Warm up 04-11-14

1. Warm up 04-11-14 • Question: Where should the fins be placed? • Answer: • Around the bottom of the rocket. • Goal: I will build my rocket.

2. Element of the day • 90 – Thorium – Th • There is 3 times as much thorium in the earth’s crust as tin and uranium. Because of this, billions of dollars were put into research of a thorium-based nuclear reactor. • Welding rods containing thorium are used to this day, containing up to 2% thorium. • In 1932 a health drink called Radithor, which contained radium and thorium, killed a wealthy industrialist who had been drinking 3 bottles a day. The headlines read “The radium water worked fine until his jaw came off” and lead to the FDA taking a proactive stance on radiation. • During WWII a German military contractor was captured carrying large amounts of Thorium. It was thought that this implied the Germans had figured out that they need thorium to build an atomic bomb and were far along in its development. In actuality, the contractor was stockpiling thorium to make thorium toothpaste after the war.

3. Warm up • Rocket Build • Tonight’s HW • Top half of pg 45 • Bring decorations for rocket Agenda / HW