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Home My WebLink AboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1985-04-03, Page 121 Robertson displays Science Fair t BY TODD MOWATT Children are using the advancements in technology to develop more and more sophisticated science projects. The com- puter age has taken over and during the past few years, ordinary school kids have in- vented projects that have left us in awe. Last year, Shawn Currie, a grade seven student at Robertson Public -School went to the Canada -wide science fair in Halifax. He took a video tape of his hampster showing Operant conditioning o-ehniques. This year, in grade 1, Shawn has mov- s ed from hampsters t •sting the different joy sticks one can use on the Commodore 64 computer. After qualifying in his school competition, he is one of eight students to go on to compete in the county -wide competi- tion in Holmesville on`'I'uesday. To complete his study, Shawn conducts 340- experiments consisting of maze drills. He plays several video games and charts the joy sticks' performance. He then totals up the results and comes out with a percen- tage for each of the controls. He tests five joy, sticks ranging in price from $20 to $30. Shawes experiments conclude the. Atari joy stick is the best, with a 73. per cent average. This statistic ' is made up from rapid fire and horizontal movement data. Shawn uses his. computer to monitor and chart the joy sticks' performances. The second best joystick is the Wico coni- mand control. Ting for third are Tiger Vi- sion and Kraft, fourth is the Gemini and fifth is the Boss. These joysticks are rated in this order according to Shawn's experiment. The Reverse Electroplating process is . done by Paul Steep, a grade eight student at Robertson Public School who also competed in the county -wide competition. Paul finds out if home-made equipment could take .'plating,.Aff.,.of nori ial everyday items. He collects a lead plate, a non -conducting tank (fish tank), and a six volt battery. He then puts one part muriatic acid into. ten parts water to obtain the necessary , stripp- ing solution. Then, he submerges a number of items in the tank and activates the battery. He observes the liquid bubbling in each case and grey particles breaking away from the objects and clinging to the lead. Paul concludes that nickel plating can be removed, as well as chrome plating from - most objects. Paul also concludes there is no way to remove laquer from brass: Paul says the reverseelectroplating pro- cess is useful for taking the nickel off of anti- k ques. The next project going to the county -wide Science fair is a really hot project. PAGE 12—GODERICH SIGNAL -STAR, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3,1985 BEST RATE 3 YEAR GIC 1 2 % AB ANNUIT ES 53 WEST ST. GODERICH 524.2773 00.110.2 w LOWERS FOR TODAY GIFTS FOREVER 166 THE SQUARE, GODERICH PHS?NE. 524-8761 Evenings and Sundays phone 529-7153. BAYFIELD'S ORIGINAL FASHION STORE IS OPENING ITS DOORS FOR SPRING '85 ON FRIDAY, APRIL 5 A't \, Never settle for the understudy... When you could take a more glamorous role! Discover the drama of the Wardrobe's fashion. collections. OPEN THIS FRIDAY, SATURDAY, SUNDAY 10-5 THEN OPEN WEEKENDS DURING APRIL (SATURDAY & SUNDAY) 10 AM -5 PM UNTIL APRIL 28, THEN OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK MAIN STREET, BAYFIELD 565.2588 iris .. OUR 15th Anniversary SALE. Paul Steep is seen here with his Reverse Electroplating project. Paul wanted to see if he could accomplish this procedure by using items that could be found around the house. He is seen here holding two nickel plated tea pot Iids.(Photo by Todd Mowatt) FEATURE REPORT �•�.•�•� The projects took many bng and hard hours to. prepare during the March break. Some will go on in competittins but others will go.back to the drawing board and design a new project or refine the old one for next year's sciencefair. Christie Thomson, grade seven, tests the thermal expansion of metals. She uses three propane torches strategically placed in six inch intervals. Then, using the torches, she measures how much each metal expands. For her experiment, she uses copper, lead and alumtum pipe. Her study concludes that copper expands 17.1 degrees, lead ex- pands 39.1 degrees, and aluminum expands 65.1 degrees -at 20 degrees celcius. , Christie says her project is useful in deter- mining the kind of metals to use in building a bridge. She says you wouldn't want to use . a metal that expands in summer and shrinks during the winter because the bridge would collapse. Eight • students from Robertson public school have advanced to the county science fair. 'In grade seven Physical' category, Christie Thomson -Thermal Expansion of Metals, John Thompson -Weather. In the grade seven Biological category Mathew Pryce and Rob Fbllock for Bacteria, , also Alysha . Hacon-InSearch of Starch. In the grade 8 Physical category,' Shawn.Currie.for Joysticks, and Paul Steep for Reverse Electroplating. In the Grade 8 Biological category Tim Main for Gerbils - Ability to Learn and Distinguish Color, also Kara Gower and Dee Dee Empscn-ldentical Twins and ESP, The results of thecounty wide science fair will be published next week. LAUNDRY PAIR No. WA4781831 •s cycle •2 speed •3 Water Temp. Selection •Automatic Lint Filter •Fabric Softener Dispenser 018780831 One time cycle 2 O Jta cycles, 3-Tempewayure selections AT1 1ONLr COLQUR GRANGER'S 92 South .St. GODERICH 5244925 Shawn Currie is seen here with his entry for this years science fair competition. Re con- ducted 340 separate experiments on five different joysticks to reach his ultimate conclusion. That be g" that the Atari joysticks rated number one overall hi his experiment. ( Fhoto by Todd Mowatt)