THIS IS IT - A Review and Reflection of my Summer Physics Experience

Wow, I must say that even though I knew it would only last less than one summer - I can't believe summer school physics is over! It's truly bittersweet! Looking back I know that I learned a lot and with the help of Mr. Blake and my classmates I've placed myself in a better position for success in the upcoming year (or at least a more relaxed schedule).

I appreciate all the knowledge I've gained over the last few weeks! All of it is so valuable and some of it genuinely surprised me in how challenging it was and how relevant it is to my life and the world around me. Namely, when we learned about frequency and sound, I got so excited because music is my lifelong passion. I learned the science behind how harmonies are formed! When they have complimentary frequencies whose waves match up or coincide, the sound is beautiful! Also, we learned that sound travels at the same speed, regardless of frequency, in the same medium. So no matter the pitch, the sound will reach your ear in the same amount of time in the same medium! Lastly, sound waves can't be transmitted without a medium (unlike electromagnetic waves) - which basically means that my dream of being a guitar playing astronaut who serenades aliens with my smooth jazz is out the window.

Another big thing I enjoyed learning was some of the more, what could considered, basic concepts of kinematics only because that isn't something that you just read about on some worksheets, its something that you see everyday! For example, force = mass X acceleration! Things with more mass have have more force which is why if a bike came speeding towards you it would be less scary than if a buss with more force did! Similarly, momentum = mass X velocity! Things with more mass will have more momentum! This always made me think of football and gymnastics! The more lean wide receivers are easier to stop than the huge linebackers because they have less mass and therefore less momentum! With gymnastics, things like vault and double-mini are all about momentum, you run faster so you can increase your velocity so you'll have more momentum to release in a slue of glorious flips and tricks.

In conclusion this class was great! Everyone was so laid back and helpful that it really made learning an enjoyable experience. I'm so grateful for the valuable knowledge and awesome memories that I'm taking away from this summer!