Project Wildlife

Team: Shaelyn Pierce, Amber Hosier, Kaci Hogue, Tara Pults, Vicki Billington, Yesica Soto

Instructor: Melody ThomasCourse: Physics and Human Affairs

Project Mission

Our goal was to construct a wildlife refuge where animals are preserved and the public is informed. Together we researched different features of wildlife refuges. We attempted to bring together the positive aspects of different preserves into one environmentally friendly refuge. This research included generators, water treatment, and energy conservation. Our proposal would also benefit the community by attracting tourists, creating jobs, and boosting the economy.

What is a Refuge?

• A refuge is a protection or shelter from danger and hardship.

•Our refuge incorporates exotic wildlife in an attempt to preserve their populations from decline and to educate the public on how and why nature should be protected.

Benefits of a Wildlife Refuge

• Benefit the community:– Raising revenue– Creating jobs– Drawing in tourism

• Benefit the environment:– Protecting the natural landscape– Preserving animals for future generations

• Benefit individuals and families:– Providing a safe park for all ages – Providing educational opportunities – Providing a fun way to exercise through trails

Animals

Physics in Our Project

We found a shark tank at the Mote Marine Laboratory that holds 135,000 gallons of water. From there we converted gallons into volume by using the following formula: (#of gallons)(0.134feet3/1 gal)= Volume

Our tank has a volume of 18,090 feet 3.

From this point we found the area of the tank by dividing the volume by the height (25ft). We then found the radius/diameter of the tank. Our shark tank is 25 feet high and has a diameter of 30.36 ft.

Pressure

From this point we needed to figure out how thick the glass would need to be to contain this much water. Pressure is proportional to density times depth times gravity plus air pressure. *The density of saltwater is 1,025 kg/m3, and air pressure equals 1.01x105N/m2. So, the pressure exerted on the glass at the deepest point of the tank is 77,045.15 plus 1.01x105N/m2. Or (if my math is correct) 178,045.15Pa.

So, we would need a glass that could contain water exerting this much pressure. Pyrex glass, according to Young’s Modulus, can hold a unit of force per area that equals 62 billion N/m2.

• If we have two smaller aquariums that people could walk through (one saltwater, and one freshwater) we would need to know the pressure of the water on the glass. As we go deeper in the tank the pressure increases. The dimensions of the tank would be 12 ft. high, by 24 ft long, by 12 ft. wide, with a 9 ft by 3ft cut out. The volume of one tank equals 2,808 feet3. Each tank holds 20,955.22 gallons of water.

2 smaller walk-through tanks

Freshwater (density=1000kg/m2)

The freshwater tank exerts a pressure of 140,200Pa.

(1000kg/m3)(4m)(9.8m/s2)=39,200+ 1.01x105N/m2= 140,200Pa

Seawater (density=1025kg/m2)

The saltwater would exert a pressure of 141,180Pa

(1025kg/m3)(4m)(9.8m/s2)=40,180+ 1.01x105N/m2= 141,180Pa

*We would need to use a glass (or synthetic glass) that would be able to sustain at least 141,200Pa with out reaching a fracture point.

By using the Impulse/Momentum Theorem, we concluded that an elephant moving at its maximum speed of 55 m/s and having a mass of 1203 kg will exert a force of 66 kN. Meaning, we would need an enclosure that could withstand up to 15,000 lbs. of force. The walls of the enclosure would need to be made of concrete, 4 feet thick, with steel bar reinforcement.

Force

Work Our land is 1,200 acres. To make this easier, we will assume the perimeter

is a rectangle. The dimensions of the land are 435,600ft long x 144,000ft wide… that’s 82 miles long, and 27 miles wide! We will set the park up, so people can walk through and see the animals in cages (5 miles), or go on a

longer trail on a bike or golf cart and see the animals in free-roaming areas, which will have more animals, and more space for them to move (this will

be approximately 25 miles long).

Riding a bike has the best over all efficiency…

A person-riding a bike will have an efficiency of 1,100 kg-km/megajoulewalking will have an efficiency of 300 kg-km/megajouleriding in a golf cart 40 kg-km/megajoule

The efficiencies can best be compared expressed as ratios:riding a bike and walking- 11:3 kilogram-kilometers per megajoulewalking and riding in a golf cart- 30:4 kilogram-kilometers per megajouleriding a bike and riding a golf cart- 110:4 kilogram-kilometers per megajoule

Energy

• As a monkey swings from one branch to another it has both Potential and Kinetic Energy. The monkey first starts off with maximum Potential Energy, with 0 velocity. Then as it swings it uses both Kinetic and Potential Energy, and as it reaches the midway point it hits its maximum velocity and Kinetic Energy. It then continues with both Potential and Kinetic, and once it has made it to the final destination it will again reach its Potential Energy maximum.

Park Specialties

• Our Wildlife Refuge will be located on 1200 acres of land in Green Forest, AR . Features include a numerous amount of exotic animals, a reptile hall, a walk through aquarium, and lunch and picnic areas will be all throughout the refuge. Bikes and golf carts will be available for rent, and educational tours will be given daily to truly experience what all the refuge has to offer.

Wildlife Refuge SketchUp

Community Contacts

• Wild Wilderness Drive Thru Safari in Gentry, Arkansas (479) 736-8383

• Lindsey and Associates

• Spoke with a Loan Assistant in trying to find the right amount of land needed, in our area.

Technology Used

• Computer– Email– Internet– PowerPoint– Microsoft Word– Microsoft Publisher

• Sketchup• Cell Phone

Skills

• Presentation skills• Group Skills• Organization Skills• Time Management

Skills• Technological Skills

(Publisher, PowerPoint, Sketchup)

• An understanding of how Physics is used in everyday instances

Here are the skills that we developed during the construction of our project:

Citation• www.journal-topics/travel/index060712.html• www.elephants.com/images/herwoods3.jpg• www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/images• http://photo.net/photo/pcd1647/giraffe-head-55.4.jpg• www.iinet.com• http://awesomeanimals.tripod.com• http://homepage.mac.com• http://user.tpg.com• www.sch..im/wlp/large%20images/ring-tailed• www.wtv-zone.com• www.billybear4kids.com• www.cortstraton.org• www.google.com/reptiles• http://ipl.unm.edu/cwl/statbook/arkans.html• Physics Concepts & Connections. Art Hobson• Physics. James S. Walker