To celebrate Global Wind Day, Mechanical Engineering Graduate, Jenny tells us about her experience of designing and creating a wind turbine.
Did you know that the UK now generates twice as much energy from wind as coal? Or that wind turbine blades are usually 60 metres long?! That’s roughly the same length as six double-decker buses!
As we’re all trying to combat climate change, the rise of wind power is excellent news as they generate ‘clean’ energy – wind turbines do not produce any harmful greenhouse gases or pollutants once they are built thanks to their clever design! Wind turbines might seem like a modern invention, but humans have been using wind power for over two thousand years. In the past, farmers in Iran and China would use windmills to grind grains for people to eat. The first wind turbine to generate electricity was invented in 1888 and it had 144 wooden blades!
You might be wondering – why do modern wind turbines always have three blades? There’s actually lots of science behind this. As the number of blades increases, so does the ‘drag’ – where force from the air slows it down. Ideally, wind turbines would only have one blade, as this would generate the most electricity, however it would be extremely unstable. Turbines with three blades are a compromise – the least blades possible to produce a stable turbine that won’t fall apart once it starts spinning!
Wind turbines work by generating electricity as they spin – the kinetic energy from the rotating blades powers a generator which turns the kinetic energy into electricity that we can use to power our homes. This is one of the benefits of wind power – it gives us a great way to generate electricity without burning fossil fuels, which emit gases which contribute to global warming.
As a mechanical engineering student, I learned a lot about wind turbines in my first year of University. My first group project was to take apart an old computer with my team, and re-build it into a small wind turbine. We were able to test our turbine in a ‘wind tunnel’ – where fast-moving air is channelled towards an object to see how it will perform in real life. Engineers use wind tunnels to test devices they’ve made for safety and performance. It’s not just wind turbines that get tested in wind tunnels though – engineers test cars, planes and even spacecrafts to see how they behave!
Jenny with her project team and their wind turbine
At university we learned about the different kinds of wind turbines. Most of the turbines that you’ve seen in real life are a specific type of turbine called a ‘HAWT’ – a ‘Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine’. They have three, long thin rotating blades. However, there’s a whole other category of wind turbines that you might not know existed – they’re called ‘VAWT’s (Vertical Axis Wind Turbines), such as the one shown below. VAWT’s rotate around a centre axis, like a merry-go-round. They are used when winds are too turbulent for regular (horizontal axis) turbines.
A Vertical Axis Wind Turbine (VAWT)
To celebrate ‘Global Wind Day’ on June the 15th, a great experiment to do at home would be to create your own wind turbine from paper or wooden sticks and test it out in front of a desk fan. Why not try out different blade shapes to see which ones work the best? How about trying a different number of blades? How does that affect how your turbine spins?
When visiting schools and museums our Street Scientists often get asked a variety of questions from curious children. Here are the answers to some of our favourite questions!
This week, we’re answering questions on Marine Biology and Oceanography, ahead of World Ocean Day next Monday.
How do they (fish) breath under water?
-asked by Maisie, 9, from Kells Lane Primary School
Fish can breathe under water because they have lungs that are adapted to work under water. These are called gills. Gills are feathery organs full of blood vessels, fish use them to take up oxygen that is dissolved in the water. Oxygen is taken up through the thin walls of the gills and the travels into the cells in the body. However, there are some mammals that are mistaken as fish, such as whales and dolphins. They are just like us and they need to breathe air to survive. Therefore, we often see them swimming into the surface and take up some oxygen from the air. – Aurelia, Dentistry Student
What is the fastest fish in the world?
-asked by Isobel, 11, from Marden Bridge Middle School
The fastest current known fish is the sailfish, it can swim at speeds of up to 68 miles per hour which is around the same speed as cars travel up the motorway! – Demi, Marine Biology Student
How are waves formed?
-asked by James, 10, from Ravenswood Primary School
Most waves are formed by wind blowing over the top of the sea. The stronger the wind the bigger the waves! However there are a couple of different types of wave that aren’t formed by the wind for example the tides are actually a form of wave, which are formed by the gravitational attraction of the sun and the moon on the water. Also tsunamis are a type of wave that is formed by under water earthquakes or eruptions! – Demi, Marine Biology Student
How big is the sea?
-asked by Iyla, 7, from Grace Darling Primary School
The sea covers about 71% of the world’s surface and although it is all connected it is usually split into 5 oceans called: The Pacific, the Atlantic (this is the ocean the UK is in), the Indian, the Antarctic and the Arctic ocean. All combined that is 1.3 billion cubic km of water, that’s about 3.47 Quadrillion swimming pools which is 462,667 swimming pools for every person living on the planet! The Atlantic ocean where we are is the second biggest ocean in the world and if you tried to swim from here to America it would take you 50 days if you swam non stop. The deepest bit of the ocean is called the Mariana trench and it is 11,034 metres deep that’s more than mount Everest which is the highest mountain in the world, it’s so deep that only 3 people have ever been there (that’s fewer than have been to the moon). -Lizzie, Biology Student
Last week, Street Scientist, Ailie, showed us how to make a colour wheel with kitchen roll. Now we’re going to use that same technique to create a colourful bunch of paper flowers.
How can we use the process of capillary action, and the coloured water we made last week, to do something creative? First, you need to make 6 flower heads out of kitchen roll by folding and cutting as below.
First fold the sheet in half to make a rectangle.
Fold the rectangle in half to make a square.
The fold the square in half diagonally to make a triangle.
Fold the triangle in half again.
Cut the top of the small triangle into a round petal shape
Unfold the sheet to reveal your flower.
Cut another sheet in half and twist it up to
form a stalk. Then pinch the end of your flower head and tape the stalk to the
flower.
Place the stem of each flower into one of the
cups of coloured water from earlier. Put something underneath the flower heads
to soak up any extra water, or do it outside if you can.
Come back in an hour and the water should have
moved, by capillary action, throughout the whole flower. You can now remove the
stems from the cups and leave them to dry.
Scrunch all
the dried flowers you’ve made together, tape around the top of the stalks, and
you’ve made a beautiful multicoloured bouquet.
When visiting schools and museums our Street Scientists often get asked a variety of questions from curious children. Here are the answers to some of our favourite questions!
This week, we’re answering questions on Chemistry.
What happens when a chemical reaction happens and can it be reversed?
-asked by Charlie, 11, from Burnside Primary School
A chemical reaction is a process of transformation of one set of chemical substances to another. When chemical reaction happens, the atoms of the chemical substances (initially called reactants) are rearranged resulting in different substances we call chemical products. No atoms are lost or gained during the reaction, so the total mass of reactants will be the same as total mass of the products.
There are some reactions that are reversible, meaning the chemical products can go back to become reactants. However, there are also reactions that are irreversible, meaning once the reaction occurs, the products cannot be converted back into reactants again.
An Irreversible reaction is like baking. Once the egg, flour, butter, and milk are mixed and baked into a cake, they cannot go back to their original form. An example of an irreversible reaction is combustion process. Combustion involves burning an organic compound (such as wood) and oxygen to produce carbon dioxide and water. Carbon dioxide and water are stable products and therefore they cannot go back to become wood and oxygen. -Aurelia, Dentistry Student
Can orange juice be turned into a gas?
-asked by Emily, 11, from Burnside Primary School
Orange juice is a mixture of liquid (water) and solid components (i.e. natural sugars, vitamins and other minerals). If you were to heat orange juice to a temperature above 100°C, the water component of the orange juice would evaporate meaning that the liquid water would change into a gas. However, the sugar, vitamins and minerals would be left behind. – Jenny, Dentistry Student
What is the most dangerous chemical?
-asked by Alfie, 11, from Burnside Primary School
There are so many dangerous chemicals out there! The dangerous chemicals are usually toxic, volatile, corrosive, or explosive. One of the most dangerous chemical known to mankind is Chlorine Trifluoride which is also called substance N. This was studied by Nazi scientists during The World War II for military purposes. It is a colourless, poisonous, corrosive and extremely reactive gas. It is so volatile and will react with almost anything! It has been known to set fire to glass, sand, rust, and humans! It is usually transported in the form of condensed liquid which is pale- greenish yellow in colour. The United States tried to transport a huge amount of Chlorine Trifluoride before in a tanker and it was a bad move. The tanker spilled in a warehouse and set fire to it. The whole floor was gone, leaving a few feet of dirts and soil underneath. This compound is now of interest for rocket fuels and nuclear reactor fuel processing. – Aurelia, Dentistry Student
Why does Carbon Dioxide not turn into water since it’s ice?
-Nathan, 11, from Burnside Primary School
Carbon dioxide does not turn into water even though it is ice because water and carbon dioxide are two different compounds each with their own chemical composition, which means that they have different properties. Carbon dioxide, whether it be in gas or solid (a.k.a. dry ice) form, is made of one carbon and two oxygens. Therefore, it is known as CO2. Whereas water in either gas, liquid or solid state is made of two hydrogens and one oxygen and is therefore known as H2O.
CO2 and H2O are very different from each other and when they are frozen, they form different solids because H2O freezes to form regular ice at 0°C and CO2 gas freezes at -78°C to form dry ice. When regular ice melts, it changes from a solid to a liquid and will leave a puddle. On the other hand, dry ice is so called because when it is exposed to temperatures greater than -78°C it does not melt, it actually sublimes, meaning it changes from a solid straight to a gas and leaves no liquid or puddle behind (hence “dry” ice). – Jenny, Dentistry Student
If you have any questions that you would like our team to answer, please leave a comment below!
Our Try This Tuesday series of experiments to try at home is back with a colourful water-based experiment from Street Scientist, Ailie.
You will need:
Red, yellow and blue food colouring
Kitchen roll
6 Clear cups, roughly the same size
Add water to three of the cups so they are 3/4 full. Then add 5 drops of red food colouring to one cup of water, blue into the second and yellow into the third.
Place the cups in a circle with the empty cups in-between the ones with water in (You may want to put some paper underneath the cups if you are worried about spills).
3. Take 6 sheets of kitchen roll and fold them twice to make a thick strip as below. You may want to cut them to be a bit shorter if you are using small cups, I cut off the bottom 1/5th.
4. Place one end of each strip of kitchen roll into one of the cups with water in and the other end into an empty cup next to it. Can you predict what colours might form in the empty cups?
5. Wait an hour then check back in to see if your experiment is working! Mine looked like this:
Eventually the empty cups will be as full as the cups feeding into them!
Colour Theory
Did you notice something the 3 colours you started with had in common? They are the primary colours. Therefore, mixing them creates the 3 secondary colours – purple, green and orange.
This gives us a simplified version of a colour wheel. The colours opposite each other on the wheel, and in our cup circle, are ‘complimentary’ meaning they contrast one another i.e. purple and yellow.
If we were to add more empty glasses in between the colours we have here we would make tertiary colours!
The Science
The water moves up the paper towel through a process called capillary
action which is the ability of water to flow through narrow spaces, even
against gravity! Capillary
action works as molecules in liquid like to stick together (cohesion) and also
like to stick to walls of a tube (adhesion). Together these forces act to
propel the liquid through the tube or narrow space. The narrower the
space, the quicker the water moves and the higher up it can go.
Plants rely on capillary action to move water all the way up from their roots to the leaves at the very top, where it is needed for photosynthesis (the production of glucose for energy). Just as humans have blood vessels to carry important substances around our body in the blood, plants have a tissue called xylem which is made up of millions of tiny tubes. Water moves up through the tiny cubes by capillary action, without wasting any of the plant’s energy.
One way to easily see capillary action working in the xylem is to cut the very bottom off the stem of celery or cabbage and put it into some water with food colouring. Given enough time, you will see the coloured water move to the top of the plant and stain the leaves. When a plant has been picked it is no longer undergoing photosynthesis and producing energy, therefore we have shown that the water is moving up to the top of the plant by a passive process.
Kitchen roll is designed to be very absorbent meaning it is able to hold lots of liquid – great for kitchen spills. To be able to do this, there are lots of little spaces in-between the fibres in kitchen roll which fill with water. Together they form the narrow spaces which the water uses to move up the tissue and into the adjacent empty cup. There, the colour mixes with the water from the cup on the other side to form our secondary colours.
Can you figure out how to make a colourful bunch of “flowers” out of your kitchen roll using this method? Check back for next week’s Try This Tuesday and we will show you!
When visiting schools and museums our Street Scientists often get asked a variety of questions from curious children. Here are the answers to some of our favourite questions!
This week, we’re answering questions on Zoology, the study of animals to celebrate the International Day of Biological Diversity on Friday.
Why is there different animals in different areas?
-asked by Halliemae, 9, Simonside Primary School
Animals are different because they need to survive in the environment they live in. They adapt to their surroundings to achieve this. For example, there are polar bears in the Arctic. Their bodies are covered in white fur so they can camouflage with the ice around them, making them harder to spot when they look for preys. However, their skin is black and their body is huge, this is so they can still absorb heat and stay warm in the cold. Their feet are also big and have a rough surface, helping them to swim and not slip on the ice. Can you imagine if they didn’t have these adaptations, would they be able to survive in that habitat? Other animals that do not have features that help them survive in their habitat will eventually struggle to survive and die. That is why there are different animals in different places as they have different adaptations required to be able to survive. –Aurelia, Dental Student
Why does a whale have a blow hole?
-asked by Isobel, 11, from Marden Bridge Middle School
Whales have blowholes because although they live in the ocean, they are actually mammals, which means they breathe air just like us! Their blowhole is an adaptation to allow them to easily breath in lots oxygen when they come to the surface so that they can dive for long periods of time. – Demi, Marine Biology Student
Why are a giraffes’ tongues blue?
-asked by Ellis, 11, from Burnside Primary School
Their tongues are dark blue because they have a large amount of a colour pigment called melanin. Giraffes feed by using their tongues to rip leaves off trees high up in the African savanna. This means that their tongues are in the sun for a long time, nobody knows for certain but some people think that the high amounts of melanin are to stop them getting sunburn on their tongues – a sunburn tongue has got to hurt a lot! We also have melanin in our skin that stops us getting sunburn but not as much as the giraffe which is why it doesn’t need to put suncream on its tongue! – Lizzie, Biology Student
Why do bees get nectar?
-asked by Finlay, 11, from Burnside Primary School
Bees use the nectar and pollen they collect from flowers as food, nectar is a sweet sugary liquid made by flowers to attract bees and other insects and animals. Flowers use the bees to spread pollen between themselves and other flowers (pollen is what makes people with hayfever sneeze). The bees store pollen in a structure called a pollen basket on their back legs they store nectar in an organ called a honey stomach. Back at the hive the bees that have been out collecting nectar pass it to other bees who make the nectar into honey. -Lizzie, Biology Student
If you have any questions that you would like our team to answer, please leave a comment below!
Hi, I am Aurelia, currently
on my 4th year studying Dentistry at Newcastle University. I am
going to be talking you through my day to day life studying at the university.
Why do I want to study Dentistry?
I have been a very curious, caring, and crafty. As I grew up, I have enjoyed learning about how the world and human body works, so this naturally drew me towards science related subjects. I particularly enjoy doing the hands-on practicals and communicating with people. Visiting the dentist regularly during my teens for braces treatment inspired to think about Dentistry as a career. Dentistry aligned with my strengths and interests because it is a great combination between science, healthcare, and manual dexterity. So, I arranged to have a work experience at a local dentist and joined a summer programme to observe how dentists work. That experience confirmed my interest!
How does your week start?
I like to start my day with a
workout. I live very close to the university gym, so it is very convenient for
me to go in the morning. I feel great and ready to start the day after a
workout. I make sure I have time to change and get breakfast to keep me going
through the day.
As a dental student, I start
university quite early compared with other students in different courses.
On Monday, I started my week with an early morning lecture at 8.45 AM (this is the earliest time we have lectures). We had lectures for about 45 mins to 1 hour, leaving some break for us to go to our lockers and get our lab coats for the practical at 10 AM. In the lab, I was studying about how I can restore people’s teeth with crown and bridges. The lab technician helped us to understand the making of the crown and bridges before dentists put it on the patient. That ended at 12.30 PM, leaving me some time to make my lunch at home. I was back to the university at 1.30 PM to prepare for clinics that starts at 2 PM. On Monday, I was in radiology, taking dental x-rays for patients who need it in the hospital to look at any disease in their teeth that we cannot see by eye. This x-ray will then be given to the dentist to help them make a treatment plan that is suitable for the patients.
Tools used for polishing the crown in the teaching laboratory
I have different clinical
sessions everyday in which I practice different skills. Here is the typical
week in dental school!
So, does that mean you start university at different
times everyday?
Yes! In the university, we rely on our academic timetable and we go to different classes (more often also in different places) everyday. We are trained to be independent to do our own learning and be responsible to find our classes. Therefore, looking at our timetable is important so we do not miss anything.
What do you do on different clinical sessions?
In each clinical sessions, we
focus on performing different treatments. In Newcastle University, we have 8
different clinical sessions:
Radiology: where we practice taking a good x-ray of the patients, whether it is inside the mouth or outside the mouth
Endodontic clinics: where we help patients clean the inside of their tooth. This treatment is called root canal treatment.
Prosthodontic clinics: where we practice to make dentures for older patients.
Outreach clinics: where we go to a community dental practice and treat patients depending on their need. It is a great opportunity for us to get used to practicing in a dental clinic and work as a team.
Child Dental Health clinics: where we treat young patients and prevent the progression of tooth decay.
Conservation clinics: where we treat adult patients with the aim to prevent tooth disease, save their tooth and educate them about oral hygiene.
Oral surgery clinics: where we help patients to treat infection or take diseased teeth out.
Dental emergency clinics: where we help patients to understand what was causing them pain and offer immediate help
These clinical sessions are highly supervised by qualified dentists who ensure everyone’s safety, we learn so much from their guidance.
Aurelia in the prosthodontic clinic with a very dental Christmas tree.
Do you have any days without clinic?
In a week we usually have a day or two where we don’t have clinics. This is a perfect opportunity for me to do some independent reading for my modules, or to do some extracurricular activities. I am involved in a society called Brush Up, which is an organisation leading workshops for reception or primary school children around Newcastle. In these workshops, me and other dental students teach kids how to brush their teeth properly. This is such a great extracurricular activity as I get to meet kids and practice how to engaged with them. It is helpful so I can improve on my practice in dental clinics, especially in Child Dental Health Clinics.
What other extracurricular activities do you do?
University offers a lot of activities through societies. You can think of it like a after school club! I love to dance, so I joined dance society! This is where I make friends outside of my course where we share similar interests. I go to dance classes once or twice a week. As this is a student-run society, I also volunteered to instruct one dance class per week as part of the committee. It is a nice break from studying and a great opportunity to sweat!
What do you usually do on the weekend?
On some weekends, I have part-time jobs to do. I am part of the Street Science team at Newcastle University where I teach the member of public, especially school children, about science. Usually, on Saturday, Street Scientists hold a booth in the Great North Museum: Hancock and where we explain science based experiments to the visitors.
My weekend activities varies
depending on the university workload. If I have any assignments or revision
that I need to complete, I would to do that. However, weekend is a perfect
opportunity to recharge and refresh, so I tend to plan some catch up with
friends, go to yoga class, or practice some of my dance routine on the weekend.
Do you have any tips for prospective students who are
soon going to university?
For those who are deciding to go to uni and not sure what to study: Explore and try new things! It is challenging to decide a subject to study in the university as there are so many things offered there. For example, you like to eat and curious about how the food industry works, maybe try reading magazine or books that give you an insight into that industry and roles involved in it. If you know anyone in the industry, have a chat with them so you can ask your burning questions and get a feel of what working in the industry is like! When you try new things and get involved in more activities that seem to spark your interest or excitement, that will lead you to your answer eventually.
For those who have had a rough (or clear) idea about which subject they want to study in uni: Gain as much experience in those fields as possible! By searching opportunities in the subject area of your interest, in the form of an internship or short observation for example, you will be able to understand the skills needed and whether you suit that kind of environment. Also, look for the type of courses offered and the requirement they ask of you, so you can plan and aim to achieve that. Good luck!
When visiting schools and museums our Street Scientists often get asked a variety of questions from curious children. Here are the answers to some of our favourite questions!
This week, we’re answering questions on Engineering!
How do rockets get so much power to shoot into space?
-asked by Lea, 8, from West Jesmond Primary
Rockets are not too different from regular planes and cars – they all need something called ‘fuel’. The only difference is that rockets need a (lot of) special fuel to allow them to take off. The fuel is burned inside the bottom of the rocket which produces a hot gas (called an exhaust gas). This hot gas is pushed out the bottom of the rocket through something called a ‘nozzle’ (a tube that gets smaller closer to the exit) which makes the gas travel faster (acceleration). It’s this acceleration of the gas that’s used to push the rocket off the ground. Rocket fuel is special as it produces lots of energy compared to regular fuel – the same way some foods give us more energy than others (like chocolate!) – Jenny, Mechanical Engineering Student
Why are triangles the strongest shape to build lots of bridges?
-asked by Rosie, 10, from Ravenswood Primary School
Shapes that have straight sides are called ‘polygons’. Triangles are special because out of all the polygons, they have the least number of sides. Because triangles only have three straight sides, they are harder to squash than other shapes, for example: squares. If you look at the picture below, you can see how applying a force to a square would make it deform (squash), whereas no matter how you apply force to a triangle, this can’t happen because each side supports each other, which is why triangles are so strong! This is why engineers use triangles in their designs, to make their bridges as strong as possible. -Jenny, Mechanical Engineering student
How was electricity made?
-asked by Emily, 7, from Simonside Primary School
When we refer to electricity, we mean the movement of tiny particles called electrons through a material that will allow them to pass through called a conducting material. An example of a conducting material is a copper wire which we usually see covered by rubber – if you have a charger for a tablet or phone then that is a great example.
To generate electricity, you usually need a fuel source. This could be in the form of coal or gas and nowadays hydropower and wind are becoming increasingly common sources of fuel. Electricity is generated through a machine called a generator which takes one form of energy and converts it into electrical energy. A common visual example would be a wind turbine. You can often find these in large empty fields or sometimes when you go to the beach you can see wind turbines far out in the ocean. Wind causes the blades of the turbine to spin which means magnets inside the wind turbine will also spin. These magnets are surrounded by copper wires which allow electrons to flow through them when the magnets spin around them and this flow of electrons is what generates electricity. – Sidra, Mechanical Engineering Student
How do TVs and computers work?
-asked by Yedam, 8, from West Jesmond Primary School
Computers and other electronic devices like TVs, phones and tablets all work in a similar way – they take instructions in the form of ‘code’ – code is just a language that computers can understand. These coded instructions are called ‘programming’. A computer scientist ‘programs’ a computer to work before we buy it so it can recognise our instructions – this is the computer’s ‘software’. When we give our computer an instruction (such as turning it on, clicking the mouse or going onto the internet) the ‘software’ tells the physical parts (the ‘hardware’) what to do. – Jenny, Mechanical Engineering Student
If you have any questions that you would like our team to answer, please leave a comment below!
So, you’d like to go to Medical school… here is some valuable advice on preparation and applications from 4th year medic, Ailie.
The process from making the decision to become doctor to walking into the first day of university may seem long and challenging but fear not, there are lots of brilliant resources to help! I would recommend having a look at the very thorough application guide at www.themedicportal.com. But first, here are my top 5 tips!
Ailie on her medical elective in Zanzibar
1. It’s never too early to start thinking about your personal statement.
Try to stand out, medical schools expect to hear about why you are dedicated to this path and why you deserve the heavily coveted place (very hard to fit into 4000 characters!). Ideally, you want as much medical work experience and volunteer work as possible to show you have explored the field and are willing to care for those around you. As it can be hard to find, start early and seize every opportunity.
2. Pick the right A levels
Most medical schools require 3 A’s at A level, although some require an A* or 2, and require certain subjects. Almost all want at least two science subjects, generally including biology, chemistry, physics or maths. Some are more specific, so it pays to check before you choose subjects and before you apply. However, remember that A levels require a lot of work and it is important to pick subjects you are interested it.
Newcastle University doesn’t require any specific A Level subjects for Medicine, they teach you all the Biology you need once you start the course.
3. Choose the right university for YOU.
You can only apply to 4 medical schools out of the 33 on UCAS and there’s lots of factors to think about including distance from home (not to be underestimated), campus vs city university, cost of the city/accommodation/transport. The structure of the course is very important, think about how well it fits with your individual learning-style. Some medical schools have a traditional teaching format comprising of mainly lectures, some teach problem-based learning where groups of students learn through case-studies independently. Other medical schools lie somewhere in the middle, luckily all of this information is available online. Remember to apply to your strengths!
4. Admissions tests.
Most medical schools require one of two admissions tests, UCAT or BMAT, that play a big in role in who they invite to interview. UCAT is an aptitude test with 5 sections, supposedly you can’t prepare for it but there are great books with practise questions. BMAT has 3 sections: an aptitude section, science knowledge and written communication, again practise is vital.
Newcastle University requires the UCAT test and uses these scores as an indicator of who to invite to interviews.
5. Interview preparation is key.
Make sure you know what kind of interview to expect. Some medical schools have a traditional panel interview’s while others, including Newcastle, have multiple mini interviews (MMI). Often, you’ll be asked to talk through your personal statement so make sure you know it through and through and can expand on what you have written. You may also be asked how to respond to an ethical dilemma or to comment on current events in healthcare, a mock interview can help refine your skills.
And remember, although competitive, getting a
place at your ideal university is very achievable with hard work in all the
right areas. Don’t be disheartened if you don’t get in first time. MANY of my
course mates took a gap year, worked on their personal statement, gained some
life experience and were much more prepared a second time around.
When visiting schools and museums our Street Scientists often get asked a variety of questions from curious children. Here are the answers to some of our favourite questions!
This week, we’re answering questions around Medicine and Health.
What is blood made of?
-asked by Lacey, 8, from Simonside Primary School
There are many things which make up blood! The easiest way to think about it is that it contains liquids and solids. The liquid part of blood is called plasma which is mainly water with some salts dissolved in it and also some proteins. The plasma allows blood to flow, carrying the solids around the body to where they are needed. The salts are important in controlling how much water is in the body, this is why it is dangerous to eat lots of salt!
The plasma makes up around half of blood, the rest is made up of red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. Red blood cells have a dip in the middle which gives them lots of space to carry oxygen from the lungs to the body. Oxygen bound to red blood cells is what makes blood red.
The white blood cells come in lots of different types and are part of the immune system which protects the body from germs like bacteria and viruses. They recognise germs which don’t belong in the body and kill them in lots of different ways before they can make us sick.
Platelets are important in allowing us to form scabs when we cut ourselves. The platelets all stick together over a cut and stop us losing too much blood. -Ailie, Medical Student & Evolution and Human Behaviour Masters Student
Why do people get allergic reactions to things?
-asked by Abbie, 11, Burnside Primary School
Allergic reactions happen in some people when the immune system overreacts to something harmless, called an allergen, because it thinks it is dangerous to the body. Our immune system is very important to keep our bodies safe from germs such as bacteria and viruses that can cause disease. While the red cells in our blood carry oxygen all around the body, the white blood cells make up the immune system.
The white blood cells are very clever at recognising germs in the body and realising that they don’t belong and can be harmful. When they find a germ, they activate other white blood cells to attack the germ in lots of different ways. Some white blood cells can swallow a germ whole and then dissolve it – this is called phagocytosis. Other white blood cells release antibodies which stop the germs being harmful and cause them to all stick together, others release chemicals such as histamine which causes swelling and brings in more white blood cells to help.
However, in some people the white blood cells get confused and think something safe, like peanuts or shellfish, are harmful to the body. Scientists haven’t figured out why this happens to some people but not others although sometimes it runs in families and is linked to other conditions like asthma and hay-fever. When people with allergies eat or touch something they are allergic to the immune system becomes activated causing redness, swelling and itching. In a serious case the throat may swell up making it hard to breathe, this is why some people with allergies carry an EpiPen which contains adrenaline to stop the swelling. -Ailie, Medical Student & Evolution and Human Behaviour Masters Student
How many medicines are in the world?
-Asked by Ruby, 10, from Simonside Primary School
It is impossible to know exactly how many different medicines there are, it will be thousands and thousands! The types of medicines used in different parts of the world are very varied and medicines are always changing.
Doctors used to think that all sickness was due to ‘bad blood’ so they put leaches on sick people to suck it out! Luckily, they don’t do that anymore. For most diseases there are many treatments available. For example, there are lots of different inhalers for asthma which are different colours depending on which medicine is inside, and there are tablets you can take too. Which medicine works best depends on the person, sometimes doctors have to try a few before they find the right one. Medicines come in lots of different forms, sometimes you may take an antibiotic as a pill, drink it as a liquid, or have it as an injection.
In summary, there are too many medicines to count! Some things we use every day such as garlic and ginger can be used as medicine if you know what you are doing! Luckily for everyone Scientists and researchers are creating more medicine and treatments every day! -Ailie, Medical Student & Evolution and Human Behaviour Masters Student
I would like to work in Tropical Medicine. How long would I need to study for?
-asked by Liam, 11, Burnside Primary School
Lots of people work in tropical medicine including biomedical researchers, epidemiologists, doctors and microbiologists to name a few. So the length of time you have to study for will really depend on what aspect of tropical medicine you want to end up in, most researchers for example will have done 4 or 5 years of university and doctors need to have done 5 years of university and 9 years of specialist training. People who work in tropical medicine are always learning new things even after they’ve officially stopped studying. -JC, Medical Student
