AH investigations – uncertainties and graphs

Now you have some measurements in your daybook, it’s time to look at the uncertainties in your data.  There will be scale reading uncertainty, calibration uncertainty and randon uncertainty to consider.  I’ve attached a copy of the latest guidance from SQA on uncertainties for AH Physics candidates.  Download a copy and use it to help with number crunching.

Remember that there is help available when you are ready to graph your data.  Start here.

transit of Venus

I set my alarm clock for 4am and was disappointed to find a sky full of clouds that would prevent us from viewing the transit of Venus from Thurso and the surrounding area. 

The BBC Horizon programme broadcast last night was very good.  You can still catch it on iPlayer for the next week or download it using the link below.

robot radiotherapy

Last week, the BBC broadcast a Horizon programme about new cancer treatments being trialled at the Royal Marsden Hospital in London.  The documentary followed three different types of treatment; robotic surgery, a genetically targeted drug and a radiotherapy robot.

As we’ve discovered, standard radiotherapy treatment involves splitting the required dose into 3 beams, so only cells inside the tumour receive the full dose.  The radiotherapy robot, CyberKnife, allows high energy x-rays to enter the patient’s body from many different angles.  The advantage of this robot is that it minimises the risk to healthy tissue while ensuring a fatal dose of energy is delivered to the cancer cells.

I have put together a series of clips from the programme to follow patient Ray’s treatment.  The clip from the planning meeting shows just many individual beams the robot will use during the treatment.

To find out more about how x-rays affect living cells, watch this clip from Bang Goes the Theory.

The Royal Marsden Hospital has a video that provides a quick guide to radiotherapy.

Use the download link below if you would like to save a copy of the CyberKnife video.

 

how satellites rule our world

BBC2 showed a really good programme about satellites last night.  This screenshot showing a satellite passing over the Highlands is taken from about 17 minutes into the show.  Click on the picture to visit the BBC’s own page about the documentary.

It was quite eye-opening to see just how much modern society relies on satellite technology.

You can download the entire programme using the link below.