Datalogging Seismograph: Menu
Syllabus Outcomes
Datalogging Seismograph: Menu
Having the seismograph in a laboratory display cabinet and the computer nearby will make this a live display of the tectonic forces that are driving continental drift in general and Australia's northward movement in particular. Since most schools have a website it would be possible to publish printouts of recorded earthquakes or even have the output displayed in "real time" if the recording computer is on the school network. If the UniServe Science web site can act as a hub to collect live or emailed seismograph outputs from many detectors then the data would be available to anyone on the internet. This would enable students to "locate" the epicenter of the earthquake from the time gap between the P and S waves, and also their velocity.
Because earthquake waves, use of technology and continental drift are now in so many parts of the Junior Science and HSC Science Syllabuses it will be important for me to write worksheets and programs to integrate the seismograph into these areas of the curriculum.
This would include in the Junior Science Syllabus
5.6.1 the wave model 5.9.2 the theory of plate tectonics
4/5.13.1 identifying data sources
4/5.17 processing information
4/5.18 presenting information
and optional components including "discuss possible reasons for the evolution of Australia's unique flora and fauna". All HSC Syllabuses require students to have first hand experience in the use of data collection technology and computer presentation of results as well as subject specific topics including
Earth and Environmental Science 8.5 Dynamic Earth
9.2 Tectonic ImpactsBiology 8.5 Evolution of Australian Biota
- Contextual outline
- Evidence for the rearrangement of crustal plates and continental drift indicates that Australia was once part of an ancient super continent
- The changes in Australian flora and fauna over millions of years have happened through evolution
- Continuation of species has resulted, in part, from the reproductive adaptations that have evolved in Australian plants and animals
- A study of palaeontology and past environments increases our understanding of the possible future range of plants and animals
Physics 9.5 Option - Geophysics Senior Science 9.8 Option - Disasters These are for NSW Science Syllabuses but I would hope that teachers in other states of Australia or in other countries would also write teaching programs to match with their syllabuses.
All NSW Year 10 students must complete a Student Research Project as part of their assessment for the NSW School Certificate. Several able students could collaborate to build a data logging seismograph; one could build and assess the design of the mechanical components of the seismograph, one could build and assess the detector while another could work out the optimum parameters for the data logger and long term recording and display of data.
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Last Update: Monday, 30-Apr-2012 15:05:51 EST
URL: http://science.uniserve.edu.au//school/Seismograph/syllabus.html