DON'T Blink!Insightful hints for tables, graphs, and charts You've surfed the Net for hours in desperate search of a science-project idea. Your vision is warped, your eyes are as dry as the Gobi desert Gobi Desert Desert, Central Asia. One of the great desert and semidesert regions of the world, the Gobi stretches across Central Asia over large areas of Mongolia and China. . It seems like you haven't blinked in ages, but of course that's not possible. How come? Blinking See dry eyes. is an automatic reflex that keeps the eyes lubricated lu·bri·cate v. lu·bri·cat·ed, lu·bri·cat·ing, lu·bri·cates v.tr. 1. To apply a lubricant to. 2. To make slippery or smooth. v.intr. To act as a lubricant. and hydrated hy·drat·ed adj. Chemically combined with water, especially existing in the form of a hydrate. Adj. 1. hydrated - containing combined water (especially water of crystallization as in a hydrate) hydrous (moist), explains Byron Demorest, a pediatric pediatric /pe·di·at·ric/ (pe?de-at´rik) pertaining to the health of children. pe·di·at·ric adj. Of or relating to pediatrics. ophthalmologist ophthalmologist /oph·thal·mol·o·gist/ (of?thal-mol´ah-jist) a physician who specializes in ophthalmology. oph·thal·mol·o·gist n. A physician who specializes in ophthalmology. (eye doctor specializing in young people). When you blink blink the involuntary movement of one or both eyelids of both eyes simultaneously. The frequency varies between species. Cats blink the least, with the possible exception of owls. In birds it is the lower eyelid which is moved up to meet the upper lid. , eyelids eyelids, n.pl a moveable fold of thin skin over the eye. The orbicularis oculi muscle and the oculomotor nerve control the opening and closing of the eyelid. spread tears (water, mucus mucus /mu·cus/ (mu´kus) the free slime of the mucous membranes, composed of secretion of the glands, various salts, desquamated cells, and leukocytes. mu·cus n. , and oil) over the cornea cornea: see eye. (the clear, thin top eye layer). But when you blink less, the cornea becomes dehydrated de·hy·drate v. de·hy·drat·ed, de·hy·drat·ing, de·hy·drates v.tr. 1. To remove water from; make anhydrous. 2. To preserve by removing water from (vegetables, for example). . Your vision turns blurry, and you can't see as well. Many factors can alter the blink reflex. "We blink more when we're excited, like when talking to Noun 1. talking to - a lengthy rebuke; "a good lecture was my father's idea of discipline"; "the teacher gave him a talking to" lecture, speech rebuke, reprehension, reprimand, reproof, reproval - an act or expression of criticism and censure; "he had to someone. But when we're paying attention Noun 1. paying attention - paying particular notice (as to children or helpless people); "his attentiveness to her wishes"; "he spends without heed to the consequences" attentiveness, heed, regard or relaxing, like watching TV, the reflex decreases," Demorest says. Hey! There's an idea for a science project: The effect of different activities on blinking! SEEING STRAIGHT "For a science project, it's best to measure the blink reflex when the test subject doesn't know, you're observing him or her," Demorest suggests. If not, most people will become self-conscious and blink much more or much less than normal. You'll need to collect a lot of numbers (data) for your experiment. Since you'll spy on your test subject, you'll need to organize a system that lets you record test results accurately and efficiently. This calls for a recording method that's simple to read and easy to follow, like a data table. A data table should include all the variables in your experiment: The independent variable, or variable you change on purpose (for example, the type of activity for the "Eye Spy Test"), and your dependent variable--the variable that responds when you change the independent variable (number of blinks blink v. blinked, blink·ing, blinks v.intr. 1. To close and open one or both of the eyes rapidly. 2. To look through half-closed eyes, as in a bright glare; squint. 3. per minute). Under the independent variable column, list types of activities you plan to test: reading a book, staring at a computer screen, talking with a classmate, cooling in front of a fan. Now that your table's set, fill it with some data from your experiment. EYE CHART Once you record numbers in your data table, then what? Time to translate them into something that's easier to understand. A graph is a great way to show off your results because it allows you to see trends in your data. For your eye-spy experiment, a bar graph works best. That's because each activity you select to observe is separate and distinct. A separate bar can represent the average blinks per minute for each activity. You notice that your test subject is glued to cooling off in front of a blowing fan. Guess gym class was some work out. How about trying another experiment: How does time spent in front of a blowing fan affect blinking? Your new independent variable is time. Time is a continuous variable. That means even if you only check your clock once each minute, it still ticks in between. A line graph In graph theory, the line graph L(G) of an undirected graph G is a graph such that
EYE EXAM You're so excited that you've completed your experiments undetected by your test subject, you can't stop winking winking /wink·ing/ (wingk´ing) quick opening and closing of the eyelids. jaw winking Gunn's syndrome. winking quick opening and closing of the eyelids. at your classmates Classmates can refer to either:
After surveying 40 classmates, you find 25 percent can only wink the right eye, 25 percent the left eye, 30 percent can wink with either eye, and 20 percent with neither. These numbers call for a pie chart A graphical representation of information in which each unit of data is represented as a pie-shaped piece of a circle. See business graphics. . A pie chart is simply a circle divided into wedge-shaped sections. The circle represents 100 percent (here, your 40 classmates), and the wedges represent data that are percentages of a whole. So, the wedge representing both-eye blinkers blinkers 1. rigid pieces of leather fitted to a head harness at a point where they will obstruct the horse's lateral vision. 2. a more sophisticated piece of harness worn by expensive horses consisting of a canvas head-covering with holes for the ears to protrude and two should take up the biggest chunk, 30 percent of the circle. EASY ON THE EYES If all this information really blurs your eyes, just rest them on our easy-to-read, step-by-step guide to tables, charts and graphs (see below). Don't forget--there are ways other than tables, charts, and graphs to display your experiment finds. Maps, pictures, and videos make great data-enhancing visuals, too! No matter what method you choose to display your research, the important thing is to find the best way to let everyone see what's going on What's Going On is a record by American soul singer Marvin Gaye. Released on May 21, 1971 (see 1971 in music), What's Going On reflected the beginning of a new trend in soul music. . Eye Spy Test You NEED: test subject to spy on * clock or timer timer, n radiographic timing device that functions as an automatic exposure timer and a switch to control the current to the high-tension transformer and filament transformer. The face of the timer is calibrated in seconds and fractions of seconds. * book or magazine * computer screen * classmate * fan To Do: 1. Find a test subject. 2. Observe your test subject reading. Count the number of blinks for a minute. Record the data on your table. 3. Repeat Step 2 twice. 4. Observe your test subject staring at the computer screen. Count the number of blinks for a minute. Record the data on your table. 5. Repeat Step 4 twice. 6. Observe your test subject talking with a classmate. Count the number of blinks for a minute. Record the data on your table. 7. Repeat Step 6 twice. 8. Observe your test subject cooling in front of a blowing fan. Count the number of blinks for a minute. Record the data on your table. 9. Repeat Step 8 twice. 10. Calculate an average number of blinks per minute for each independent variable. Record on data table. 11. Graph away! Tables, Charts, and Graphs 1 To make a data table: 1. On a plain sheet of paper, draw a data table as shown at right. 2. Give the table a title that identifies your variables (The Effect of Different Activities on Blinking). 3. Label the column on the left with the independent variable (Type of Activity). Underneath, list each type of activity you used for the independent variable (Reading a Book, Staring at a Computer Screen, Talking with a Classmate, Cooling in Front of a Fan). 4. Label the column to the right with the dependent variable (Blinks Per Minute). Draw boxes under the column in which you record the result of each trial for each activity. 5. Include a column at the far right to record the average for each activity. Example: To calculate the average blinks, add the blinks for each activity, then divide the total by the number of trials.
The Effect of Different Activities on Blinking
Type of Activity Blinks Per Minute
Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 Average
Reading a Book 9 8 7 8
Staring at a
Computer Screen 7 6 8 7
Talking with a
Classmate 10 12 11 11
Cooling in Front
of a Fan 23 20 20 21
2 To make a bar graph: 1. On graph paper, draw a set of axes axes [L., Gr.] plural of axis. The straight lines which intersect at right angles and on which graphs are drawn. Usually the horizontal axis is the x-axis and the vertical one the y-axis. Called also axes of reference. (x and y). 2. Give your bar graph a title (The Effect of Different Activities on Blinking). 3. Label the horizontal (x) axis with your independent variable (Type of Activity), including the activities you used for the independent variable (Reading a Book, Staring at a Computer Screen, Talking with a Classmate, Cooling in Front of a Fan). 4. Label the vertical (y) axis with your dependent variable (Blinks per Minute) and a scale that marks the values of the dependent variable. 5. For each independent variable, draw a solid bar to the height of the corresponding value of the dependent variable. Example: The average number of blinks while talking to a classmate was 11 per minute. Draw a bar above the "talking" label on the x-axis to the mark on the y-axis labeled 11. [GRAPH OMITTED] 3 To make a line graph: 1. On graph paper, draw a set of axes (x and y). 2. Give your line graph a title (The Affect of Time Spent in Front of a Blowing Fan). 3. Label the x-axis with your independent variable (Minutes in Front of a Blowing Fan) and a scale with the values on the x, axis (1 minute, 2 minutes, 3 minutes, etc.). 4. Label the vertical y-axis with your dependent variable (Number of Blinks). Place a scale that includes all the values of your dependent variable along the y-axis. 5. Plot a point on the graph for each piece of data. Example: The number of blinks after 3 minutes is 53. To locate this point on your graph, draw an imaginary vertical line from the 3-minute mark on the x-axis. Then, draw an imaginary horizontal line (Descriptive Geometry & Drawing) a constructive line, either drawn or imagined, which passes through the point of sight, and is the chief line in the projection upon which all verticals are fixed, and upon which all vanishing points are found. See also: Horizontal from the 53-blinks mark on the y-axis. Plot the point where the lines intersect In a relational database, to match two files and produce a third file with records that are common in both. For example, intersecting an American file and a programmer file would yield American programmers. . When you've plotted the points for all your data, connect the points. [GRAPH OMITTED] 4 To make a pie chart: 1. Draw a circle with a compass. 2. Give your pie chart a title (The Winking Survey). 3. Mark the center with a point; this is where each pie "slice," or wedge will start. 4. Measure a wedge for each level of the independent variable (Left Eye, Right Eye, Both Eyes, Neither). First, convert your data from percentages to angle degrees. Example: If 25% of classmates can only wink their left eye, the pie wedge for the left eye would be 25% of the 360 [degrees] circle, or 90 [degrees] (360 x .25 = 90). Position a protractor protractor Instrument for constructing and measuring plane angles. The simplest protractor is a semicircular disk marked in degrees from 0° to 180°. A more complex protractor, for plotting position on navigation charts, is called a three-arm protractor, or station at the center point of the circle. Mark 0 [degrees] and 90 [degrees] angles with points on the edge of the circle. Draw a line from these points to the center of the circle. 5. Label the wedge (include its percentage). 6. Measure your next wedge from the edge of the first. When finished, the entire circle should be filled and add up to 360 [degrees] and 100%. [Chart OMITTED] Don't Blink Directions: Answer the following questions. 1. What do you get when you add the data from each trial, then divide by the number of trials? 2. Is the vertical axis called the x-axis or the y-axis? 3. What do you put on the x-axis of a line graph? 4. What instrument do you use to draw a circle? 5. One hundred percent of a circle equals how many degrees? ANSWERS 1. the average 2. y-axis 3. the independent variable with all its variables 4. compass 5. 360 [degrees] Charting BLINKS [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] 1. Calculate the average for each activity. Then fill in the data table below.
The Effect of Different Activities on Blinking
Type of Activity Blinks Per Minute
Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 Average
Reading a Book 9 8 7
Staring at a
Computer Screen 7 6 8
Talking with a
Classmate 10 12 11
Cooling in Front
of a Fan 23 20 20
2. What type of graph best displays the above data? 3. What is the dependent variable? 4. What is the independent variable? 5. Which activity caused the test subject to blink the most? 6. Which activity caused the test subject to blink the least? ANSWERS 1. averages: reading a book: 8 staring at a computer: 7 talking with a classmate: 11 cooling in front of a fan: 21 2. bar graph 3. blinks per minute 4. type of activity 5. cooling in front of a fan 6. staring at a computer screen |
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