The Black Box: Can you see what
you can't see?
Question:
Can you draw a picture
using only numbers?
Procedure:
- Gather Materials need to create 3-D landform models.
- Name and organize models before turning them into Mr.
Andersen
- Collect a Black Box with a model inside to begin
gathering data.
-
Probe straight down into the holes on
top of the wooden box.
-
Count the number of marks remaining
visible on the probe.
-
Write that number into the circle in
the corresponding box on this data table.
-
Complete the Map Legend using the
different numbers in the circles.
-
Color in each of the square the color
indicated in the legend.
-
Connect each circle with the same
number using only one thick dark smooth line. Use the “Best Fit “ method to
draw the line making "contour lines" on the "topographic map".
-
Enter data into a Excel spreadsheet
and create an area graph.
Data Table
| |
A |
B |
C |
D |
E |
F |
G |
H |
I |
J |
|
1 |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
|
2 |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
|
3 |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
|
4 |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
|
5 |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
|
6 |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
|
7 |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
|
8 |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
|
9 |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
|
10 |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
|
11 |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
|
12 |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
|
13 |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
|
14 |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
|
15 |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
To create a chart follow these procedures:
- Open MS Excel
- Enter all your data 1-10 (in Excel this will be A - J) and 1-15
- Highlight all the numbers
- On your toolbar there is a button called Chart Wizzard, click it.
- Step 1 of 4-Select the Surface Chart Type; Sub-type 3-D Surface.
Step 2 of 4 - press next
Step 3 of 4 - Enter - Landform Models Title - Height or Elevation (Z-axis) -
and turn off the legend
Step 4 of 4 - Place as a an Object in Sheet1
- Cut the chart, open MS Word and paste it into the Word Document
- Resize the chart so that it is slightly less than a half page
- You can double click the graph to change
colors, views or other chart information.
- Print out the sheet and glue it into the visual section of of the Black Box
Laboratory.
- Glue the data sheet into your labbook in the Data For The Black Box
- Complete the Laboratory write up.
More information can be found about this topic at the following websites.
http://imagers.gsfc.nasa.gov/
http://atlas.geo.cornell.edu/education/student/web_tools.html
http://www.terrafly.com/
http://octopus.gma.org/surfing/sensing/index.html
http://cse.ssl.berkeley.edu/sii/lessons/third_summ.html
http://scripps.ucsd.edu/marianas/
http://scrippsnews.ucsd.edu/article_detail.cfm?article_num=655