More about the HOOP
Background
At school I would always look on with green eyes as the Geography and the Geology students got to go away on field trips. Meanwhile, we physicists had to stay put in the laboratory playing with friction-compensated inclines and ticker-tape trolleys. 'Why can't we have a field trip?' I would enquire ... only to be given the brush off by the bearded, tobacco-impregnated teacher and told to get back to my experiment. But now that's about to change ... it is time for the PHYSICS FIELD TRIP! A geocache that will test your practical science skills literally "in the field".
Peter Peregrinus
Frenchman Pierre Pelerin de Maricourt, who was also known as Peter Peregrinus of Maricourt, was the prime mover in the early days of the study of magnetism and the properties of magnets. There is no indication of why he received the sobriquet Peregrinus (meaning "pilgrim") but it suggests that he may have been either a pilgrim at one point or a crusader. In fact, on one copy of his work the closing words say (in Latin) "Done in camp during the siege of Lucera, August 8, 1269". The 1269 attack on Lucera had been sanctioned as a crusade by the Pope.
Peregrinus was the first person to describe the existence of two magnetic poles in each magnet, to describe the attraction between unlike poles, and to explain the creation of new poles when a magnet is broken in two. A designer of instruments, he also described improvements in the magnetic compass, which made it far more useful for navigation on the high seas.
His prime text is "Letter on the Magnet of Peter Peregrinus of Maricourt to Sygerus of Foucaucourt, Soldier". The letter is addressed to an otherwise unknown Picard countryman, who was possibly a friend and neighbour of the author. Foucaucourt borders on Peter's home area of Maricourt, in the department of the Somme, near Péronne.
The letter primarily consists of two parts: the first deals with the properties of the lodestone (which is magnetite, a magnetic iron oxide mineral) and the second describes several instruments that utilise the properties of magnets. It is widely regarded as one of the great works of medieval experimental research and a precursor of modern scientific methodology.
The Cache
Once you open the ammo can you will need to use the supplied magnets to get to the log book; just follow the instructions on the lid. No excessive force is required to open it, but you may need some gentle wiggling. Please replace the cache contents and container as you found them, especially the magnets, and please rehide the ammo can so it is well hidden from muggles. If you enjoyed this cache then look out for others in the "Physics Field Trip" series.
First To Find honours go to Pumpkin67.
Acknowledgements
darth trader - for the idea for a key element of the cache.
Google - for the map.