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Biodomes

Abstract:: Students explore the biosphere's environments and ecosystems, learning along the way about the plants, animals, resources and natural cycles of our planet. Over the course of lessons 2-6, students use their growing understanding of various environments and the engineering design process to design and create their own model biodome ecosystems - exploring energy and nutrient flows, basic needs of plants and animals, and decomposers. Students learn about food chains and food webs. They are introduced to the roles of the water, carbon and nitrogen cycles. They test the effects of photosynthesis and transpiration. Students are introduced to animal classifications and interactions, including carnivore, herbivore, omnivore, predator and prey. They learn about biomimicry and how engineers often imitate nature in the design of new products. As everyday applications are interwoven into the lessons, students consider why a solid understanding of one's environment and the interdependence within ecosystems can inform the choices we make and the way we engineer our communities.

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Go with the Energy Flow

Abstract:: Students learn about energy and nutrient flow in various biosphere climates and environments. They learn about herbivores, carnivores, omnivores, food chains and food webs, seeing the interdependence between producers, consumers and decomposers. Students are introduced to the roles of the hydrologic (water), carbon, and nitrogen cycles in sustaining the worlds' ecosystems so living organisms survive. This lesson is part of a series of six lessons in which students use their growing understanding of various environments and the engineering design process, to design and create their own model biodome ecosystems.

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Abstract:: In this course, the student will learn about the three laws of thermodynamics, thermodynamic principles, ideal and real gases, phases of matter, equations of state, and state changes. The student will also take a look at chemical kinetics--a branch of study concerned with the rates of reactions and other processes--as well as kinetic molecular theory and statistical mechanics, which relate the atomic-level motion of a large number of particles to the average thermodynamic behavior of the system as a whole. Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to: State and use laws of thermodynamics; Perform calculations with ideal and real gases; Design practical engines by using thermodynamic cycles; Predict chemical equilibrium and spontaneity of reactions by using thermodynamic principles; Describe the thermodynamic properties of ideal and real solutions; Define the phases of matter, describe phase changes, and interpret/construct phase diagrams; Relate macroscopic thermodynamic properties to microscopic states by using the principles of statistical thermodynamics; Describe reaction rates and then do calculations to determine them; Relate reaction kinetics to potential reaction mechanism; Calculate the temperature dependence of rate constants and relate that to activation energy; Describe a variety of complex reactions; Describe catalysis; Describe enzymatic catalysis. (Chemistry 105)

Abstract:: No idea how relational database systems are constructed? Did you know that they underpin the majority of the managed data storage in computer systems? This unit has been designed to give you an overview of the developmental lifecycle for a database system, explaining the importance of data analysis and highlighting how database development differs from traditional software development.