroyed, so it is hard to know what happened long ago because the history was erased.
This ding was hidden many times through the years so it was able to save the history of the past.



(from: wikipedia - da yu ding)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Christ and St. Thomas - Verrocchio

Greek - September, October

We already learned that January, February is Ιανουάριος (Ianouários), - Φεβρουάριος (Fevrouários),
March, April is Μάρτιος (Mártios), Απρίλιος (Aprílios),
May, June is Μάιος (Máios), Ιούνιος (Ioúnios),
and July, August is Ιούλιος (Ioúlios), August - Αύγουστος (Ávgoustos).

Let's keep going!

September - Σεπτέμβριος (Septémvrios) - sounds like say-p-TAY-m-v-dee-oh-ss
October - Οκτώβριος (Októvrios) - sounds like oh-k-TOH-v-dee-oh-ss


(from: wikipedia - center for the greek language)

ASL: September, October

Italian: Settembre, Ottobre

German: September, Oktober

Spanish: Septiembre, Octubre

French: Septembre, Octobre

Gimbaled Thrust

We just learned about how Rocket Thrust Vectoring is changing the direction the rocket is going using thrust in different dirctions.

Another part of rocket science is Gimbaled Thrust.

This is a way for a rocket to tilt its nozzle to change the direction of the thrust for rocket thrust vectoring.

When the nozzle is tilted, it sends the rocket in a different path.


(from: wikipedia - gimbaled thrust)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Stamping

White Spotted Octopus

We just learned about the Glass Squid.

Another cephalopod is the White Spotted Octopus, also known as the grass octopus or callistoctopus macropus.
It is red, with white spots and can grow to be about 5 feet wide.
If it gets scared, it's reds and whites will get very bright to try and scare off predators.

This octopus hunts its prey by wrapping its body around a big piece of coral, and then feeling around with its arms to try and find small fish or other animals that hide out in the coral.

Some other fish like groupers will follow this octopus around to try and catch fish that try to run away when the octopus comes to the coral to hunt.


(from: wikipedia - callistoctopus macropus)



White-spotted Octopus / Polvo da Noite HD - gogoimage

Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Yellow Bellied Toad

Maxillary First Premolar

We just learned about the Maxillary Canine.

Another tooth in the mouth is the Maxillary First Premolar, also sometimes called the bicuspids.

Just like the canine teeth had one "cusp" on them, these teeth have two cusps, which is why they are sometimes called bicuspids.

These teeth are used to help grind up the food in your mouth, but they also have sharp pointed ends so they can be used to bite down into food and help tear it up.

For baby or primary teeth, there are no premolars, only incisors, canines and molars.
When the first baby molar tooth comes out, the first premolar comes up in it's place.



(from: wikipedia - maxillary first premolar)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Sweat Glands