This is the first post of my 365! I took this photo on Christmas Day. The sun was shining and I wanted to go out and take a few photos. I drove up to Lake Erie and took some photos of various places. This picture of the Lorain Lighthouse is a sample of what I took that day. (Click the photo to view it larger.)
My photo portfolio is now online. There are three pages to it (there is a black arrow under the thumbnails to go to the next page). Check it out and let me know what you think.
After a long week of writing essays, lots of reading, and a test, the weekend came. I went to a picnic friday evening and Saturday I went for a bike ride, relaxed, washed clothes, and did homework. I also went to see a speaker, Jim Tusty, maker of the film “The Singing Revolution“. After he spoke, he showed the film. The Singing Revolution is an interesting documentary on the role that arts and culture played in Estonia’s independence movement from the USSR. I recommend seeing it if you have a chance. (I am going to buy it when it is available on DVD.)
Sunday was a wonderful day here in Hillsdale. I decided to go out and take photos of the beautiful campus.
I was just notified that I won second place in the Contrived category in the 2008 AAPT Physics Photo Contest!
For the contest, physics students from around the world were challenged to submit a photo, either natural or contrived, illustrating a physics concept. The students were required to take the photo themselves and to write a summary of the physics occurring in the photo.
Check out the Contest Winners page. All of the entries this year were great. I am honored to place with them. Here is my photo and description:
Named by Galileo in 1599, a cycloid is the path that a point on the edge of a circular wheel follows as the wheel moves along a straight line. A cycloid is also the solution to the Brachistochrone problem (the curve between two points that is covered by an object in the least amount of time, starting with zero speed, ignoring friction, and acting under constant gravity.)
Its parametric equation, assuming that the cycloid is starting at the origin, is x=r(t-sin(t)), y=r(1-cos(t)).
This photo is a long exposure taken at night. I attached an LED to the edge of the tire, opened the camera’s shutter, then had my dad drive the vehicle in a straight line until it reached where I knew the edge of the frame was and stop. In order for the vehicle to show up, I had to light up the vehicle for about 10 seconds with a spotlight.
I spent the last week in Chautauqua, NY with my friend Brad Akin. I had a great time. We spent the week fishing, jetskiing (I was able to get the jetski up to 53mph!), kayaking, and loitering around searching the internet. Brad introduced me to Andriaccio’s Stuffed Olives Asiago which are quite possibly the tastiest appetizers I have eaten. In between eating lots of pizza and doing the above mentioned things, I had time to take some photos with my new Canon 40D.
Here are a few samples:
