Kathy Sykes's Feel the Heat diary, from the BBC/OU series Rough Science 2
Day 1
Kate told us, while we overlooked the sea, she wants ice, a thermometer and suntan lotion.
Really enjoyed the day. It's all hard though - ice perhaps near impossible in three days in this humidity and this heat and so hard to make from scratch.
A thermometer needs to measure temperature accurately to 0°C without adding in a load of heat energy and melting the ice.
Jonathan is trying out a resistance thermometer. I'm trying to melt and then blow glass to take a standard glass bulb thermometer. The difficulty is ... can I melt the glass? I'd assumed that because we had a kiln we could melt glass but the 'kiln' is just a big furnace. So it probably won't work.
Deeply worried after first few attempts. Then...oh joy...a bit of glass that I'd begrudgingly stuck into the side of the furnace twisted and melted delightfully but too thin for a capillary for a thermometer. But it melted - proof it can be done!
Had to leave the kiln for Mike B to make his methanol and spent time helping J to wind his 1000s of turns for coils and helping Mike L to lift water to a high barrel. Ellen did an amazing job of climbing a coconut tree. She's a great asset. Botany seems so alien from physics. I wouldn't remember any more plants if I practised for a lifetime. I chose physics in the first place 'cos I hated remembering stuff and enjoyed understanding it. And yet this alien topic is so relevant and useful. And fun!
A very long day. But exciting and fun. And great to be in such a helpful team. From suntan lotion to ice. And it's all science. A delight to have such variety. Think I'll sleep well!
Day 2
A VERY hot day. Found, carried, dropped and burnt chunks of tree. Tried desperately to get a flame hot enough to melt glass. Couldn't. Not melting it properly to blow it into a bulb. Arghh!
Had to give up on blowing a bulb - can't get hot enough flames. Tried charcoal and bellows and still couldn't get blob of molten glass.
Just so hot. So sweaty. So cross that waited ages for crew to come to film my 'frustration' too and by the time they came not only had someone else broken one decent bit of my glass - stretching - I then broke my other decent bit of glass - stretching! So my frustration scene is red frustration. So I was stomping about, with sweat all over and smoke in my eyes, wanting to kick the kiln. Sarah (the director) said I looked like I was about to cry during my filmed bit. Not crying, just cross, hot and bothered.
Sealed the thermometer with Ellen's sealant made from acidified smoked resin.
Leapt into sea afterwards and the world seemed a saner place.
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Content last updated: 27/07/2006
