6/26/13

Light, Colour and Fluorescent Scorpions

Santa Maria College and Eltham High

Daniella Del Busso, Sarah Tomac, Ivana Canaman, Coleen Balanga and Katie Holmes

ELECTROMAGNETIC SPECTRUM

• Organises waves according to wavelength and frequency

• we can only see a small portion of the spectrum (400-700nm)

Prisms • White light made up of all colours of the rainbow• Refraction depends on frequency• Slows down light• Each colour bends differently

Blue = slowed down more = bends moreRed = slowed down less = bends less

How do we perceive light?

Colour addition and fake colours

Colour blindness test

Synchrotron

A vast, circular network of interconnecting tunnels and high tech apparatus.

Use electricity to produce intense beams of light a million times brighter than the sun

Light is produced when high-energy electrons are forced to travel in a circular orbit inside the synchrotron tunnels by ‘synchronised’ application of strong magnetic fields.

HOW IS SYNCHROTRON LIGHT CREATED?

1) electron gun2) Linac3) Booster ring4) Storage ring5) Beamline6) End station

Fluorescence

What is fluorescence

Scorpions

Pharmacology has been researching scorpion toxin And they are interested in why scorpion exoskeletons fluoresce

Scorpions belong to the Arachnid family and some spiders also fluoresce.

Scorpions absorb the UV light and readmit what looks to be a glowing green/cyan light.

Fluoresceing could have been an evolutionary advantage

This graph shows that fluorescence is not an evolutionary environmental adaptation.

Humans fluoresce due to the chitin found in their fingernails and hair. Chitin is also what makes the exoskeleton of scorpions.

Advantages of scorpion fluorescence

• The scorpion body is very sensitive to light and it acts as one big eye. • There was a test conducted where they blindfolded scorpion and shined

light onto them. • It was observed that the scorpions ran to hid in a small shadow.

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The project goal

The big questionWhy and how do scorpions fluoresce

Our input to this research:Using the Physical Chemistry laser labs to measure the wavelengths of the fluorescing scorpions

EquipmentSpectrometer and Fluorometer

A fluorometer is a optical device to measure the fluorescent quality of the biological or mineral samples.

This determines how strong the fluorescent is the samples by measuring the intensity and the wavelength of colour fluorescence

A fluorometer is a optical device to measure the fluorescent quality of the biological or mineral samples.

This determines how strong the fluorescent is the samples by measuring the intensity and the wavelength of colour fluorescence

A Spectrometer is a device that measures the spectrum of light

A Spectrometer is a device that measures the spectrum of light

Spectrometer

Fluorometer

10 μm 10 μm

Fluorescence microscopeOur results

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How Has Our View of Science or Scientists Changed?

• Before:

• Scientists always wore labcoats

• Chemists only mixed chemicals

• Scientists didn’t use computers as much

• That there were only five types of science

• That the types of science didn’t crossover

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How Has Our View of Science or Scientists Changed?

• After:

• Sciences are interdisciplinary (they work together to solve problems)

• Scientists travel a lot!

• There is more to science than just being in a lab (research, computer programing, reading)

• Science as a subject does not reflect science as a job

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Acknowledgements

• The ARC Centre of Excellence for Coherent X-Ray Science: Name the CXS Scientists/Mentors-without whom it cannot be done

• The Growing Tall Poppies Program Developer: Dr Eroia Barone-Nugent Santa Maria College

• NAB Schools First & Catholic Education Office• Trevor Smith, Dr Clare Henderson, Sam Farley,

Kyra Schwarz and Adabelle Ong