Ashbury College - Ashburian Yearbook (Ottawa, Ontario Canada)

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gf, THE ASHBURIAN mechanical devices, could be used to turn on fog-horn motors in the lighthouses by merely dialing a phone from the shore. Our last visit was radio research, where ultrasonic sound waves were being used on a scale model of the earth's surface to represent microwaves, and test means of bending them around a curve. We drove, in N.R.C. provided vehicles, to the buildings on Sussex Drive, and there we were provided with a pleasant lunch. After a visit to the well stocked library, we enjoyed a demonstration lecture by Dr. Henderson about the work that is still being done on standard units. IYe saw how electrical current and capacitance can be related to mass and length. He also told us that the standards used for density and specific gravity were out of date, and not accurate enough. Back again in the front hall, Dr. Katzman explained the workings of the cosmic ray detection apparatus that was built for the Brussels XYorld Fair, and saw how it not only counted cosmic ray particles that penetrate us every minute, but also how it named them -pi and mu mesons, neutrons, and protons. Dr. Lossing demonstrated to us the fabulous work being done by a mass spectrometer, and the efficiency with which it analyses substances and records the analysis on a graph leaving nothing to do but read it. An IBNI voltmeter which was so accurate that it could hardly make up its mind, due to varying voltage in the circuit, was highly interesting and amusing to us all. In Biophysics, Dr. Colvin taught us something of the interior of the plant cell, and then showed us the hundred thousand power electron microscope in operation. Wie also saw a million power electron micro- scope. Here, work was being done on the structure of cellulose, and the mechanisms of nucleoproteins which is thought to be the basis of life. We are grateful to all those mentioned who helped bring about this fascinating tour, and to others of whom lack of space has denied recog- nition, and to Mr. Sibley who arranged the tour from our end. Those who attended this tour included: Coristine I, Dunn I, Suther- land, Oosterbaan, Nlarland, Fidler, I lowland, Noel-Bentley I, Mr. Siblev and your scribe, Nlerrett I. I I Ill. Svieme Tow to Clnille River A fter a long drive, we arrived at Chalk River, found a place to park, and our guide, Nlr. .NIcNichol ushered us in to be issued with some cards and radiation sensitive strips of film. In the library's auditorium we met llr. IJ. Keys, the Scientific Advisor to the project. He gave us a very clear and concise run-down on the theories of atomic power, starting with the structure of atoms and ending with thc controlled fusion of hydrogen - the harnessed llydrogen bomb. Ile were then taken to see models of the NRX and NRL' reactors to further clarify the operation of what we would be seeing. I

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THE ASHBURIAN I9 sense of humour, and we laughed when informed on the film that the experiment had to be postponed because at this point, lightning struck the radar. From the engineering building we had a quick tour of Chemistry, Physics and Geology, and then were oii to the Radiation Laboratory to the cyclotron, which fortunately was not in operation, so we could see it. Dr. Telford gave us a very concise and adequate explanation of its workings. The writer is pleased to report that no one made the classic mistake of leaning up against the magnet with his watch on. :Xfter a look at the control panel we took our leave. To wind up the tour, we accepted gratefully the annual hospitality of Xlr. lfascio, and stuffed ourselves over the excellent dinner provided by the LaSalle llotel. Those who enjoy anticlimax were given the opportunity to indulge in some of the delights offered by the city, but most of us had had enough during the course of this educational, inspiring but exhausting tour and we were willing to rest. Our thanks are due Xlr. Sibley, who once more was the guiding light of the tour, and thanks are also due to so many who helped make this a line success. Those who made the iourney this year were: Bishop, Sarkis, Dunn ll, Wilson ll, Tucker, Noel-Bentley 1, Farrugia l, lierruish, Xlarland. and Butcher I, with your reporter, Nlerrett l and Nlr. Sibley. II. Science Tour - The Natiolml Research Colmcil On Monday, February 29th, we journeyed to the Council. After being greeted at the main gate by Dr. Kohr, and told what we were not going to see, we moved to the Division of Building Research. Xlr. Crocker took us through laboratories where walls were being tested for water, air, and heat leakage, and into the strew laboratory which was just being set up to test the strength of different types of roofs. We transferred to the Fire Research Building, where we saw two giant furnaces composed of thousands of burners, whici were being used to compare the reactions of walls and floors to heat and stress combined. The next stop was the Radio and Electrical Engineering Building. where we were under the supervision of Xlr. Chisholm. ln the high voltage laboratory a demonstration was given us on the DLI. Generator. XYe watched a two-foot spark generated by six hundred thousand volts. Then we ascended to the magnetometer, a magnetic field sensor so sensitive that it would register the shutting of a door down the hall. In the infra red research rooms, we came upon another extremely sensitive device, a heat detector that gave almost a full deflection when a hand was held in front of it ten feet away. The I learn pictures taken by this device were almost as clear as normal pictures. Next we saw a com- pletely electronic device that. without the use of relays. or any

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THE ASIIII URI.-IN JI ln the new cafeteria, we were furnished with an excellent lunch. XYhen we emerged, it was snowing. Then we were off to see the reactors. XYe did a thorough tour of the NRX, climbing on top of it to see where the uranium rods were lifted out and carried along to be deposited ina tank of water to cool ull, and walking around it to look at the devices for placing samples to be irradiated within the core of the pile itself, and the slots for studying the intense beams of fast neutrons from the heart of the reactor. ln the control room, the intermittant signals of bells and red lights made us quite nervous, but our fears were alleviated when our guide called our attention to the numerous safety precautions: triple circuitry, so that if one circuit failed, another would take over, and an ingenious system of keys that impeded entrance into the reactor if it were in operation. As the NRL' reactor works on approximately the same principle, except that it is one of the few reactors in the world that can be refueled while operating, we did not make so complete a tour of it. lt was much larger, newer, and cleaner looking. We were shown the hot labora- tory, where we were treated to a demonstration with the manipulators - the famous mechanical hands that perform operations in a radioactive cell. This cell has a lead borosilicate window +2 inches thick to protect the workers. Later we were given a much enjoyed chance to use these hands. Our chauifeurs, Wilson l and Bishop, did a noble iob, and we all arrived home in one piece after an interesting day. Those who attended this year included: Sarkis, Sutherland, Nlarland, Rowan-Legg, Findlay, Bishop, Wilson I, Xlerrett I and Nlr. Sibley, who as usual made all the arrangements for the tour. s 5 . l PM lla-.