Lab Research Report
SCI 110
January 27, 2014
Strayer University

Lab Research Report Research in the physical sciences has often been limited by our abilities of safety observing and studying the phenomenon in question. Even before the thought of microscopes, it would have been impossible to comprehend the composition of the most basic cells. The exact issues are the current issues in the field of physical science today, but it’s particularly true in the world of physics. While new technologies exist to measure phenomenon, it is not always safe to do so in the field that deals with radiation, unstable compounds, particles and atoms. As a result, the technology that we have in the field of physics, but across the board in the physical science field of astronomy, chemistry, physics and earth science.

Challenges in Measurements
Over the years there have been many adventures that allow for direct measurements within the field of physics, there are still many obstacles and challenges to making direct observations. Physics is the study of energy and matter and the interaction between-both of which are impossible to observe with the naked eye. The first major challenge in making direct measurement in physics is the size of the particles being studied. To solve this issue, physicists study these particles indirectly through things like associated radiation, their energy, or the displacement of other atoms. Almost all measurements that have been made on atoms or subatomic particles has been the result of indirect measurement. The second major obstacle to direct measurement in the field of physics is the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle. This principle states that it is important to measure both velocity and the location of a particle at exactly the same time, because the very act of measurement will affect the particle. This creates a major difficulty in any kind of direct measurement, since an atomic or subatomic particle is not stationary and therefore cannot be held still under an instrument to be measured. Instead, scientist have utilized other substances to measure the location at a particular point in time such as when an electron passes through a particle detector layer. The third major obstacle to direct measurement in the field of physics is that so little is known about the field that has never been observed before. The field of physics requires creative solution and the constant invention of new measurements techniques to explain the way in which the universe woks on a subatomic scale. Historically, there has been many influential tools and technologies on physical science. One tool that has been influential would be the microscope. The microscope was created with a simple lens in the 14th century. The microscope has developed into a tool that is able to use electrons to develop high resolution images of small objects. The simplest microscope works with a system of two curved lenses that magnify an image with the way in which they bend light. The use of multiple lenses at two ends of a tube greatly increases the magnification effect of the microscope and by moving the lenses, a sharp focus of the object can be obtained. With a microscope, the first cell was discovered, followed rapidly by the inner mechanisms that allow life in plants and animals alike; today the invention of high resolution electron microscope and scanning tunneling microscope have allowed us to finally be able to see even tiny virus particles and objects down to the atomic level. A second major breakthrough in the scientific ability to directly measure scientific phenomenon came in the discovery of x-ray imaging. The most obvious use of x-ray imaging is in the medical field, allowing diagnostic pictures to be taken of bones and teeth. However, the usefulness of x-rays far exceeds just that of medicine and they have actually allowed many of the experiments in physics to occur. X-ray imaging techniques are one of the major ways in which subatomic particles are imaged and detected. Moreover, it is only through the technique of x-ray crystallography that we know that the structure of DNA is a double helix. Across the various forms of x-ray imaging, the basic premise is that an x-ray beam is projected through the object being studied, which then exposes either a piece of film or an electronic detector -like a digital camera uses to take pictures. The image then shows a pattern of how the x-ray particles were scattered by denser material, such as bone or a protein’s structure. bend light. The use of multiple lenses at two ends of a tube greatly increases the magnification effect of the microscope and by moving the lenses, a sharp focus of the object can be obtained
(Nobel Media, 2013).

A Survey of Safety Work with x-rays and radiation, however, pose their own risks to the researcher. Radiation is a major hazard associated with physical science research, especially in the field of physics, but steps can be taken to mitigate the risk to scientists. Most often, this is accomplished by limiting or eliminating the exposure to radiation sources during research. This is most commonly accomplished by utilizing lead shielding in the construction of labs, as well as through wearing personal lead shields, like those used for patients during medical imaging. But personal lead shields are uncomfortable to wear and offer only partial shielding to the individual. In case of a larger accidental exposure to radiation, or if it were to leak through existing lead shields, the problem is that it has no immediately visible effects. Radiation cannot be sensed through our traditional senses like a gas or light could be and any negative health effects may be delayed by days, months, or even years. Instead, specific equipment known as radiation detectors must be utilized to warn scientists if unexpected exposure to radiation is occurring. This can be through either personal protection devices or environmental sensors. A personal protection device may be as simple as a badge made from radiation film that detects a total dose of radiation, or it may be as complex as a sensor system. Research in the physical sciences that utilize radiation can be of risk to the entire community or even the world. This is especially true in the ever-changing field of physics research, where newer technologies like the particle collider are continually being developed, without clear understanding of what the long-term effects of the new advances might be. Concerns over discovery or development of an area that could be targeted is a continual concern, like the discovery of atomic fission that led to the creation of nuclear weapons and hundreds of thousands of deaths during World War II. Dual-purpose research in the fields of physics and biotechnology pose a great potential for harm if some of the discoveries were to fall into the wrong hands. Many major groups, including the WHO, recommend increased internal and external scrutiny and self-policing to ensure that societal benefits outweigh the risks to the public. The ethical debate over whether much research should be conducted and what steps should be taken to minimize the risk to the public will be ongoing, but it is a discussion that is increasingly common in the scientific community.

References

National Institute of Health. (2011, October 27). Chapter 2: X-ray Crystallography. The Structures of Life. Retrieved from: http://publications.nigms.nih.gov/structlife/chapter2.html Nobel Media. (2013). Microscopes: Time Line. Retrieved from: http://www.nobelprize.org/educational/physics/microscopes/timeline