Converging Relative Minds ISSN 2243-8521 POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES • COLLEGE OF SCIENCE • DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICAL SCIENCES Volume 1 Issue 2 • The Official News Magazine of the PUP Physics Society• July—December 2011 “The scientist does not study nature because it is useful; he studies it because he delights in it, and he delights in it because it is beautiful. If nature were not beautiful, it would not be worth knowing, and if na- ture were not worth knowing, life would not be worth living.” ― Henri Poincaré
Transcript
Converging Relative Minds
ISSN 2243-8521
POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES • COLLEGE OF SCIENCE • DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICAL SCIENCES
Volume 1 Issue 2 • The Official News Magazine of the PUP Physics Society• July—December 2011
“The scientist does not study nature because it is useful; he studies it
because he delights in it, and he delights in it because it is beautiful. If
nature were not beautiful, it would not be worth knowing, and if na-
ture were not worth knowing, life would not be worth living.”
Jocel B. Bartolay 2nd Placer - University General Science Quiz Bee
John Carlo N. Elmaguin 3rd Placer - University General Statistics Quiz Bee
----From your Physoc Family. We are proud of you!
From the faces of everyone
who attended, the conclusion was:
the Mid-year Assembly is a success!
Stressful days were relieved and
sleepless nights were rewarded. Ca-
maraderie and teamwork was
achieved and new friendships were
developed. At the end of the day,
smiles were not just etched on the
faces of everyone. ■
SMPP …
continued from page 5
Poster Exhibits of GBK awadees.
Participants from CS and CE.
Datu Monico Ito with Mr. Morales.
Science the Air We Breathe. Winning Poster during the CS
Week illustrated by Ms. Jemeerlene Oxciano.
10
July—December 2011
NEWS
Quezon City—the PUP Physics
Society went to the Department of
Science and Technology – Philip-
pine Nuclear Research Institute
(DOST – PNRI) last December 7,
2011 in regard with the celebra-
tion of 39th
Atomic Energy Week
(AEW) with the theme Nuclear
Energy: Challenges and Opportuni-
ties.
The AEW was held from
December 5 to 9 at the whole PNRI
compound showcasing nuclear
science exhibits, seminars and
equipment demonstration. As the
theme implies there is a big chal-
lenge on the state of nuclear en-
ergy manifestation in the country:
people neglect this idea because of
fear against nuclear technology;
moreover there is also big opportu-
nities that we will benefit when we
engage in this field.
To name a few, part of the
exhibit is plant mutation by radia-
tion which will improve their qual-
ity; another is tools that will deter-
mine your safety against radiation
and a tool to clean products
against harmful infections through
their cobalt-60 facility.
At the end of every tour, a
question and answer forum is man-
dated by the PNRI researchers and
students who answered correctly
won a prize.
The PNRI said on their
webpage, “The annual AEW cele-
bration, as mandated under Presi-
dential Proclamation No. 1211 in
1973, aims to generate awareness
of the Filipino people on the bene-
ficial uses of nuclear science and
technology in food and agriculture,
health and medicine, industry, en-
ergy, and the environment.”
Surely this annual celebra-
tion will be attended again by fu-
ture physicist of the Polytechnic
University of the Philippines. ■
SMPP holds Physiklaban 2011 John Paul A. Besagas
Samahang Mag-aaral sa Pagpapaunlad ng Pisika
carried out its Physiklaban at the Ateneo de Manila
University last December 3, 2011. It was partici-
pated by 50 teams from its member organizations,
University of the Philippines Physics Association, Far
Eastern University—East Asia College Physics Soci-
ety, Ateneo de Manila League of Physics Students,
University of Sto. Tomas Applied Physics Society,
Philippine Normal University Society for the Ad-
vancement of Physics Education, De La Salla Univer-
sity Physics Society, Physics Society of Adamson
University, and the Polytechnic University of the
Philippines Physics Society.
Physiklaban 2011 consisted of two parts, the
elimination round and main round. In the first part,
participants were given one-hour written examina-
tion composed of 50 multiple choice physics ques-
tions. The top ten teams proceeded to next round
continued on page 11
Forum. Ms. Pasion Facili-
tated the forum. Questions from
the audience addressed to speakers
focused on the updates regarding
the environmental battles they
started as well as efforts to protect
the environment. Students have
shared they insight too.
John Paul A. Besagas, Phy-
soc Academic Chairperson, gave his
response in behalf of PUP commu-
nity as he closed the program. He
stated that the awardees’ efforts
were not wasted and their calls for
support and action for environment
protection was accepted. ■
Thesis Proposal Held
Ron Louie G. Palacio
The PUP Physics Society assisted the senior stu-
dents on their thesis proposal activity last Septem-
ber 2011 at S514, PUP Main Building.
Senior students who are enrolled at their
Physics Research I under thesis coordinator Mr.
Rogelio G. Dizon conducted their thesis proposal to
ensure the feasibility of their research study. Panel
from the College of Science – Department of Physi-
cal Sciences also attended the event to screen and
to improve the presenter’s work.
The whole PUP Physics faculty screened
carefully every aspect and details of presented the-
sis proposals. Some of their inspected works needs
improvement but most requires polishing of paper
works. Most of the senior students started their
thesis last June 2011; but in the case of semiconduc-
tor group started
their thesis on their
On-Job-Training.
On March
2012, the students
will face the panel
again for their final
thesis defense. ■
PhySoc Goes to PNRI
Ron Louie G. Palacio
Seniors with Dr. De Vero (second from
left) and Mr. Madridejos (third from left).
PUP holds...
continued from page 9
BS Physics students as they tour the PNRI labo-
ratories and exhibit rooms. (Top) Agriculture
and plant irradiation section. (Middle) Applied
Physics Research unit and (Bottom) Administra-
tion Building hall exhibit. Photos contributed.
July—December 2011
NEWS 11 Christmas Party Celebrated
Marie Chona Garcia
AAAAnother Christmas Party celebration of the PUP Physics Society
headed by Mr. Jonathan Guste was held last Dec 17. 2011 at
room E611 of PUP Main Building from 8:30 AM—3:00 PM with
the theme: “ Proceeding Towards the State of Maximum Energy
and Fun”.
Opening. The event was participated by all the physics
Society members from all year levels. It was formally opened by
Mr. Reynold V. Luna, the adviser of the society. He emphasized
that Christmas is about remembering the birth of the Messiah
and this birth means loving, forgiving and sharing.
Presentations. Selected students from each year level
showed their talents in dancing and singing. The fourth year stu-
dents gave their best in sing-
ing while dancing. Another
performances came from the
first year students. Some of
the students formed a band
while others created dancing
routines and playing of instru-
ments. Last presentation was
given by third year students
with their song number.
Games. After the presentation of members, different
games prepared by the committee was played. Softdrink drinking
race test the stomach of the contestants while being blindfolded.
Finding partners was chal-
lenged as they are allowed
only to produce distint
sounds to detect the location
of their behalf. String test
determines how prepared the
participants in following in-
structions from the crowd.
And food relay surprises the
contestants what food they
are about to finish.
Partake. As time passed and everyone got fired and hun-
gry, altogether, they ate and shared the foods prepared and
served by each year level.
Gift Giving. Before the party ends, exchanged of gifts
was held. This was facilitated by the officers. Everyone also re-
ceived a gift from the society. Indeed, the party is not only about
the things they received but mostly of the joy and bonding they
Physoc General Plan Of Activities Physoc General Plan Of Activities Physoc General Plan Of Activities Physoc General Plan Of Activities
for January to March 2012
-January-
Philippine Science Centrum Field Trip | Physoc Election
-February-
Astrocamp | Seminar in Astrophysics | Amazing Race
Tree Planting | Lecture Series | NIP Open House
Physics Days
-March-
Lecture in Basic Instrumentation and Metrology
Year-End Assembly | Fun and Games
What Physicists Think….
Here what physics students said about “Professionalism,
Progression and Passion in Physics”:
Let the best in you come out in being part of the challenging
world of physics—Yeah
Have the aspiration to bring out the scientist in you. It is
having the full faith which we have, SECOND TO NONE.—
Smile
Develop, practice, share. Little by little, we can contribute in
the society through Physics.—Pak
These are the best ingredients a student must possess.—
AvengeSevenfold_12
Physics as one of the greatest achievement of human con-
tinuously gave us better understanding of the universe and
promising applications for better living. It all requires whole-
hearted effort to continue the gift of reason—owl
Pursuing physics with a burning desire will open up a para-
digm of endless possibilities—seraphxian
Make reading physics books a habit and reading physics
journals a custom. Take research as a culture. Live life with
joy and excellence.—brightmoon12
SMPP holds ...
continued from page 11
of competition. On the second half, the top ten teams in the elimi-
nation round qualified to join the main round.
The top two places was bagged by University of the Philip-
pines and the third place was achieved by Ateneo team. Two
teams from PUP placed fifth and sixth spot. ■
Seniors preparing in the stage for their intermis-
sion number. Photo contributed.
Fun and games. Photo contributed.
12
July—December 2011
EDITORIAL
EDITORIAL
Physics Research Group Revival
“Advancing physics research and education in the Philippines”
is the aim of the Physics Research Group (PRG) —Philippines. It was founded in 2005 in Mindanao Polytechnic State College by
Mr. Kim A. Gargar, Physics Department chairperson in the said school. In 2006, Mr. Gargar entered Polytechnic University of
the Philippines as physics instructor. In that time, he estab-lished the PRG– PUP Chapter. The group was composed of in-terested BS Physics students at the time.
The members of PRG conducted researches focused in theo-retical and instrumentation physics. They had activities like week discus-
sion on special topics in their field of interest. These are in preparation of the students’ undergraduate researches. These topics are self funded
and do not require expensive and sophisticated physics laboratory. These researches do not rely on other academic and government insti-
tutions research facilities and expertise. Six out of nine theses topics that academic year are introduced by PRG.
Unfortunately in 2007, Mr. Gargar leaved PUP and took a bet-ter opportunity in other academic institution. Because of that the activi-
ties of PRG in our university came to a halt. It is necessary to revive PRG. The activities of the group will
help students especially those taking physics courses to learn and mas-ter physics especially theoretical and instrumentation physics. It is a
must for a student to learn theoretical physics because this is the back-bone, the foundation of other fields in physics. Moreover, having an
exposure to instrumentation physics is necessary especially to PUP BS Physics students. In PUP, the laboratory apparatus were insufficient.
Learning instrumentation physics and conducting research in it will help the university to have enough and highly sophisticated instruments and
devices. PRG is the students and faculty’s initiative to upgrade the
quality of learning in the university. It is a reinforcement, an extension of service to its own community that requires new vision, new aspira-
tions and new leaders of university. It is a group which trains students to value the research culture.
PRG will help not only PUP but also our country. The quality of research in a certain country depends on the number of researches
published locally and internationally. Having a research group like PRG and developing more researchers will improve the state of science and technology in Philippines. ■
A BETTER OPTION
Trends in technology swiftly change. In early
2000, personal computers and cellular phones are popularly purchased but now there are new inno-
vations of this devices with less electricity con-sumption, longer battery life, smaller in size,
lighter in weight, more functionality and had bet-
ter design in which consumers are into. This is a proof that the patronage of a person to a particu-
lar gadget is endless. In the world of arts, your next masterpiece is better than your previous art.
This is what we observe science and technology.
To achieve this, we need to research. At first, these devices are just products of crea-
tive imaginations of some who were not afraid to exploit their imagination. Discover to find out information that
was not previously known, invent to be the first to think
of, make, or use of something, and create to bring something into existence are the primary tasks of a re-
searcher. These were observed among progressive per-sons passionate to improve the quality of our lives.
The Philippines has a low number of pools of researchers resulting low output in international scientific
publication. The government allotted 0.22% of its na-
tional budget on science and technology research. This is less than one-fourth of the budget allocation standard
set by UN to Research and Development. Researchers cannot proceed without the support of the government.
According to Sen. Richard Gordon, we must prioritize
science and technology to achieve the same societal and economic development of European countries. Research
is an edifice for progress. Philippines shall have research culture.
David Gross , 2004 Nobel Laureate in Physics, said: “If a country neglects basic research it is doomed
to be always a follower and not a leader, and it will lose
its most talented young scientists who will go elsewhere. Healthy science is like a healthy tree: you cannot destroy
the roots and hope that the branches will flourish.” The end product of research is worthy. Laying it
in the country’s culture will be its primary key to stand
and rely on its own resources. Research has been the secret to Japan’s reclaiming of position to improve its
economy after the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in World War II. Its government’s initiative to invest on
its scientists and technologists
The government shall follow the initiative of Ja-pan. Prioritizing research is a better investment. Invest
on people’s creativity and provide industry which will support the basic need of the people. This is a win-win
solution. ■
Beyond the Boundaries Mr. Reynold V. Luna
July—December 2011
OPINION 13 Perspectives Dr. Edgardo A. Latoza
PERCEPTIONS ON SOME PROVISIONS ON 2007 PUP REVISED STUDENT HANDBOOK
A student handbook is a must for all educational institutions. It guides the students on how to cope with the requirements of the
university in all areas of learning and in the process ensures their total development. The handbook makes the students aware of their
rights and privileges as well as of their responsibilities. The PUP student handbook is a product of conscientious
deliberations of the University Committee created for the purpose. The provisions are well-thought of and have passed through the
scrutiny of the university officials and other members of the PUP com-munity resulting in fair and student-centered document.
However, the abrupt changes occurring in society might have affected the validity of the provisions on this 2007 student hand-
book, thus, the following perceptions on the pinpointed provisions: Section 2 – Social Norms
Social norms are the rules that students need to observe to exhibit appropriate values and behavior at all times, whether in or
out of the university. Learning is measured not only on the intellectual improvement but on the social aspect as well.
Going over the provisions one by one, I find them still viable and acceptable. They present the values and practices expected from
students. However, I would like to give a second thought on item 2.6 which is on smoking. It is a common knowledge that smoking is not good for the health, so why not disallow smoking inside the campus
with no exception. It might be a harsh policy but later on the effort will pay off economy-wise, but more importantly, health-wise.
Section 8 – Attendance Attending classes regularly will redound to better learning.
It means acquisition of more knowledge and skills because the stu-dent who is present in class all the time can interact with his class-
mates and professors. Every minute spent with these people matters. To be absent is to be deprived of the much needed learning and
training. This learning is his passport to success. The provisions on the PUP student handbook on this con-
cern are well-explained and seriously considering them will be benefi-cial to the students. They develop in the students a sense of respon-
sibility for they are obliged to do their tasks as required and needed and they are answerable for their performance.
Section 9 – Grading System It is the responsibility of the university to be transparent in
rating the students’ performance. This means explaining to them how their grades are computed. Honest to goodness and fair grades the
students will get in every subject they are enrolled in symbolize the reward for their achievements. The fair grades they receive will in-
spire them to perform better and develop in them self-esteem. The PUP grading system has been clearly explained in this
section. The provisions are clear and implementable. Inclusion of the percentage for every activity can be considered during the updating
process. Section 10 – Removal of Incomplete Grade
Getting incomplete grades is not far from happening. This can be attributed to a number of factors which might be beyond the
students’ control such as absence due to illness and the like. What matters is that the students are briefed at the start of the course.
Section 11 – Integration Period and Examination Giving students one day or two days to review for the final
examination will lessen the tension on the part of these students. This will enable them also to have personalized time to consult their pro-
fessors on areas they need more clarifications and/or explanations. The PUP recognizes the value of providing students integra-
tion period before the final examination. This reality is very evident in the simple and understandable provisions on the 2007 PUP Revised Student Handbook. ■
At a Glance Leonard R. Baguio
OF FAITH AND ATHEISM "I do not believe in a personal God and I have never denied this but have expressed it clearly. If something is in me which can be called religious, then it is the unbounded admiration for the structure of the world so far as our science can reveal it." (Albert Einstein, 1954) Few among us would listen to an atheist; in fact, most of us do not even want to talk to someone whose life is not based on some-thing spiritual. Most of the time we ridicule those people who do not believe in a Personal God. But the current trend, not only in the Com-munist part of the world, but to the scientific field as well, shows that there is an increasing number of people who do not really believe in God, expressed implicitly. Take for example what happened to me when I openly ex-pressed my disbelief in God. I received messages, mostly from those people who do not even know me personally, saying that everything's not that late for me to retract my statements. Some even went to the extent of calling me inappropriate names. And, well, for me that's irony to the extreme. Because I think, God wouldn't even want His servants to be haters, isn't it? Now before discussing atheism directly, I want to make some preliminary comments that are quite important, because unless one understand my general philosophical approach, I don't think you'll un-derstand my approach to atheism. If there's one major intellectual problem facing us today, I would say it's the credulity crisis. Or, to put it more bluntly, I would say that we're plagued with a blight of gullibil-ity. It never ceases to amaze me how people are willing to accept these beliefs not only without supporting evidence, but often times in the face of conflicting evidence. Irrationalism, by which I mean ignorant disre-gard or disrespect for reason, is still going strong. So, while we may say, that some traditional religions seem to be on the decline and have been for some time, irrationalism continues to rear its ugly head, whether it's in the form of occultism, Eastern mysticism, demonic pos-session movies, and even some psychological fad groups which are closer to religious cults than to any legitimate psychology. Now, what accounts for this resurgence of irrationalism? Well, there are undoubtedly many factors involved, but certainly one of the most significant is the inability or unwillingness on the part of many, many people to reason well. Most people do not know how to think critically beyond a very rudimentary level. So make no mistake about it: you are born with the capacity to reason. To reason. Proper reasoning must be learned and practiced. The only choice you have here is whether or not you're going to make your standards of knowledge explicit, whether you're going to be aware of what they are, as contrasted with simply accepting them as some sort of osmosis from a culture or whatever people tell you. We must know facts; we must know something about the world before we can determine anything about what is of value to you in the world. Thus, knowledge is indispensable to our very survival. And it's only through our reason, through our power of conceptual thought, that we can apply our knowledge. Then, if your standard of reasoning reached an erring conclu-sion, stick to it. That's belief and faith. ■
[The writer believes that logical arguments dispute the legality of Good Cause. An online blogger, he regularly updates his blogsite, www.stupidaddbotz.i.ph and is an active member of different inter-university communities.]
14
July—December 2011
FEATURES
September 19, 2011 was a
very significant day for the
College of Science. Members
of CHED Technical Panel for
Physics Program Dr. Maricor
Soriano and Dr. Robert
Roleda, together with CHED
representatives Ma. Wilma R.
Gabrillo and Margarita B. Pa-
ciente, assessed the operation
of the College of Science Phys-
ics Program.
The objectives
of the assess-
ment activity is
to create an
accurate pic-
ture of the
Physics pro-
gram in the
country in light of CMO No. 20
S. 2007 “Policies and Stan-
dards for the BS Physics and in
BS in Applied Physics and
other relevant CMOs regard-
ing the offering of the gradu-
ate degree programs and in
view of rationalizing the phys-
ics program in the country.
There are 26 universities
(public and private) offering
undergraduate and graduate
programs in Physics.
The team together
with the College of Science
officials paid a courtesy visit to
the office of the Vice Presi-
dent for Academic Affairs,
before they verified the col-
l e c t e d
data re-
flected in
the survey
i n s t r u -
ment for
p h y s i c s .
They vis-
ited the
different facilities specifically
the furnace room where BS
Physics students conduct their
research on superconductor
materials. They interviewed
students and were able to
observe informally many
classes that are going on as
they passed by the class-
rooms. They also interviewed
four faculty members who are
teaching major physics sub-
jects: Dr. Jeffrey C. De Vero ,
Doctor of Philosophy in Phys-
ics, Mr.. Rogelio G. Dizon, MS
Material Science Engineering
and Mr. Ruben Madridejos,
MS Geophysics, and Mr. Rey-
nold V. Luna, who is pursuing
MS Applied Physics major in
Medical Physics. The Dean of
the College of Science, Dr.
Zenaida R. Sarmiento, and the
chairperson of the Depart-
ment of Physical Sciences, Dr.
Evelyn M. Matchete were also
interviewed. Comments and
suggestions regarding the visit
were discussed by the team
with CS officials and the Vice
President for Academic Af-
fairs. The team commended
that PUP BS Physics Program
has very good faculty, a good
number of highly motivated
students and dedicated
alumni. They also found out
that its graduates have gone
on to a higher degree or have
been absorbed by industry,
government research insti-
tutes, and other academic
institutions. They concluded
that given the proper support
from the administration PUP
BS Physics Program has strong
potential for becoming one of
the best in the country. ■
CHED Assesses PUP-CS
BS Physics Program Dr. Evelyn M. Matchete
CHED Technical Panel Interview with CS Officials and BS Physics Faculty .
Two Faces…
continued from page 17
they can do (to be still a hu-
man) is make an art.
History tells us why
they are inside: Inside of the
rat-race-wheel or inside the
jail. Many of them are naïve,
some are innocent, some are
helpless and some are still
longing for change. They seem
so helpless in their case.
But what is the goal
of the exhibit?
It is simply to show
the true faces of the world.■
After…
continued from page 17
On your right would be a build
up of negative
charges. Since
these charges
are only sepa-
rated by a con-
ductor - the wire
- they're not
really separated
at all. They cre-
ate a current
across the wire,
as the electrons
rush over to the
positive side of
the wire. This, in turn, creates a
resistance to the original flow
of charge flowing down the
wire.
In the
eighties people
noticed that
this Hall Resis-
tance, at low
temperatures
and high mag-
netic fields in
two dimen-
sions, hit cer-
tain consistent
levels. It drops
directly be-
tween these
plateaux, and those are meas-
urable. Hall resistance is equal
to h/(ie^2). The 'i' is a random
integer. This equation has both
the constant h and the con-
stant e in it, allowing scientists
to measure both to a high de-
gree of accuracy. We may be
able to measure it to higher
degrees of accuracy - right now
we have a disgraceful uncer-
tainty of 86 parts per trillion -
but it can't change itself. And
at last, both the amp and the
kilogram may both be safe for
future generations.
Reference: IOP Science
… given the proper support
from the administration
PUP BS Physics Program
has strong potential for
becoming one of the best in
the country.
July—December 2011
FEATURES 15
Einstein, simple, genius, phys-
ics master – these are words
attributed to Mr. Ruben
Madridejos or Sir Madri. He is a
long-haired and beard physics
faculty member in the Depart-
ment of Physical Sciences, Col-
lege of Science in Polytechnic
University of the Philippines.
He is known for his excellence
in physics more particularly in
theoretical physics that even
Mr. Jeffrey C. De Vero, also a
physics faculty in the said de-
partment treated Sir Madri as
the hokage or father of physics
in PUP. But who actually Sir
Madri is?
Professional Studies.
In 1973, Mr. Ruben Madridejos
took Bachelor of Science in
Physics in University of the
Philippines Diliman, QC. He
achieved cum laude as he com-
pleted his bachelor’s degree. In
1985, Sir Madri went to Berlin
Germany and took Master of
Science in Geophysics. He said
that his study in there was free
because it was state funded. In
the first place, he studied Ger-
man language for six months.
Also during that time, he
worked in Berlin for 5 months
as construction worker and
janitor. The salary that he
would get in his work would
sustain his study and everyday
needs in the said country.
It took him 10 years to
complete his MS in Geophysics.
He went back to Philippines in
1998. In that time, he applied
in the Bureau of Mines as well
as in PUP as physics instructor.
But he was accepted first in
PUP. Therefore he became
instructor in PUP.
Physics Instructor. It
was in the right time when he
entered in PUP as physics in-
structor. Sir Madri was the only
one in the faculty of College of
Science who taught physics
because most instructors of
physics were engineers. Fur-
thermore, the Bachelor of Sci-
ence in Physics program was
established. He had able to
teach the first batch of BS
Physics students in PUP.
Now, Sir Madri still
teaches subjects in physics
such as theoretical mechanics,
statistical physics, computa-
tional physics and college phys-
ics. But actually he is able to
teach all subjects of physics in
the BS Physics curriculum and
in other curricula. This is one
that makes Sir Madri amazing.
Physics as Passion. Sir
Madri is very well attached to
physics. It is no doubt why did
he choose physics in his study
and in his work as an instruc-
tor. He said that during his
study in high school, he really
had high interest in physics
that’s why he had chosen it.
What about his students? Most
of BS Physics students were
glad and thankful to have Sir
Madri as their instructor in
physics. I had interviewed
some of his students. Ms Karen
Penetrante of BS Physics 3-1
said “mabait si Sir Madri at
talagang napakagaling sa pag-
tuturo ng physics”. Ms. Louie
Jane Rico, also a BS Physics 3-1
student said “magaling
magturo si Sir Madri. Na-
kakatuwa kasi sobrang patient
niya at halos detalyado niyang
ipinapaliwanag lahat”.
What about his co-
instructors? Mr. Reynold V.
Luna, Mr. Rogelio G. Dizon, Mr.
Jeffrey C. De Vero and Mr. Lean
L. Dasallas were also students
of Sir Madri when they were BS
Physics students in PUP. Like
his current students, they were
grateful that they had an op-
portunity to have Sir Madri as
their teacher and co-instructor.
Mr. Luna said “Kung wala si Sir
Madri, wala kami sa kung ano
kami ngayon at kaya ganun at
ganun na lamang ang pasa-
salamat ko sa kanya”.
I am also thankful that
I have met Sir Madri. I learned
so many things from him espe-
cially in physics. He is also one
that had inspired me to pursue
theoretical physics in my on-
the-job training this summer as
well as in my MS and Ph. D. in
Physics study.
continued on page 17
The Hokage of Physics in PUP John Paul A. Besagas
Left. Sir Madri preparing his
things in the CS Faculty
room. Middle. Sir Madri
lecturing on his physics
class. Right. BS Physics class
picture with Sir Madri.
TIME AS WE KNOW IT Ma. Angela B. Faustino
TTTTime has always been an issue: may it
be in your career, relationships, health,
decisions, and etcetera. You can always
predict in what area you would be suc-
cessful, the thing where you invest your
time more. As Rick Warren quoted in
one of his books, “To
spell love is T-I-M-E”.
We can judge what a
person loves in where
he spends much of his
time. If someone
spends time in sleeping
more than 10 hours
regularly, then he loves
sleeping and will not
get much of his time
living his life productively.
“Laging nasa huli ang pagsisisi”
– this is what my parents keep telling
me as I grow up. You can never go back
in time, you cannot redeem the time
you spent watching a 2 – hour movie
when you’re having an exam three days
from now. You can never take back an
UNO when you already had your TRES in
your SIS (student’s database) account.
You can consider a year or two wasted
when you chose to shift to another
course. You can never “talk back” what
you said, “ctrl +z or undo” what you did,
“take back” what you just lost, the prob-
ability to have it again is called a
“miracle”.
Speaking of believing the im-
possible, Einstein did. And most of the
time, people who tried and explored
something new
are the ones who
discover great
things. In 1916,
his work on the
general theory of
relativity was pub-
lished, which re-
lated gravity to
the structure of
space and time.
Let’s talk about a little of this theory. For
the next few paragraphs, let’s talk a lit-
tle physics.
Einstein was an unknown 25-
year old clerk in Swiss patent office until
he published papers on: Brownian mo-
tion, photoelectric effect and an intro-
duction of the special theory of relativ-
ity. In which the third one made revi-
sions of the Newtonian concepts of
space and time. Relativity connects
space and time.
Time dilation is the effect
wherein an object is observed in the
same reference frame and another to an
another reference frame, and gives in-
terval as it was observed, and is always
longer than the proper time an event
happened. To “dilate” means to enlarge.
Time dilation is given by
where t0 is the proper time, t the time
interval on clock in motion relative to an
observer, v as the speed of relative mo-
tion, and c the speed of light. The terms
will justify its meaning, such as “proper”,
“dilate”, and “relative”.
This is physics. This physics is
something we use our imagination with.
Recall in our flooding areas wherein we
stand at rest and focused our eyes on
the flowing water. After some time, we
can “imagine” that we are the one mov-
ing and the flood not flowing at all. This
is an easy illustration of relativity. Either
you are at rest and something is moving
or you are moving and something you
observe is at rest depending upon what
you consider.
continued on page 17
16
July—December 2011
FEATURES
zamandayolculuk.com
We will always be the ones
who will determine how
fast or slow we live our
lives are, how we will use
our time according to our
own values and convictions.
July—December 2011
FEATURES 17
Artists have the unique way to express
their ideas and aspirations in their life.
They may portray a very vague or ob-
scure view of nature or they may por-
tray a so loving or flamboyant picture
of life. Indeed their imagination is
priceless, their hands are powerful,
and their minds are captivating.
An art exhibit was held at Gateway
Cubao, Quezon City exposed several
personas: a group of poor children and
prisoners longing for liberty.
Wondering how the organiz-
ers came up with the theme, I asked
the person in charge if there is rela-
tionship between the two. He then
answered, if you think carefully you’ll
find one.
The first group is a scope of
children playing near a mountain of
garbage, people used to live near the
dumpsite, and other who are engaged
daily in trash. They may say, “your
trash is my treasure.” Their endeavor
in life is absolute because of their smile
that shines beneath a dark cloud.
The exhibit let me reminisce
the song I interpreted in my junior year
In high school. Itanong mo sa mga
bata by Asin tells me that we should
never stop dreaming, our imagination
is the limit, and children are ideal
model because of their awareness in
life.
The next group of artworks is
from prisoners. Bloodshed, barbed
wire, activism and revolt, jail and per-
sons in the jail are the common inter-
esting features of their masterpieces.
What does it mean? It is simply about
their struggles inside the little wall
blocking their ability to further get
along with nature and the only thing
continued on page 14
Time as…
continued from page 16
How can we relate this in
our practical lives? Things are rela-
tive. It is as how you view and see
things and events happen in your life.
It is also different for different ob-
servers, the people around you, they
judge according to what they ob-
serve. We will always be the ones
who will determine how fast or slow
we live our lives are, how we will use
our time according to our own values
and convictions. Plan ahead and we
can live with the pressure of time, or
do nothing and you are controlled by
time. Don’t let it happen that you
wake up one day realizing how fast
time went by and regret things you
did not try for the good. ■
References: A. Beiser, “Concepts of Modern Physics”, 6th
Ed, McGraw-Hill Education, Asia, 2003.
Young and Freedman, University Physics 12th
Ed,, Addison Wesley, 2008.
Kilogram After Decades
of Research Debbie Velasquez
Measuring systems are almost always arbitrary
- even the orderly metric system is chopped up
into random little pieces we call grams, kilo-
grams, and tons. With the increased need for
precision, it's necessary that everyone use the
same random unit of mass for a kilogram. After
a Nobel winning discovery, and decades of
tireless research, scientists have managed to
pin down a kilogram and an ampere.
In order to get everyone on the same
page, mass-wise, people have to be able to use
measuring units that are the same wherever
they go. They also need to be able to use units
that won't degrade over time. This is a tough
thing to do, and so far people haven't managed
it with a kilogram. The standard kilogram, used
by every company and institution serious about
measuring things, is a lump of platinum-iridium.
That lump, although it's being carefully main-
tained, is vulnerable to damage, loss, or general
degradation over time. In order to measure a
kilogram again and again, no matter what, it has
to be tied to universal constants.
A Plank mass is a unit of mass defined
by Planck's constant, h, the speed of light, and
the gravitational constant. Two of those are
already universal constants, but one, Planck's
constant, is tied to another constant, e. This is
the charge of an electron. The charge of an elec-
tron could be measured in amperes - unfortu-
nately we don't have a universal constant that
can help us define the ampere.
There is one phenomenon, the Quan-
tum Hall Effect, that relates one of these con-
stants to the other. It can help determine both
as always constant, and set up a universal stan-
dard for both the amp and the kilogram. The
Hall Effect is simple. First run a charge through a
wire - imagine the wire running directly away
from the center of your body. Then they apply a
magnetic field perpendicular to the charge -
imagine it radiating up and down. When this
happens, a Voltage builds up on either side of
the electric flow. So on your left side there
would be an abundance of positive charges.
continued on page 14
The Two Faces of the Thousands of Faces
Ron Louie G. Palacio
The Hokage…
continued from page 15
I remembered the day when
all of the members of PUP Physics Soci-
ety celebrated his birthday. He was
very happy and surprised. We ask him
about his advice to BS Physics students
and he said “mag-aral kayo ng mabuti
para magtagumpay kayo”. To the
graduating students of physics, he said
“ang wish ko grumaduate kayong la-
hat”. At the end of the birthday bash,
we had pictorial with him and after
that he said “pahingi ako ng kopya ng
pictures ha”. Sir Madri really likes pic-
tures.
Sir Madri is just a simple guy
but he had a great mind. He is a person
with good principles not just in physics
but in everyday life. He had done so
many things that helped his students
as well as the PUP BS Physics program
and the PUP Physics Society. Indeed,
he is the hokage of physics in PUP. ■
18
July—December 2011
LITERARY Ang Wikang Filipino ay Ang Wikang Filipino ay Ang Wikang Filipino ay Ang Wikang Filipino ay
Wikang Panlahat, Ilaw Wikang Panlahat, Ilaw Wikang Panlahat, Ilaw Wikang Panlahat, Ilaw
at Lakas sa Tuwid na at Lakas sa Tuwid na at Lakas sa Tuwid na at Lakas sa Tuwid na
LandasLandasLandasLandas Jayson Almario
Ito na naman ako, bibida sa lahat.
Daig ko pa si PNoy, sa aking kasikatan.
Pati ang madlang people ay di makalig-
tas,
Siguradong ako'y makakapuntos.
Ako nga pala si Filipino, ang wika nyong
lahat!
Taong 1937 nang ako'y ipinanganak
Hindi bilang Filipino, ngunit bilang Taga-
log.
Hindi naglaon, ako'y naging Filipino.
Buti na lang at wala pang NSO.
Malamang sa malamang, butas na ang
bulsa ko.
Mapaltan ang pangalan ko
Ako, Ikaw, tayo at sila!
Wikang Filipino ang sa ati’y nangun-
guna!
Kwentuhan, halakhakan, tsismisan at
sabungan,
Pati SONA ng pangulo, ako ang bu-
mibida!
Di ba’t sapul ang madlang people, pag
ako ang gamit ni PNoy?
Kung ang ina ay ilaw ng tahanan
Ako naman ang sa ating bayan .
Magbibigay liwanag sa isang kapatiran
At bubuo ng isang pangalan
Para sa pangkalahatan.
Isang bansang may tatlong pulo.
Tatlong pulo na may iba’t-ibang wika.
Isang daan at pitumpo’t limang wika
ang sa bansa’y angkin.
Sa daming wika, malayo tayong mag-
kaunawaan.
Kaya ako’y naririrto, buong-buong mag-
papagamit,
Hindi ng katawan ngunit ng aking diwa
Ako ag sumasalamin sa lahing Pilipino.
Pinag-iisa ang layunin ng bawat tanan,
Magbibigay taglaw, magkakaron ng
pagkakakilanlan.
At dahil sa akin tayo’y magiging isa.
Isang bansang matatag sa matwid na
landas.
True Time Machines Mark Genesis B. Santos
We always wanted to travel back in time
To change the past or solve a crime
But it is said than none can change his fate
And for everything its is never too late.
Our yesterday seems to be our history,
Recorded events are flashed in our memories.
Some may bring a smile for it is said to be
happy,
And some may bring sorrow and you’ll see
yourself in misery.
Tomorrow is still a mystery to be solved,
Numbers we count and ask how old,
And paths that are meant to be followed.
Seems to be a puzzle we still need to hold.
Remember , we create our time machines,
That allows us to add or delete a scene.
Memories, from the past are carried back,
And dreams makes our future be locked.
S C H I Z O P H R E N I AS C H I Z O P H R E N I AS C H I Z O P H R E N I AS C H I Z O P H R E N I A
Leonard R. Baguio
He waits outside the polished gates,
Of marbled floors and ivory doors.
He lurks and hides beneath those bricks
Of loosing faith.
His footsteps are well-hidden;
Not a single whip of a dreary air breaks
the spell.
His eyes of loose capillaries,
Those sockets of a determined fate.
He laughs, a long, wicked laugh,
Until the grumbling sound of thunder
Fades it away. In awe he stands,
Outside his home, unaware,
Of what he became.
The dreary rain washed his plans away,
And nothing left but a stale bread
To tell his vicious tale.
WHERE DO I FIND MYSELF
AFTER TEN YEARS? Marie Chona P. Garcia
I believe that every person has different
mission in their lives. When we were asked
with the question ‘where do you find your-
self after ten years?’ different answers will
surely arise from each one of us. One will
say she is in other country working there
and fortunately living there. Other may
answer they are by then successful with
their chosen field, have already their
dream house where they stay with their
family. Positive answers are the common
response in this question and I rarely hear
a negative or uncertain reply. Pessimistic
person answers this with a question stated
as ‘How can I answer that, if I myself do
not know the reason why I live?’ or some-
times ‘Do I still exist within those years?’
and sometimes I have to admit I am one of
them.
If I were to ask where I find my-
self after ten years, quick response, I will
say that I can see myself working in a labo-
ratory using the knowledge gained in my
chosen field , living in my own house with
my family. But, thinking this twice, my an-
swer will surely change and it will be, “I
don’t know.” This doesn’t mean that I
don’t have any plans for my future at all;
it’s just that I still can’t say what or where I
am by that time. I may doubt of what I can
do now, however, the love, trust and en-
couragement given by my family and
friends are enough for me to say that I will
succeed after ten years and no matter
what happen in the future, I know that it
has its own reason and I trust God that it is
for my best.
Whatever answer we have for
this question, whether we are being pessi-
mist or optimist, no one is in the right posi-
tion to judge us except Him. No one knows
continued on page 19
July—December 2011
LITERARY 19
Where do...
continued from page 18
what will tomorrow bring, people have
plans but most of the time unexpected
things come their way which then result
to somehow change in their plans. Re-
member that plans without actions are
just dreams yet know that when you plan,
bear in mind that nothing in this world is
constant, everything may change and
fade through time. Just do your part in
your plans and be humble enough to ac-
cept wherever you find yourself after ten
years. ■
Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better. -Albert Einstein
One Clique! Nerissa M. De Guzman
Physics! Most of us say its Difficult! Yes, indeed it is! It makes our mind go crazy! It’s every-where. What if it’s the course you’re taking up?
As future physicist you must have the passion to learn and to excel. You must challenge yourself
in answering difficult problem sets. Through all this hardships, consider the people around you,
the society or the company of friends you can’t even remember where you’ve all started. Phys-
ics society is a blessing. A blessing because its not just a society but a family.
Physics society provides exciting ac-tivities for its members in order for them to
learn the value of teamwork and leadership. Together as one, we build our goals, we give
our best in every thing we do...We work as a TEAM (Together Everyone Achieves More).
Helping each other not only to grow academi-cally but also to grow spiritually. With the Lord
as the center of our society, we show love and care for each other as brothers and sisters. Like-
wise, having the essence of stewardship in the hearts of our Physics society adviser and offi-
cers, our society was chosen as one of the most outstanding societies in PUP.
Driven by genuine commitment and
passion to excel, PUP Physics society is now on its journey towards a wider horizon as it climbs
the peak of excellence. To be able to compete in this rapidly changing modernized world, the
society is now undergoing significant prepara-tions for accreditation. Amidst all the academic
pressures, social issues and stressful days brought to us by what we know as the torture
chamber called school, we never give up... we never bid farewell in achieving our goals. ■
*THE LAMP* Anonymous
We talk to God everytime we pray,
We do it every night and day.
God always listen to what we plea,
from dusk to dawn he will light the
way.
People fear the bad days,
but seek the good times.
Without the Lord life is painful,
full of challenges, full of doubts.
Never be troubled, look up,
Take out the fear,
Take in the faith,
Let go, let God.
Open your hearts for the Lord,
He will teach you how to change
your tears into smiles.
some things are hard to accept,
Look on the bright side, follow Him.
SCIENCE and... Marie Chona P. Garcia
Everything around us solid, liquid and gas
Something that has pressure and mass
Basically we call them matter
Which is the world’s composer.
Chemicals, animals, plants and trees
Rocks, clouds, planets and galaxies,
Lighting, thunder and even the weather
In one subject all of these we can encounter.
Botany, Zoology and Ecology
Physics, Astronomy and Chemistry
Studying these may bring you in pain
Yet after that it is a total gain.
Science, most of the time is ignore
Not knowing that here they can explore.
In this world full of mystery
All we need is a brain of curiosity.
Learning science is so cool
Discovering things makes us whole.
Relative thinking must be adapted
For this can help in being science committed.
20
July—December 2011
RESEARCHES
Measuring Voltage
using CRO Dharell Balonzo and Noel Alvin Orias
In our life today, we depend on electric-
ity to operate all electronic devices and
most of these are powered by an AC sig-
nal. The main reasons for the wide use of
the AC signal are lower cost of both pro-
duction and transmission, and conven-
ience of distribution.
This study focuses on measuring
the voltage of a circuit using a cathode ray
oscilloscope (CRO). The CRO is a tool for
acquiring a signal voltage from a testing
circuit. It allows to see the signal voltage
in two-dimensional graph with y-axis,
plotted as a function of time, and x-axis as
the voltage, because it set the signals at
different points in the circuit.
You might wonder why it is nec-
essary to use a CRO to measure the volt-
age of a circuit, when there is a voltmeter
that is handy, portable and gives instant
result. Unlike voltmeter, CRO shows a
wave graph that is analyzed to get the
voltage magnitude of a sample circuit, the
consequence of using CRO is it has many
things to consider like it is a bigger tool
that is spacious, the making of its set-up is
a little time consuming, and operating the
oscilloscope takes a little extra knowledge
about using the device, and its procedures
takes extra effort because: first you must
make a series circuit, connect it to the
oscilloscope and operate the oscilloscope,
analyze the tabulated data and calculate
the peak to peak voltage, period, fre-
quency, and the amplitude voltage. The
voltage magnitude calculated now gives
Magnetic Field in a
Cylindrical Iron Wire A. Bendal, S. Cordura, and Y. Rola
Way back to the history of magnetism,
the fascinating behaviour and interac-
tions of magnets on matter (mostly per-
manent magnets), urged scientist and
physicist in tackling the quest of discov-
ering its mystery. From the idea, that
this branch of physics is a separate field
of study, to the ground-breaking discov-
ery of the relationship between electric
current (I) and magnetic field (B), and
vice versa, came the birth of an era of
modern technologies. Today, almost all
practical devices depend on magnetism,
from compasses to motors, loudspeaker,
computer memory, electric generator,
and even nanotechnology.
The study of electrodynamics
from classical to modern physics gave a
stunning phenomenon between the mo-
tion of charges and its interactions. Cur-
continued on page 21
Reverse Process…
continued from page 21
instant rate of heat flow resulting to faster
melting of ice and faster achieving of the
point to start increasing temperature up
to the preferred temperature. For the
third set-up, it was found that the higher
the ambient temperature, the faster the
heat flow resulting to faster melting of ice.
Hence, ideal reverse process of Mpemba
effect has only been achieved in tempera-
tures which ice still forms, which showed
us that the lower the temperature in that
range, the faster time rate it takes to in-
crease in to the desired temperature. ■
Many studies show that the number of
students that take Physics as their major
course is decreasing throughout the
world. One example is South Africa,
where they are competing for such small
number of students enrolled in the Phys-
ics course.
In Polytechnic University of the
Philippines, the students enrolled under
the BS Physics program are so small com-
pared to other courses. In fact, in the
school year 2011-2012, there are only 176
students enrolled in the program. These
students will then undergo an exponen-
tial decay as they advance to higher year
levels.
Physical Electronics is one of the
subjects of Physics majors. In PUP, this
subject is taken when a student steps on
the 2nd
year level. In studying basic elec-
tronics, most of the students are experi-
encing a hard time in understanding the
lesson. It is because the subject does not
only require technical ability but also ana-
lytical skill of the students. Due to this,
the researchers conducted a study about
the technical ability and analytical skill of
the 2nd
year BS Physics students of the
Polytechnic University of the Philippines.
This study demonstrates the proficiency
level, both analytical skill and technical
ability, of these students on handling a
conducting set and enclosing the con-
cepts of series and parallel circuits.
A descriptive design was used in
the study using a questionnaire as a sur-
vey instrument. The questionnaire in-
cludes both analytical and technical ques-
tions which determine the student’s pro-
ficiency level. The respondents were from
the regular 2nd
year BS Physics students
enrolled in the school year 2011-2012.
They are students who have not yet taken
their Physical Electronics subject.
A pre-test, composed of 10 ana-
lytic questions and 10 technical questions,
was distributed to the respondents. After
30 minutes of exam, data were collected
and then interpreted by the researcher. In
the analytic part of the exam, 36.36% (4
out of 11) of the respondents belong to
continued on page 21
Technical and Analytical Skills of Sophomore
BS Physics Students in Basic Electronics Honeyleen Laggui, Julienne Mae Legaspi and Rheymar Morales
21
the below average proficiency level,
54.55% (6 out of 11) of the respondents
belong to the average level and 9.09% (1
out of 11) of the respondents belong to
the above average level. In the technical
part, 9.09% (1 out of 11) of the respon-
dents belong to the below average profi-
ciency level, 72.73% (8 out of 11) of the
respondents belong to the average level
and 18.18% (2 out of 11) of the respon-
dents belong to the above average level.
After a week, a demonstration
about basic Electronics using a conducting
set was held. The demonstration includes
solving problems on series and parallel
connections and constructing these con-
nections. After the demonstration, a post-
test which contains the same questions as
the pre-test was given to the respon-
dents.
After 30 minutes, the data were collected
and interpreted. In the analytic part,
72.73% (8 out of 11) of the respondents
belong to the below average proficiency
level, 18.18% (2 out of 11) of the respon-
dents belong to the average level and
9.09% (1 out of 11) of the respondents
belong to the above average level. For the
technical part, 0% (0 out of 11) of the
respondents belong to the below average
proficiency level, 36.36% (4 out of 11) of
the respondents belong to the average
level and 63.64% (7 out of 11) of the re-
spondents belong to the above average
level.
The data from the pre-test and
post-test was compared. The second year
continued on page 23
Technical and ...
continued on page 20
Magnetic Field…
continued from page 20
rent are produced because of moving
electrons, that pass through a cross sec-
tional area of a material, and inducing
current and magnetic field.
In this work, the researchers
study three groups of material having the
same geometrical structure - cylindrical.
The first group varies with length having
a constant radius, the second varies with
radius having a constant length and the
third group varies both length and radius.
All of the said material is projected by a
fixed voltage.
From projecting a specific
amount of voltage, the sample experi-
ences a current due to resistors attached
to the set-up, it neglects the resistance of
all the Iron due to a very small geometry,
and the magnetic field induced is almost
negligible due to very small current and
radius. As the length increased the mag-
nitude of the magnetic field is still the
same, while the magnetic field is in-
versely proportional to radius, even
though that the magnetic field is very
small. The ratio between length and ra-
dius is directly proportional to the mag-
continued on page 23
Combined rotational and transla-
tional motion is common in our everyday
life. Rolling wheels, thrown hammer in air,
and spinning yoyo are examples of rigid
objects undergoing this kind of motion in
order to function. As an importance, com-
bined rotational and translation makes
transportation possible.
Studying how these objects move
is an interesting task since there are many
things to observe with. For instance, one
observation is that objects of different
geometry have different speed and why is
this so? Another question follows what is
the required shape in order to attain the
greatest speed?
This experiment was aimed to
determine the speed associated with the
center of mass of materials with different
geometry. Also to show that the geometry
(shape) of the object under consideration
affects its speed and to determine which
of the shapes possesses the greatest
speed.
The shapes of objects that were
considered in this experiment were: solid
cylinder, thin-walled hollow cylinder, solid
sphere and a hollow sphere. The said ob-
jects were allowed to slide down on a built
in inclined plane of a certain height above
the ground. One by one, each object were
set to roll down the inclined plank and the
time the object took as it reached the
ground was recorded. The said steps of
the experiment were followed for each of
the objects under consideration.
Using a derived equation, the
corresponding speed of the geometries
was calculated together with the theoreti-
cal value of it using the available equation
for the moment of inertia of the geome-
tries used. The experiment showed that
the thin-walled hollow cylinder possessed
the least speed among the four followed
by the hollow sphere, solid cylinder and
the fastest was the solid sphere. It was
showed that the object’s geometry (mass
distribution) affects its speed of rotation
and that the smaller value of the moment
of inertia resulted to greater speed. ■
Speed Associated with the Center of Mass in
Various Objects with Different Geometry John Paul Besagas, Rheymar Morales and Elizabeth Perez
July—December 2011
RESEARCHES
Reverse Process…
continued from page 22
Lastly, the third step is similar as
the second set-up with only differences in
ambient temperatures. The varied tem-
peratures provided by the water-filled
beaker were 65°C, 80°C, and 100°C. The
time rate it will take to melt the ice of the
same quantity inside the Erlenmeyer flask
was measured.
In the first set-up, the data
showed that the lower the initial tem-
perature, the longer the time it took to
boil. In second set-up, it was found that in
temperature range where ice or the solid
form of water forms, the reversed effect
was observed such that the lower the
liquid, the faster the increase in tempera-
ture. This due to the fact that the higher
the temperature difference, it affects the
continued on page 20
22
July—December 2011
RESEARCHES
Reference sources are used in the energy
and efficiency calibrations of radiation
instruments like the Gamma Spectrome-
ter. Gamma spectrometers are used to
identify the radionuclides & the radioac-
tivity present in a sample.
In this study, biscuit-type thorium
-232 reference sources were prepared
with specific concentrations (7 grams, 8
grams and 10 grams) of thorium nitrate
(with the theoretical activity for each ref-
erence source calculated), for the effi-
ciency calibration of the Gamma spec-
trometer with Multichannel Analyzer
(MCA) NaI detector which is used for the
quantification of approximate radioactiv-
ity values of the gamma emitting daughter
nuclides of thorium-232 (Lead-212, Actin-
ium-228, Thallium-208 and Bismuth-212)
in the black mineral sand from Ombo,
Northern Palawan (NORM sample).
The biscuit reference source with
10 grams of thorium nitrate had the least
uncertainty (per nuclide) in efficiency of
the gamma spectrometer and therefore it
was used for the calculation of the ap-
proximate radioactivity values of Lead-
212, Actinium-228, Thallium-208 and Bis-
muth-212 in the NORM sample. We ob-
served that the uncertainties in theoreti-
cal activity of the reference source and the
uncertainty in efficiency of the spectrome-
ter for the reference source used are pro-
portional to the uncertainties in the calcu-
lation of the radioactivity in the NORM
sample.
The prepared biscuit reference
source with 10 grams of thorium nitrate
can be used for calculation of the approxi-
mate radioactivity values of the gamma
emitting daughter nuclides of thorium-232
in other NORM samples. ■
Biscuit –Type Th-232 Reference Sources for
Measuring Radioactivity in NORM Materials Melvin N. Borbe, Mary Ann A. Pangilinan, Reynold V. Luna,
Kristine Marie D. Romallosa, and Estrella S. Caseria
Reverse Process of
Mpemba Effect Gene Moses Itable and Joybelle Lopez
Mpemba effect is a rare phenomenon
such that a hot substance freezes faster
than a colder identical substance, first
observed by Erasto Mpemba. Some
causes of this phenomenon are stipu-
lated such causes are current convection,
evaporation, degassing, supercooling and
distribution of solutes. Our task was to
determine whether a cold substance in-
crease in temperature faster than of the
relatively hot identical substance.
Water is used in the investiga-
tion. We focused on determining the rate
of phase change and increase in tempera-
ture from the form of ice into the instant
that the water started to boil. The princi-
ple in thermodynamics was thermal equi-
librium, phase change, heat mechanism,
second law of thermodynamics and New-
ton’s law of cooling. For us to verify if this
phenomenon can be varied with its re-
versible process considering factors which
can affect it, we conducted three differ-
ent ways.
First set-up is direct heating of
samples of mass 50-g with different initial
temperature: ice (0°C) and water (40°C
and 80°C) in the Erlenmeyer flask closed
with a holed cork (the thermometer is
inserted at the hole touching the sub-
stance) and determined the time it took
for the samples to reach 100°C.
Second set-up, we used beakers
filled with water of 100°C and submerged
an Erlenmeyer
flask with a holed
cork and ther-
mometer inserted
containing 50-g ice
(of slight differ-
ence in initial tem-
perature since it
has to be initially
in the form of ice) and recorded the time
elapsed until temperature of ice rises to
50°C then determined the time rate of
increase in temperature.
continued on page 21
Electric permittivity is the measure of
resistance when forming an electric field.
It determines the effectiveness of a di-
electric inside a capacitor. Capacitance is
the measure of the ability of a capacitor
to store energy in an electric field. It is a
geometry-dependent quantity which can
be raised by expanding the area of the
capacitor and decreasing the plate sepa-
ration (in a parallel-plate capacitor); but a
better technique to raise the capacitance
is by using a dielectric with a high permit-
tivity, since permittivity is proportional to
capacitance.
The permittivity values of materi-
als are usually expressed in terms of the
dielectric constant. The dielectric constant
may vary for a general material (e.g.
glass,3.7—10) so as the permittivity but
both are distinct for a specific material
(e.g. Pyrex, 4.7). This experiment primarily
aims to determine the experimental per-
mittivity of various materials and the rela-
tionship between permittivity and other
quantities, including capacitance (Cx), volt-
age (Vx), and plate area (A). This study also
intends to find out the effects of the ap-
plied field to permittivity, and vice versa,
and to validate the consistency of permit-
tivity.
The materials used as dielectric
were wood, acrylic plastic, and glass. An
electric field was set by connecting both
plates to a voltage source, and the result-
ing voltage across the capacitor was ob-
tained using a digital multimeter. The re-
corded voltage was used to calculate the
capacitance. The permittivity of the mate-
rial was calculated by getting the ratio of
continued on page 23
Verifying the Permittivity of Common Insulators Jona Mae Dalisay, Danilo Estrella, Xyrus Galapia and Reynold Luna
23
Magnetic Field …
continued from page 21
netic field; it does agree that this group of
cylinder that varies both length and radius
is only a verification of the experiment.
The magnitude of magnetic field
is directly proportional to current and in-
versely proportional to radius on very
short cylindrical conducting Iron. In gen-
eral the magnetic field, shown in the ex-
periment, varies with the geometry of the
material with a constant potential differ-
ence. At very small length and radius the
resistance is very small and may be consid-
ered negligible such that the current does-
n’t affect the set-up, but the magnetic
field is inversely proportional to its radius.
Also, the magnetic field’s magnitude is
dependent on the magnitude of the cur-
rent and its radius.
The researchers also conclude,
due to very small values of magnetic field,
circuit devices having a very small length
and radius for conduction, there are no
magnetic interactions between those ma-
terials.
The beauty of magnetism is well-
appreciated in this experiment. The results
satisfies the physical law as expected.■
Technical and ...
continued on page 20
respondents were categorized under be-
low average level on their analytic skills
and above average level on their technical
ability on handling a conducting set. It
means that the students are not good
enough to answer analytic questions in
basic Electronics but they are meticulous
enough to handle a conducting set since
they are categorized under the above av-
erage level on their technical ability.
The study showed that the re-
spondents of the study need to be focused
on their analytic skills since there’s an in-
crease in the number of below average
students. The second year students’ ana-
lytic skills will fail to comprehend difficult
and complicated problems with regards to
basic Electronics. ■
Gravity is a force that keeps things on
earth. It gives weight to objects with
mass and causes objects to fall when
dropped. Without gravity, everything
would not be as it used to be. Moreover,
survival of the living would be impossi-
ble. Hence, gravity plays an important
role in life.
Because of the existence of grav-
ity, every motion is always associated
with it. For instance, a stone falling to the
ground accelerates downward toward the
earth’s surface because of the gravita-
tional force exerted on it by the earth.
This downward acceleration of the stone
is called acceleration due to earth’s grav-
ity. The other terms for this acceleration
are gravitational acceleration and terres-
trial acceleration. It is denoted by a sym-
bol g. Acceleration due to gravity is a vec-
tor quantity.
Near the earth’s surface, the
magnitude of g is 9.8 meters per second
(9.8 m/s2). However, it varies due to sev-
eral factors, such as, location, rotational
motion of the earth on its own axis, air
resistance and density of rocks.
The primary objectives of this
case study were to determine the magni-
tude of the gravitational constant g, to
determine if its magnitude varies as the
elevation increases and finally to show
that the magnitude of g is inversely pro-
portional to the elevation.
The experiment was conducted
at the PUP Main Academic Building, South
wing. In accordance to one of its objec-
tives, the experiment was first conducted
on sixth floor south wing and was re-
peated until the ground floor was
reached. There the researchers used a
force frame where a yarn was attached on
its middle. Attached on the other end of
the yarn was the mass that served as the
pendulum bob. The pendulum bob was
displaced at a certain angle and was al-
lowed to complete its one cycle of oscilla-
tion. The time it took the bob to complete
its one cycle oscillation was recorded.
The procedure was repeated with varying
length of the string (that is 0.20 m, 0.40 m
and 0.60 m respectively was set arbitrary
lengths for this experiment) and for differ-
ent masses. It was observed that the
length of the string affects the period of
the pendulum’s oscillation but the mass
does not, so on the following floors the
same procedure was applied but the
variation of mass was discarded because
it only acts as constant.
The experiment showed that
increasing the length of the string in-
creases the period of oscillation which is
in accordance with the equation used in
solving for the value of g. it was also ob-
served in the experiment that with in-
creasing elevation, the resulting value of
the slope attained using linear regression
increases. Finally the computed value of g
for every floor level decreases as the ele-
vation increases which matches the as-
sumptions set by the researchers in con-
ducting the experiment. ■
Variation of Acceleration due to Gravity with
Different Floor Levels of PUP by Using
Simple Pendulum Method John Paul Besagas, Rheymar Morales and Elizabeth Perez
July—December 2011
RESEARCHES
the capacitances (with and without dielec-
tric inserted) multiplied by the permittivity
of vacuum. In the first, second and third
trial, the whole, half and third trial, the
whole, half and a fourth of the plate area
was covered with the dielectric respec-
tively. Corresponding measurements for
the other parameters were made.
Among the materials used, glass
had the highest average permittivity (from
three trials), followed by acrylic plastic,
and wood. For all materials, area had neg-
ligible impact on permittivity. Also, in-
creasing voltage, until a value caused the
multimeter reading fluctuate, resulted in
decreasing permittivity.
After three trials for each material,
the permittivity values remained nearly
unchanged regardless of the area covered
inside the capacitor.
Permittivity is independent of the
capacitor’s geometry. It remained almost
constant regardless of the area the dielec-
tric was covering. ■
Verifying the Permittivity …
continued from page 22
24
July—December 2011
NOTES
3rd Stanza:
Ilang substrate pa ban ang hahatiin, sa re-
search ko?
Ilang porous pa ang bubutasin, sa paper ko?
'Di man ako maka-publish tulad ng iba
Pinapangako ko sa'yo na matatapos ka.
Magka-sample lang ako…
Magka-data lang ako…
Maka-publish lang ako…
Maka-graduate lang ako aking sumpa’y
Walang humpay na ligaya
Sama-sama na maghihintay
Mula tanghali, ‘gang gabi, ‘gang umaga
Huwag ka sanang malumbay at magduda
Kahit ang thesis ang tanging pangamba
Lahat tayo ay papasa at magmamartsa ng
buong ligaya
Sama-sama na maghihintay
Mula tanghali, ‘gang gabi, ‘gang umaga
Huwag ka sanang malumbay at magduda
Dahil mapapawi rin ang pangamba
Lahat tayo ay papasa’t makaka-graduate ng
buong…
Ligaya
(Repeat Refrain and Chorus except last 2
chords)
(Repeat Chorus 2x)
This song was initially conceptualized during an overnight This song was initially conceptualized during an overnight This song was initially conceptualized during an overnight This song was initially conceptualized during an overnight stay with my costay with my costay with my costay with my co----researchers in the laboratory of PUP. Due to researchers in the laboratory of PUP. Due to researchers in the laboratory of PUP. Due to researchers in the laboratory of PUP. Due to successive failures on the overnight experiments with the fur-successive failures on the overnight experiments with the fur-successive failures on the overnight experiments with the fur-successive failures on the overnight experiments with the fur-nace in the laboratory, the first stanza “Ilang samples pa ba nace in the laboratory, the first stanza “Ilang samples pa ba nace in the laboratory, the first stanza “Ilang samples pa ba nace in the laboratory, the first stanza “Ilang samples pa ba ang tutunawin ng furnace ko?” was accidentally formed. ang tutunawin ng furnace ko?” was accidentally formed. ang tutunawin ng furnace ko?” was accidentally formed. ang tutunawin ng furnace ko?” was accidentally formed. From this start, the successive lines of the song were formed From this start, the successive lines of the song were formed From this start, the successive lines of the song were formed From this start, the successive lines of the song were formed by means of collective ideas from my batch mates in progress by means of collective ideas from my batch mates in progress by means of collective ideas from my batch mates in progress by means of collective ideas from my batch mates in progress researches. Since then, the song continues to develop to be-researches. Since then, the song continues to develop to be-researches. Since then, the song continues to develop to be-researches. Since then, the song continues to develop to be-come its current lyrics. The entire song was first presented in come its current lyrics. The entire song was first presented in come its current lyrics. The entire song was first presented in come its current lyrics. The entire song was first presented in the Quantum Physics class of Dr. Jeffrey De Vero where its the Quantum Physics class of Dr. Jeffrey De Vero where its the Quantum Physics class of Dr. Jeffrey De Vero where its the Quantum Physics class of Dr. Jeffrey De Vero where its popularity increases in the fourth year class alone which popularity increases in the fourth year class alone which popularity increases in the fourth year class alone which popularity increases in the fourth year class alone which leads to the idea of having it recorded or musically arrange.leads to the idea of having it recorded or musically arrange.leads to the idea of having it recorded or musically arrange.leads to the idea of having it recorded or musically arrange. Credits to my coCredits to my coCredits to my coCredits to my co----researchers who gave me the idea of researchers who gave me the idea of researchers who gave me the idea of researchers who gave me the idea of writing the song: Mary Ann Calleja, Micah Ann Padua, writing the song: Mary Ann Calleja, Micah Ann Padua, writing the song: Mary Ann Calleja, Micah Ann Padua, writing the song: Mary Ann Calleja, Micah Ann Padua, Analisa Amo, Joseph De Mesa, April Angelique Dominguiano Analisa Amo, Joseph De Mesa, April Angelique Dominguiano Analisa Amo, Joseph De Mesa, April Angelique Dominguiano Analisa Amo, Joseph De Mesa, April Angelique Dominguiano and Bhenz Rodriguez. Also to my former housemates in the and Bhenz Rodriguez. Also to my former housemates in the and Bhenz Rodriguez. Also to my former housemates in the and Bhenz Rodriguez. Also to my former housemates in the House of Galileo for the musical arrangement of the song: House of Galileo for the musical arrangement of the song: House of Galileo for the musical arrangement of the song: House of Galileo for the musical arrangement of the song: Christian Valgomera, Jheng Lingat and Joniel Rumbawa.Christian Valgomera, Jheng Lingat and Joniel Rumbawa.Christian Valgomera, Jheng Lingat and Joniel Rumbawa.Christian Valgomera, Jheng Lingat and Joniel Rumbawa. We dedicate this song to the students who were do-We dedicate this song to the students who were do-We dedicate this song to the students who were do-We dedicate this song to the students who were do-ing and dedicating much of their time in finishing their ing and dedicating much of their time in finishing their ing and dedicating much of their time in finishing their ing and dedicating much of their time in finishing their researches.researches.researches.researches.
Hernanie T. Salazar, Jr.Hernanie T. Salazar, Jr.Hernanie T. Salazar, Jr.Hernanie T. Salazar, Jr.
Furnace/Thesis Song Titik ni: Hernanie T. Salazar, Jr.
