Today's weather is 275.8 Kelvin!

Good afternoon to you all!

Today's weather is a mild 275.8 Kelvin.  Is that cold or warm????   It is also 2.8 degrees Celsius and/or 37 degrees Farenheit.  So, it's warmer than it was yesterday, but get ready.... tomorrow should be around 269.1 Kelvin, -3.9 degrees celsius or 25 degrees fahrenheit!  Whew!

For Students:
Did you know how to do the above conversions??  Can you go from fahrenheit to celsius to Kelvin scale??  In case you forgot, the formulas (which need to be memorized) are:

Celsius = 5/9 (F - 32)

Fahrenheit = (9/5xC) + 32

Kelvin = 273 + celsius

Remember that fahrenheit and celsius are given in degrees, but Kelvin is given in Kelvins.

This is the Bohr model of an atom.  We will discuss in the next few days why this model isn't correct, but why we use it anyway.  We will also learn what an atom really looks like.  Also, we will discuss the different fundamental particles in the atom.  These are the three smallest particles that exist on their own.  First, is the proton, which gets a positive charge (+1) and exists inside the nucleus of the atom.  Second, is the nuetron, which gets no charge (nuetral) and also exists in the nucleus.  Orbiting around the nucleus are electrons, which get a negative charge (-1).  These electrons are not actually tiny flying particles, flying randomly around the nucleus.  Electrons are actually waves inside an atom and they radiate away from the nucleus in discrete, fundamental places.  If you could see electrons in an atom, they would be fuzzy clouds, not flying particles!



For Parents:

How much do you know about atoms? When I was first taught about atomic structure, I was taught the basic model of particle electrons flying in circular orbits around the nucleus.  Science is always changing, and we now know so much more about what atoms really look like.  We even know that protons and nuetrons can be broken down into even smaller particles!  The field of science is never considered "finished".  It is always being re-written and revised as we discover new and exciting things.  It is the most fascinating subject to teach!