Some Knowledge about West Nile Virus

This week I did some research on the West Nile Virus...

I learned that it is a mosquito-borne illness and is mostly found in tropical areas. I also learned that the virus can only be spread by the mosquito biting you. It cannot be transferred from person to person or animal to person. It can also be spread by the transferrering of blood. The people with West Nile don't even realize they have the virus until it has chosen them. West Nile can be spread through birth or breast feeding a child. West Nile can cause swelling of the brain and spinal cord which can kill you. If you get bitten you have a chance getting West Nile. Most people fully recover from the virus. The virus targets you people and people over 70. For people over 70, West Nile can become fatal. If the virus becomes serious enough, it can cause permanent seizers, memory loss, and brain damage. Stay on the look out for any mosquitos and where bug spray!

The Science Behind a Stick Shift Transmission

Last weeks post was about a regular car engine but this weeks post is about a very simple stick shift transmission. 

Citation - 

"How Manual Transmissions Work." HowStuffWorks. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Jan. 2014.

From the engine comes the power which is created by the pistons. The power from the crankshaft is transferred to the Layshaft which is the red bar at the bottom of the picture. From the Layshaft, the power is transferred to the seleced gear which is the big blue gears in the picture labeled 1, 2, 3, 4, ,5, and Reverse. On the Gear Shift, there is a number patter like this - 

Link:

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gear_shift_1-2.gif

When you choose the gear want, and you move the gear shift to there, say 2nd gear, the gear shift knows you only want to move to 2nd gear. The Gear Selector Fork as labeled in the picture, moves to the right and matches the patteren of the 2nd gear and sticks in it. Then when you want to move to 3rd, you just press the clutch and move the gear shift in the pattern it shows on how you get to 3rd gear and then the Gear Selector Fork in between 3rd gear and 4th will move left to match the pattern of the 3rd gear.

And thats how a Stick Shift Transmission works.

My dad taught me how to drive a stick shift when I was 7 years old on an old farm tractor at my Grandpas. About 3 years ago, he bought a 1985 Jeep CJ7 and I fell in love with it. Later he let me know that it would be mine when I turned the age to drive. A good thing about a stickshift car is that you cant talk to text on the phone. I recommend a stickshift for every kid learning to drive, but you have to know how to drive it correctly!

The Science Behind the Pistons in a Car

Many people dont know what makes the car go forward or backwards or what makes it move at all. I am going to explain that.

When the car is in motion the pistons are turning like this(below).

In the empty space between the top of the cylinder and the piston head a gas and air mixture is injected. Once the piston moves upward toward the top of the cylinder the gas and air mixture explodes causeing combustion and forcing the piston back down which turns the crankshaft. The crankshaft is the long skinny green bar in the bottom of the picture. Have you ever been driving to school or the grocery store and see an 18-wheeler or like a Uhaul truck beside you? You probably say a long bent spinning shaft under the truck, right? That is called the crank shaft and that is what turns the wheels. It is also powered by the combustion of the pistons.

That is how the pistons and crankshaft work.

CITATION -

 "How Car Engines Work." HowStuffWorks. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Jan. 2014.