Petrosains Science Show Competition Final 2013

Petrosains successfully held the grand finals of Petrosains National Science Show Competition for the fifth consecutive year on  23rd and 24th October 2013.  Kompleks Kraf, Jalan Conlay was once again became the official venue for the final competition for both the school category and the open category.

After the initial kick-off in early February this year, we received  a total of  317 entries  from secondary schools all over Malaysia including from boarding schools such as Maktab Rendah Sains Mara. After a stringent selection process by our panel of judges,  60 teams were shortlisted and competed against each other in the six zone level competition held in Johor Bharu, Kuala Lumpur, Kuantan, Kuching, Kota Kinabalu and Sg. Petani. . The winner from each zone then proceeded to the grand finals together with two wildcard teams chosen by the panel of judges to compete in the grand finals.on 2013.

Some science hunting with the participants from Sarawak

As for the open category,  36 entries were received from teams representing public and private higher learning institutions in Malaysia as well as open teams.  . After vetting thoroughly , the panel of judges  selected  19 teams to compete in  the semi final round and with that, the top nine teams emerged to compete in the grand finals.

This competition is an initiative taken by Petrosains, to promote effective and informal learning methods, and popularize the subjects of science amongst secondary school students, This competition also takes things one step further by putting s students on stage and  giving them the opportunity to explain science to others. This indirectly refines and deepens their own understanding of the science concept and  helps in building their confidence and communication skills that will be a huge asset for them in the future. Other than just performing for the final, the finalists of this year’s school category were also given the opportunity to have a direct up-close  session with Dr. Graham Walker, a PhD holder in science show from Australia National University. During the session, Dr. Graham shared valuable information and tips in science show performing.

School Category

Amazing Acid and Base show by MRSM Pendang

Having some fun with science

Special science show performance from the deaf and mute students of SMKV Indah Pura

And the champion of the Petrosains Science Show Competition 2013 School Category is SMK Panchor!!!  In true cinematic fashion, Zarul Mustaqeem Abdul Samad of SMK Panchor fell to the floor in elated disbelief when the final result was announced.  Their win was attributed to natural onstage chemistry between the two participants,  skillful audience engagement and fascinating science show performance that captured the judges attention and scored them high marks.

The happy faces of the winners

As for the Open Category, it was an extremely tight battle  between all 9 teams. Each of them came out with awe-inspiring shows that included the science of sounds, dry ice and even bubbles. In the end, Institut Pendidikan Guru Ipoh created a – surprise when both their teams swept away the first and second Place for the finals, defeating other  teams from Universiti Sains Malaysia, Politeknik Balik Pulau and the enigmatic Yong Brothers’ Robotic Show. 

Open Category

Discovering interesting element about density with Politeknik Balik Pulau team

Fantastic  show about heat capacity and pressure by the Institut Perguruan Perlis

Travelling through time with amazing science discovery by the Institut Perguruan Ipoh 

Results: 

School Category

Champion  SMK Panchor

Runner- up : SMK Seksyen 10, Kota Damansara

Third place : SMK Sultan Ismail, SMK Lembah Bidong

And the 6 Special Awards go to :-

Best Script : MRSM Pendang, Kedah

Best Future Star : SMK Tamparuli, Sabah

Best ‘Wow’ Demonstration : SMK Panchor, Negeri Sembilan

Best Performer : SMK Sultan Ismail, Johor

Most Popular Group : SMK Panchor, Negeri Sembilan

Highest Number of Entries  : Negeri Johor

Open Category

Champion : Institut Pendidikan Guru Ipoh (Team Loh)

Naib Johan : Institut Pendidikan Guru Ipoh (Team Tan)

Tempat Ketiga : Yong Brothers

The happy faces of the winners

Definitely can’t wait to see what 2014 has to offer for the competition! 

Bake Your Ice Cream & Keep It Frozen

Are you a fan of “pavlova” or any other meringue based dessert? If you are, you can make it on your own. It is very easy and cheap!

To make your own meringue, all you need are an egg, a tablespoon of icing sugar, a few drops of vanilla essence and a tablespoon of lemon juice.

First of all, separate the egg yolk from its white. You only need the egg whites to prepare meringue. Then, place the egg whites into the mixing bowl and whisk it. Before start beating the egg white, preheat the oven to 250 degrees Celsius and place a baking paper on the tray. Start to beat the egg whites with a constant medium speed until the soft-peak stage. Now, add in the icing sugar, vanilla essence and lemon juice. Beat these ingredients at high speed until the mixture becomes stiff. 

To make a simple delicious dessert using the meringue you made, you just need a slice of your favourite cake and a scoop of your favourite ice cream. Scoop the ice cream and place it on the cake. Next, spread the meringue to fully cover the ice cream and make sure that it covers the whole ice cream smoothly. This is the key step in making a mouth-watering dessert! Place your cake slice on to the tray and bake it in the oven for about three to five minutes and voila!

You will realize that the ice-cream remains frozen even though it had been baked in the oven. Why? The secret is the meringue itself! As you whisk, it traps a lot of air in the mixture, thus making the meringue a good heat insulator. Heat travels quickly in food which is solid in nature. In the case of the meringue, it has lots of trapped air bubble, therefore its molecules are far apart from one another. As a result, the heat from the oven travels slower through it and this keeps the ice cream in its frozen state.

So, let's try to make one today!

Shared by Nadrah

Guest Student Blogger

Science Matters!

Do you know that metal slinky can produce sounds like a ‘laser gun’?

Did you know that if you sit on a fully inflated balloon it will likely pop but what if you’re standing on a raft of balloons? 

A regular air-filled balloon will pop when exposed to a flame but in this photo, a science communicator is able to hold a flame under a balloon without it bursting. Is this magic? Of course it isn’t! By simply adding water into the balloon, enough heat can be absorbed and dissipated to ensure that the balloon doesn’t burst. How long do you think the balloon can remain resistant to the flame?

More discoveries were happening at Petrosains from July - September 2013 with our third thematic program called Science Matters! Discoveries That Change The World. It was definitely an interesting affair. The pictures above show the interactive mini science shows that we had in our centre. Seeing seeing someone conduct a simple science experiment live helps us learn and understand science easier.  

The highlight for our 'Weekend Special' event was the sape and guitar performance by Nico, our science communicator. He demonstrated the differences and similarities between the two musical instruments. Besides that, visitors also had a chance to make their own paper helicopters.

Posted by Ayu
Learning Specialist, Petrosains

Why Does The Candle Flame Point Upwards?

Today is the fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month and many are celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival. This festival is meant to celebrate friendship, fertility and togetherness and there are a number of traditions associated with celebrating this festival, one of them being the iconic paper lanterns. Lanterns in general are portable lighting devices that comes in various shapes, sizes, and materials with a light source inside usually candles or an electricity-powered bulb. For the Mid-Autumn Festival, candle-lighted lanterns are typically used and which gives a beautiful gentle glow that flickers with the wind.

What is a candle though and how does it provide light? A candle consists of wax and a wick. Most candles are made from paraffin wax, i.e. they are hydrocarbons and are composed of hydrogen (H) and carbon (C) atoms. Just like other hydrocarbons such as the fuel we pump our cars with, wax is the source of energy for the candle. When we light a candle, the heat of the flame melts the wax near the wick, feeding the fire with something to burn. What happens is that the heat of the flame vaporizes the liquid wax and starts to break down the hydrocarbons into molecules of hydrogen and carbon. These vaporized molecules are drawn up into the flame, where they react with oxygen from the air to create heat, light, water vapor (H2O) and carbon dioxide (CO2).

Lanterns lit by candles are used both indoors and outdoors. The candle is placed inside colourful and beautiful paper lanterns that fills the night with colours. However, as most lanterns are made of paper and we all know that paper burns quite easily, why is it that the paper lanterns do not get consumed by the flames from the candle within? Of course if the paper comes in contact with the flame, it will burn but generally, the flame of the candle only point upwards and do not move too far to the side therefore keeping the paper lanterns safe from being burned up. Do you know why the flame point only upwards?

When a candle burns, the flame heats the nearby air and starts to rise. As this warm air moves up, cooler air and oxygen rush in at the bottom of the flame to replace it. When that cooler air is heated, it too rises up and is replaced by cooler air again. This creates a continual cycle of upward moving air around the flame, which gives the flame a teardrop shape. Basically the continuous movement of hot air going up displaces cooler air down to the side which then gets heated up again and move upwards causing the distinctive shape of the flame and which is why it points only upwards.

Something to think about though, if you light a candle in space, how will the flame look like? Do you think it will be the same shape? Does gravity play a role? Let us know if you have the answer by leaving a comment!

Posted by Ayu
Learning Specialist, Petrosains

Kenapa lemang di dalam buluh?

Lemang yang telah dimasak dan dipotong

Lemang merupakan sejenis masakan tradisi yang diperbuat dari beras pulut, santan dan sedikit garam. Uniknya mengenai lemang ini adalah kerana ia dimasak di dalam seruas buluh. Ia dimasukkan ke dalam ruas buluh setelah dilapik dengan daun pisang sebelum dibakar sehingga masak. Kini, lemang boleh diperolehi sepanjang tahun, tetapi lebih meluas semasa perayaan Hari Raya. Lemang lebih sedap sekiranya dimakan ketika masih panas dan ia sering dihidangkan bersama rendang atau serunding.



Lemang yang sudah dimasak



Buluh lemang adalah di antara tumbuh-tumbuhan yang mempunyai banyak kegunaan. Sejak zaman awal kehidupan manusia, buluh digunakan secara meluas dalam kehidupan seharian. Buluh digunakan sebagai senjata tajam seperti tombak dan digunakan untuk memotong seperti pisau.  Ia juga dijadikan bahan binaan utama untuk membuat rumah masyarakat dulu kala dan beberapa batang buluh diikat untuk dijadikan rakit oleh penduduk yang tinggal di pinggir sungai atau laut sebagai salah satu cara pengangkutan.

Tetapi, mengapakah buluh sesuai digunakan untuk membakar lemang?

Buluh lemang ini tergolong di dalam famili Gramineae. Nama saintifiknya pula adalah Schizostachyum brachycladum. Masyarakat pada zaman dahulu mengunakan sumber bahan-bahan semulajadi yang terdapat di sekeliling mereka seperti buluh untuk memasak. Buluh lemang ini dipilih kerana ruasnya yang panjang, bentuknya  yang lurus dan mempunyai ketebalan yang nipis. Bentuk fizikal buluh yang beruas dan berlubang umpama tabung turut membolehkan ia sesuai digunakan untuk memasak nasi atau lemang.

Ketebalan dindingnya yang nipis membolehkan haba daripada arang yang dibakar akan lebih mudah dipindahkan semasa membakar lemang. Sekiranaya buluh yang lebih tebal digunakan maka kita memerlukan lebih banyak masa untuk memasak lemang.

 

Posted by Ayu
Learning Specialist, Petrosains

Cahaya Pelita Kerosin

Pelita minyak tanah

Entah mengapa saban hari dan tahun menjelang Hari Raya, perasaan untuk melihat pelita minyak tanah yang selalunya dipasang untuk menerangi halaman rumah pada waktu malam sering terbuak-buak. Tatkala melihatnya, jelas terpancar wajah ceria menghargai kemeriahan suasana itu untuk menyambut Hari Raya. Hari Raya merupakan perayaan yang dirayakan oleh penganut beragama Islam di seluruh dunia tidak mengira bangsa sama ada Melayu, India dan sebagainya.

Pelita minyak tanah

Pelita Minyak tanah atau kerosin akan dinyalakan pada waktu malam dan dipasang mengelilingi rumah bagi menyemarakkan suasana meriah untuk menyambut Hari Raya. Walaupun pelita minyak tanah ini kian dilupakan oleh masyarakat setempat, tetapi masih ada lagi segelintir golongan yang masih menggemarinya. Pelita minyak tanah ini juga boleh dikatakan sebagai  simbol tradisi masyarakat setempat yang 'tak lapuk dek hujan, tak lekang dek panas'. Di Malaysia, ramai yang akan bercuti panjang sempena menyambut perayaan ini. Selalunya ramai yang akan pulang ke kampung halaman untuk menyambutnya bersama keluarga tercinta. Dalam perjalanan pulang ke kampung, selalunya kita lebih berpeluang untuk melihat pelita minyak berbanding di kawasan bandar. ada juga yang sudah memodifikasi pelita minyak tanah ini kepada pelita lampu yang menggunakan tenaga elektrik yang sering dijadikan dekorasi dalaman di pusat-pusat membeli belah.

Pelita minyak tanah boleh diperolehi di kedai-kedai ataupun di pasar raya dengan harga yang sangat berpatutan. Tetapi kebanyakan penduduk kampung membuatnya sendiri menggunakan bahan-bahan terpakai kitar semula untuk menghasilkan pelita minyak tanah. Ia boleh diperbuat daripada tin-tin susu, buluh dan juga tempurung kelapa. Ia digelar sebagai pelita minyak tanah kerana ia menggunakan minyak tanah atau kerosin sebagai sumber bahan api untuk dinyalakan apinya. Jika diperhatikan pada gambar, minyak tanah akan diisi di dalam bahagian berwarna biru. Terdapat sumbu yang diperbuat daripada tali guni dipasang di tengah-tengah sehingga menyentuh minyak tanah. Minyak tanah  akan naik meresap ke atas melalui sumbu tali guni oleh tindakan kapilari.

 

Minyak tanah ataupun kerosin dan juga dikenali sebagai parafin di sesetengah tempat adalah merupakan hidrokarbon dalam bentuk cecair yang tidak berwarna dan mudah terbakar. Kerosin digunakan sebagai bahan api untuk pesawat terbang, kapal-kapal kecil serta untuk tujuan pemanasan memasak dan pencahayaan.  

Pada masa dulu, permintaan penggunaan kerosin adalah lebih tinggi berbanding bahan api yang lain seperti petrol dan diesel. Kerosin digunakan secara meluas untuk tujuan pencahayaan. Kebanyakan kawasan pedalaman di Asia bergantung kepada lampu minyak tanah sebagai sumber pencahayaan kerana tiada bekalan elektrik. Minyak tanah juga digunakan oleh masyarakat setempat  untuk memasak dengan menggunakan dapur minyak tanah. Faktor minyak tanah digunakan dengan lebih meluas adalah kerana harganya lebih murah berbanding sekarang.

Tetapi, mengapakah kerosin masih digunakan sebagai bahan api untuk sumber cahaya pelita ini?

Hidrokarbon dalam petroleum diasingkan melalui proses penyulingan berperingkat. Semasa penyulingan berperingkat, petroleum dipanaskan dalam sebuah menara pemeringkat. Hidrokarbon dengan takat didih yang lebih rendah meruap terlebih dahulu , naik ke bahagian atas menara lalu dikondensasikan dan diasingkan. Hidrokarbon dengan takat didih yang lebih tinggi akan terkumpul di bahagian bawah menara dan dikondensasikan sebagai cecair.

Hasil daripada penyulingan berperingkat ini, kerosin merupakan hasil penyulingan yang berada di tengah- tengah menara berperingkat dan mempunyai takat didih di antara 150 darjah Celcius  ke 300 darjah Celcius di mana ia adalah lebih rendah berbanding diesel, minyak pelincir dan bitumen. Jadi secara struktur kimianya, kerosin mempunyai rantaian karbon yang lebih pendek. Warnanya  lebih cerah dan ia mempunyai kelikatan yang lebih rendah. Kerosin juga mudah terbakar. Nyalaan api kerosin adalah lebih bersih dan kurang berjelaga. Maka, itulah sebabnya mengapa kerosin digunakan sebagai bahan api untuk pelita.

Walaupun begitu, kita hendaklah sentiasa berwaspada dengan api- 'apabila kecil menjadi kawan, sudah besar menjadi lawan'. Sentiasa berhati-hati agar kemeriahan untuk menyambut perayaan boleh dinikmati bersama dalam keadaan yang gembira dan selamat.

Posted by Ayu
Learning Specialist, Petrosains