Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons™

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

The Research and Scholarship Symposium (2013-2019)

Conference

2017

Articles 1 - 14 of 14

Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics

Understanding Feathered Dinosaurs, Michael D. Sprague Apr 2017

Understanding Feathered Dinosaurs, Michael D. Sprague

The Research and Scholarship Symposium (2013-2019)

Young-earth creationists hold to separate creations of birds and land animals due to a literal interpretation of Genesis 1:20-25, which describes their creations on different days. As such, they oppose the conventional model of theropod-to-bird evolution. For many years, there were few Mesozoic birds known, namely Hesperornis and Icthyornis. Specimens such as Archaeopteryx, found in 1861, seemed to strengthen the argument for the proposed transition. However, even after John Ostrom reinvigorated the idea of dinosaur-to-bird evolution in 1960 with the discovery of Deinonychus, evidence of this transition was still sparse. In the 1990’s, exquisitely-preserved dinosaur fossils began to pour out …

Go to article

Does Logic Help Us Beat Monty Hall?, Adam J. Hammett, Nathan A. Harold, Tucker R. Rhodes Apr 2017

Does Logic Help Us Beat Monty Hall?, Adam J. Hammett, Nathan A. Harold, Tucker R. Rhodes

The Research and Scholarship Symposium (2013-2019)

The classical Monty Hall problem entails that a hypothetical game show contestant be presented three doors and told that behind one door is a car and behind the other two are far less appealing prizes, like goats. The contestant then picks a door, and the host (Monty) is to open a different door which contains one of the bad prizes. At this point in the game, the contestant is given the option of keeping the door she chose or changing her selection to the remaining door (since one has already been opened by Monty), after which Monty opens the chosen …

Go to article

Petrographic Analysis Of The Oriskany Sandstone (Lower Devonian) From The Ellisburg Storage Pool, Potter County, Northcentral Pennsylvania, Emily R. Jackson Apr 2017

Petrographic Analysis Of The Oriskany Sandstone (Lower Devonian) From The Ellisburg Storage Pool, Potter County, Northcentral Pennsylvania, Emily R. Jackson

The Research and Scholarship Symposium (2013-2019)

Three Lower Devonian Oriskany Sandstone cores, EW-216 (core 1), EW-415 (core 2), and EW-706 (core 3), were obtained from Dominion Transmission’s Ellisburg Storage Pool, located in Potter County, northcentral PA. The goal of the project was to create a petrographic analysis and description of the cores, with special attention given to any deformational features associated with stress/strain indicators. Extended Range Helium Porosimeter measurements, XRD analysis, and thin section production were completed by Calgary Rock and Materials. The cores were then analyzed using a petrographic microscope; a complete description from the analysis was written for each core. Photographs were taken of …

Go to article

A Correlation And Stratigraphy Of Detailed Measured Core Sections Of The Waynesville And Liberty Formations (Katian; Richmondian) - Transecting Warren, Clinton, And Fayette Counties Of Ohio, Mark P. Guilliams Apr 2017

A Correlation And Stratigraphy Of Detailed Measured Core Sections Of The Waynesville And Liberty Formations (Katian; Richmondian) - Transecting Warren, Clinton, And Fayette Counties Of Ohio, Mark P. Guilliams

The Research and Scholarship Symposium (2013-2019)

The stratigraphy of the Cincinnatian is difficult to understand and interpret which has resulted in various models for deposition ranging from a layer cake model with continuous beds to completely discontinuous beds. The interest of this study is the Liberty and Waynesville Formations (previously part of the Bull Fork Formation); these are Late Ordovician (Katian; Richmondian) units of predominantly limestone and shale. This project assesses the continuity of fine scale beds within these formations across a small area (approx. the size of Ohio’s Clinton County) by correlating measured sections from drill cores. The project involved the study of five rock …

Go to article

Cedarlogic 2.0 Update, Colin Broberg, Julian Pernia, Tyler Drake, James Von Eiff Apr 2017

Cedarlogic 2.0 Update, Colin Broberg, Julian Pernia, Tyler Drake, James Von Eiff

The Research and Scholarship Symposium (2013-2019)

CedarLogic is the Cedarville University’s student-developed, digital logic simulator. Engineering and Computer Science students use this software for several of their classes. Our primary goal for this update is adding black boxes, buses, and cross-platform compatibility. Our additional improvements in user-friendliness and functionality will give students an improved CedarLogic experience.

Go to article

A Description Of A New Allosaurus (Dinosauria: Theropoda) Skull With Comparison To Additional Specimens, Michael D. Sprague Apr 2017

A Description Of A New Allosaurus (Dinosauria: Theropoda) Skull With Comparison To Additional Specimens, Michael D. Sprague

The Research and Scholarship Symposium (2013-2019)

Allosaurus was a genus of large theropod dinosaur from the Late Jurassic Period (Kimmeridgian to early Tithonian). The history of the taxonomic classification of Allosaurus species is muddled at best, and the number of recognized species varies significantly between researchers. Most Allosaurs from the Morrison Formation are typically lumped into a single species, Allosaurus fragilis. Given the amount of variation seen in Allosaurs through the Morrison, the genus may more diverse than generally recognized. A nearly complete Allosaurus skull (CM 279) located in the Creation Museum in Petersberg, KY is described, with comparison of its skull morphology to two other …

Go to article

Genuine Or Reproduction: A Comparision Of 3d Imaging Techniques, Erica A. Loughner, Jordan C. Oldham Apr 2017

Genuine Or Reproduction: A Comparision Of 3d Imaging Techniques, Erica A. Loughner, Jordan C. Oldham

The Research and Scholarship Symposium (2013-2019)

Advancements in technology associated with 3D imaging for both print and digital applications are transforming many aspects of geology. Museums, researchers, and educators are now using 3D models to depict and reproduce fossils, minerals, and crystals for study, thereby reducing the risk of damage to valuable original specimens. This project examined which of the two processes available to Cedarville University geology program produces the best quality digital image and, subsequently, the best 3D printed object of a macroscopic-sized specimen. The first method utilizes the camera on a smartphone to take overlapping photos of the entire specimen (fossil or mineral) – …

Go to article

The Bible Story Producer App, Michael D. Baxter, Noah W. Bragg, Grant W. Dennison, Robert J. Jacubec, Andrew D. Lockridge, Abigail M. Riffle Apr 2017

The Bible Story Producer App, Michael D. Baxter, Noah W. Bragg, Grant W. Dennison, Robert J. Jacubec, Andrew D. Lockridge, Abigail M. Riffle

The Research and Scholarship Symposium (2013-2019)

The Bible Story Producer team at Cedarville University has been spending the past year on the Bible Story Producer app for Android. This app is a tool whose purpose is to facilitate the translation of Bible stories by bilingual laypersons in places where the Bible is unavailable in the vernacular. The aim of the app is to facilitate the oral translation of Bible stories transmitted as templates consisting of voice narration in a Language of Wider Communication (LWC). The narration is accompanied by a series of high-quality illustrations animated by the Ken Burns (pan and zoom) effect. An instance of …

Go to article

Cusigns: A Dynamic Solution For Digital Signage, Jonathan Easterday, Wesley Kelly, Todd Landis, Nicole D. Perez Apr 2017

Cusigns: A Dynamic Solution For Digital Signage, Jonathan Easterday, Wesley Kelly, Todd Landis, Nicole D. Perez

The Research and Scholarship Symposium (2013-2019)

Cedarville University has computer monitors located throughout campus in order to show advertisements and important information to students, faculty, and staff. The slides shown on these displays are scheduled using Concerto: web-based software which manages digital signage. Though the Concerto software is currently used to manage digital signage, Cedarville University’s IT department desires features which Concerto does not provide, including the ability to play videos, a better slide randomization algorithm, emergency broadcasting features, and an intuitive user interface. We have created a new solution for digital signage called CUSigns with the goal of providing the existing functionality of Concerto while …

Go to article

Models Of Nation-Building Via Systems Of Differential Equations, Carissa F. Slone, Darryl K. Ahner, Mark E. Oxley, William P. Baker Apr 2017

Models Of Nation-Building Via Systems Of Differential Equations, Carissa F. Slone, Darryl K. Ahner, Mark E. Oxley, William P. Baker

The Research and Scholarship Symposium (2013-2019)

Nation-building modeling is an important field of research given the increasing number of candidate nations and the limited resources available. A modeling methodology and a system of differential equations model are presented to investigate the dynamics of nation-building. The methodology is based upon parameter identification techniques applied to a system of differential equations, to evaluate nation-building operations. Data from Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Afghanistan are used to demonstrate the validity of different models as well as the comparison of models.

Go to article

The Relationship Between Static Water Levels, Bedrock Topography, And Glacial Drift Thickness For The Cedarville, Greene County, Ohio Area, Joel G. Twinem Apr 2017

The Relationship Between Static Water Levels, Bedrock Topography, And Glacial Drift Thickness For The Cedarville, Greene County, Ohio Area, Joel G. Twinem

The Research and Scholarship Symposium (2013-2019)

Cedarville, Ohio, is an area covered in glacial deposits from the Pleistocene age. During this time, the Silurian dolomitic bedrock was exposed and worn down. Glacial till composed of sand and gravel was deposited atop the dolomite in wake of the glaciers retreat. The combination of vuggy bedrock and permeability of the overlying sediments cause the area to be very conducive to aquifer storage and movement. This study attempts to determine the relationship between bedrock topography, till thickness, and static water level, as well as the implications for future drilling. 26 static water levels were measured in the field using …

Go to article

Characterization Of Massive Vs. Laminated Texture Of The Coconino Sandstone (Permian), Arizona From The Study Of Thin Sections, Sarah C. Rouse Apr 2017

Characterization Of Massive Vs. Laminated Texture Of The Coconino Sandstone (Permian), Arizona From The Study Of Thin Sections, Sarah C. Rouse

The Research and Scholarship Symposium (2013-2019)

This project seeks to contribute to the work of Dr. John Whitmore and Sarah Maithel on the Coconino Sandstone (Permian) of Arizona. More than one hundred thin sections are available for study from this sandstone. Each thin section was examined both macroscopically and microscopically to determine if the sample is "laminated" or "massive." The purpose of this project is to define what "laminae" are and then develop reliable quantitative criteria that can differentiate between the laminated and massive samples. These criteria might then be applied to distinguish patterns that occur across the deposit, which in turn may provide insight into …

Go to article

2017 Symposium Overview, Cedarville University Apr 2017

2017 Symposium Overview, Cedarville University

The Research and Scholarship Symposium (2013-2019)

Click the "Download" button in the top right corner to view the abstract booklet.

Go to article

Understanding Feathered Dinosaurs, Michael D. Sprague Apr 2017

Understanding Feathered Dinosaurs, Michael D. Sprague

The Research and Scholarship Symposium (2013-2019)

Young-earth creationists hold to separate creations of birds and land animals due to a literal interpretation of Genesis 1:20-25, which describes their creations on different days. As such, they oppose the conventional model of theropod-to-bird evolution. For many years, there were few Mesozoic birds known, namely Hesperornis and Icthyornis. Specimens such as Archaeopteryx, found in 1861, seemed to strengthen the argument for the proposed transition. However, even after John Ostrom reinvigorated the idea of dinosaur-to-bird evolution in 1960 with the discovery of Deinonychus, evidence of this transition was still sparse. In the 1990’s, exquisitely-preserved dinosaur fossils began …

Go to article