It is commonly believed that when significant pressure is brought to bear on frozen ice, it changes states and converts to liquid. Its fairly simple to accept, but understanding it is a whole other issue.

Why is this important? Because it is the key aspect of all skating sports where players, competiters and ballerinas slide their samurai-like blades and glide in such grace, that if this physical property did not exist, the grace of glide will be the crunch of friction. You see, ice, in its most sold liquid state creates tremendous friction and is called slow ice. When it is frigid, it is harder and it is called fast ice.

Fast Ice

Ice in general, all ice, have a layer of liquid water at its surface. This is even observed at extreme temperatures. The only change over the varying temperature us the thickness of the liquid layer. At almost absolute zero the liquid layer is only one molecule thick. This is fast ice. Sharp blades on fast ice have the least amount of contact – imagine razor sharp edges gliding on water only a molecule thick. Lesser contact – lesser friction – greater speed.

In arenas where speed is required, friction is reduced by planning for hard ice. Hard ice offers less water layer to come in contact with the blade edge. The blade edge of a skate is another illustration in science and math. Each blade actually has two edges. It’s like a yacht with two hulls. Instead of one large hull that creates more resistance; two blades in parallel leave a gap in-between. When the sharpening radius of the blades is increased, it gets to a point where the edges become flatter and more singular. This provides more surface contact and thus less speed.

Tricky Maneuvers

When taken together, the physical properties of ice and the nature of the blade, it is possible to control to precision the effect that is needed for a particular maneuver. If the game is to be played on very a colder surface, it’s possible to grind the edge with less radius, then it will have the same effect as playing on a softer surface.

Whatever the sport, understanding the reason, and thus, the science of it is always fun. It’s not fun in a laugh out loud way but it’s fun in a way that the epiphany of understanding brings about better grasp of matters. In a competitive sport like skating knowledge is the last edge you need.

Blogger Linda Evans enjoys writing on her favorite sports and roller skates as well as ice hockey skates.

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There are several techniques and theories being used to back the parallel universes concept. One of the techniques is called past life regression. It uses hypnosis tool to disclose the past life of a person. The people are taken back to their previous birth state in a completely new world. This provides the clue to the being of a different world. Secondly, the quantum theory is an approach according to which at the same time and space there exists many worlds apart from the one in which we dwell in.

The quantum physics definition of a parallel universe is “Different universes that are distinct from one another by a single quantum event”. The parallel universe theory is fact-based and prediction of quantum theory. The interpretation of quantum theory proves the potential existence of parallel worlds. Quantum mechanics describe the motion of particles such as photons and electrons and the way they interact with each other. Electron interferes with itself and exists in two places at the same time. Thus one electron produces an ‘interference’ waves. It is analogous to the principle that one universe gives birth to a new universe.

The concept of parallel universes was considered seriously after various experiments on properties of light.  ‘Double slits test’ results let open the possibility of the parallel universe concept to be explored further. In this experiment of quantum physics, a beam of light was made to pass through a screen with two slits. With both slits open, the electron appeared to pass through both the slits at the same time. And with one slit open, some areas would get more light than the other areas of the screen. The outcomes were affected by the possibility of what light could do.  This happened because all the possibilities existed at once. This finding was the backbone of the parallel universe theory. It states that all the outcome possibilities of an action exist as an alternate world.  Since there are infinite numbers of possibilities of outcome of an action, there are infinite parallel universes co-existing. It is because in quantum physics, for every interaction there exist innumerable possibilities of responses.

Quantum mechanics and quantum theory are fascinating and interesting areas of scientific study that suggest that there are other universe with unique set of fundamental physical and nature laws. These laws operate on a deeper level than one can even imagine. The combined evidences of past life regression and quantum theory strongly support the parallel universe theory and many worlds interpretation.

Learn more about parallel universe and existence of parallel universe.

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Does the size of the balloon impact how high a rocket will fly? This is the first hypothesis that you can test with your science fair projects with balloons and rockets. In this experiment you will build rockets that use different sized balloons to propel them into the air. Does size matter? If yes, is their a formula you can use to predict how high a rocket will go based on the volume of the balloon?

Does the shape of the balloon impact how high a rocket will fly? To test this hypothesis you will need to develop physics science fair projects that use balloons of different shapes to propel your rockets. Use a long narrow balloon, a round balloon and a heart shaped balloon. Make sure that each of these balloons is filled with the same volume of air. Does shape matter? If yes, why. If no, why not?

Does the type of gas that the balloon is filled with impact how high a rocket will fly? This hypothesis will require you to fill your balloon with different gases. The safest ones will be air from your lungs and helium. Use the same size and shape of balloons to test this experiment. The independent variable for this experiment will be the type of gas and the dependent variable will be the distance the rocket travels into the sky.

Can you increase the height a rocket flies by adding additional balloons to its propulsion system? For this experiment the number of balloons will be the independent variable and the distance the rocket flies will be the dependent variable. Does the number of balloons impact how high a rocket will fly? Why or why not?

All of the above projects are fun and produce interesting results. Your job now is to expand on these experiments and to make them your own. To advance these projects you will want to think about ways that the data collected from the above experiments can be used to solve a problem or to meet a rocket design goal. Have fun, think outside the box and try to create an experiment or project that no one else has.

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