NTU Reflections Day 2 by Shaun Neo

Day 2:

After looking through the manual and booklet given to us the day before, I had a better understanding of the project before it even started. Our group members were raring to go and were in great anticipation for the day’s events. As we headed to the School of Physical and Mathematical Science, we started planning on what we were going to do when we got there. After we reached the location and had a quick and concise briefing by the teacher in charge, we began our experiment. 

Project 3 - Fastest Ball Challenge

Challenge 1

The first challenge was to reduce the time taken the ball to travel from the first photo-gate to the second. To accomplish this task, our team had to quickly discuss the angle, and vary the positions of where we release the ball bearing, so as to get the shortest amount of time.

Challenge 2

The second challenge was to get as many variations of a one second timing as possible. This task was slightly more difficult and more time consuming as for the different angles we had to find the precise position to release the ball to get as close to the targeted timing as possible.

Overall

As a whole, I think today’s project has really helped that I have learnt to coordinate and work together with my teammates and to have an open mind to the different suggestions they have to offer. Also, I realised that just using a basic and concise knowledge of Physics, I can more or less understand how the different angles and positions affect the speed of the ball.

I think these skills will help me when I advance in my studies as there will be greater and more difficult projects that I would have to work on. This way, I can use my teamwork skills to reduce conflict and difficulty within the group and have a better outcome. Also, I learnt to better apply my knowledge to new things I will have to do in the future.

NTU Reflections By Shaun Neo

Today we had many talks in the ADM Auditorium, one of which was about NTU’s campus and the people within it. Mr Goel inspired us to come to NTU and he talked about the many advancements and achievements made by NTU in the short amount of years its had to grow. 

Pre-Camp:

I was in great anticipation for this camp as I was looking forward to experience the different  Applied subject and work together with my teammates. I would do my best to make the most out of this camp and listen to my teachers when they talk or tell us what to do so to have a smooth and enjoyable time here at NTU.

Plenary sessions:

1 - Earthquakes

When the Continental plates below the seas and oceans move, they drag the neighbouring plates down. This will create tremendous amounts of stored energy as they are dragged down. Due to pressure, the plates will break and repel backup, causing a mega-thrust, and the stored and potential energy will changed into kinetic energy and cause a tsunami and a earthquake.

2 - IT4Ani

There are 3 sub-topics for IT Animation - Animation, Innovation, and Science and Technology. I learnt how 2D and 3D animations were created in the past, and the costs of these animations. I also learnt how much work it took to create animations in the past and present, and to appreciate technology more.

3 - NaNo Science and NaNo Technology

NaNo means small. Nanometre is 1 billionth of a metre. Through today’s session I learnt about the different forms of NaNo-technology and how it was created and used in the past. I also learnt about the different players, such as Richard P. Feynman, K. Eric Drexler and John Waller. I learnt how these objects are used to help mankind. Whats more, I learnt the potential NaNo Technology has for the different cases such as destroying cancer cells in human bodies. It can also be used to write things or transport information on a Nano scale for security.