fandomhigh | Applied Science | Monday, 8/31 |Period 1

Oh, hey, a new semester! That meant Tyler was on time, actually put on a tie, and -- in honor of the early hour -- had a huge tank of coffee and stack of cups on a back table.

"Hi," he said as the class filed in, gesturing a little with the coffee mug that probably would not leave his hand in the next 15 classes. "Welcome to applied science. I'm Tyler Durden. Tyler works, Mr. Durden works ... not a big fan of 'hey you' in the classroom."

"Usually I make soap the first week, but this doesn't feel like a day for it." By which he meant he wasn't quite ready to repeat the class yet, and was saving it. "So today, we're talking about one of the most basic concepts in physics -- simple machines."

"Basically, a simple machine is a mechanical device that changes the direction or magnitude of a force -- the simplest mechanisms that use leverage to multiply force. A simple machine uses a single applied force to do work against a single load force. Ignoring friction losses, the work done on the load is equal to the work done by the applied force. They can be used to increase the amount of the output force, at the cost of a proportional decrease in the distance moved by the load. The ratio of the output to the input force is called the mechanical advantage."

"Six things are classically considered simple machines." He moved over to stand in front of a counter of such, holding each up as he talked. "The lever, like this hammer. The wheel and axle. The inclined plane, or ramp. The screw. The wedge. The pulley."

The lecture continued for a while, then: "Today we're going to introduce ourselves -- name, grade, and who you would fight if you could fight anyone, living, dead or imaginary -- then try to see how each of these simple machines are useful by trying to build something." He nodded to a student in the first row. "You first. And I need a TA or two." Not looking at Ino ~~if she was there~~, there. "Talk to me during the introductions or after class if you're interested."

[OOC: TAs have been chosen OOCly.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Listen to the lecture, say hi to your classmates, it's the very first day!

Calvin frowned. He'd been sure that the internal combustion engine was included in the list of simple machines.

Jonothon had grabbed a seat as far to the back of the room as he could possibly manage. He was already plotting to make excuses for all of the little things that people might find odd when stuck in the same room as him for any given amount of time.

The smell? Must be the bunsen burners, for example.

... That was about as far as he'd gotten.

Ben gave Jono a friendly smile as he slid into a seat nearby.

Okay, Ben was about the one exception on Jono's list of people he didn't want looking his way. It was a little easier to relax when you knew for certain that there was at least one person in the room who wasn't going to turn on you. Probably. So far as he could gather.

So Jonothon nodded a little, giving a wave of his hand as he relaxed into his seat some.

Liir had never actually taken a class with Professor Durden, but he'd heard of him from Ino enough times to be relatively surprised at the suit and all. That said, he very much enjoyed the lecture.

He always felt a little more comfortable when professors lectured. He supposed group activity was good in general, but if he wasn't being taught, he did on occasion feel as if he wasn't learning. After all, he didn't trust himself to teach much at all besides cooking.

That'd be Ino, rolling her eyes and sinking into her chair.

Figured, right? Whatever she was still here and he'd just have to deal with it.

Ha.

Dinah was trying not to be too gleeful about this class, but still, this looked like it was going to be a lot more fun than most. She may have also had some of that coffee, and be vibrating in place already.

Edited 2009-08-31 16:09 (UTC)

Priestly demonstrated his knowledge of simple machines by using two pencils to build a lever that functioned as a notes catapult.

Tiny piece of paper flung at Dinah: Hi.

He's eloquent, this one.

Dinah blinked as the paper bounced on her desk, looked over at Priestly, grinned, then read the note.

She scribbled back: Hi! Yay science class! How're you? Then demonstrated more physics by just handing it back to him, eyes still front and watching Tyler.

Yes, very sneaky, that Dinah.

Edited 2009-08-31 18:39 (UTC)

She might be onto something with this sneaky business.

Priestly decided to follow his lead, and passed his own note of Surviving. Hoping to get to blow stuff up. back by hand.

The two pencils were now arranged far more innocuously.

More ice cream! Dinah scribbled back. Also, yay, destruction!

A pause for consideration, then, Play tomorrow, too. Good distraction? Y/N?

And caaaarefully slid the note over to Priestly again.

Priestly sighed softly. He'd been hoping Claudia would come to the play.

His life was so sad!

Well, maybe he could convince his new little sib and/or the socially awkward girl to go instead.

Play tomorrow. Excited! Also terrified!

Will be great! Dinah wrote back, totally full of faith. If no syrup or sewage or 7-Up is poured on-stage.

Okay, with some reality thrown in.

Celebrate afters? Caritas? T or TH?

Or crazy German directors? THs, maybe? Can celebrate end of first week at same time.

He had a class on Friday, but he didn't think that had to count against an end of the first week celebration.

NO FASCIST DICTATORS! They could get killed on-stage if they showed up. Yes! All classes done on W 4 me!

Dinah did a little chair-dance, then returned to looking angelic.

Caritas, take whole cast, yaaaay. She slid the note back over to him, grinning.

Maybe check with Caritas before we bring WHOLE cast?

Dinah looked up from the note and gave Priestly an enh, sure grimace, then grinned and wrote:

Fair. How is new Little Sib? Need help w/him/her/it?

Him. Giant credulous midwest kid. Seems nice.

Giant giant? You had to check. Dinah grinned. Good. No 'won't be having with this', yay.

Dinah fidgeted, looking longingly at the machine-making bits.

Time to make Lava Pits of Destruction!

And if that doesn't make you happy, what would?

Just football player giant. Priestly tried to shoot her a quick confused look. Lava pits?

They could be Lava Pits. If we sacrifice marbles to them.

She'd been watching too many Bund movies this weekend, probably.

Or like those death traps in the Tom & Jerry cartoons!

Simple machines include fire?

Re: General Class Stuff [8/31]

blondecanary.livejournal.com - 2009-08-31 19:40 (UTC) - Expand

lovemykilt - 2009-08-31 19:45 (UTC) - Expand

blondecanary.livejournal.com - 2009-08-31 19:47 (UTC) - Expand

lovemykilt - 2009-08-31 19:50 (UTC) - Expand

Lion-o wasn't all that great with science, and he was very relieved that today's topic was easy to grasp.

Momoko was intrigued by the lecture. She'd never realized that machines actually did work! Well, not work, work, because if they din't work then they were broken and you replaced them. But, like, actual work?

Well, Peach did work. He did the laundry sometimes. But that didn't seem to be what Mister Durden was talking about either.

Her head was spinning. This was going to be a class that required a lot of notes.