Metallurgy Science Project

Just like at the end of every topic in Science, we create a presentation to display some of the many things we have learnt. These are selected from lists given to us by our teacher. The three that I have chosen this time are -

1. Carry out the test for carbon dioxide gas.
2. Carry out the test for oxygen gas.
3. Carry out the test for hydrogen gas.

Tomorrow, When The War Began | Chapter 6 Questions

1. What is the first sign that something is wrong at Ellie’s house?

The dogs being dead. It's the very first line that is said in the chapter and completely changes the air of the book. It is not just Ellie who realises it, it is the reader as well.

2. Who is the first person to really realise what is happening?

I honestly can't tell, it seems to be slow at first, a small bit of panic when Ellie sees the dogs, but I personally can't tell who really realises it happens first. I do have a thought that Lee would have likely have had some theories in his head before anything happened though. While his suggestion in Hell that Commemoration Day would be the perfect day to invade the country seems to be a joke, he realises at some point that it is less of a joke, and more of a reality.

3. What is Ellie’s reaction to this person’s caution? Why do you think she reacts this way?

Who's caution? I don't quite understand who is meant to be warning her of anything. But no matter what, Ellie seems to react to this all in an understandable way. For all she knows, her parents are dead, everyone she grew up with is dead. She is beginning to panic and doesn't see a break in everything that seems to hit them all at once after coming back from Hell.

4. How is the pace in this chapter different from the chapters before?

Like said before, everything hits at once. The first five chapters seemed laid back almost, calm and beginning to tell a story of pain and hurt, however, no matter what the title explained, the pace completely changes the pace of the book. It's quick-fire information of everything and displays an array of emotions from every character involved.

5. If you were in this situation, would you test the radio or not? Give reasons for your thinking

Definitely. Communication systems like mobile services and Wi-Fi can be cut off easily and lost even easier. However, for radios to even be cut off seems to be extreme, as they are used for distress signals like boats and fires. Especially a fireman's radio being cut off of other channels.

6. Do you think the way the teenagers reacted to the realisation that Australia may have been invaded or at war was realistic? Why/why not

Yes, from their perspective, they are in a ghost town after a humongous event. Especially in Australia. Two major parts of Australia are its large landmass, and how many smaller countries and islands surround it. For example, if New Zealand and an Asian country were to start a war, Australia would be caught right in the middle, and likely forced to fight or hide for fear of their safety.

7. What possible reasons exist that could spark war or invasion of Australia?

Thinking about it, I can't find many reasons. Australia seems like a typically peaceful country compared to others around the world. Politics and the influence of the United Kingdom are typical reasons as well, however I still cannot find a reason.

Tomorrow, When The War Began | Chapter 5 Questions

1. What does Corrie’s choice in career say about her character?

Corrie's choice of career as a nurse is not elaborated on too much. She wants to travel the world and go to the places where she is needed the most. It shows that she wants to help those who can't help themselves and protect those who can't protect themselves. She doesn't want to work for money Ellie says she wants to, Corrie wants to work for the people.

2. The group’s ability to avoid arguing with each other is rare- do you think that there would have been more drama if you and your friends went bush for a week?

Definitely. It's impressive they were able to keep calm and refrain from an argument between themselves, but I do not think the friends I would take into the bush would have the same feelings about it. Especially if we had gotten low on food, arguments would absolutely spark from a lack of food.

3. Why do you think Ellie and Lee feel uneasy just before their return to Wirrawee from the Bush?

Part of Ellie's uneasiness spawns off of not knowing what the purpose of the fires going is, as well as Lee's uneasiness. They don't seem to have an explanation for this feeling, instead, Ellie attempts to pin it on guilt. She explains this is because of how she left her dad with a lot of work to do with the animals in the show.

4. What do you predict will await the group back home, why do you think this?

I think it definitely won't be joy and happiness. Unfortunately, since the next chapter is right on the next page, I accidentally looked at it. The dogs died. And I don't really think that will help the mood for them when they get home, especially knowing that according to the description of the book. The book's description stating -

'Seven teenagers take a trip to Hell.

And seven come back. To Hell.'

This definitely is not stating they are going home to see their homes turned exactly into a place like they were visiting.

Tomorrow, When The War Began | Chapter 4 Questions

   1.   Do you think the way they handled the snake incident was appropriate? What could they have done differently?

I think the way they handled the snake, without preparation, thought or discussion was appropriate and fairly calm. They hadn't prepared for such a peculiar incident so the way they handled getting the snake out of the sleeping bag was smart. One thing that could been done differently was asking someone other than Kevin, who is terrified of small harmful creatures, to take care of it instead. He seemed to freeze up that would have likely ended up with him bitten in a different setting. As well as Fi standing in the river, while it seemed like a good idea to her, maybe the others warning her that snakes can swim would have been a wiser idea.

   2.   Ellie claims that ‘Hell’ is only a label and that people label things all the time, often ignoring or overlooking certain labelled places or things. She then comes to the conclusion that ‘Hell was people’. Is she right? What’s your opinion, on labelling and Hell?

I believe that she is right. Labels are the very foundation of belief within our world. Labelling the wild place 'Hell' drove people away, as they compared to a place known to be of darkness. Within our minds, we label people as something, the smart kid, the theatre nerd, the class clown, all of that creates an image of them in our minds, even if we have never met them. Because of this, hearing the single word Hell creates a dark image in our minds. Whether it creates a cold cell of ice and isolation or a hot firey world filled with noise and screaming, we create a description based on its label. This has translated to many places and people, religion, gender and so many of the other labels we hear for people. When we hear a label it instantly creates an image of someone else we've known with the same label or a similar one.  

What do you think when you hear the label, Christian? The label Muslim? The label Woman? The label Man? The label Gay? Your mind creates a description or an image for you, doesn't it?

3. What was especially peculiar about the planes that flew over Hell? ‘Their ------, their ------, their----- frightened me.’ Do these characteristics have any significance?

I don't quite understand what this question is meant to be asking me, so I'm just going past it.

4. Corrie and Kevin are the only couple in the group, but the trip was bound to bring friends closer. So why does Homer’s interest in Fi seem so odd to Ellie?

Homer is known to be without emotions or interest in others, only in the seemingly perfect women in the magazines. 'I've got a radium heart, takes five thousand to meltdown.' As he has said. Even though Ellie and Homer have been close like siblings for years, she has never seen him take an interest such as this one.

5. Fi brushes off the planes coming back from Commemoration Day. Why do you think the planes were flying over Wirrawee?

I don't think I agree with Fi, I believe it will be something more than just Commemoration day. I believe something happened at the event, and that people are attempting to get away from whatever has happened during the celebration.

6. Robyn claims there were dozens and dozens of planes flying over them. What is Lee’s response? Is his suggestion reasonable?

Lee jokingly suggests that there's a nuclear war going on.

''If you were going to invade that'd be a good day to do it,' Lee said. 'Everyone's out celebrating. The Army and Navy and Air Force are all parading around the cities, showing off. Who's running the country?'

Lee only suggests this to add a lighter tone to the topic of conversation, it's merely a joke.

Aboriginal Art and Boomerang Studies

Explain the purpose of the activity

For some time now we have been looking into Aboriginal Australian art and leading on from that we looked into boomerangs. Eventually, we designed our own using aboriginal symbols to tell a story. I chose to tell a story about myself and how I see myself in some aspects.

Explain the story on your boomerangs, including the meaning of the colour

Given pre-cut boomerangs we painted a side per period. The first side I painted was planned, yet not very clean. On the corner of the boomerang, I have six yellow circles. Three large circles and three smaller circles, these are meant to look like the sun somewhat and represent the members of my closest family, including myself, my parents, my two brothers and my sister. Further along the wood, I have a black curving line each side, these are meant to look like snakes. I painted these because recently I have been thinking how cool it would be to have a pet snake, especially one of black colouring. In between these two, there are two white half circles on opposite sides. These show white clouds, mainly because of how I daydream a lot. At the very ends, there are blue crosses going over each other. These are meant to show water or streams. I have two reasons for these crosses. The first is to do with the rain, I love listening to it, its something extremely calming to me. The second reason is because of a stream. I've always found watching or listening to a river as it flows by to be interesting and therapeutic. The blue colouring seemed like a natural choice for the symbol it represented. The brown and white dots across the rest of the boomerang are merely a design choice to make it appeal to a more aboriginal feel.

The second side of my boomerang was unplanned, as I did not think I had to paint it. Yet, it seems to be the cleaner and more pleasing side. Taking up most of the boomerang, there is a dark blue background dotted with white stars, and more noticeably a moon in the centre. This is meant to parallel the opposite of the boomerang and represent that behind a strong and close family there are many challenges and people that brought us all closer together. As this took so much time and detail, the black and brown sectors are as well a design choice.

What went well when painting your boomerang

Painting the second side I was able to get cleaner lines when I used tape to prevent paint from going over and ruining other paint. This made it appear nicely done and carefully painted, even though it went heavily unplanned.

Tomorrow, When The War Began | Chapter 3 Questions

1. Why does Robyn think they are the only people ever to have gone into Hell?

In the case of more recent times, the story of the Hermit from Hell definitely is known to scare people away from such a place. However, before that, there is nothing to say nobody did it, only to say that it is unlikely. Such a name as Hell, it can be used to scare off others, most people of religion would not want to go to a place.

2. Why do you think the valley is called Hell?

This may have been named so to scare the people from the beautiful place filled with wildlife. Such places now are scarce within the world and can often be protected with legends and myths to scare others from destroying a sacred or beautiful place.

3. Why must the teenagers seem like visitors from hell to the wild things living in the clearing? How is this ironic?

Ironically enough, Hell is described as gorgeous and full of life. When the group comes, the wildlife expects them to light fires and spread gas, leave rubbish accidentally, and destroy the tracks along the way. In place destroying the grand clearing. Compared to the wildlife living there, the teenagers come from a destroyed home. Filled with gas, dying life and different killing people, whether they kill the Earth or others.

4. What picture of Kevin do we get in this chapter?

In this chapter, we see more of Kevin and his capabilities. Especially how he seemed to be good at surviving in this scenario. However, later on, we see him being a total vandal. Breaking off branches off of alive trees instead of taking the dead branches instead. Which should have been easier to light anyway.

5. What does Ellie liken Fi to? Do you think this is a fair assessment of her character? Use examples from the text to support your thinking

Fi is compared to an exotic butterfly, in Chapter three, on page 33. From what I have read on Fi I think this is a pleasant comparison of her character to another being. Graceful, like a butterfly. Exotic in the way that she was raised so differently to the others. One example is something small, yet noticeable. Every one of the teenagers went on something known as the Outward Bound course, which I gather is a form of a camping trip. This seems something that would be exciting for everyone, however, Fi did not attend. A second example is the same scene where she is compared to an exotic butterfly, where it is said that she has never had two-minute noodles and that her parents prefer her to eat 'healthier foods.'

6. At times Ellie switches her narration from retelling the story to commenting about her life in the present - why do you think the author has chosen to write in this style?

I believe this is to help the reader remember that this has all already happened and is not being told as it goes. Ellie is reminding us that she already knows how this story ends. Also so she can tell the story as she wants. To quote how she has done this; 'I can't remember any hike or campout I'd been on where people sat around the fire telling stories or singing. It just never seemed to happen that way. But that night we did sit up late, and talk and talk.'

Tomorrow, When The War Began | Chapter 2 Questions

1. How did the group of teenagers ascend Tailors Stitch?

Ellie drove her dad's Landrover, and the rest was walked.

2. What are the two special events happening the day after the teenagers leave for the bush?

Commemoration day is happening, as well as the Wirrawee Show.

3. How many days were they planning on staying? How much food do you think is reasonable to bring, split between 7 teenagers?

They planned to stay for five days. I honestly could not tell how much food would need to be brought. For such a trip you could take a mountain and live off of that. Or you could take less and live off of food you find in the bush.

4. Who is the Hermit and what is he supposed to have done? 

He is said to be an ex-murderer who murdered his wife and baby. It was told that he lived in Hell, that was why he was named the Hermit from Hell.

5. Do you think the Hermit will be significant to this story? Why/Why not?

I believe he will be like mentioned in the previous post. He has been mentioned too much to not be significant in at least some way. Whether he may actually appear in the story I know that he will be influential.

6. Is their decent down Satan’s Steps into Hell dangerous? Discuss what are the dangers, how could they have made it safer, what would you have done?

Going out into the bush is always dangerous. Especially in Australia. As discussed in the story itself, there are snakes, wildlife, getting lost, bush fires, and many more that go unmentioned. Having a lot of medical supplies, insect repellent, water and a way to light a fire is a necessity. Personally, with six others, I feel as if an entire pack should have been dedicated to such a thing or spread out across all of the seven.

7. Predict what the bridge signifies

I believe that it symbolises the crossover into the next part of the story.

Tomorrow, When The War Began | Chapter 1 Questions

   1.   What are the advantages and disadvantages of first-person narration?

The advantages, of course, have to do with how you can particularly see and know the narrator's thoughts. It can also mean though, that some characters are lost in the narrators focus on themself and the closer people. For example, we see that Lee doesn't have nearly as much attention to him as someone such as Kevin or Corrie.

   2.   Why do you think Ellie needs to tell the story in chronological order?

To begin with the present events and then go back into the past for context would be confusing. Even more so if this is done badly and some others can't tell that the narrator is telling something that happened in the past in their present. This can cause uncertainty as to whether it's happening in the present or past.

   3.   Pick one interesting word from the chapter, find its meaning and explain why it's interesting.

Ex-murderer

The word confuses me due to how someone can be an ex-murderer. It must confuse others too, as when I searched for an apparent definition it appeared with the word axe-murderer instead. The pure reason for my curiosity is how much the word does not make sense in such a context, or in any context.

   4.   John Marsden foreshadows several events and characters in this chapter. Make three predictions based on the evidence in the text about what may occur later in the story.

• On page 3, the first paragraph includes a sentence that reads 'That makes me think that I should be writing this like a history book.' At that point, no one really knows what kind of story this is meant to be, only that it must be something life-changing to these people.
• On page 4, when describing where Ellie planned to go, the Hermit from Hell is mentioned. This seems innocent enough. It gives a realistic feel to the description. However, later on, when mentioned in chapter 2, page 23, I feel as if it is more than a coincidence that such a person would be mentioned more than once. I believe that this person will be of purpose to the story.
• On page 9, we hear of Ellie talking of the loud TV, with a man screaming of how pathetic the Foreign Minister is. I believe either one of the mentioned characters may at least be mentioned later on in the story.

5. What kind of story do you think Ellie is going to tell? Uses evidence from the text to support your answers.

From what I have already read, I believe that Ellie will tell a story of mystery. They will go into the past of the others and it will lead to a large revelation whether it will be between the parents or the children as they find things and knowledge out within the bush.
6. What set of skills do these characters have that convince their parents that they can ‘go bush’ independently. Find examples for three characters.

• Homer did not attempt to convince his parents in any way. Each seemed to not care as much, whether it be because they trust their son or generally don't care at all for his wellbeing.
• Robyn didn't particularly convince her parents herself, instead Ellie talking her father into letting the girl go. Being able to compare what he was doing when he was younger to what they planned now.
• Fi as well did not convince her own parents, Ellie's mother being able to convince hers instead.

What makes a good story?

Characters

Another thing about a good story is making a character relatable, it makes the audience feel empathy for when the character fails. That is a key point in a story, making a character break you get to see what they are made of and how they truly are. If you have ever got into an argument with someone that escalated, you may have noticed how different they acted. This is because some people are only completely true when they let out all that anger and aggressiveness, and it releases the truth inside of a character.

Plot

Many things contribute to the creation of a good story that people understand. The ability to understand the plot line is only given to the audience by the filmmakers. If a story is complex with no plot line, it is not an enjoyable film. The climax is a very important part of the story, it is the point that everyone comes to see it for. The combination of complexity and unique story-telling is a rare thing to find in an undeveloped plot.  

Performance

A good story is not created without acting. While things such as characters written into books may not act, we don't realise that the author acts and plays all of the characters themself. This, however, is different in theatre. Performance is the entire encompassment of theatre, without performance, theatre is quite literally none existent.

Testing for Carbon Dioxide gas

Aim: To show that carbon dioxide is produced when a metal carbonate reacts with acid.

Equipment:

Two boiling tubes
Delivery tube and bung
Test tube rack
Wooden splint
Hydrochloric acid (the acid)
Calcium carbonate (the metal carbonate)
Test tube tongs
Safety glasses
Lighter

Method:

1. Add a pea-sized amount of the metal carbonate into one of the boiling tubes.
2. Place this boiling tube into a test tube rack. Ensure you have the bung and delivery tube ready.
3. Add 5ml of acid to the boiling tube and quickly insert the bung and delivery tube into the mouth of the boiling tube.
4. Holding the other boiling tube with your tongs, capture the gas produced. 
5. When you think that the tube is full, light a wooden splint. 
6. Carefully remove the boiling tube from under the delivery tube, taking care to keep it facing upward. 
7. Insert the burning splint into the mouth of the test tube. 

Results:

Test 1 including the stated experiment showed the splint going out in an instant within entering the test tube. It had choked and died due to having no oxygen within the space

Test 2 with lime water in the receiving tube and without the splint lighting showed the liquid within the receiving tube grow cloudier and foggier.

Discussion:

Within the experiment, we watch a chemical occur between the metal carbonate (the calcium carbonate) and the acid (the hydrochloric acid).

Calcium carbonate + Hydrochloric acid = Calcium chloride + Carbon dioxide + Water

As the gas went through the delivery tube the receiving tube filled with gas and had it gone longer it would have left a mixture of carbon dioxide and calcium chloride in the first boiling tube.

Making a Metal Oxide

Aim: To create a metal oxide and observe the difference in properties of the product compared to the reactants.

Equipment:

A piece of magnesium
Bunsen burner
Safety glasses
Metal scissor tongs

Method:

1. Light your Bunsen burner.
2. Hold your piece of magnesium in the scissor tongs. Ensure you are holding the very tip of the strip.
3. Place the opposite end into the flame, at the very top of the blue flame, at its hottest.
4. When the magnesium begins to burn, DO NOT DIRECTLY LOOK AT IT. The light emitted from the magnesium can permanently damage your eyes.

Results:

The metal sparked and began to glow a bright white. Once it ceased the magnesium to a white ashy strip. This means the experiment was a success.

Discussion:

The magnesium being burned is a process that causes the to magnesium react with the oxygen to create magnesium oxide. The reaction creates an extreme heat which causes the bright light as well due to the amount of energy created. What's left (the ash white and crumbly mess) is called magnesium oxide. The reaction can be sped up or slowed down depending on the temperate (of the bunsen burner) that causes the reaction.