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STEAM INTO THE FUTURE A JOHN LYON SCHOOL MAGAZINE
Spring 2022 | Issue 2
SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY ENGINEERING ART MATHEMATICS MAGAZINE STEAM INTO THE FUTURE | A JOHN LYON SCHOOL MAGAZINE
“TO THE OPTIMIST, THE GLASS IS HALF FULL.TO THE PESSIMIST, THE GLASS IS HALF EMPTY.TO THE ENGINEER, THE GLASS IS TWICE AS BIG AS IT NEEDS TO BE.” UNKNOWN
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SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY ENGINEERING ART MATHEMATICS
Front cover photo Biology fieldwork 1960 “John Lyon seems to have been ahead
of the curve with science education”
STEAM INTO THE FUTURE | A JOHN LYON SCHOOL MAGAZINE
WELCOME We are pleased to present the second edition of The John Lyon School STEAM Magazine – STEAM into the Future. It was great to see our team expand for this issue, with contributions from pupils in Years 7, 8, 9 and L6. They have worked extremely hard to come up with their own ideas for articles, then researched the ideas and carefully structured and written their articles. Our design team has brought the articles together into what you see here. Space has been a popular theme in this issue, alongside a wide range of other fascinating topics, including forensics, architecture and climate change.
We hope you enjoy reading this magazine. If you would like to be involved with future issues of the magazine, please let us know. DR J ABDA TEACHER OF CHEMISTRY, PHYSICS & STEAM MARCH 2022
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STEAM INTO THE FUTURE | A JOHN LYON SCHOOL MAGAZINE
CONTENTS 8 11 12 14 20 24 27 28
HOW DOES ARCHITECTURE INFLUENCE OUR SOCIETY?
3D PRINTING
EXPLORING AND COLONISING MARS
FROM HUBBLE TO JAMES WEBB
HYDROGEN FUEL CELL CARS
IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE
ALBERT EINSTEIN
12
30 32 34 35
STEAM AT JOHN LYON
IS IT A CLIMATE CHANGE?
PLAY
10 FUN FACTS ABOUT SPACE
FANTASTIC FORENSICS
Disclaimer: Images and content used throughout this STEAM magazine are for educational purposes only.
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DESIGNED BY PUPILS. MADE BY PUPILS.
SPECIAL THANKS TO DR J ABDA -
JOHN LYON SCHOOL
DESIGN TEAM: HEAD DESIGNER - HEMANG K (9CEP) DESIGNER - ISHAN G (7MLT) ARTICLE AUTHORS: TARANVIR B (L6PKC)
ALEX F (9AMG) AKSHAR P (9CEP) KRISH S (9CEP) YUV D (9CEP) MADISAN N (9AMG) OLIVER S (9CEP) RACHEITH R (9EKM) AMEYA B (8SRP) SOFIA A (7AJM) ALY A (7MLT) DYLAN R (7MLT)
STEAM INTO THE FUTURE | A JOHN LYON SCHOOL MAGAZINE
HOW DOES ARCHITECTURE INFLUENCE TODAY’S SOCIETY? T ARANVIR B (L6PKC)
A
rchitecture can be viewed and utilised in many ways. It can be viewed as a reflection of the day's society or could be used to capture historic moments in time. However, what is for certain is that architecture plays an enormous part in everyone’s lives and the ways it changes our ideals and habits may be more significant than you think. It’s an instinctual human quality for humans to adapt and survive to different situations therein. This is something architects, can to a certain point, exploit to change the way society behaves. Material, lighting, ventilation, use of space, colour, location can all affect the moods and mindset of society. It is proven that people who work in well-designed spaces take less sick leave and are more productive and focused and generally contribute more to the company. This means that the architect's role becomes intertwined with psychology and sociology to create an interesting and stimulating environment in which people can prosper.
WINSTON CHURCHILL.
“
WE SHAPE OUR BUILDINGS AND AFTERWARDS OUR BUILDINGS SHAPE US
”
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It’s an instinctual human quality for humans to adapt and survive to different situations therein. This is something architects, can to a certain point, exploit to change the way society behaves. Material, lighting, ventilation, use of space, colour, location can all affect the moods and mindset of society. It is proven that people who
work in well-designed spaces take less sick leave and are more productive and focused and generally contribute more to the company. This means that the architect's role becomes intertwined with psychology and sociology to create an interesting and stimulating environment in which people can prosper.
FIGURE 1: SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE AT THE ROYAL INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
An extremely interesting concept that perfectly encapsulates these ideals is the school of architecture and the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, Sweden. Its flowing interior provides a stimulating and productive environment that allows the people who work there to easily flow between working areas while keeping it somewhat secluded in time when people need to work. According to a study by Natalie Riccii, people who work in and around open spaces are more encouraged to be social and work in larger groups. This can be useful in offices in which social interaction proves vital.
FIGURE 2: SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE AT THE ROYAL INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY LAYOUT PLAN
STEAM INTO THE FUTURE | A JOHN LYON SCHOOL MAGAZINE
Colour theory suggests the notion that people change and respond to different stimulants depending on the colour that is given with the stimulus. Warm colours such as red, yellow, and orange evoke emotions like love, passion and anger, whereas cooler colours like blue and purple are linked to calmness. This can be used to influence people's decisions on many things, for example, the colour you see in NHS adverts, patented as “NHS Bright blue” was created to convey trust and security, while also promoting a fresh and contemporary feel. So, with that principle in mind, different colours used in buildings can be used to portray feelings of security and productivity. Furthermore, colour in architecture can be used to highlight and illuminate certain spaces. Filling a room with complementary colours can make a room feel bigger, while singlecolor rooms feel tight and compact, all things that influence our behaviour.
Culturally, architecture proves vital in preserving ideas, beliefs, and key moments throughout time. Examples include the Roman Colosseum, the Taj Mahal and the Christ Redeemer in Brazil, all standing as landmarks in history, each one preserving moments in time that will live on forever. These landmarks serve as points of worship or history for the millions that view them every year, as they continue to influence their respected locations. For example, the Roman colosseum stands the test of time by delivering an awe-inspiring look back into 70 AD action.
FIGURE 3: COLOUR THEORY CHART
In conclusion, many different influential factors are involved with architecture, from structure and form to colour and space. Each one is used to influence us in some way. I hope this article has enlightened you in the different ways architecture can be used to influence you and that it helps you to recognise these features while you are out and about.
Reference: The Psychological Impact of Architectural Design Natalie Ricci Claremont McKenna College
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3D PRINTING AKSHAR P (9CEP) Do you remember the time where you would have to go through the process of papier Mache to make something 3D, or cutting pieces of card and sticking them together to make a structure? Do you remember using clay to make a 3D shape? DO YOU WANT TO LEARN MORE? If you want to learn more about 3D Printing you can come to our STEAM lab on Thursday where we host a 3D printing club. Here you can learn how to use it, how to design a 3D model and how to fix common problems with 3D printing and with the 3D printer itself.
Perhaps we may not need to do this anymore! Perhaps we could just design something and at the push of a button it would magically become reality!
3D printing is a method of creating a three-dimensional object layer-by-layer using a computer created design.
HOW DOES 3D PRINTING WORK?
A 3D printer prints layers of plastic on top of each other and it prints each layer in a different shape according to what it is told. To use a 3D printer, you would need to design a 3D model and use a slicing software which turns your object into lots of tiny layers which the 3D printer can print. The slicing software will also tell the printer where to go, at what temperature to melt the plastic and how fast to move. The 3D Printer melts the plastic so it can be printed and so that when it dries, all the layers stick to each other forming a solid object.
FIGURE 1: A 3D PRINTER IN ACTION.
THE POWER OF 3D PRINTING IS NOW AT OUR FINGERTIPS.
FIGURE 2: AN IMAGE WHICH SHOWS A SLICING SOFTWARE WHICH MAKES YOUR MODEL 3D PRINTABLE.
WHAT WILL COME NEXT?
STEAM INTO THE FUTURE | A JOHN LYON SCHOOL MAGAZINE
Exploring and Colonising Mars M ADISAN N (9 AMG )
Mars is one of the closest planets to Earth. We have sent many rovers exploring its surface for many years collecting data, and seeing what potential life is out there. It was discovered that there was water on the surface of Mars in the past. Could there have been life on Mars? Is there the potential for humans to colonise Mars?
References: https://www.spacex.com/human-spaceflight/mars/ https://owlcation.com/stem/Humans-Colonizing-Mars
Why is Mars the best option to colonise?
it up. Its atmosphere is mainly CO2 with some nitrogen and argon and a few traces of other elements, which means that we can Mars is around 140 million miles away from grow plants on Mars just by compressing the Earth. Mars is one of Earth's closest habitable atmosphere. The Gravity on Mars is about neighbours. It takes 6 months currently to 38% of the gravity on Earth, so you would be get to there. Mars is about half as far from able to lift heavy things around. Also, the day the Sun as Earth is, so it still has sufficient length is very close to that of Earth, as a day sunlight. It is slightly colder, but we can warm on Mars is 24 hours and 37 minutes, whereas
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Can Humans make Mars habitable? Scientists are looking at whether we could transform Mars by creating greenhouse gases, which would increase the pressure of the atmosphere to a level that is perfect for humans. This is known as terraforming, however it is a concept that is only hypothetical. Will Humans ever colonise Mars? With the technology humans currently possess, it seems highly unlikely we will see humans colonising Mars in our lifetime, however we can be sure that there is potential for the first humans to land on Mars and set foot onto the surface of Mars in the far future.
What are the Challenges with Colonising Mars? Depending on the orientation of Earth and Mars at the time of take off, it can take three years or more to get to Mars, which is a considerable amount of time. If anything goes wrong during someone’s stay on Mars it can take up to 24 minutes to send information back to Earth and double this time for verbal messages. So, if there is a threat to life and immediate help is required, it would not be possible,
as Earth will receive the information after the catastrophe. There is also a lack of protective magnetic field, which diverts dangerous solar particles and cosmic rays to the poles, which the Earth has. In fact, Mars did have a magnetic field, however it lost it over 3.7 billion years ago, due to multiple asteroid attacks to the planet. The atmospheric pressure on Earth is 14.69 psi, however on Mars it is 0.0857 psi. Humans cannot survive in these low atmospheric conditions. STEAM INTO THE FUTURE | A JOHN LYON SCHOOL MAGAZINE
FROM HUBBLE TO JAMES WEBB: HOW THE TRANSFORMATION OF SPACE TELESCOPE TECHNOLOGY IS PROGRESSING SPACE SCIENCE A MEYA
(8 SRP ) & ALEXANDER F (9 AMG ) B
I
n this article, we explore the differences between two great space telescopes of our age, namely the three-decade old Hubble Space Telescope and the recently launched successor to the Hubble called the James Webb Telescope. We will highlight their capabilities and explain how the Hubble has expanded our understanding of the Universe and how the James Webb will further expand our knowledge about the origins of our Universe. Space telescopes explained Before the Hubble was launched into space in the 1990s, all telescopes were Earth bound. Such instruments suffer from optical interference caused by the turbulence in the Earth’s atmosphere, the effect of which can reduce the optical sharpness of images and limit the ability to capture detailed images. That is why most research-class, groundbased telescopes are located high up on top of mountains where the atmosphere is thinner, causing less turbulence. NASA designed and launched Hubble, the first low Earth orbit telescope to float outside the Earth’s atmosphere to capture high resolution images with relatively modest optics when compared to much larger, ground-based telescopes.
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In addition, because Hubble is in orbit, the whole notion of observing either the northern or southern hemispheres of space is no longer relevant, as from its vantage point in space, it can be pointed in virtually any direction to make observations. At the time of launch in the 1990s, Hubble was taken into space by the American Space Shuttle. On December 25th 2021, more than thirty years
later, the James Webb Telescope was launched into space by the European Ariane space rocket. Limitations in technology in the 90s meant that the entire Hubble telescope had to fit inside the cargo bay of the Shuttle, therefore limiting its size. Thirty years later, technology has enabled us to fit a tennis court sized instrument into a rocket, which can autonomously unfurl itself after launch and expand to full size!
The Hubble Named after Edwin Hubble, an American astronomer who pioneered the observation and identification of extra galactic objects, the Hubble Space Telescope is primarily a visible light instrument, with some limited capabilities to make observations in the ultraviolet and infrared parts of the electromagnetic spectrum. In comparison, the James Webb is a dedicated infrared instrument. This is illustrated in the following image.
Source BBC Article (NASA) - James Webb: A $10bn machine in search of the end of darkness - BBC News
STEAM INTO THE FUTURE | A JOHN LYON SCHOOL MAGAZINE
The Pillars of Creation These pillars of dust were observed by Hubble in the Eagle Nebula within the constellation of Serpens some 7000 light years away from Earth. These pillars of dust are where new stars are being born, hence the image’s name. The pillars are primarily composed of hydrogen gas, the main fuel for stars, critical to the process of starting nuclear fusion in the core of stars as dust and gas collapse under the influence of gravity to form a stable star. The Hubble Deep Field This image of the Hubble deep field was taken in 1995. It was subsequently followed up some years later by the Hubble ultradeep field and the Hubble extreme deep field images. The original deep field was taken by Hubble by pointing the telescope at a seemingly empty, small patch of space and taking a ten-day exposure. Each point of light in this image is a unique and individual galaxy.
The light from some of these objects go back many billions of years, giving humanity a glimpse of the early Universe. An interesting fact about the Hubble When Hubble was built, its primary mirror contained a defect, which was only detected after launch. When scientists saw first light, the image was completely blurred. Luckily for them, the Hubble is in low Earth orbit, which meant they were able to rectify the problem through a service mission, which added corrective optics to the Hubble to bring light into sharp focus. Furthermore, over the years the Hubble has received other repairs, namely to its attitude control system* which works through the use of gyroscopes, which over the years have failed. Shuttle missions have been launched in the past to replace defective gyros and prolong the useful lifetime of the telescope. * (For those of you not so familiar with space technology, Attitude control is the process of controlling the orientation of an aerospace vehicle with respect to an inertial frame of reference or another entity).
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What is the James Webb space telescope? The James Webb telescope is the world’s largest and the most advanced telescope ever built. It was launched into space 1.5 million km above the Earth (more than 3 times the distance from the Earth to the moon) on December 25th, 2021. Weighing over 7 tonnes, it was constructed at the cost of $10 billion USD. It was originally conceived in 1989 as the next generation telescope to replace Hubble, but took 10 years to design and another 20 years to build. It has been designed to throw a light on the moment that the Universe was formed and stars were created. The telescope was named after James Webb who was in charge of NASA in the 1960s during the space race between the Americans and the Russians. The James Webb telescope has a tennis court sized sunshield which provides the telescope with five layers of protection blocking sunlight and any heat in order to keep it at a cool and steady temperature. This is important because the telescope uses infrared waves. The James Webb telescope has a longer wavelength coverage and better sensitivity then Hubble, allowing it to see things that Hubble and other telescopes can’t.
STEAM INTO THE FUTURE | A JOHN LYON SCHOOL MAGAZINE
Why was it built? Some of the mission objectives include determining how galaxies change after their formation, observing star formation, measuring the physical and chemical properties of planets, and investigating potential life on other planets. The James Webb telescope will also be looking 13.5 billion years into the past to try and find out more about the Big Bang. It will do this by capturing the light waves from that time, because the light waves that were emitted at that time are still traveling through space.
The challenges that faced the James Webb Telescope launch team It was an enormous challenge to deliver the James Webb Space Telescope. Not only does it weigh 7 tons but in order to deliver it to its final destination, a million miles from Earth, only the Ariane 5 rocket was powerful enough to lift such an impressively heavy load. Even before the launch, the James Webb Space Telescope had to survive a long and perilous journey packed into a huge protective container called STTARS (Space Telescope Transporter for Air, Road and Sea). STTARS weighs is 110 feet long, 18 feet high and weights nearly 8000 kg. It has its own heating, ventilation and air conditioning system to control the temperature and humidity inside the container.
It is accompanied by trailers with pressurised canisters to supply clean, dry air in order to prevent contamination of its precious cargo. From its birthplace in California, the James Webb Space Telescope was carefully packed into STTARS and began its journey to the launch pad by road. Potholes along the road had to be filled and traffic lights had to be lifted in order to accommodate STARRS which carried its precious cargo along at the speed of 5 to 10 miles per hour. At the Naval Weapons Station, STTARS was loaded onto a cargo transport ship that set sail for French Guiana to the home of the European Space Agency’s Primary Launch site. It meant that this 5,800-mile sea voyage for the telescope was further complicated by having to squeeze through the Panama Canal to Port de Pariacabo in French Guiana. From here, it had to travel again by road to the launch site. While the Arianne 5 rocket is very stable, no launch is ever completely without risk and therefore, it was a nervous moment for all scientists involved leading up to the launch and safe deployment of the James Webb Space Telescope.
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A QUICK COMPARISON TELESCOPES
OF THE
HUBBLE
AND
JAMES WEBB
James Webb Telescope
Hubble Telescope
The James Webb Telescope was launched in December 2021, and is designed to see things 10-100 times fainter than Hubble.
Hubble was launched in April 1990.The telescope has captured staggeringly beautiful images over the last 30 years enhancing our view of the Universe.
Sees in Infra-red
Sees in visible light
Primary mirror is significantly larger at approximately 6.5 m in diameter giving Webb around 6.25 times more collecting area.
Hubble’s mirror is a much smaller at 2.4 m in diameter and its corresponding light collecting area is 4.5 m.
James Webb has hexagonal segmented mirrors giving larger collecting area for light.
Hubble has a single mirror for collecting light.
An interesting fact about the James Webb The James Webb is located in a parking orbit known as a Lagrange point. There are five, main Lagrange points around planet Earth. These are locations in space where gravitational forces between the sun, Earth and Earth’s Moon cancel each other out and form a stable point in space where satellites can be parked and not drift off. Out of the five Lagrange points available, the one called L2 is the best location for most objects including the James Webb Telescope to park themselves in. This is because it is the most stable Lagrange point, requiring very little onboard fuel to maintain the James Webb telescope’s position. This in turn extends the useful lifetime of the telescope. It is also far enough from Earth to obtain a clear view of the universe, but close enough to easily communicate with scientists on Earth. Conclusion While we have learnt a great deal from images captured by the Hubble telescope, we are opening a brand new chapter in space research. The James Webb Space Telescope, a collaboration between NASA, the European Space Agency and the Canadian Space Agency, has been through a long and tricky journey to get it off the ground and into space, a journey that has been full of delays but one crowned with a dramatic and hugely successful launch. It is now in place having unfurled its gold pated mirrors and is getting ready to look into the depths of space to the beginning of the early Universe. We can’t wait to see what it unveils. REFERENCES: NASA, HOW IT WORKS (MAGAZINE), JAMES WEBB: A $10BN MACHINE IN SEARCH OF THE END OF DARKNESS - BBC NEWS STEAM INTO THE FUTURE | A JOHN LYON SCHOOL MAGAZINE
HYDROGEN FUEL CELL CARS KRISH S (9CEP)
F
uel cars are the past. Electric cars are the present. Hydrogen cars are the future. While electric cars are more ecofriendly than regular petrol cars, unless you are getting energy directly from a renewable source like solar or wind, they still have a negative effect on the environment. Hydrogen cars are currently very expensive to own and take many years to actually break even or profit from. Over this long period of time a lot of older electric cars may stop working due to their battery life reducing. The History of Hydrogen Powered Cars The concept of a hydrogen car was first invented in 1839 by Sir William Grove, a Welsh physicist. Nevertheless, it would take more than a century before the hydrogen fuel cell had its first notable commercial application. It was used in the powering of NASA’s Gemini spacecraft in the early 1960s.
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The first road vehicle to use a hydrogen fuel cell was named the Chevrolet Electrovan. It was launched in 1966 by General Motors and boasted a range of close to 200km, and a top speed of 112km/ hour. Hydrogen was primarily used as a fuel source for Space Shuttles in the 1980s and 1990s, but by 2001, the first 700 Bar (10000 PSI) hydrogen tanks came into play. These have been a game changer as the
technology could also be used in vehicles and extend the driving range on one fuel cell. Honda's FCX Clarity, launched in 2008, was the first commercially available hydrogen fuel cell vehicle, initially limited to customers in Japan and California via a leasing agreement.
FIGURE 1: EXAMPLES OF HYDROGEN CARS IN DEVELOPMENT AND PRODUCTION – HYUNDAI, BMW, TOYOTA & HONDA
Currently, BMW are making their own hydrogen cars which you can buy and own today. Other companies like Hyundai and Toyota are currently developing hydrogen fuel cells.
hydrogen and oxygen react after passing through negative and positive electrodes to produce electricity and water as a waste emission.
How Do Fuel Cell Cars Work? A fuel cell is effectively like a mini power plant that makes electricity through a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen. The fuel tanks are refilled with hydrogen at fuelling stations. Hydrogen is passed through the fuel cell and mixed with air. The
FIGURE 2: BASIC MEHCANICS OF A FUELL CELL CAR
STEAM INTO THE FUTURE | A JOHN LYON SCHOOL MAGAZINE
Hydrogen is easily available: hydrogen is a basic earth element and it’s very abundant across the planet. However, it takes a huge amount of time to chemically separate hydrogen gas from other substances. Despite this the pure hydrogen fuel produces a powerful clean energy source. High energy improves productivity: Hydrogen fuel cells hold a concentrated amount of hydrogen as chemical energy. These hydrogen fuel cells have already been used to power shuttles in space. Hydrogen as a fuel doesn’t produce harmful emissions: When hydrogen is burned, it doesn’t emit harmful substances. Essentially, it reacts with oxygen without burning and the energy it releases can be used to generate the electricity used to drive an electric motor. It emits very little water, if any, as a biproduct, which is completely natural and harmless to the environment. Hydrogen cars do not generate carbon dioxide when burnt, unlike other conventional power sources. In comparison, normal fuel cars emit toxic greenhouse gases. Hydrogen is fuel-efficient: Compared to diesel or gas, hydrogen is much more fuel-efficient as it can produce more energy per litre of fuel. This means that if a car is fuelled with hydrogen, it can go further than a vehicle loaded with the same amount of fuel from a more traditional source of energy. Hydrogen is renewable: Hydrogen can be produced continuously, unlike other non-renewable sources of energy. In theory with the right technology, hydrogen energy could be produced on demand in the future. Hydrogen as a natural resource is unlimited on our planet in the air and water around us. Chemical processes are used to break the water molecules, so the hydrogen gets separated from oxygen. The possibilities are endless with the more widely available technology in the future.
HYDROGEN FUEL STATIONS OF THE FUTURE?
The Disadvantages of Hydrogen as a Fuel Use of fossil fuels in production: While it is true that hydrogen cars are carbon neutral when being driven, the current production of them is not. The battery manufacture especially, consumes almost as much energy as the car would save, compared to a regular car. Storage and transportation: Hydrogen can be stored as either a gas in high-pressure tanks or as a liquid at cryogenic temperatures, but it must be in the gas form to be used for fuel cells. Both methods of hydrogen storage involve a high energy usage. If hydrogen gas escapes containment, it can corrode metals. Hydrogen atoms have the ability to spread through metals through diffusion, and this, in turn, can make these contaminated metals brittle and prone to breaking. It is not easy to replace the existing infrastructure: Petroleum fuels are still being widely used to this day. At the moment, there just isn’t any substantial infrastructure that can support hydrogen as a practical fuel source. It is hugely expensive to even think about replacing petroleum in normal society. In addition, there is the added cost of cars being refitted in order to accommodate hydrogen as a fuel source. Hydrogen is highly flammable: Since it is a very powerful source of fuel, hydrogen is also very flammable and potentially dangerous. In fact, it is on the news frequently highlighting its many risks. Hydrogen gas burns in air at very high concentrations.
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One of the main reasons we don’t have hydrogen cars is because of their safety issues. The two prime dangers from fuel cell and hydrogenpowered vehicles are the danger of electrical shock and the flammability of the fuel. If the car’s structure is not impact resistant the car could explode in the event of a car crash. Another issue is that hydrogen doesn't occur naturally as a single element, it has to be extracted, then compressed into fuel tanks. It then has to mix with oxygen in a fuel cell stack to create electricity to power the car's motors. Whilst we have the science to make this happen, it is not advanced enough yet to make this a mainstream product available to all.
I believe that one day in the foreseeable future we could start to see more and more car manufacturers championing hydrogen cars as the technology improves. However, it will take many years to fully convert to hydrogen. There are also many issues to consider regarding the disposal of the traditional used car batteries when hydrogen replaces them. We also have to consider how we will introduce hydrogen to some of the poorer but quickly developing countries, given the
infrastructure cost. Needless to say, if car companies, consumers and governments play their cards right, hydrogen powered cars could be the biggest contributor to reducing greenhouse gas emissions across the planet. References https://greengarageblog.org/11-big-advantages-anddisadvantages-of-hydrogen-fuel-cells https://www.carsguide.com.au/oversteer/tech-throughtime-hydrogen-fuel-cell-59905#:~:text=The%20concept% 20of%20a%20fuel,William%20Grove%2C%20a%20Welsh% 20physicist.&text=Honda's%20FCX%20Clarity%2C% 20launched%20in,and%20California%20via%20leasing% 20agreement. https://www.fluxpower.com/blog/hydrogen-fuel-celladvantages-and-disadvantages-in-material-handling https://discover.bmw.co.uk/article/step-inside-the-newbmw-ix5-hydrogen#:~:text=The%20BMW%20iX5% 20Hydrogen%20combines,vapour%20as%20the%20only% 20emission. https://www.greencarfuture.com/hydrogen/history-ofhydrogen-cars https://www.carsguide.com.au/car-advice/the-history-ofhydrogen-fuel-cell-cars-85330
Did You Know? Hydrogen is the simplest and most abundant element in the Universe. Hydrogen has very high energy content by mass. The first fuel cell was the “gas battery” made in 1839 by Sir William Grove. Unlike batteries, fuel cells never die. As long as there is a flow of fuel, power is produced in theory indefinitely. Fuel cells are quieter than conventional batteries because they include no moving parts. The three by-products of the reaction between hydrogen and oxygen are water vapour, heat and electricity. All three are useful and non-toxic! NASA uses fuel cells to power the shuttle electrical systems. Fuel cells do not involve combustion, so they have no toxic emissions. Astronauts drink the “waste” by-product of water emitted from fuel cells. The first hydrogen fuel cell car was the 1966 GM Electrovan.
https://dps.mn.gov/divisions/sfm/programs-services/ Documents/Responder%20Safety/Alternative%20Fuels/ FuelCellHydrogenFuelVehicleSafety.pdf https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/features/hydrogencars-explained-technology-targeting-fuel-cellfuture#:~:text=Hydrogen%20flows%20through%20the% 20cathode,proton%20exchange%20membrane%20(PEM). https://www.energy.gov/eere/articles/5-fast-facts-abouthydrogen-and-fuel-cells https://kids.kiddle.co/Hydrogen_car https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/10-interesting-factshydrogen-fuel-cells-mohiuddin-mahin https://www.rpi.edu/dept/eng/otherweb/FCHRL/ index9b60.html https://blog.4wheelonline.com/2014/11/24/hydrogen-fuelcell-vehicles-push-overtake-electric/ https://auto.howstuffworks.com/fuel-efficiency/alternativefuels/hydrogen-destroy-metal.htm
STEAM INTO THE FUTURE | A JOHN LYON SCHOOL MAGAZINE
IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE R ACHEITH
R
(9 EKM )
C
limate change puts a child's ability to survive, grow, and thrive in jeopardy. Extreme weather events like cyclones and heatwaves are becoming more often and ferocious, putting children's lives at risk and destroying infrastructure vital to their well-being. Floods wreak havoc on water and sanitation systems, resulting in illnesses like cholera, which children are particularly susceptible to. Children are the least to blame for climate change, but they will face the worst of its consequences. Countering climate change is not a job for one country. It needs to be cross country and has to be well coordinated. At a broad level, the impacts of climate change need to be considered across two categories 1) Essentials required for the current generation 2) Resources required for future generations.
Across these categories, in my view, the following six areas need to be addressed: 1. Biodiversity and Conservation 2. Clean Air 3. Healthy Ocean 4. Water Security 5. Weather and disaster resilience 6. Food and Agriculture
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Brief History Droughts and shifting global rainfall patterns are causing crop failures and rising food costs, resulting in food insecurity and nutritional deprivation for the poor, which can have long-term consequences. These have the potential to devastate livelihoods, fuel migration and conflict, and limit possibilities for children and young people. Children are the most vulnerable to illnesses like malaria and dengue fever, which will spread because of climate change. Children under the age of five bear about 90 percent of the illness burden caused by climate change. Impacts
keep global warming below 1.5 degrees Celsius – the point at which the worst effects of climate change may be avoided – carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere would have to be reduced by 45 percent by 2030. We are the first generation of children to grow up in a world that has become significantly more hazardous and uncertain because of climate change and environmental degradation. It is critical to address climate change and mitigate its effects to preserve and fulfil the rights of the world's children.
The evidence supporting climate change and air pollution's impact on children is strong and expanding, but time is running out. We have fewer than 11 years, according to the latest study from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), to make the required changes to prevent the worst effects of climate change. To
STEAM INTO THE FUTURE | A JOHN LYON SCHOOL MAGAZINE
Detect early crop diseases and issues My invention is an AI augmented integrated soil and plant sensor which will detect any shortfall in nutrition and also help to provide timed nutrition to livestock, and generally to optimise agricultural inputs and returns based on supply and demand. This promises to increase the resource efficiency of the agriculture industry, lowering the use of water, fertilisers and pesticides which cause damage to important ecosystems, and increase resilience to climate extremes. FIGURE1: FOOD VALUE CHAIN, REF: HTTPS://WWW.MDPI.COM/2071-1050/13/9/4883/HTM
My idea to counter climate change I would like to focus on one area that in my view is most critical for future generations SMART AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SYSTEMS. I propose building an Artificial Intelligence (AI) augmented Technology of Agriculture Robotics and Integrated Soil plant sensors Build autonomous farming and end to end food chain My solution is an agricultural robot that drives itself through the field, distinguishes weeds from crops, and eliminates weeds. The robot, guided by artificial intelligence, operates an inhouse built removal system that targets weed plants while avoiding harm to crop plants. Later, the robot is anticipated to identify pests and illnesses, nutritional deficiencies, development stage, weather-related damage, and other information that might bring value to users, either directly or through third-party sources.
In summary, between the two inventions that I have proposed, food wastage is reduced, water usage is reduced, quality of agricultural produce is better and the use of pesticides is limited. All these directly and indirectly have an impact on slowing down the rate of climate change.
References https://www.unicef.org/environment-and-climatechange https://www.mcmdo.org/climate-change-andenvironmental-protection/
10 Interesting facts about Einstein
1. Einstein is widely accepted to be one of the greatest physicists of all time. 2. His mass-energy equivalence formula E mc2, which from relative theory, is often called “the world’s most famous equation”. 3. Strangely he didn’t speak until he was 4 yrs. This is thought to be because he was practising in his mind before he spoke. 4. He was very good at maths, and he started teaching himself high level maths. 5. He worked in the patent office, writing papers, and making discoveries that he would publish. 6. He became a professor and was soon famous around the world and a highly sought-after speaker. 7. In 1921 he received the Nobel prize in physics. 8. He used his prize money to pay for the divorce of his 1st wife. 9. In 1933, the FBI began spying on Albert Einstein, shortly before his third trip to the U.S. The FBI’s file on Einstein grew into 1,427 pages of documents focused on his lifelong association with pacifist and socialist organisations. 10. After his death his brain and eyes were removed by Thomas Harvey who did the autopsy and kept the brain with him and gave the eyes to his eye doctor Henry Abrams.
References: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Albert_Einstein https://www.theguardian.com/ books/2021/sep/21/albert-einstein -handwritten-
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ALBERT EINSTEIN DYLAN R (7MLT)
Life history Albert Einstein (14 March 1879 – 18 April 1955) was born in Germany to a Jewish family. At age 12 he started teaching himself calculus and started thinking that nature could be explained as a mathematical structure. From a young age Albert Einstein did not like to be just a German, He would rather be a global citizen. When he was 16, he gave up his German citizenship and was officially stateless until he became a Swiss citizen in 1901. He also became a citizen of a few other countries including the USA where he passed away at the age of 76. While Einstein is best known for developing the theory of relativity, he also made important contributions to the development of the theory of quantum mechanics. He was interested in physics too and the type of science focusing on matter and energy. Einstein married Mileva Maric (1903-1919). She was Serbian. She was his wife during his most creative years. She was a physicist. Mileva passed away in 1948 in Switzerland. Einstein’s second marriage was in 1919, His second wife was Elsa who was in fact his cousin. She died in 1936. Einstein had 3 children. Einstein was a strong supporter of human rights and no censorship. When W.E.B. Du Bois (a civil rights activist and historian) was charged in 1951 as an unregistered agent for a foreign country, Einstein came forward to stand as a witness in the court. Once the judge was informed of this, the judge dismissed the case. SOME EXPLANATION OF EINSTEIN’S THEORY Einstein’s mass–energy equivalence formula E = mc2, which arises from relativity theory, has been widely accepted and is more famous than most other equations. In this formula ‘E’ is energy, ‘m’ is mass, and ‘c’ is the constant speed of light. It is easy to understand that energy and mass are related. So, any change in energy reflects change in mass. This concept became important in developing nuclear energy and the nuclear bomb. Here is an example to explain relativity. Imagine three people on an open top bus kicking a size 3 football. The bus is traveling at around 6 m/s south. The ball appears to the players to move south at a speed of around 1 m/s. Now imagine someone standing by the side of the road watching the game. When the ball is traveling south it will appear to travel at 7 m/s (6m/s plus 1m/s). When the ball is hit in the other direction, it still appears to travel south, but at a speed of 5 m/s (6 m/s minus the 1 m/s). To the person by the roadside, the ball always appears to be
traveling south. The speed will be different for the people on the bus than for the person on the road. Time dilation How you experience events in time and space depends on two important things. Where you are and your speed. Imagine you are in Dorset (southern England) and walking towards the cliff in Lulworth Cove. You are facing the sea with nothing else in front of you, when you feel a sudden gust of wind. Your friend felt the gust and decided to walk away. You and your friend are at the same point, but your friend is walking in the opposite direction. The gust brings a huge wave and it splashes on you first and on your friend later due to his relative position. Length Contraction Another interesting result of special relativity is length contraction. Here is an example of how objects moving very fast appear shorter. Imagine a 500 m long cargo train going past you on one side of the platform and on the other side of the platform a speed passenger train going at 6 times the speed of the cargo train but of the same length. Because of the higher speed the train appears shorter to the person on the platform. This effect only occurs as objects reach very high speeds. Another invention by Albert Einstein is general relativity which explains how gravity works. Einstein’s theory of relativity is that very large objects like the Moon or Earth bend space and the space pressing down on us is gravity. In our solar system the Sun causes the stretchy space to curve causing the Earth to rotate around the Sun. Just like the space can be curvy so can time. Time and space are relative because they depend on things like mass and objects around them. Explaining this with an example, let’s imagine a trampoline. The heavier a person is, the more they sink in. The trampoline represents space and time and the person represents the Sun. Just like the person sinking and bending the trampoline, the Sun’s mass causes space and time to bend. Einstein said, when one needs to describe where they are, they should explain in four dimensions, not just in three. Length, width, and height – but also in time. Time is the 4th dimension so to know where you are you must know what time it is. Your complete answer should be, “I am sitting near the pier at Lands end, it is 31st of January 2022 at 6pm on my watch.” This 4-dimensional detail as per Einstein is called an event.
STEAM INTO THE FUTURE | A JOHN LYON SCHOOL MAGAZINE
Fantastic Forensics SOFIA A (7AJM)
Wow! Also known as criminalistics, forensic science is the use of science in civil and criminal laws. One inspects evidence that could possibly be presented in a court of law. Forensic science encompasses various disciplines including wildlife forensics, DNA and fingerprint analysis and anthropology. Forensic Failures Forensic science is applied to resolve many problems and questions. For instance, it has been used to convict criminals and even to trace where your food comes from! However, it is possible for forensic science to give incorrect outcomes. In 2009 the National Academy of Sciences published a major report showing that forensic science evidence is not always based on scientific studies. Additionally, in 2018, the UCL Centre for Forensic Sciences found that 22 percent of cases at the Court of Appeal have possibly been misinterpreted. This, unfortunately, means that forensic science failures often lead to innocent people being wrongly convicted and the true culprits escaping.
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Why is this? Numerous professors are looking into how, when, and why it is that when traces transfer, someone’s DNA may be found on a knife they have never laid their hands on, and how one may have traces of gunshot residue on their jackets despite them having never fired a gun. It has been found that forensic science is in a state of emergency, presenting a possible threat to trust felt toward the criminal justice system. Benefits However, forensic science does have several benefits and advantages: it confirms eyewitness testimonies, provides details of the crime, and has a wideranging spectrum of applications which provide investigators with a better insight into the crime. Whilst forensic science can be quite disastrous, it can also certainly be effective and proficient.
STEAM INTO THE FUTURE | A JOHN LYON SCHOOL MAGAZINE
STEAM AT JOHN LYON Y UV D &
OLIVER S
(9 CEP )
STEAM was introduced at John Lyon in 2017. Since then it has developed a great deal and made an immense impact to pupils’ school life. From September 2022, The John Lyon School will be offering Design & Technology as a GCSE option.
Let’s take a look at our pupils’ perspectives of STEAM. We have asked a few people and here are their responses:
“I believe that STEAM is a great
This term Year 7s have swapped groups so all Year 7s have now had a chance to try out the VEX robot kids, and work on building and design challenges. Some examples of their work are shown below.
subject to get into as it encompasses many subjects (case in point - STEAM stands for Science , Technology , Engineering , Art, and Maths) and is a great way of teaching them. The projects are interesting, and STEAM is the most practical of all subjects.” ~ Michael K (8EJG)
“I think STEAM in John Lyon has been outstanding. Not only do we have a variety of extra-curricular activities centred around STEAM, but we also have our very own STEAM Laboratory and STEAM Makerspace. There are opportunities to get involved with STEAM in all the year groups, and the Sixth Form is no exception. Extracurricular activities range from the STEAM magazine club to the Robotics club, Laser Cutting club, 3D printing club and the Crest club. There are a variety of options and opportunities for students to get involved with STEAM. I have always been involved with STEAM, particularly with my CREST award. I have achieved both my Bronze and Silver CREST awards and now I am working towards my Gold. I completed my Silver award in robotics. I am delighted I had the opportunity to use the VEX robotics kit because VEX robotics has since been a huge success at our school. We have a VEX robotics club, a VEX robot training space and students have built robots that can be used for VEX competitions” ~Varun V (L6JCC)
A PHOTO OF ONE OF THE WINNING GROUPS IN THE YEAR 7 CARDBOARD BOAT CHALLENGE.
SKETCHUP MODELS CREATED BY RAJVEER DHUNNA 7JOC (HOUSE) AND ABISHA VIPULANANTHAN 7JOC (SHIP).
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Year 9 pupils have been coming up with innovative solutions to messy desks, using 3D software, cardboard modelling and laser cutters. The brief was “Make a new and innovative solution for desk organisation.” Some ideas included a folder holder and a tiger desk organiser. We have had to use cardboard to build a model in which we get the measurements to make a wood model that we can take home. Furthermore, anyone seeking to be enlightened via STEAM has the opportunity to continue their studies in STEAM club. This allows people to do all of the above, whether it's creating your own threedimensional model or laser cutting wood which will be transformed into something innovative. You can even practice engineering skills, including cardboard cutting and soldering circuit boards. Students have also started to prosper and establish many great achievements from STEAM. For example, our robotics team has recently triumphed at a VEX robotics competition, winning their way into nationals. We interviewed one of the main members, who was delighted to give us a response: “ The new John Lyon Robotics provision is a great addition to the department. It really teaches you different skills. To be frank, I didn’t know anything about VEX when I first started, but I decided to put in the hours and learn how each part functions and be creative as you have to make a robot from scratch with no instructions. The team and I believe we made the best decision joining and starting off competitive robotics at John Lyon. It is amazing how far we have come. “ ~ Hemang K (9CEP)
In conclusion, the STEAM department is an exciting place to be. Come and get involved in one of the many activities and try something new. Thank you for reading, and full steam ahead!
STEAM INTO THE FUTURE | A JOHN LYON SCHOOL MAGAZINE
Is it a climate change? A LY A (7MLT) Do we live in the era of climate change? Since the industrial revolution, 200 years ago, humans have been burning fossil fuels without limitation. This resulted in an increase of CO2 from 250 to 450 parts per million in the atmosphere. CO2 acts like a blanket that traps the Sun’s heat and prevents its escape back to space. This resulted in a dramatic increase in sea temperature which led to more hurricanes, tornados, floods, and thunderstorms worldwide. The news of droughts, desertification, and mass extinction of many species, such as the coral reefs that are dying in every corner of the globe, are becoming commonplace. Forest fires are becoming a daily event globally. Glaciers are melting everywhere. Whilst they are a source of drinking and irrigation water for billions of people in every continent, they are melting too fast and chunks of them just fall into the ocean without us benefiting from the water they could provide. Many of the glaciers may disappear completely by the end of this decade. In the UK, floods are becoming more frequent and more intense and the risk of the failure of the Thames barrier is becoming a pressing nightmare for many Londoners who live near the Thames River basin. If this nightmare materialises, the damages and loses will exceed 4 trillion pounds.
Southern coastal areas of the UK, where the tide is the highest in the world. Likewise, it is possible to harvest massive energy from the winds at the west coast and Scotland where strong winds are Environmentalists say that the first thing we should abundant. Other scientists believe that in the UK, we should encourage people to use solar panels on do is keeping all the untapped resources of fossil their roofs with financial support from the fuels in the ground. They also say that we should government, which can be in the form of invest heavily in renewable energy sources. For eliminating VAT on our solar panels. example, we could invest in tidal energy in the
Now the question is, can we do anything to avoid this nightmare becoming a reality?
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ALL THE DIFFERENT NATURAL DISASTERS References: Geographic, N., 2016. Science encyclopedia - atom smashing, food chemistry, animals, space, and more!. 1st ed. Washington D.C.: National Geographic, pp.148, 217, 280-282. Woodford, C. and Parker, S., 2014. Science: A Children's Encyclopedia. 1st ed. London: Dorling Kindersley Limited, pp.193. Kindersley Limited, D., 2016. DK children's illustrated encyclopedia. 8th ed. London: Dorling Kindersley, p.124.
Now I shall tell you the answer I have in my mind to the question that I started off with which was: “Is it a climate change?” Honestly, the short answer I have is that it is not a climate change anymore. It is a climate crisis and on the verge of being a universal catastrophe that may lead to the destruction of the planet we love and the only home we know as human beings. I believe that we all must act now as we don’t have Planet B..
STEAM INTO THE FUTURE | A JOHN LYON SCHOOL MAGAZINE
HERE IS A WORDSEARCH AND SOME SUDOKU FOR YOU TO TRY
ARCHITECTURE
SPACE
TELESCOPE
STAR
CLIMATE
MARS
COUNTRY
VEX
STEAM
SUN
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1. Dorrit Hoffleit updated the Yale Bright Star Catalogue in 1982 by counting the number of visible stars in the sky with the naked eye – 9,096. 2. The laws of Physics didn’t apply to the very first moments of time (during the Big Bang).
3. Tardigrades otherwise known as Moss piglets or Water bears can survive outer space and a temperature of -272°C which is one degree above absolute zero (the lowest feasible temperature at which atoms stop moving).
10 FUN FACTS ABOUT SPACE ALEXANDER F (9AMG)
-100 Things to Know About Space Written by Alex Frith, Alice Jones & Jerome Martin Illustrated by Federico Mariani & Shaw Nielsen
4. The toilets in the ISS cost £12 million. 5. On the moon there are 100 2-dollar bills, 1 pair of gloves, 1 feather, 1 statue, 1 family photo, 12 pairs of space boots, 3 helmets, 3 moon vehicles, 1 watch strap, 12 cameras, 2 golf balls, 1 golden olive branch, 100 bags of human waste (including vomit) among other things. 6. Astronauts drink the same water again and again and again. This is because all of the water in the air, all the sweat and all the urine is filtered to be drank again. 7. The Milky Way will crash into the Andromeda galaxy in 4 billion years forming Milkdromeda. 8. In 90 seconds of being in space there will be enough bubbles in your blood stream to stop it from flowing. 9. The noise from the Bug Bang was first mistaken for pigeon poo from pigeons nesting in a radio telescope. 10. When Opportunity landed on Mars it bounced 12 metres into the air before bouncing around 20 times before coming to a standstill and releasing its airbags.
STEAM INTO THE FUTURE | A JOHN LYON SCHOOL MAGAZINE
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