Time-resolved x-ray diffraction techniques for bulk polycrystalline materials under dynamic loading.

We have developed two techniques for time-resolved x-ray diffraction from bulk polycrystalline materials during dynamic loading. In the first technique, we synchronize a fast detector with loading of samples at strain rates of ~10(3)-10(4) s(-1) in a compression Kolsky bar (split Hopkinson pressure bar) apparatus to obtain in situ diffraction patterns with exposures as short as 70 ns. This approach employs moderate x-ray energies (10-20 keV) and is well suited to weakly absorbing materials such as magnesium alloys.

Listening to Mozart may not enhance performance on the revised Minnesota Paper Form Board Test.

Rauscher, Shaw, and Ky in 1993 found that listening to a Mozart sonata temporarily enhanced performance on the spatial reasoning task from the Stanford-Binet scale. The present study was designed to replicate those results using the Revised Minnesota Paper Form Board Test. 30 women and 21 men were randomly assigned to one of two conditions.