This Scavenger Hunt is made up of questions related to Einstein and
E = mc2. To answer the questions, you need to find an appropriate library
resource. Remember to look for the posted clues so you can answer
the final question. Good luck!
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E = mc2 is a famous equation written by Albert
Einstein in 1905. It says that energy and mass are different
forms of the same thing. You can convert energy into mass, and
vice-versa, using the conversion factor of c2 (the
speed of light, squared). The c comes from a word that is
also the source of the English word celerity.
What does celerity mean?
Celerity comes from what Latin word?
In what library resource did you find this information?
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Before Einstein came up with E = mc2, he thought a lot about different kinds of energy, including
how magnets work and how light acts. Other scientists also
studied the energy of magnets and light with experiments.
Find a book of hands-on science experiments.
Author:
Title:
Call number:
In what area did you find it?
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In many ways, scientists are like detectives, piecing together
clues to discover and explain how the natural world works.
Einstein is just one scientist who led a very interesting life.
Find a biography of a scientist other than Einstein.
Author:
Title:
Call number:
In what area did you find it?
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Working after Einstein proposed his famous equation, Lise
Meitner was the first to show that a uranium atom can be split,
converting a tiny amount of mass into an enormous amount of
energy according to the formula E = mc2. Meitner was living in the capital of Sweden when she came to
this discovery.
What is the name of this city?
In what library resource did you find this information?
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An important part of scientists' work is communicating their
results so that other scientists can learn from the research or
ask new questions about it. One place where scientists share
their ideas and results is in science journals (specialized
magazines).
Find a journal or magazine about science.
What is the name of the journal or magazine?
How often is it published?
Where in the library did you find it?
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The idea behind E = mc2 led other scientists
and engineers to develop many new technologies. One of the most
notorious is the atomic bomb. In 1945, the United States dropped
two atomic bombs on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan.
The war ended, but the loss of life and destruction were
devastating.
Find a nonfiction book about the atomic bombs in World War
II.
Author:
Title:
Call number:
Where in the library did you find it?
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Other applications of E = mc2 are more
peaceful. One example can be found in a library or other public
spaces. If the power goes out, this object will still glow red,
helping you find something important in an emergency. As tiny
bits of radioactive matter inside this object are converted into
energy, they give off the red glow.
What is this object?
Find one and describe its location:
Final Question
Einstein's equation says that energy and mass are different forms
of the same thing.
If you could turn this everyday object into pure energy, it would
yield 18 kilotons of TNT. That's roughly the size of the bomb that
destroyed Hiroshima in 1945. What is this object?
Collect letters from the four index card clues. Then unscramble
the letters to find the answer.
Clue letters: __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __
Answer:
