Happy 4th of July and happy Independence Day for those living in the United States! This holiday is celebrated with lots of parades, barbecues, and fireworks! Aerial fireworks are the fireworks that you see launched into the sky! They are usually fired using rockets and mortars. These fireworks create a dazzling light show above us! …
Category Archives: Everyday Science
Why Do Pennies Turn Green?
You’ve probably noticed that some of the old pennies sitting in your piggy-bank are covered in dirt and this mysterious blue-green substance. That is copper oxide! Copper naturally turns green over time as it reacts with oxygen in the air. This chemical reaction is known as oxidation. The oxygen and some water in the atmosphere …
Longer Days In Summer: Explained!
Why are days longer in the summer? Right now, especially in the Northern Hemisphere, it may seem like the spring and summer days are dragging on with more daylight. Days are longer during the summer and shorter during the winter because of the Earth’s tilt. Earth is slightly tilted toward the Sun. As the Earth …
Diamonds Vs. Graphite!
Graphite and diamonds are both made out of Carbon. Carbon is a very abundant element. But, why is diamond stronger than graphite if they are made out of the same material? It is all because of the arrangement of the atoms into molecules. Atoms are the microscopic building blocks of the universe. They make up …
What Causes The Smell Of Mown Grass?
You probably know the smell of freshly-mown grass. It is a very strong smell and, for some people, is relaxing. This smell comes from the cut grass and is made up of lots of chemicals that plants make. But, that soothing and very strong smell is actually a plant distress call!! Plants don’t have a …
How Does Snow Happen?
The white, powdery precipitation called snow is a winter’s delight! It falls from the sky as snowflakes. One condition is the temperature. It has to be below freezing or below 32°F or 0°C. This freezing temperature makes the water in the atmosphere freeze and turn into snowflakes! The other condition is atmospheric lift. This is …
What Is Gravity?
Gravity is the force by which a planet or other body draws objects toward its center. The force of gravity keeps all of the planets in orbit around the Sun and also keeps us from floating into outer space. All objects have their own gravity. Anything that has mass also has gravity. Objects with more mass …
How Do We Breathe?
We breathe using our respiratory system and our lungs. Our lungs help humans breathe in Oxygen and breathe out Carbon dioxide. The lungs use tiny parts, called alveoli to help with this process. Alveoli, pronounced as alei-ve-oli, are tiny sacs inside of your lungs. They kind of look like grapes inside of your lungs! These …
How Do Hurricanes Form Over The Ocean?
Hurricanes are a group of storm clouds that create a very dangerous storm. If you see a hurricane from space, you will see a giant swirling cloud. Hurricanes can bring heavy rain, wind, and sometimes minor tornadoes. Hurricanes are formed when storm clouds form over warm water. As the storm clouds move, the warm water …
First Day of Fall In The Northern Hemisphere!
Fall is here in the Northern Hemisphere! In this post, you will learn about why leaves fall from trees during the fall! Trees are living things, just like us. They are called organisms. You’ve seen that some trees lose all of their leaves in the fall and go dormant or in a resting stage in …
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How Do Electrical Wires Work?
This is because the material inside of the wires is a conductor. Conductors are materials that electrons can travel through easily. Conductors are usually made out of metals. Conductors are used in the electrical wiring itself! Humans are also conductors of electricity (that is very dangerous) That is why humans should wear insulators to protect themselves from …
What Are The Smaller Parts Of An Atom?
Atoms are the microscopic building blocks of the universe. They make up almost ANY material including solids, liquids, and gases! A human has more than 1 billion atoms! Atoms have specific parts. There is the nucleus, which is the center of the atom. Then, there are even smaller parts. They are protons, neutrons, and electrons! …
What Are Chemical Bonds?
Chemical bonds are when two or more atoms bond or stick together to form molecules that make up all the things around us! If there were no bonds, everything would just be atoms that float around! There would be no visible things. There are two types of bonds: covalent and ionic bonds. Both of these …
What Is The Nitrogen Cycle!
Nitrogen is an element that very common on Earth. In fact, nitrogen makes up most of the air that we breathe in. This nitrogen actually cycles through different forms and stages over time. This cycle is kind of similar to the carbon cycle. The nitrogen cycle starts as nitrogen gas in the atmosphere. This gas …
What Are The Characteristics Of Living Things?
Living things are also called organisms! Humans, plants, and even bacteria are great examples of living things. But, what determines that a thing is living? There are a few characteristics that make things living. One is that they are made out of cells. Living things are ALL made out of cells. Cells are tiny building …
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What Are Ocean Currents?
Ocean currents are rivers of water that move around the world. There are deep ocean currents and surface currents. Deep ocean currents are caused by differences the water’s density. Density is how close molecules are packed together in an object. The density of water is impacted by salinity (how much salt there is) and temperature. …
What Is The Carbon Cycle?
Carbon is a very common element on Earth! It is found in living things and is also found in the ocean, the air, and in the ground. Carbon is able to change forms on Earth form animals to the air. Animals and plants have carbon in them. When animals breathe out, they release Carbon dioxide …
Why Are Electric Stoves Better Than Gas Stoves?
Electric stoves are now used in place of gas stoves because they can heat things more evenly. Electric stoves used electricity to heat up and cook food. When you turn the stove on, the electricity flows through metal coils that are either exposed or under the cooking surface (if you have a glass ceramic surface). …
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What Is The Difference Between Pressure and Electric Rice Cookers?
The main parts of a basic electric rice cooker are the outer pot, inner pot, the heating element, lid, and button controls. The outer pot contains the heating element. The inner pot, where the uncooked rice goes, fits inside of the outer pot. The heating element heats up metal coils in the outer pot to …
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What Causes Snow?
The white, powdery precipitation called snow is a winter’s delight! It falls from the sky as snowflakes. One condition is the temperature. It has to be below freezing or below 32°F or 0°C. This freezing temperature makes the water in the atmosphere freeze and turn into snowflakes! The other condition is atmospheric lift. This is …
How Does REM Sleep Affect Your Body?
REM Sleep or Rapid Eye Movement Sleep is a very important stage for human health. REM Sleep is the stage when your brain is active, dreams occur, and your eyes move back and forth rapidly under your eyelids. During this stage, your brain is very active! The brain organizes information it learned the past day in a …
What Is The Difference Between Airplanes and Helicopters?
Airplanes are machines that can fly with engine or propeller power. They are able to use aerodynamics (how air and objects move) to fly. Airplanes make it so that we can travel around the world in just a few hours! Airplanes can coke in all shapes and sizes like the tiny airplanes that you see …
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Grass Alarm Smell! The Strong Smell of Mown Grass
You probably know the smell of freshly-mown grass. It is a very strong smell and, for some people, is relaxing. This smell comes from the cut grass and is made up of lots of chemicals that plants make. But, that soothing and very strong smell is actually a plant distress call!! Plants don’t have a …
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What Is Mechanical Weathering?
Weathering is the breaking down of rock by many natural agents like water, wind, and gravity. Mechanical Weathering is when rocks are broken down without a chemical change. They are changing their physical properties. Mechanical weathering can split rocks in half and turn them into dust! Some examples of Mechanical Weathering are ice wedging (when water …
Why Does Copper Turn Green?
Copper naturally turns green over time as it reacts with Oxygen in the air. This chemical reaction is known as oxidation. The Oxygen and some water in the atmosphere react with the surface of the copper. That causes the copper and Oxygen atoms to bond to create copper oxide. That is the green or blue …
How Does Recycling Work?
Recycling is the process of making used or old things into new things. Recycling usually happens with some plastics, glass, and paper. They melt/shred the materials and make new objects out of them. Recycling reuses the material and shapes it into new objects that can be used again! Recycling is very good for the Earth …
What Is Green Energy?
Green Energy means a way to make power without polluting the atmosphere. Most power plants today use coal and gasoline to generate electricity. When they burn coal and gasoline, it creates Carbon Dioxide (CO2) which is a Greenhouse Gas. This means that it traps the Sun’s energy in the atmosphere and makes the planet hotter. This causes …
What Causes Objects To Slow Down On Earth?
It is all because of friction. Friction is a force that happens when two or more objects are rubbed together. This can break the object, generate heat, or make sounds. Friction is a force that blocks the movement. That is why remote control cars can’t drive well on carpet. When there is too much friction, …
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Why Do Some Fruits Have Peels Or Shells?
Fruits are pieces of plants that have sugar inside of them. They don’t always have to be sweet to be a fruit! Fruits have either of these two things: seeds or come from flowering plants. The entire purpose of fruits is to help the plant reproduce. The seeds help the plants make more plants. If …
What Causes Day And Night?
It may seem simple, but the day and night cycle on Earth has lots of moving parts that work together. Let’s start out with the Earth. The Earth spins on its axis, which is an imaginary line that goes down the center of the Earth. As the Earth spins, different parts of the Earth face …
How Do Fireworks Explode And Create Dazzling Colors In The Sky?
Aerial fireworks are the fireworks that you see launched into the sky! They are usually fired using rockets and mortars. These fireworks create a dazzling light show above us! They all start with a paper tube. That tube is filled with small bits of metal, like iron or steel, colorants (made using gases/elements such as …
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What Causes A Low Pressure System?
Air molecules around us push down on us all the time. The air from the atmosphere takes up space, so it has mass (weight). The more atmosphere above you, the more the air pressure. There is actually 14.7 pounds per square inch of your body pushing down on you right now!! That means that your …
What Causes A High Pressure System?
Air molecules around us push down on us all the time. That is air pressure. In weather, there are two types of pressure systems: high and low pressure systems. In this post, we are focusing on high pressure systems. High pressure systems mean that a lot of air is pushing down on a certain area. …
Why Is Hair Important?
Hair is a strand of string protein that grows out of hair follicles or tiny sacs in your skin. Hair is made up of keratin, the same material your fingernails are made out of. Hair grows through a process of cells dividing and getting pushed out of the follicle. This causes a strand of cells …
How Do Sponges Absorb Water?
Sponges are used by humans every day, from washing the dishes to cleaning up a mess! Some sponges are natural, but others are artificially made. In this post, we will be focusing on the artificial or synthetic sponges. Sponges are able to absorb water because they retain or keep in water very well. This is …
What Causes Friction?
Friction is a force that happens when two or more objects are rubbed together. This can break the object, generate heat, or make sounds. Friction is a force that blocks the movement. That is why remote control cars can’t drive well on carpet. When there is too much friction, the force builds up and gets …
What Makes The Sky Appear Blue?
The Visible light spectrum is the different colors in the white light that we see. The different colors are red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. You can see these colors by bending light with a prism or with water. The sky is blue because the molecules (building blocks of the universe) in the …
What Do Plants Use Sunlight For?
Plants need sunlight because plants use the Sun to make food. Chlorophyll helps plants collect the sunlight. Chlorophyll is made up of even smaller parts called Chloroplasts. Chloroplasts have a green color to them. Leaves have Chloroplast because they help the plant or tree collect sunlight and turn it into sugar. That process is called …
What Are The Effects of Deforestation?
Deforestation is when people cut down large areas of forests. These trees are cut down in a way called clearcutting. Clearcutting is when all of the trees in the area are completely gone. This can be done for new buildings, roads, logging, or farmland. Clearcutting and deforestation in general can be very bad for the …
What Is Coral Bleaching?
Some of the coral in the ocean is actually losing its color! This is called coral bleaching and this happens when the oceans get too hot for the coral. Coral actually have algae living on them and those algae turn sunlight into food for the coral and also give the coral its color. But, when …
What Makes Some Plastics Clear?
Plastic is a type of polymer. Polymers are certain materials that have atoms that are bonded together in a link pattern. Atoms are the tiny building blocks of all elements. When atoms bond together, like in polymers, they form molecules! Poly means many and mer or mers means units. Polymers means many units! A great example of a human-made polymer is …
What Are Placebos?
Placebos are used in clinical trials. Placebos are fake medicines or vaccines that help researchers compare people who took the medicine with people who just got a fake medication. Placebos do nothing inside of a person’s body. Placebos for vaccines and tablets can be made out of salt, water, and sugar. These people, who took …
Does Hand Sanitizer Get Rid Of All Germs?
Hand sanitizer is a quick and easy way to disinfect your hands. It kills bacteria and viruses that might make you sick, right on your hands! But, hand sanitizer doesn’t get rid of all bacteria and viruses, so if there is a sink around, you should wash your hands instead of just going to hand …
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How Is Sand Turned Into Glass?
Glass is a transparent material used in plates, cups, windows, and even art! Glass is made from natural raw materials such as sand and limestone. Those materials are melted down into molten material. That is done using a kiln which is super hot!! The molten glass is now cooling fast, so they reheat the glass …
Why Is Glue Sticky?
Glue is any liquids that can be applied to a surface and harden over time. Glue can be used for crafts, construction, or even surgery! Different types of glue are used for different purposes. Organic glue is made out of organic compounds, but we are going to focus on synthetic glue. Synthetic glue, which is …
How Are Rainbows Created?
Rainbows are optical illusions that happen when light bends in water droplets and splits into different colors. Those colors are red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. White light is made out of all these colors. When it rains, lots of water droplets are in the sky. The Sun shines through these water droplets. …
What Are Electrical Circuits?
A circuit is a path that current electricity or electrons can flow through. Current electricity is a type of human-made electricity. A simple circuit is made out of four parts: the power source, wires, the load, and a switch. A simple circuit works by electrons, which are negatively charged, exit from the negative terminal of …
How Do Fuses Help With Short Circuits?
A circuit is a path that current electricity or electrons can flow through. Current electricity is a type of human-made electricity. A simple circuit is made out of four parts: the power source, wires, the load, and a switch! A simple circuit works by electrons, which are negatively charged, exit from the negative terminal of …
How Do Electric Cars Work?
Electric cars work differently from regular gasoline-powered cars. Regular cars work using an Internal Combustion Engine that creates a small, controlled explosion inside of the engine. That moves a piston which is connected to a wheel. That wheel then moves while the piston is moving! That gasoline that you put into your car powers the …
What Is Evaporation?
Water, or H20, is a liquid that is found all over the Earth! Water can be in different states of matter: solids, liquids, and gases. Water vapor, or steam, is in the gas state of matter. When water is a liquid, the molecules in the water are flowing freely, but still have a definite size. …
How Plastic Is Made!!
Plastic is a type of polymer. Polymers are certain materials that have atoms that are bonded together in a link pattern. Atoms are the tiny building blocks of all elements. When atoms bond together, like in polymers, they form molecules! Poly means many and mer or mers means units. Polymers means many units! A great example of a human-made polymer is …
How Do 3D Movie Glasses Work?
If you have watched a 3D movie, you will have to wear special 3D viewing glasses. But, how do they work? In order for movies to appear in 3D, you must wear polarized, or 3D, glasses. Polarized means that the glasses filter the light based on how they are traveling. Light typically moves in a …
How Do Ballpoint Pens Work?
Pens work differently from pencils. Read more about pencils here! In this post, we are going to focus on the most common type of pen: the ballpoint pen. All pens use ink, but the cool thing here is how it draws the ink to the tip. In ballpoint pens, there is a small cartridge with pen …
Why Do Dogs Pant When They Are Hot?
Dogs are very playful animals! But, when they play a lot and get hot, you may notice that they start panting. Panting is when dogs inhale and exhale fast! Dogs also stick their tongues out while doing this! This is because dogs do not have an effective system of sweat glands like people do. They …
How Do We Hear Sounds?
Sound waves are what sound travels in! They are little vibrations of air that travel through a medium or a material that it is travelling through. Sound waves are why you can hear a jackhammer or my podcast!! Sound waves work like this: First, an object or person has to make a sound. A sound is made …
How Do We See Things And Know What Color They Are?
Let’s start with light. Light can be broken up into a few colors: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet! When we see white light coming from the Sun or a lightbulb, that white light is all of the rainbow colors together. When the white light hits an object it reflections, or bounces of …
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What is Hair And Why Is It Important?
Hair is a strand of string protein that grows out of hair follicles or tiny sacs in your skin. Hair is made up of keratin, the same material your fingernails are made out of. Hair grows through a process of cells dividing and getting pushed out of the follicle. This causes a strand of cells …
Why Is Rubber So Flexible?
Rubber is a natural product, produced by plants, and is used in many of the things we use every day! Rubber is a type of polymer. Polymers are certain materials that have atoms that are bonded together in a link pattern. Atoms are the tiny building blocks of all elements. When atoms bond together, like …
What Is The Difference Between Viruses and Bacteria?
A virus is infectious object that depends on living organisms’ cells to multiply. They are bad for living organisms and take over cells. Viruses infect a body and travel to a cell and inject it’s DNA code into the cell which will make the virus multiply and will destroy the cell. This is how viruses make us …
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How Do Pens Write?
Pens work differently from pencils. Read more about pencils here! In this post, we are going to focus on the most common type of pen: the ballpoint pen. All pens use ink, but the cool thing here is how it draws the ink to the tip. In ballpoint pens, there is a small cartridge with …
Why Does Pollen Give Some People Allergies?
Pollen is a sticky substance that is found inside of most flowering plants. Pollen is in the middle of the flower of the plant. Pollen is attached to long structures called stamens and smaller structures called pistils. This pollen helps make new plants grow through a process called pollination. That is when pollen is transferred …
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How Does Density Change?
Density is the amount of “stuff” (molecules and atoms) that are packed into one space. Objects’ density can be found by dividing the mass (weight) of an object by the volume (space it takes up) of an object. Density is measured in grams per milliliter (g/mL). If something has to float on water, than the density …
What Is Light?
Light is a type of energy that is made up of tiny particles called photons. These photons can zip around the universe at very high speeds! The speed of light is the ultimate universe speed limit, up to 180,000 miles per second! The regular light you see is actually made up of different colors of …
What Causes A Chemical Reaction?
Chemical reactions are when two or more materials combine to make a new material! The two materials usually react with each other, producing that new material. This happens when molecular and atomic bonds are broken apart or connected. A great example is when you mix baking soda and vinegar to make Carbon dioxide gas! There …
What Makes Graphite Weaker Than Diamond Even Though They Are Made Of The Same Element?
Graphite and diamonds are both made out of Carbon. Carbon is a very abundant element. But, why is diamond stronger than graphite if they are made out of the same material? It is all because of the arrangement of the atoms into molecules. Atoms are the microscopic building blocks of the universe. They make up …
How Are Pencils Able To Write?
Pencil tips are made out of graphite. Graphite molecules are flat groups of carbon atoms that are stacked in layers. If you were to zoom in on the graphite, the graphite would be organized in flat sheets. Those flat sheets make the graphite weaker and makes the graphite break into tiny bits. When you write on a piece of …
What Is Density?
Density is the amount of “stuff” (molecules and atoms) that are packed into one space. Objects’ density can be found by dividing the mass (weight) of an object by the volume (space it takes up) of an object. Density is measured in grams per milliliter (g/mL). If something has to float on water, than the density …
What Is A Stethoscope?
A stethoscope is a instrument used by doctors and other medical specialists. It is used to measure people’s heartbeat and their breathing. It is placed on the area where the heart is or on the back. A modern stethoscope is made up of a Y-shaped flexible plastic tube. An earpiece is attached to each end of the Y and a sound-detecting device at the other end. The sound-detecting device …
What Are Atoms?
Atoms are the microscopic building blocks of the universe. They make up almost ANY material including solids, liquids, and gases! A human has more than 1 billion atoms! Atoms have specific parts. There is the nucleus, which is the center of the atom. Then, there are even smaller parts. They are protons, neutrons, and electrons! …
How Are Clouds Helpful?
Clouds are large collections of water droplets that can be frozen, but only sometimes. They form due to condensation, when water evaporates into a gas and cools down above the Earth. Then, the water drops attach to pieces of dust or dirt that are above the Earth. As more droplets attach to one piece of …
What Is The Nervous System?
The nervous system is the collection of all the nerves in your body and its function is to receive and send information on what’s going with the body. The nervous system includes your brain and spinal cord. Your brain and spinal cord are the centers where the information is being sent and received. Without the …
What Are The 3 Types of Heat Transfer?
Heat transfer is the spread of heat between objects. There are three types: conduction, radiation, and convection. Conduction is heat that is transferred through direct contact. Conductors are materials that allow heat to pass through them. An example of conduction is touching a hot pot on a stove (NEVER do that!). Then, there is radiation. …
How Do SPG Nerves Cause Brain Freezes?
A brain freeze is an informal term for Sphenopalatine Ganglion Neuralgia. It is when the blood vessels in your brain expand to cause a headache! This is all caused SPG nerves. These nerves are at the back of your mouth and are very sensitive to cold foods like ice cream. SPG nerves or the sphenopalatine …
How Do The Continents Move?
They move thanks to convection currents. Convection currents all start with density. Density is how much “stuff” (atoms and molecules) that are packed into one thing. If something has a high density, all of the atoms and molecules are close together and will sink. If something has a low density, the atoms and molecules are …
How Do Cumulonimbus Clouds Form?
Cumulonimbus clouds are storm clouds. Clouds are large collections of water droplets that can be frozen, but only sometimes. They form due to condensation, when water evaporates into a gas and cools down above the Earth. Then, the water drops attach to pieces of dust or dirt that are above the Earth. As more droplets …
What Are Cumulus Clouds?
Cumulus clouds are fluffy, white clouds that float high in the sky. They usually mean that the day is going to be sunny and there will be good weather. These clouds are the types of clouds you see in happy movies or T.V. shows! Cumulus clouds are condensed water that is still not ready to …
What Are Low Pressure Systems?
Air molecules around us push down on us all the time. The air from the atmosphere takes up space, so it has mass (weight). The more atmosphere above you, the more the air pressure. There is actually 14.7 pounds per square inch of your body pushing down on you right now!! That means that your …
How Do Tornadoes Form?
Tornadoes are a rotating column of air that spins very fast. They are made up of a giant cloud that stretches from above to the ground. Tornadoes can have violent winds and lots of rain. Tornadoes can do lots of damage, so it is important to take shelter during a tornado. Tornadoes are usually formed …
What Are Flowers and What Is Their Purpose?
Flowers are an assortment of petals and pollen that a plant produces to reproduce. The pollen of a flower contains the genetic information to make seeds and new plants. Besides being pretty, flowers actually make fruits possible! A fruit is what is left after a flower dies and sugar is put into the dead flower bulb. Thank …
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Why Do Leaves That Fall On The Ground Dry Up?
During the Fall, leaves from trees fall to the ground and the trees become dormant. Over time, those leaves on the ground start to shrink and turn brown. Then, they dry up. Why? It is all because the leaf is not receiving or making water or nutrients. When a leaf is attached to a tree …
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How Do Plants Know When To Grow?
Plants know when to grow because of the change in temperature. As spring approaches, there will be an increase in temperature because the Earth is tilted towards the Sun. The temperature change is very noticeable for animals and plants too! When the seed or dormant plant senses that the temperature is increasing, it starts sprouting …
What Is Biofuel?
Biofuel is a form of renewable fuel that is made from recently lifeless or now living biological material (living things). Humans can convert plants and animal waste into energy that we can use. Biofuel is considered a renewable resource because we can always grow more plants and trees! Crops, like corn and sugar cane, can …
How Does Photosynthesis Work?
Photosynthesis is the process of taking sunlight and Carbon dioxide and making it into Oxygen gas and sugar! The word “photo” means light. Photosynthesis is used by green plants, algae, and bacteria. That helps the bacteria, plants, or algae make food for themselves. Photosynthesis also made our Oxygen atmosphere! These organisms use a part of their …
What Are Viruses?
A virus is infectious object that depends on living organisms’ cells to multiply. They are bad for living organisms and take over cells. Viruses infect a body and travel to a cell and inject it’s DNA code into the cell which will make the virus multiply and will destroy the cell. This is how viruses make us …
What Is The Differences Between Solids and Liquids?
A solid has the atoms packed tightly together, without any gaps. Solids have a definite size and shape. The solid state of matter is very common in the universe. The atoms make the solid positively charged (more protons) or negatively charged (more electrons). Electrons and protons are even smaller parts of atoms. When solids heat …
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What Causes Sea-Level Rise?
Sea-level rise is when the ice caps of the Earth make the ocean waters rise. The ice caps of the Earth are the North and South poles. Because of Climate Change, when the Earth gets hotter, the ice melts and flows into the ocean. When ice melts, it becomes water. When that extra water makes …
What Is The Visible Light Spectrum?
The Visible Light Spectrum is all of the colors in white light! White light from the Sun and the lights in your house has all of the colors of the Rainbow! The Visible Light Spectrum contains the colors red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. The Visible Light Spectrum is not a thing you …
What Is Liquid Nitrogen and What Is It Used For?
Nitrogen (N) is a gas that makes up 64% of the air that we breathe! Liquid Nitrogen is the Nitrogen gas that has been supercooled. That means that the gas got cold and turned into a liquid. When that happens, we get a boiling liquid that is – 196 °C (- 320 °F)! That is …
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Why Do Onions Make Us Cry?
When we cut onions, they make us produce tears. The onion has developed this defense to defend it from predators that might try to eat it! Each tiny cell of an onion has a sealed blob within it containing a chemical the onion makes. This chemical is called an enzyme. Enzymes are very useful, natural …
What Is Dry Ice Made Out Of?
Dry ice is not just regular ice, it is special! Dry ice is the solid or frozen form of Carbon Dioxide. This means that the gas called Carbon Dioxide was frozen in sub-zero temperatures. It is almost 5 times colder than water ice! Dry ice can result in serious frostbite, so wear hand protection while handling …
How Do Markers Work?
Markers can be permanent, easily rubbed off, and even have lots of scents! Markers bring color to our world. But, all of the action is actually happening inside of the marker. Inside that plastic tube is an absorbent material. This holds the ink that gives each marker its color. The ink itself is made of a …
What Are The 3 Types of Tears?
Tears are water that come from our eyes. But, there are actually different types of tears: basal, emotional, and reflex. Basal tears keep your eyes from drying out. They supply nutrients and water to the outer parts of the eye. When there is dust, hair, or other debris in your eyes, basal tears flush them …
How Does Hair Grow?
Hair is a strand of string protein that grows out of hair follicles or tiny sacs in your skin. Hair is made up of keratin, the same material your fingernails are made out of. Hair grows through a process of cells dividing and getting pushed out of the follicle. This causes a strand of cells …
How Does Popcorn Pop?
Popcorn is a delicious snack that is portable and customizable! But, how does popcorn actually pop? It is all because of pressure. Inside of a kernel of popcorn, there is a small amount of water. This is why popcorn needs to maintain a certain level of moisture. As the water in the kernel heats up, …
What Are The Layers of a Tree’s Bark?
Just like an onion, there are many layers to a tree’s bark. The 5 main layers are the outer bark, inner bark (phloem), cambium cell layer, sapwood, and heartwood. The outer bark is the tree’s first line of defense from rain, extreme temperatures, and insects. It is always renewed by the inner bark, which is …
What Is Glue Made Of?
Glue is any liquids that can be applied to a surface and harden over time. Glue can be used for crafts, construction, or even surgery! Different types of glue are used for different purposes. Organic glue is made out of organic compounds, but we are going to focus on synthetic glue. Synthetic glue, which is …
What Is The Mid-Atlantic Ridge?
The Mid-Atlantic Ridge is a divergent tectonic plate boundary that is on the ocean floor. A divergent boundary is when two tectonic plates move apart from each other. In this case, the plates are the South American Plate and the African Plate. As those plates pull apart, magma from below the Earth’s crust rises up …
How Does Hydroelectricity Work?
Hydroelectricity or hydropower is a way of harnessing water in order to make electricity! This is a renewable source of power. Renewable resources are resources that can be replaced and do not run out. Renewable means that we can constantly renew or make/get more of these resources. They can be replaced in a human lifetime …
How Do Pencils Work?
Pencil tips are made out of graphite. Graphite molecules are flat groups of carbon atoms that are stacked in layers. If you were to zoom in on the graphite, the graphite would be organized in flat sheets. Those flat sheets make the graphite weaker and makes the graphite break into tiny bits. When you write …
What Are Warm-Blooded Animals?
Warm-blooded animals always have a fixed body temperature and is always different from the outside temperature. Most warm-blooded animals are vertebrates. Vertebrates are animals with a backbone. The backbone is also known as the vertebrate! The backbone is a row of connected bones that run down the back. Vertebrates animals make up only 5% of …
What Are Cold-Blooded Animals?
Cold-blooded animals are animals that rely on the outdoor temperature to determine their own body temperature. Most cold-blooded animals are invertebrates. Invertebrates are animals without a backbone. That means that they are the opposite of vertebrate animals. Invertebrates make up 95% if the Earth’s animals! Some invertebrates have a hard covering on the outside of …
How Do Ocean Waves Form?
Waves are created by energy passing through water, causing it to move in a circular motion. However, water does not actually travel in waves. Waves transmit energy, not water, across the ocean and if not obstructed by anything. Ocean waves are most commonly caused by wind. Wind-driven waves, or surface waves, are created by the friction …
What Is Rubber?
Rubber is a natural product, produced by plants, and is used in many of the things we use every day! Rubber is a type of polymer. Polymers are certain materials that have atoms that are bonded together in a link pattern. Atoms are the tiny building blocks of all elements. When atoms bond together, like …
What Is Yeast?
Yeast is a eukaryote, a living thing, like us, and is a type of fungi. The cool thing about yeast is that it is a unicellular organism, or single-celled, but it has characteristics and can be compared to multicellular organisms like us humans. Yeast is definitely a living thing since it has the properties of …
What Is Deforestation?
Deforestation is when people cut down large areas of forests. These trees are cut down in a way called clearcutting. Clearcutting is when all of the trees in the area are completely gone. This can be done for new buildings, roads, logging, or farmland. Clearcutting and deforestation in general can be very bad for the …
What Causes Smog?
Smog is a type of air pollution that usually blankets cities. The word smog comes from the mixture of smoke and fog. Smog usually happens when pollutants like Carbon dioxide and Nitrous oxide go into the atmosphere. These gases are not visible, but can still impact humans and plants. What makes smog visible is due …
What Are Severe Thunderstorms?
Thunderstorms are storms with cumulonimbus or storm clouds. The clouds have water inside of them and the water pours down on the ground below. Thunderstorms can also have heavy winds. Lightning and thunder are the main things in thunderstorms. First, we have to start off with a storm cloud. Tiny pieces of ice, which are …
Why Do Objects Slow Down?
It is all because of friction. Friction is a force that happens when two or more objects are rubbed together. This can break the object, generate heat, or make sounds. Friction is a force that blocks the movement. That is why remote control cars can’t drive well on carpet. When there is too much friction, …
What Is Land Pollution?
Land pollution is when humans spill or throw things that are not natural on the land. This can cause harm. Many people litter on land which can be toxic to plants and animals. Humans also dump toxic chemicals onto land. That means that other animals, plants, and even humans can get affected by it. Land …
What Is Water Pollution?
Water pollution is when humans dump trash and harmful or toxic chemicals into waterways like oceans, streams, rivers, and ponds. This trash and chemicals can cause problems for marine life. This trash can also come back to humans! When humans drink water, the water may be polluted! This is also a very big problem in …
What Is Air Pollution?
Air pollution is when humans put toxic chemicals or smoke into the air. This can make our air dirty. This can lead to breathing problems for humans and other animals. Plants can also be harmed because the air that they bring in is not clean. This is a very big problem in big cities and …
What Conditions Have To Be Met To Snow?
The white, powdery precipitation called snow is a winter’s delight! It falls from the sky as snowflakes. One condition is the temperature. It has to be below freezing or below 32°F or 0°C. This freezing temperature makes the water in the atmosphere freeze and turn into snowflakes! The other condition is atmospheric lift. This is …
What Are Reptiles?
Reptiles are cold-blooded vertebrate (has a backbone) animals. Reptiles are ectothermic, meaning that they rely on the Sun’s energy to heat them up and match the temperature in the air around them. When it is cold outside, reptiles become more inactive in order to maintain a body temperature and are very active when it warms …
What Are Amphibians?
Amphibians are a group of animals that live part of their lives in water and part on land! They are cold-blooded, small invertebrates that need water or a moist environment to survive. Amphibians include frogs, toads, newts, salamanders, and caecilians. They depend on the sun for warmth because they are ectothermic. Ectothermic means that they …
What Are Mirrors?
Mirrors are sheets of aluminum or silver that are coated in glass. Mirrors work using reflection. Reflection is a property of light. This is when light bounces off a surface. Did you know that every time you see something, light is reflecting off the thing you are looking at! Light can bounce off smooth surfaces …
What Is The Difference Between Air and Water Pressure?
Right now, as you are reading this, there are tons of air pushing down on you. That is air pressure. As you might know, the Earth is covered with a blanket of gases. That is called the atmosphere. The air from the atmosphere takes up space, so it has mass (weight). The more atmosphere above …
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What Are The 4 Forces of Flight?
The four forces of flight are lift, drag, thrust, and weight. They all work together to help an airplane fly. Lift is when the air temperature and pressure differs on different sides of the wing. That causes the plane to lift into the air and fly! The force pulling the plane backwards is called drag. …
What Is Evapotranspiration?
Evapotranspiration is the process of evaporation and transpiration combined. Evaporation is when water evaporates from the ground. This is when the sunlight heats the water and turns it into a gas called water vapor. As the sunlight heats up the water, the molecules get farther apart and start to turn into a gas or water …
What Are The Parts of An Atom?
Atoms are the microscopic building blocks of the universe. They make up almost ANY material including solids, liquids, and gases! A human has more than 1 billion atoms! Atoms have specific parts. There is the nucleus, which is the center of the atom. Then, there are even smaller parts. They are protons, neutrons, and electrons! …
What Is Adhesion of Water?
Adhesion is a property that water has. Adhesion means that water molecules like to “stick” to other water molecules and other things. That is actually why water forms in round drops! Adhesion also makes water more vulnerable to pollution because water sticks to many materials. Adhesion also helps plant suck up water from the ground. …
How Do We Smell?
The human sense of smell is really complex! It’s not just your nose: it is actually a combination of your brain and your nose cells working together. It all starts with air. The air has a lot of smell molecules floating in it. When the air enters your nose, the different molecules activate special smell …
How Is Glass Made?
Glass is a transparent material used in plates, cups, windows, and even art! Glass is made from natural raw materials such as sand and limestone. Those materials are melted down into molten material. That is done using a kiln which is super hot!! The molten glass is now cooling fast, so they reheat the glass …
What Are Natural Plastics?
Natural plastics are any natural material that has the polymer structure. That is a structure that has a chain of molecules. Natural plastics were used before human-made plastics were invented. Natural plastics are formed with the polymer structure. Examples of these natural plastics are rubber, skin, bones, and even DNA. Rubber from rubber trees were …
What Causes Seasons?
Seasons are different climate patterns that happen throughout different times in a year! Places on Earth experience seasons at different times. Some seasons are noticeable and others are not. We have seasons because the Earth is slightly tilted on it’s axis. An axis is an imaginary rod going from the top to the bottom where …
Why Does The Sun Rise and Set?
The Sun rises and sets because of Earth’s rotation. The Earth and the planets orbit the Sun, but they also spin on their own axis,. The axis is the point from which the planet rotates on. Earth’s axis is tilted, which is what makes seasons! When the Earth spins, different sides of the planet experience …
Recycling! Start 2022 With Something Good for Earth
Happy New Year! Welcome to 2022! Recycling is the process of making used or old things into new things. Recycling usually happens with some plastics, glass, and paper. They melt/shred the materials and make new objects out of them. Recycling reuses the material and shapes it into new objects that can be used again! Recycling …
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What Are Snowflakes?
The first snow of the season is really exciting! The snow piles up on the ground, making so many possibilities for fun, from building snowmen to having a snowball fight!! But, if you look closely at the snow under your feet, you will see that it is made up of even smaller parts called snowflakes. …
How Do Electric Stoves Work?
Electric stoves are now used in place of gas stoves because they can heat things more evenly. Electric stoves used electricity to heat up and cook food. When you turn the stove on, the electricity flows through metal coils that are either exposed or under the cooking surface (if you have a glass ceramic surface). …
All About the North Pole – The Arctic!
When you talk about the North Pole, it can mean the North Magnetic Pole or the North Geographic Pole. In this post, we are going to focus on the North Geographic Pole. That is the point on Earth where all the lines of longitude meet to form a single point. The North Pole is located …
How Does Hand Sanitizer Work?
Hand sanitizer is a quick and easy way to disinfect your hands. It kills bacteria and viruses that might make you sick, right on your hands! But, hand sanitizer doesn’t get rid of all bacteria and viruses, so if there is a sink around, you should wash your hands instead of just going to hand …
Why Is Plastic Used In So Many Things?
Plastic is a type of polymer, or a chain of atoms and molecules. That chain pattern gives plastic some amazing abilities! They are flexible because the chains of atoms can be twisted or turned in many different shapes, sometimes even when the object is a solid! It is moldable (or easy to twist into different …
The Moon Changes Colors! How?
This happens during Lunar Eclipses. A Lunar Eclipse is when the Moon moves into the Earth’s shadow. The Sun is shining on the Earth and the Moon is behind the Earth. The Moon can appear to change color sometimes when it is a total Lunar Eclipse. The Moon only APPEARS to change color on Earth. …
How Do Humans Harness The Earth’s Energy?
Deep inside of the Earth, there is a lot of energy stored. The Earth’s mantle is super hot, meaning that is has a lot of energy in it! But, how do humans harness that energy for electricity? They make geothermal electricity. Geothermal power is a renewable source of making electricity. It harnesses the heat from …
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What Are Sound Waves?
Sound Waves are what sound travels in! They are little vibrations of air that travel through a medium or a material that it is travelling through. Sound Waves are why you can hear a jackhammer or my podcast!! First, an object or person has to make a sound. A sound is made by an object …
How Do Incandescent Lights Work?
Incandescent lights were the first type of lightbulb to be created. They are different from LED Lights. Read our post about LED Lights to learn more! Incandescent lights work with using the heat and light that is produced when electricity flows through things. Inside of incandescent lights, there is a small part called a filament. …
Density!
Density is the amount of “stuff” (molecules and atoms) that are packed into one space. Objects’ density can be found by dividing the mass (weight) of an object by the volume (space it takes up) of an object. Density is measured in grams per milliliter (g/mL). If something has to float on water, than the density …
What Are Chemical Reactions?
Chemical reactions are when two or more materials combine to make a new material! The two materials usually react with each other, producing that new material. A great example is when you mix baking soda and vinegar to make Carbon dioxide gas! There are a few ways to tell if something is a chemical reactions. …
How Do Electromagnets Work?
Magnetism is an invisible force that attracts or repels certain objects. Magnets attract or repel things made out of iron, nickel, and cobalt. Objects are magnetic because the electrons, which spin around an atom’s nucleus, are spinning in the same direction (they are all lined up). The spinning electrons create an invisible magnetic field, which …
Why Is It Hotter During The Summer?
The Sun is the center of the Solar System. The Sun is a star, just like all of the tiny glowing dots you see in the sky at night. The Sun is the closest star to Earth and all of the planets in the Solar System. Here in the Northern hemisphere of the Earth, it’s …
How Do Telescopes Work?
Telescopes are devices that let people see things that are far away. People at sea also use telescopes. Telescopes are most commonly used to look at space. The inventor of the telescopes was Galileo Galilei. He invented the telescope with eyeglass parts. Telescopes work using light. Light is everywhere! The telescope has two mirrors. They …
How Do Our Eyes Work?
We use our eyes every day to see the world around us! Our eyes are the parts of our body that help us see. When we see things, what we’re actually seeing is the light that is being reflected by that object. For example, when you are looking at a yellow pencil, the yellow light …
How Do LED Lights Work?
LED stands for Light-Emitting Diode! LED lights work because the jumping of electrons creates photons, or light. Electrons, which make up electricity, jump from an electron full side to an electron lacking side across a junction or connector. When the power is applied to the junction, the electron lacking side wants to be filled up …
What Is REM Sleep?
REM Sleep or Rapid Eye Movement Sleep is a very important stage for human health. REM sleep is the stage when your brain is active, dreams occur, and your eyes move back and forth rapidly under your eyelids. During this stage, your brain is very active! The brain organizes information it learned the past day in a …
Blowing on Flames! Why They Go Out
Blowing out birthday candles on a cake is an old tradition. But why does the candle go out when you blow on it? That happens for 3 different reasons. One is that your breath pushes away all of the Oxygen gas. Your breath is mostly made out of Carbon dioxide. The Carbon dioxide pushes away …
What Does Our Heart Do?
The heart is a part of your body that pumps blood around your body. This helps all of your other body parts like your brain function. The heart also regulates the Blood Pressure (BP). If the Blood Pressure is high, that means you are exercising a lot at the moment. If your Blood Pressure is …
What is Lead Contamination?
Lead (pronounced l-e-d) contamination is when Lead, a poisonous chemical gets into the water that we drink or take baths in. Water can dissolve materials very easily. This is bad because Lead in our pipes leaks into the water. Some pipes that bring water into our homes are made out of Lead. Normally, that is …
How Can Sounds Be Loud or Soft?
Sound Waves are what sound travels in! They are little vibrations of air that travel through a medium or a material that it is travelling through. Sound Waves are why you can hear a jackhammer or my podcast!! Sound Waves work like this: First, an object or person has to make a sound. A sound is made …
Why Do Some People Have Pollen Allergies?
Pollen is a sticky substance that is found inside of most flowering plants. Pollen is in the middle of the flower of the plant. Pollen is attached to long structures called stamens and smaller structures called pistils. This pollen helps make new plants grow through a process called pollination. That is when pollen is transferred …
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What Is A Circuit?
A circuit is a path that current electricity or electrons can flow through. Current electricity is a type of human-made electricity. A simple circuit is made out of four parts: the power source, wires, the load, and a switch A simple circuit works by electrons, which are negatively charged, exit from the negative terminal of …
What Are Magnetic Domains?
Magnetism is an invisible force that attracts or repels certain objects. Magnets attract or repel things made out of iron, nickel, and cobalt. Objects are magnetic because the electrons, which spin around an atom’s nucleus, are spinning in the same direction (they are all lined up). The spinning electrons create an invisible magnetic field, which …
How Are Mountains Formed?
Mountains are tall slabs of rock that pop up on the crust. Mountains can be very tall or very small, depending on how they are formed. Mountains can form because of magma cooling or tectonic plate movement. We are going to tell you about both! Mountains can form in two main ways: magma cooling and …
How Do Mirrors Work?
Light is a type of energy that is made up of tiny particles called photons. These photons can zip around the universe at very high speeds! The speed of light is the ultimate universe speed limit, up to 180,000 miles per second! Light is one of the main sources of life on Earth! Light has …
How Do Airplanes and Helicopters Fly?
Airplanes are machines that can fly with engine or propeller power. They are able to use aerodynamics (how air and objects move) to fly. Airplanes make it so that we can travel around the world in just a few hours! Airplanes can coke in all shapes and sizes like the tiny airplanes that you see …
What is Steam?
Steam is the vapor that we see when water evaporates or turns from a liquid to a gas. When this happens, the molecules of water drift farther and farther apart from each other. That makes a gas. Steam, or water vapor, is only made up of tiny bits of water. The water boils and gets …
What Are The Building Blocks of Soil?
Soil is just rock that has been weathered. Weathering is when wind, water, or other natural agent wears away at rock. This take millions of years to happen. As the wind or water etches away at the rock, the pieces of soil or rock that come off get carried to someplace new. Soil is not …
What Are The Properties of Light?
Light is a type of energy that is made up of tiny particles called photons. These photons can zip around the universe at very high speeds! The speed of light is the ultimate universe speed limit, up to 180,000 miles per second! Light is one of the main sources of life on Earth! Light has …
What Are Molecules?
Molecules are connections or bonds between atoms. Atoms are the microscopic building blocks of the universe. They make up almost ANY material including solids, liquids, and gases! A human has more than 1 billion atoms! Atoms have specific parts. There is the nucleus, which is the center of the atom. Then, there are even smaller …
How Do Sinkholes Form?
Sinkholes are large holes in the ground that form when water seeps into the ground. Limestone, a type of rock can dissolve very easily in water. As the water seeps into the cracks on the ground, it dissolves the limestone rock under the surface. The limestone becomes weak and creates a hole under all of …
How Do Birds Fly?
Bird wings are shaped in a unique way, so that they create pressure differential or tiny tornadoes on their wings. When birds want to fly, the pressure is greater on the bottom of the wing and when the bird wants to land, the pressure above the wing is higher. This is kind of like how …
Hurricanes! What They Are
Hurricanes are a group of storm clouds that create a very dangerous storm. If you see a hurricane from space, you will see a giant swirling cloud. Hurricanes can bring heavy rain, wind, and sometimes minor tornadoes. Hurricanes are formed when storm clouds form over warm water. As the storm clouds move, the warm water …
What is Bernoulli’s Principle?
Daniel Bernoulli was a famous scientist and discovered or property or principle of fluids and air. The thing that Bernoulli discovered that… Fast moving air creates an area of low pressure Bernoulli’s Principle Pressure is how much air is pushing down on an object. The area of low pressure means that the air will be …
What is Acid Rain?
Acid rain is rain that has pollutants in it. It usually has air pollutants inside of it. Air pollution is when humans put toxic chemicals or smoke into the air. This can make our air dirty. This can lead to breathing problems for humans and other animals. Plants can also be harmed because the air …
How Do Fireworks Work?
Today is Diwali, also known as The Festival of Lights! People light fireworks and sparklers to celebrate! In this post, we are looking at a specific type of firework: the aerial firework! Aerial fireworks are the fireworks that you see launched into the sky! They are usually fired using rockets and mortars. These fireworks create …
What Are Bacteria?
Bacteria are single-celled organisms or living things. They are also called microorganisms. They are called this because microorganisms are living things that can not be seen with the naked eye. Bacteria can be good for you or bad for you. We are going to learn about the good and bad about bacteria. Bacteria can help …
What Are The 4 Types of Precipitation?
Precipitation is part of the water cycle. Precipitation is when the liquid water falls to the ground. This happens when a cloud becomes heavy and all the water will fall to the ground. There are three different types of precipitation. Rain, snow, sleet, and hail. We are going to talk about each of them! Rain is …
How Does The Volume of Thunder Change?
Thunder happens because of lightning. Here is how lightning happens: First, we have to start off with a storm cloud. Tiny pieces of ice, which are actually frozen water droplets, clash around inside of the storm cloud. This clashing makes an electric charge that is then stored inside of the cloud. The positively charged electricity …
What Are Invertebrate Animals?
Invertebrates are animals without a backbone. That means that they are the opposite of vertebrate animals. Invertebrates make up 95% if the Earth’s animals! Some invertebrates have a hard covering on the outside of their bodies called an exoskeleton. Besides that, invertebrates are usually creatures that do not have bones as a support. Invertebrates are …
What Are Vertebrate Animals?
Vertebrates (pronounced ver-ti-brates) are animals with a backbone. The backbone is also known as the vertebrate! The backbone is a row of connected bones that run down the back. Vertebrates animals make up only 5% of all of the animals on Earth. Besides having a backbone, vertebrate animals have a skeleton with bones as a …
What Is Neon?
Neon (Ne) is a colorless and odorless gas that makes up 18% of the air that we breathe! Neon is a noble gas, which means that it does not mix well with other elements. Neon has specific power. It produces light! Neon signs produce a red glow. The signs are still used today, but they …
How Do Cars Work?
Cars move thanks to the Internal Combustion Engine. The Internal Combustion Engine is a real mouthful to say. The Internal Combustion Engine is a mechanism found in trucks, cars, and some trains! The Internal Combustion engine, or I.C.E, helps the vehicle’s wheels move. First, a little bit of gasoline or diesel is put inside a …
How Does Water Evaporate?
Water, or H20, is a liquid that is found all over the Earth! Water can be in different states of matter: solids, liquids, and gases. Water vapor, or steam, is in the gas state of matter. When water is a liquid, the molecules in the water are flowing freely, but still have a definite size. …
How Are Sand Dunes Formed?
Have you ever seen a picture of a desert? Did the picture have these sand “waves”? Those wavy hill structures are called Sand Dunes. Sand Dunes are big hill-like piles of sand or soil that get blown by the wind or can be impacted by other living animals. Sand Dunes form when a powerful wind …
What Are River Deltas?
A River Delta is a type of wetland where a river flows into a larger body of water like an ocean or lake. Deltas can be different sizes. They can be between a 100 feet to 500 miles!! Delatas are some of most Biodiverse landforms! Biodiverse means that there is a variety of animal and …
What is a Microphone?
A microphone is a device that makes sound waves into electrical signals. These electrical signals are stored inside of a computer or other recording device. I actually use a podcast microphone to record my podcast! The microphone’s signals can go to two places: (1) to a computer or other recording device or (2) a speaker …
What is Hail?
Hail is a type of frozen precipitation. Precipitation is part of the water cycle. Precipitation is when the liquid water falls to the ground. This happens when a cloud becomes heavy and all the water will fall to the ground. There are three different types of precipitation. Rain, snow, sleet, and hail. We are going to …
What Are the Two Types of Weathering?
Weathering is the breaking down of rock by many natural agents like water, wind, and gravity. There are two types of weathering: Mechanical and Chemical Weathering. Mechanical Weathering is when rocks are broken down WITHOUT a chemical change. They are changing their physical properties. Mechanical weathering can split rocks in half and turn them into dust! …
What is The Rock Cycle?
The Rock Cycle is the transformation of rocks over time. The different types of rock that are in the cycle are metamorphic, sedimentary, and igneous. Igneous rocks are formed by the cooling of lava or magma, which is melted rock. This can happen outside of or inside of Earth’s crust. Sedimentary rocks are tiny pieces …
What is Soil?
Soil is just rock that has been weathered. Weathering is when wind, water, or other natural agent wears away at rock. This take millions of years to happen. As the wind or water etches away at the rock, the pieces of soil or rock that come off get carried to someplace new. Soil is not …
Why Is Water Important For Life?
Water is a substance that is found everywhere on Earth! It can be a solid, liquid, or gas. It is necessary for life on Earth. It’s chemical compound is H2O. That means two Hydrogen (H2) atoms and one Oxygen (O₂) atom. This bond is called a Water Molecule. Because of water pollution, the freshwater in the world …
What Happens When There Is A Short Circuit?
A circuit is a path that current electricity or electrons can flow through. Current electricity is a type of human-made electricity. A simple circuit is made out of four parts: the power source, wires, the load, and a switch! A simple circuit works by electrons, which are negatively charged, exit from the negative terminal of …
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What’s Inside Of A Leaf?
Inside of a leaf, there are passageways that water and nutrients can travel through, but the most important and dominant part of the leaves are the chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is made up of even smaller parts called chloroplasts. Chloroplasts have a green color to them. Leaves have chloroplast because they help the plant or tree collect …
Falling Leaves! Why Trees Loose Their Leaves and Go Dormant
Trees are living things, just like us. They are called organisms. You’ve seen that some trees lose all of their leaves in the fall and go dormant or in a resting stage in the winter. Only some trees do this weird behavior. We are going to find out why. Trees go dormant because the water …
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What Makes Something Magnetic?
Magnetism is an invisible force that attracts or repels certain objects. Magnets attract or repel things made out of iron, nickel, and cobalt. Magnets have 2 poles: a North and South pole. Like poles repel and unlike poles attract each other. Magnetic domains in a metal make that metal magnetic. Magnetic domains are tiny arrangements …
How Do Electrical Wires Transport Electricity?
This is because the material inside of the wires is a conductor. Conductors are materials that electrons can travel through easily. Conductors are usually made out of metals. Conductors are used in the electrical wiring itself! Humans are also conductors of electricity (that is very dangerous) That is why humans should wear insulators to protect themselves from …
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What is Friction?
Friction is a force that happens when two or more objects are rubbed together. This can break the object, generate heat, or make sounds. Friction is a force that blocks the movement. That is why remote control cars can’t drive well on carpet. When there is too much friction, the force builds up and gets …
Conservation of Natural Resources
A natural resource is any resource that occurs in nature that is used for survival, energy, or to make money for countries. Certain places on Earth have different types or different amounts of natural resources. These resources can be anything from coal to fruits to sunlight! These are only a few examples of natural resources …
What is Magnetism?
Magnetism is an invisible force that attracts or repels certain objects. Magnets attract or repel things made out of iron, nickel, and cobalt. Objects are magnetic because the electrons, which spin around an atom’s nucleus, are spinning in the same direction (they are all lined up). The spinning electrons create an invisible magnetic field, which …
How Does Tidal Power Work?
Tidal power is a type of energy source that uses renewable materials. Renewable means that the natural resources is always there or takes a short amount of time to replace. Tidal power uses water! Tidal power is when the ocean tide powers a generator to generate electricity. Tide is the rise and fall of water …
How Do Wind Turbines Generate Electricity?
Wind is air that is moving at high speeds. It happens when warm and cool air rise and sink. That rising and sinking action makes the air move. Warm air rises and cold air sinks. There is this giant mass of air and wind called the Jet Stream. The Jet Stream is a system of …
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How Does Solar Energy Work?
Solar cells are a sheet filled with hundreds of tiny receptors that are sensitive to the Sun’s energy. The solar cells use these receptors (Photovoltaic Receptors) to create electricity with the Sun’s light. The photons in the Sun’s light knock off the electrons on existing atoms inside of the solar cell. That causes an electric …
Run-Off of Water
Run-off is when precipitation (snow, rain sleet, or hail) hits the ground and drains into rivers, lakes, and oceans. This run-off is what causes accumulations or build-ups of water. Run-off is also a cause of erosion, which can break down and carry rocks to different places. Millions of years ago, planet Earth did not really have rivers …
How Do Computers Work?
Computers are all around us. From our laptops to our everyday smartphones. A computer is an electronic device that reads and processes data. The father of a computer was Charles Babbage. He came up with the idea but never built it. He called it a tabulating engine. It was designed to do arithmetic or math …
The Season of Fall (Autumn)!
Fall or Autumn is a transition season between Summer and Winter. The temperature drops and the leaves on some trees fall off. That is why it is called the Fall season! During fall, the mornings can be cold and the evenings can be warmer. The temperatures do not drop below 0, but close to that …
How Do Lithium Ion Batteries Work?
Batteries provide portable, convenient sources of power without wires. It makes many mobile devices possible! Regular dry cell batteries are the most common, but lithium ion batteries are more reliable and rechargeable! That means that when the battery “dies”, you can recharge the battery! Lithium ion batteries work using the anode, cathode, and electrolyte. The anode …
Bacteria! Tiny Living Creatures
Bacteria are single-celled organisms or living things. They are also called microorganisms. They are called this because microorganisms are living things that can not be seen with the naked eye. Bacteria can be good for you or bad for you. We are going to learn about the good and bad about bacteria. Bacteria can help …
Soil!
Soil is just rock that has been eroded. Erosion is when wind, water, or other natural agent wears away at rock and takes it to a new place. This take millions of years to happen. As the wind or water etches away at the rock, the pieces of soil or rock that come off get …
Sand!
Sand is just rock that has been eroded. Erosion is when wind, water, or other natural agent wears away at rock and takes it to a new place. This take millions of years to happen. As the wind or water etches away at the rock, the pieces of soil or rock that come off get …
Dissolution: Happens Every Day!
Dissolution is when water or another liquid, known as a solvent, dissolves a material, called a solute. Liquids dissolve different materials because the liquids break down the materials and make them smaller. That’s why if you stir sugar in water, the sugar disappear. It doesn’t actually disappear, it just looks like it. The sugar is …
Spectacular Science DEBATE POST!!: Dry Ice vs. Liquid Nitrogen
This blog post is another a debate showdown! We take topics and make them into a debate!! Today’s topic is…Dry Ice vs. Liquid Nitrogen! Remember, please send us what type of cooling agent you think is cooler by going to www.spectacularsci.com/debateform-dryice-vs-liquidnitrogen/ and fill out our poll. Dry Ice Dry ice is not just regular ice, it is special! …
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How Are Auroras Formed?
Auroras are lights that are only found at the North Pole and the South Pole. They light up the night skies with red, blue, and pink colors! These are known as “The Greatest Light Show on Earth!”. Auroras happen because of “solar winds”. The Sun releases a bunch of highly charged particles called electrons in …
Why Do Flames Go Out When You Blow On It?
Blowing out birthday candles on a cake is an old tradition. But why does the candle go out when you blow on it? That happens for 3 different reasons. One is that your breath pushes away all of the Oxygen gas. Your breath is mostly made out of Carbon dioxide. The Carbon dioxide pushes away …
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Spectacular Science DEBATE POST!!: Renewable vs. Nonrenewable Natural Resources
This blog post is another a debate showdown! We take topics and make them into a debate!! Today’s topic is…Renewable vs. Nonrenewable Natural Resources! Remember, please send us what type of weathering you think is cooler by going to www.spectacularsci.com/debateform and fill out our poll. Nonrenewable Natural Resources Nonrenewable resource are resources that can’t be replaced or take …
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5 Ways Rocks Can Weather
Weathering is when rocks get broken down into pieces. Weathering can happen in many different ways, from salt to clay to ice! We are going to focus on the 5 main ways: water, ice, salt crystallization, clay formation, and plant roots. To learn more about weathering, check out our episode about weathering! Weathering with water …
Spectacular Science DEBATE POST!!: Mechanical Weathering vs. Chemical Weathering
This blog post is another a debate showdown! We take topics and make them into a debate!! Today’s topic is…Mechanical Weathering vs. Chemical Weathering! Remember, please send us what type of weathering you think is cooler by going to www.spectacularsci.com/debateform and fill out our poll. What is Weathering? Weathering is the breaking down of rock by many natural …
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How Do Hurricanes Form?
Hurricanes are a group of storm clouds that create a very dangerous storm. If you see a hurricane from space, you will see a giant swirling cloud. Hurricanes can bring heavy rain, wind, and sometimes minor tornadoes. Hurricanes are formed when storm clouds form over warm water. As the storm clouds move, the warm water …
The History of the Internet!
The Internet is what you are using right NOW to read this blog post! The Internet is a series of computers that are linked together. Today, millions of computers are linked together around the world! Internet can be accessed everywhere from your house, to your school, to your local library! Servers are computers that store …
Nonrenewable Natural Resources
A natural resource is any resource that occurs in nature that is used for survival, energy, or to make money for countries. Certain places on Earth have different types or different amounts of natural resources. These resources can be anything from coal to fruits to sunlight! Read our post about natural resources to learn more! …
Renewable Natural Resources
A natural resource is any resource that occurs in nature that is used for survival, energy, or to make money for countries. Certain places on Earth have different types or different amounts of natural resources. These resources can be anything from coal to fruits to sunlight! Read our post about natural resources to learn more! …
How Do Fuels From Inside The Earth Form Naturally?
Fossil fuels are a liquid that is very easy to burn. They are there fuels found inside of the Earth. That means that fossil fuels are flammable. These fuels are formed by decaying plants and animals that have been underground for millions of years. Fossil fuels are organic or natural materials. Fossil fuels are created …
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Natural Resources!
A natural resource is any resource that occurs in nature that is used for survival, energy, or to make money for countries. Certain places on Earth have different types or different amounts of natural resources. These resources can be anything from coal to fruits to sunlight! These are only a few examples of natural resources …
Spectacular Science DEBATE POST!!: Natural Plastics vs. Human-Made Plastics
This blog post is another a debate showdown! We take topics and make them into a debate!! Today’s topic is… Natural Plastics vs. Human-Made Plastics! Remember, please send us what type of material you think is more useful by going to www.spectacularsci.com/debateform and fill out our poll. Human-Made Plastics Plastic is a type of polymer. Polymers are certain …
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Neon!
Neon (Ne) is a colorless and odorless gas that makes up 18% of the air that we breathe! Neon is a noble gas, which means that it does not mix well with other elements. Neon has specific power. It produces light! Neon signs produce a red glow. The signs are still used today, but they …
How Are Stars Formed?
Stars are giant balls of gas in space. The stars are very hot! They can be up to 800,000 degrees Fahrenheit! Our own Sun is also a star. It supplies us with light and heat. Stars take millions of years to form. We will explore the steps in which stars are formed! Scientists have observed …
How Do Electric Rice Cookers Work?
Electric rice cookers work in a similar way as a pressure cooker. Read about pressure cookers here! (spectacularsci.com/2021/01/pressure-cookers/) The main parts of a basic electric rice cooker are the outer pot, inner pot, the heating element, lid, and button controls. The outer pot contains the heating element. The inner pot, where the uncooked rice goes, …
Lift, Drag, Thrust, and Weight: The Four Forces of Flight
Airplanes are machines that can fly with engine or propeller power. They are able to use aerodynamics (how air and objects move) to fly. Airplanes make it so that we can travel around the world in just a few hours! Airplanes can come in all shapes and sizes like the tiny airplanes that you see …
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Hail!
Hail is a type of frozen precipitation. Precipitation is part of the water cycle. Precipitation is when the liquid water falls to the ground. This happens when a cloud becomes heavy and all the water will fall to the ground. There are three different types of precipitation. Rain, snow, sleet, and hail. We are going to …
Air Pollution + Rain = Acid Rain
What is Acid Rain? Acid rain is rain that has pollutants in it. It usually has air pollutants inside of it. Air pollution is when humans put toxic chemicals or smoke into the air. This can make our air dirty. This can lead to breathing problems for humans and other animals. Plants can also be …
Vaccines!
A vaccine is a weakened or dead virus or bacteria that gets injected in your body. Your immune system cells will fight the “virus” and you will not get sick. Then, as your immune system fights the virus, special cells will remember the virus. When the real virus shows up, your body will immediately fight …
Different Ways Mountains Are Formed!
Mountains are tall slabs of rock that pop up on the crust. Mountains can be very tall or very small, depending on how they are formed. Mountains can form because of magma cooling or tectonic plate movement. We are going to tell you about both! Mountains can form in two main ways: magma cooling and …
What is Smoke?
Smoke is usually produced when something is burned. Smoke is made up of bits of soot, and lots of other gases like Carbon dioxide. Smoke can have a variety of things that come from what the fire is burning and where the smoke is coming from. Smoke gets its color from the gases and materials …
Virus Alert!!
A virus is infectious object that depends on living organisms’ cells to multiply. They are bad for living organisms and take over cells. Viruses infect a body and travel to a cell and inject its DNA code into the cell which will make the virus multiply and will destroy the cell. This is how viruses make us …
Teeny Tiny Plastics: A Big Problem
Plastic is a type of polymer. Polymers are certain materials that have atoms that are bonded together in a link pattern. Atoms are the tiny building blocks of all elements. When atoms bond together, like in polymers, they form molecules! Plastic is made when the oil is refined or cleaned up. Then, the oil goes …
Steam!
Steam is the vapor that we see when water evaporates or turns from a liquid to a gas. When this happens, the molecules of water drift farther and farther apart from each other. That makes a gas. Steam, or water vapor, is only made up of tiny bits of water. The water boils and gets …
Spectacular Science DEBATE POST!: Batteries vs. Current Electricity!
This blog post is another a debate showdown! We take topics and make them into a debate!! Today’s topic is… Batteries vs. Current Electricity! Remember, please send us what type of electricity you think is more useful by going to www.spectacularsci.com/debateform and fill out our form. Batteries Batteries provide portable, convenient sources of power without wires. It makes …
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Why Are Most Invertebrate Animals Small?
Invertebrates are animals without a backbone. That means that they are the opposite of vertebrate animals. Invertebrates make up 95% if the Earth’s animals! Some invertebrates have a hard covering on the outside of their bodies called an exoskeleton. Besides that, invertebrates are usually creatures that do not have bones as a support. Invertebrates are …
How is Plastic Made?
Plastic is a type of polymer. Polymers are certain materials that have atoms that are bonded together in a link pattern. Atoms are the tiny building blocks of all elements. When atoms bond together, like in polymers, they form molecules! Poly means many and mer or mers means units. Polymers means many units! A great example of a human-made polymer is …
How Do Wind Turbines Convert Wind Into Electricity?
Wind is air that is moving at high speeds. It happens when warm and cool air rise and sink. That rising and sinking action makes the air move. Warm air rises and cold air sinks. There is this giant mass of air and wind called the Jet Stream. The Jet Stream is a system of …
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Why is Soap Important For Washing Hands?
We all are using soap a lot these days. But, how does it really work? Well, there are tiny pin-shaped molecules in soap. Those pin-shaped molecules have two parts to them: the hydrophilic head and the hydrophobic tail. Hydrophilic means that it bonds or mixes with water and hydrophobic means that it is repelled by …
Why are Bees Important?
Bees are important in a lot of ways, but the most important is pollination. Pollen is a sticky substance that is found inside of most flowering plants. Pollen is in the middle of the flower of the plant. Pollen is attached to long structures called stamens and smaller structures called pistils. This pollen helps make …
What are Cells and Why are They Important?
Cells are the makeup of every living thing! There are two types of cells: plant and animal cells. We are going to talk about Cells in general. Cells make energy by getting Carbon in the form of sugar. Depending on the organism, it make it’s own food or eat food to survive. Cells also make …
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Plants!
Plants and trees are all around us. They are the grass you run on and the trees that are towering above you. Trees are large plants that have a long life cycle. That’s why they are so big. The parts of trees are roots, the trunk, branches, and leaves. The leaves take in carbon dioxide …
Spectacular Science DEBATE POST!: Vertebrates vs. Invertebrates
This blog post is another a debate showdown! We take topics and make them into a debate!! Today’s topic is… Vertebrates vs. Invertebrates! Remember, please send us what type of animal you think is cooler by going to www.spectacularsci.com/debateform and fill out our form. Vertebrates! Vertebrates (pronounced ver-ti-brates) are animals with a backbone. The backbone is also known …
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How Does Snow Form?
Snow is a type of precipitation that is frozen. Precipitation is part of the water cycle. Precipitation is when liquid water falls to the ground. This happens when a cloud becomes heavy and all the water will fall to the ground. There are three different types of precipitation. Rain, snow, sleet, and hail. We are going …
What is the Process of Experimentation?
The process of experimentation or the scientific method is a process that scientists use to conduct experiments. If you want to learn more about science and the scientific method, check out our episode with science teacher and television host, Mr. Steve Spangler! This is what the scientific method is: make a question/observation, make a hypothesis, …
Why is it Cold in the Arctic and Antarctic?
The Arctic and Antarctic are known for the cold climate. This is due to the way the Earth orbits the Sun. The Earth’s orbit is not a perfect circle. There are some points in its orbit that the Earth is closer to the Sun or farther away from the Sun. That is one reason that …
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Why is There Sand at Beaches?
Sand is just rock that has been eroded. Erosion is when wind, water, or other natural agent wears away at rock and takes it to a new place. This take millions of years to happen. As the wind or water etches away at the rock, the pieces of soil or rock that come off get …
Climate Change Causes Sea-Level Rise
Sea-level rise is when the ice caps of the Earth make the ocean waters rise. The ice caps of the Earth are the North and South poles. Because of Climate Change, when the Earth gets hotter, the ice melts and flows into the ocean. When ice melts, it becomes water. When that extra water makes …
Why Do Flowers Smell Good?
Flowers are an assortment of petals and pollen that a plant produces to reproduce. The pollen of a flower contains the genetic information to make seeds and new plants. Besides being pretty, flowers actually make fruits possible! Flowers are very important to plants and even us! Flowers help attract pollinators to the flowers so that an animal can spread …
How Do Refrigerators Work?
A Refrigerator is a device that keeps food inside of it cool to preserve it. Here is how a Refrigerator works. First, a fluid called Refrigerant is pumped from a container in the back of the Fridge. This Refrigerant gets pumped through the pipes inside of the cooling compartment (where you put the stuff to …
How Do Microwaves Heat Up Our Food?
Microwaves are a very complicated machine, but let me break it down for you. First, there is a device inside of the microwave called a Magnetron. This Magnetron produces microwaves, which are a low energy wave on the Visible Light Spectrum. The humming sound is actually the fan that keeps the Magnetron cool. When you …
What is Erosion?
Erosion is when wind, water, or other natural agent wears away at rock and takes it to a new place. This take millions of years to happen. As the wind or water etches away at the rock, the pieces of soil or rock that come off get carried to someplace new. Erosion can cause damage …
How Do Rain Clouds Form?
Clouds are large collections of water droplets that can be frozen, but only sometimes. They form due to condensation, when water evaporates into a gas and cools down above the Earth. Then, the water drops attach to pieces of dust or dirt that are above the Earth. As more droplets attach to one piece of …
How is Paper Recycled?
You use paper just about everywhere you go! Paper was a revolutionary invention because it is used in a countless amount of things: from books, to masks! Paper is just old trees that have been mashed up and their fibers have been separated. Fibers are tiny hooks or barbs that keep things together. Once they …
The Amazing Telescopes! Changed Astronomy Forever
What are Telescopes? Telescopes are devices that let people see things that are far away. People at sea also use telescopes. Telescopes are most commonly used to look at space. The inventor of the telescopes was Galileo Galilei. He invented the telescope with eyeglass parts. How Do Telescopes Work? Telescopes work using light. Light is …
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The Sun in the Summer!
The Sun is the center of the Solar System. The Sun is a star, just like all of the tiny glowing dots you see in the sky at night. The Sun is the closest star to Earth and all of the planets in the Solar System. Here in the Northern hemisphere of the Earth, it’s …
What is Paper and How is it Made?
You use paper just about everywhere you go! Paper was a revolutionary invention because it is used in a countless amount of things: from books, to masks! Paper is just old trees that have been mashed up and their fibers have been separated. Fibers are tiny hooks or barbs that keep things together. Once they …
Why Do Helium Balloons Float in the Air?
Helium (He) is an element that is found all over the universe. It is the second most-abundant element in the universe! It is also the second lightest element in the universe. Helium is called a “Noble Gas”. This is because Helium can’t mix well with other elements. Scientists are predicting a Helium shortage in the …
How Do Batteries Work?
Batteries provide portable, convenient sources of power without wires. It makes many mobile devices possible! The common type of battery is called the dry cell battery. There are three parts of a battery: the anode, the cathode, and the electrolyte. The anode (- side) and cathode (+ side) are two conductive materials. The electrolyte is …
What is Refraction?
Refraction is when light bends or slows down. Light is a type of energy that is made up of tiny particles called photons. These photons can zip around the universe at very high speeds! The speed of light is the ultimate universe speed limit, up to 180,000 miles per second! Light is one of the …
Why are Some Fruits Multi-Layered and Protected?
What are Fruits? Fruits are pieces of plants that have sugar inside of them. They don’t always have to be sweet to be a fruit! Fruits have either of these two things: seeds or come from flowering plants. The entire purpose of fruits is to help the plant reproduce. The seeds help the plants make …
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Why are Some Sounds Loud and Others Not?
Sound Waves are what sound travels in! They are little vibrations of air that travel through a medium or a material that it is travelling through. Sound Waves are why you can hear a jackhammer or my podcast!! Sound Waves work like this: First, an object or person has to make a sound. A sound is made …
Is Cooking a Chemical Change?
Chemical changes are changes in the molecular structure of a substance. Usually in a Chemical Change, a new substance is formed. There are a few indicators that tell you that a chemical change has happened: Gas is produced (bubbles seen) Light is produced Change in color Change is temperature Precipitate formed (leftover substance) Look for …
Why Does the Volume of a Thunderclap Vary or Change?
How Does Thunder Happen? Thunder happens because of lightning. Here is how lightning happens: First, we have to start off with a storm cloud. Tiny pieces of ice, which are actually frozen water droplets, clash around inside of the storm cloud. This clashing makes an electric charge that is then stored inside of the cloud. …
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The Internet! Connect People From Around the World
What is the Internet? The Internet is what you are using right NOW to read this blog post! The Internet is a series of computers that are linked together. Today, millions of computers are linked together around the world! Internet can be accessed everywhere from your house, to your school, to your local library! Servers …
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Air Pollution: Fueling Climate Change
Air pollution is when humans put toxic chemicals or smoke into the air. This can make our air dirty. This can lead to breathing problems for humans and other animals. Plants can also be harmed because the air that they bring in is not clean. This is a very big problem in big cities and …
Why Does Soap Make Our Skin Dry?
Soap makes our skin feel dry and itchy because it cleans the natural oils that are produced by our skin. How does soap clean the natural oils? Well, there are tiny pin-shaped molecules in soap. Those pin-shaped molecules have two parts to them: the hydrophilic head and the hydrophobic tail. Hydrophilic means that it bonds …
How Does Soap Work?
We all are using soap a lot these days. But, how does it really work? Well, there are tiny pin-shaped molecules in soap. Those pin-shaped molecules have two parts to them: the hydrophilic head and the hydrophobic tail. Hydrophilic means that it bonds or mixes with water and hydrophobic means that it is repelled by …
Evaporation!! A Big Part of the Water Cycle
How Does Water Evaporate Into Water Vapor? Water, or H20, is a liquid that is found all over the Earth! Water can be in different states of matter: solids, liquids, and gases. Water vapor, or steam, is in the gas state of matter. When water is a liquid, the molecules in the water are flowing …
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Why Do Soap Bubbles Pop So Easily?
Bubbles pop easily in many situations. The first situation is when they come in contact with oil and dirt. Our hands have oil and dirt on them! A soap bubble pops when it touches oil and dirt because a bubble is just a thin film of soap and water filled with air. The thin film …
Why is Climate Change Speeding Up?
What is Climate Change? Climate Change is when the Earth’s temperature changes because of the environment. The temperature is changing because of Greenhouse Gases. These gases are produced whenever we burn stuff like gasoline for our cars. These gases trap the heat from the Sun in the atmosphere. This causes the planet to heat up. …
What’s Up With This Summer Heat in The Northern Hemisphere?
Why is it Warmer During the Summer? Here in the Northern hemisphere of the Earth, it’s summertime! The season, Summer, can be hotter or cooler depending on where you live, but on average, the temperatures do rise during the Summer. This is due to the way the Earth orbits the Sun. The Earth’s orbit is …
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Is It Windy In Here??
What is Wind and How is it Made? Wind is air that is moving at high speeds. It happens when warm and cool air rise and sink. That rising and sinking action makes the air move. Tornadoes are formed in the same way, but in a stronger way. Warm air rises and cold air sinks. …
How Do Birds Soar in the Air?
How Do Birds Soar in the Air? Bird wings are shaped in a unique way, so that they create pressure differential or tiny tornadoes on their wings. That lifts them into the air. Birds don’t just fly because of their wings. Sure, wing help them get off of the ground and helps them steer, but …
What Makes a Metal Magnetic?
What Makes a Metal Magnetic? Magnetism is an invisible force that attracts or repels certain objects. Magnets attract or repel things made out of iron, nickel, and cobalt. Magnets have 2 poles: a North and South pole. Like poles repel and unlike poles attract each other. Magnetic domains in a metal make that metal magnetic. …
Water Pollution: A Big Problem
What is Water Pollution? Water pollution is when humans dump trash and harmful or toxic chemicals into waterways like oceans, streams, rivers, and ponds. This trash and chemicals can cause problems for marine life. This trash can also come back to humans! When humans drink water, the water MAY be polluted! This is also a …
How Do We See Colors?
How Do We See Colors? Let’s start with light. Light can be broken up into a few colors: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet! When we see white light coming from the Sun or a lightbulb, that white light is all of the rainbow colors together. When the white light hits an object …
Why Do Plants Need Sunlight?
Why Do Plants Need Sunlight? Plants need sunlight because plants use the Sun to make food. Chlorophyll helps plants collect the sunlight. Chlorophyll is made up of even smaller parts called Chloroplasts. Chloroplasts have a green color to them. Leaves have Chloroplast because they help the plant or tree collect sunlight and turn it into …
What Makes a Fruit, a Fruit?
What Makes a Fruit, a Fruit? Fruits are piece of plants that have sugar inside of them. They don’t always have to be sweet to be a fruit! Fruits have either of these two things: seeds or come from flowering plants. The entire purpose of fruits is to help the plant reproduce. The seeds help …
Mirrors!
What is Light? Light is a type of energy that is made up of tiny particles called photons. These photons can zip around the universe at very high speeds! The speed of light is the ultimate universe speed limit, up to 180,000 miles per second! Light is one of the main sources of life on …
The Scientific Method!
This website is all about science. The podcast is too. But, what is the scientific method that scientists use to conduct experiments! Read this post to find out! What is the Scientific Method? The scientific method is a series of steps that scientists use to collect data from experiments! The scientific method is what science …
Liquid Nitrogen!
What is Liquid Nitrogen? Nitrogen (N) is a gas that makes up 64% of the air that we breathe! Liquid Nitrogen is the Nitrogen gas that has been supercooled. That means that the gas got cold and turned into a liquid. When that happens, we get a boiling liquid that is – 196 °C (- …
Why is the Equator the Warmest Place on Earth?
Why is the Equator the Warmest Place on Earth? The Equator is the halfway point on Earth. Even though there are lots of other places on Earth that are hotter, the Equator has the warmest stable climate on Earth! Climate is what temperatures and precipitation a certain place experience during a long period of time. …
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How Do Clouds Move Around The World?
What are Clouds? Clouds are large collections of water droplets that can be frozen, but only sometimes. They form due to condensation, when water evaporates into a gas and cools down above the Earth. Then, the water drops attach to pieces of dust or dirt that are above the Earth. As more droplets attach to …
How Do Flowers Turn Into Fruits?
What are Flowers? Flowers are an assortment of petals and pollen that a plant produces to reproduce. The pollen of a flower contains the genetic information to make seeds and new plants. Besides being pretty, flowers actually make fruits possible! Flowers are very important to plants and even us! Flowers help attract pollinators to the flowers so that an …
Dissolution!
What is Dissolution? Dissolution is when water or another liquid, known as a solvent, dissolves a material, called a solute. Liquids dissolve different materials because the liquids break down the materials and make them smaller. That’s why if you stir sugar in water, the sugar disappear. It doesn’t actually disappear, it just looks like it. …
Physical Appearances/Changes of Objects
What are Physical Apperances/Changes? Physical appearances are what matter looks like or feels like. That can be a color, size, or texture. Physical changes are any change in physical properties. Some physical properties are size, shape, color, and texture. Physical Changes do NOT form a new substance. The substance stays the same, but it changes …
Chemical Reactions
What are Chemical Reactions? Chemical reactions are when two or more materials combine to make a new material! A great example is when you mix baking soda and vinegar to make Carbon dioxide gas! There are a few ways to tell if something is a chemical reactions. One is that there is heat produced. Many …
How Does Water Evaporate Into Water Vapor?
How Does Water Evaporate Into Water Vapor? Water, or H20, is a liquid that is found all over the Earth! Water can be in different states of matter: solids, liquids, and gases. Water vapor, or steam, is in the gas state of matter. When water is a liquid, the molecules in the water are flowing …
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How Does Water Freeze Into Ice?
How Does Water Freeze Into Ice? Water, or H20, is a liquid that is found all over the Earth! Water can be in different states of matter: solids, liquids, and gases. Ice is water that has been frozen into a solid. Water can be a solid! Water can be solid when the molecules in the …
Microplastics
What is Plastic? Plastic is a type of polymer. Polymers are certain materials that have atoms that are bonded together in a link pattern. Atoms are the tiny building blocks of all elements. When atoms bond together, like in polymers, they form molecules! Plastic is made when the oil is refined or cleaned up. Then, …
The Amazing Oxygen! We All Need It!
What is Oxygen? Oxygen or O2 is a chemical found in the universe. Humans need Oxygen to survive. Oxygen is in our atmosphere and the air that we breathe!! Oxygen helps the animals on this planet survive. Oxygen is a building block of so many elements like Water, or even Carbon Monoxide. Oxygen can be useful …
Reflection, Refraction, and Absorption! The Properties of Light!
What is Light? Light is a type of energy that is made up of tiny particles called photons. These photons can zip around the universe at very high speeds! The speed of light is the ultimate universe speed limit, up to 180,000 miles per second! Light is one of the main sources of life on …
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Are Steam and Smoke the Same?
Are Steam and Smoke the Same? The answer is no, they are not the same thing. Steam is the vapor that we see when water evaporates or turns from a liquid to a gas. When this happens, the molecules of water drift farther and farther apart from each other. That makes a gas. Steam, or …
Sound Waves All Around Us!
What are Sound Waves? Sound Waves are what sound travels in! They are little vibrations of air that travel through a medium or a material that it is travelling through. Sound Waves are why you can hear a jackhammer or my podcast!! Sound Waves work like this: First, an object or person has to make a sound. …
How Do Cars Move?
How Do Cars Move? Cars move thanks to the Internal Combustion Engine. The Internal Combustion Engine is a real mouthful to say. The Internal Combustion Engine is a mechanism found in trucks, cars, and some trains! The Internal Combustion engine, or I.C.E, helps the vehicle’s wheels move. How Does The Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) Work? …
Why is Plastic Bad For The Environment?
What is Plastic? Plastic is a type of polymer. Polymers are certain materials that have atoms that are bonded together in a link pattern. Atoms are the tiny building blocks of all elements. When atoms bond together, like in polymers, they form molecules! Plastic is made when the oil is refined or cleaned up. Then, …
Plastic!
What is Plastic? Plastic is a type of polymer. Polymers are certain materials that have atoms that are bonded together in a link pattern. Atoms are the tiny building blocks of all elements. When atoms bond together, like in polymers, they form molecules! Poly means many and mer or mers means units. Polymers means many units! Some examples of natural polymers …
Spectacular Science DEBATE POST!: Insulators vs. Conductors of Electricity
This blog post is another a debate showdown! We take topics and make them into a debate!! Today’s topic is… Insulators vs. Conductors of Electricity! Remember, please send us what type of object you think is more useful by going to www.spectacularsci.com/debateform and fill out our form. Insulators Insulators and materials that do not let electrons flow through …
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Magnetic Domains!
What is Magnetism? Magnetism is an invisible force that attracts or repels certain objects. Magnets attract or repel things made out of iron, nickel, and cobalt. Objects are magnetic because the electrons, which spin around an atom’s nucleus, are spinning in the same direction (they are all lined up). The spinning electrons create an invisible …
Spectacular Science DEBATE POST!!: Permanent Magnets vs. Electromagnets
This blog post is another a debate showdown! We take topics and make them into a debate!! Today’s topic is… Permanent Magnets vs. Electromagnets! Remember, please send us what side you think is more useful by going to www.spectacularsci.com/debateform and fill out our form. Permanent Magnets Magnetism is an invisible force that attracts or repels certain objects. Magnets …
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Fossil Fuels and Climate Change
What are Fossil Fuels? Fossil fuels are a liquid that is very easy to burn. That means that fossil fuels are flammable. These fuels are formed by decaying plants and animals that have been underground for millions of years. Fossil fuels are organic or natural materials. Fossil fuels are created when dead plants get buried …
Polymers!
What are Polymers? Polymers are certain materials that have atoms that are bonded together in a link pattern. Atoms are the tiny building blocks of all elements. When atoms bond together, like in polymers, they form molecules! Poly means many and mer or mers means units. Polymers means many units! Some examples of natural polymers …
Electromagnets!
What is Magnetism? Magnetism is an invisible force that attracts or repels certain objects. Magnets attract or repel things made out of iron, nickel, and cobalt. Objects are magnetic because the electrons, which spin around an atom’s nucleus, are spinning in the same direction (they are all lined up). The spinning electrons create an invisible …
Spectacular Science DEBATE POST!!!: Vascular vs. Non-Vascular Plants!
This blog post is another a debate showdown! We take topics and make them into a debate!! Today’s topic is… Vascular vs. Non-Vascular Plants! Remember, please send us what side you think is cooler by going to www.spectacularsci.com/debateform and fill out our form. Vascular Plants Vascular plants are plants that have a series of tubes running through their …
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Magnetism!
What is Magnetism? Magnetism is an invisible force that attracts or repels certain objects. Magnets attract or repel things made out of iron, nickel, and cobalt. Objects are magnetic because the electrons, which spin around an atom’s nucleus, are spinning in the same direction (they are all lined up). The spinning electrons create an invisible …
Severe Thunderstorms
What are Severe Thunderstorms and What Do They Contain? Thunderstorms are storms with cumulonimbus or storm clouds. The clouds have water inside of them and the water pours down on the ground below. Thunderstorms can also have heavy winds. Lightning and thunder are the main things in thunderstorms. Here is how lightning happens: First, we …
Molecules!
What are Molecules? Molecules are connections or bonds between atoms. Atoms are the microscopic building blocks of the universe. They make up almost ANY material including solids, liquids, and gases! A human has more than 1 billion atoms! Atoms have specific parts. There is the nucleus, which is the center of the atom. Then, there …
Photosynthesis!
What is Photosynthesis? Photosynthesis is the process of taking sunlight and Carbon dioxide and making it into Oxygen gas and sugar! The word “photo” means light. Photosynthesis is used by green plants, algae, and bacteria. That helps the bacteria, plants, or algae make food for themselves. Photosynthesis also made our Oxygen atmosphere! These organisms use …
Where Does Oxygen Come From?
What is Oxygen? Oxygen or O2 is a chemical found in the universe. Humans need Oxygen to survive. Oxygen is in our atmosphere and the air that we breathe!! Oxygen helps the animals on this planet survive. Oxygen is a building block of so many elements like Water, or even Carbon Monoxide. Oxygen can be useful …
Why Are Leaves Green?
Why are Leaves Green? Leaves are green because of a green part of the leaf called Chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is made up of even smaller parts called Chloroplasts. Chloroplasts have a green color to them. Leaves have Chloroplast because they help the plant or tree collect sunlight and turn it into sugar. That process is called …
Insulators and Conductors of Electricity!
What is an Electrical Circuit? A circuit is a path that current electricity or electrons can flow through. Current electricity is a type of human-made electricity. A simple circuit is made out of four parts: the power source, wires, the load, and a switch! A simple circuit works by electrons, which are negatively charged, exit …
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Are Cement and Concrete the Same Thing?
The short answer is no, Concrete is not the same as Cement. Here’s why: What is Concrete and What is Cement? Concrete is a mix of rocks, powders, chemicals, and water. When Concrete hardens, it becomes a very strong building material. Concrete actually is a human-made material. Concrete can be used to hold things together, …
Short Circuits! A Big Electrical Problem!!
What is an Electrical Circuit? A circuit is a path that current electricity or electrons can flow through. Current electricity is a type of human-made electricity. A simple circuit is made out of four parts: the power source, wires, the load, and a switch! A simple circuit works by electrons, which are negatively charged, exit …
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The Gas State of Matter!
What is Matter? Matter is anything in the universe that is made out of atoms. Atoms are tiny building blocks of all things. Check out our post on atoms! Matter comes in three states: solids, liquids, and gases. We are going to write about each one of them in the next few days. Today, we …
The Liquid State of Matter!
What is Matter? Matter is anything in the universe that is made out of atoms. Atoms are tiny building blocks of all things. Check out our post on atoms! Matter comes in three states: solids, liquids, and gases. We are going to write about each one of them in the next few days. Today, we …
The Solid State of Matter!
What is Matter? Matter is anything in the universe that is made out of atoms. Atoms are tiny building blocks of all things. Check out our post on atoms! Matter comes in three states: solids, liquids, and gases. We are going to write about each one of them in the next few days. Today, we …
Circuits!
What is a Circuit? A circuit is a path that current electricity or electrons can flow through. Current electricity is a type of human-made electricity. A simple circuit is made out of four parts: the power source, wires, the load, and a switch How Does a Simple Circuit Work? A simple circuit works by electrons, …
Atoms!
What are Atoms? Atoms are the microscopic building blocks of the universe. They make up almost ANY material including solids, liquids, and gases! A human has more than 1 billion atoms! Atoms have specific parts. There is the nucleus, which is the center of the atom. Then, there are even smaller parts. They are protons, …
Natural Electricity vs. Human-made Electricity
Natural Electricity Natural electricity means that electricity is created in the natural world. Natural electricity can not be controlled by humans. This type of electricity happens naturally without any human interference. Some examples are lightning and static electricity. Static electricity happens in a big burst. Human-made Electricity Human-made electricity means that the electricity is produced …
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Static Electricity!
What is Static Electricity? Static electricity is naturally occurring electricity which is caused by the buildup of electrons. Electrons are the negatively charged parts of an atom. Atoms are the building blocks of everything. When enough charges build up, the charges can jump from one object to another. That is called an electron transfer. How …
Masks! How They Keep Us Safe
What are Masks? Masks are a piece of cloth or paper that people wear to cover their noses and mouths. Wuh Lien-tuh was a Chinese doctor that invented masks in the early 1900’s. Wuh Lien-tuh invented layered masks because there was a virus outbreak. We are using masks right now! How Do Masks Work? Masks …
Pollen Allergies!
What is Pollen? Pollen is a sticky substance that is found inside of most flowering plants. Pollen is in the middle of the flower of the plant. Pollen is attached to long structures called stamens and smaller structures called pistils. This pollen helps make new plants grow through a process called pollination. That is when …
Bernoulli’s Principle!
What is Bernoulli’s Principle? Daniel Bernoulli was a famous scientist and discovered or property or principle of fluids and air. The thing that Bernoulli discovered that… Fast moving fluids or air creates and area of low pressure Pressure is how much air is pushing down on an object. The area of low pressure means that …
Sir Isaac Newton’s Third Law of Motion!
NOTE: Check out the previous posts about Isaac Newton’s first law of motion and Isaac Newton’s second law of motion. What is Isaac Newton’s Third Law of Motion? Sir Isaac Newton’s first law of motion is basically an action that Sir Isaac Newton, a famous scientist and mathematician, observed in the universe. The word “law” …
Sir Isaac Newton’s Second Law of Motion!
NOTE: Check out the previous post about Isaac Newton’s first law of motion. What is Isaac Newton’s Second Law of Motion? Sir Isaac Newton’s first law of motion is basically an action that Sir Isaac Newton, a famous scientist and mathematician, observed in the universe. The word “law” just means that this statement applies to …
Sir Isaac Newton’s First Law of Motion!
What is Isaac Newton’s First Law of Motion? Sir Isaac Newton’s first law of motion is basically an action that Sir Isaac Newton, a famous scientist and mathematician, observed in the universe. The word “law” just means that this statement applies to all things, not matter what size. The first law of motion states An …
Different Types of Precipitation!
What is Precipitation? Precipitation is part of the water cycle. Precipitation is when the liquid water falls to the ground. This happens when a cloud becomes heavy and all the water will fall to the ground. There are three different types of precipitation. Rain, snow, sleet, and hail. We are going to talk about each …
Lead Contamination in Water
What is Lead Contamination? Lead (pronounced l-e-d) contamination is when Lead, a poisonous chemical gets into the water that we drink or take baths in. Water can dissolve materials very easily. This is bad because Lead in our pipes leaks into the water. Some pipes that bring water into our homes are made out of …
The Internet!!
What is the Internet? The Internet is what you are using right NOW to read this blog post! The Internet is a series of computers that are linked together. Today, millions of computers are linked together around the world! Internet can be accessed everywhere from your house, to your school, to your local library! Servers …
Naturally- Harnessed Electricity and Human- Harnessed Electricity
Naturally- Harnessed Electricity! Naturally- Harnessed electricity means that electricity is created in the natural world. Naturally-harnessed electricity can not be controlled by humans. This type of electricity happens naturally without any human interference. Some examples are lightning and static electricty. Human-Harnessed Electricity! Human-harnessed electricity means that the electricity is produced or made by humans. Humans …
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Air Pressure!
What is Air Pressure? Right now, as you are reading this, there are tons of air pushing down on you. That is air pressure. As you might know, the Earth is covered with a blanket of gases. That is called the atmosphere. The air from the atmosphere takes up space, so it has mass (weight). …
The 4 Seasons!
What are Seasons? Seasons are differences in the Earth’s orbit around the Sun. The Earth is slightly tilted. that is what causes the seasons! Places around the Earth experience the same seasons, but they might not all feel the same. Today, I am going to explain the main seasons: Spring, Summer, Fall (Autumn), and Winter. …
The Visible Light Spectrum!
What is the Visible Light Spectrum? The Visible Light Spectrum is all of the colors in white light! White light from the Sun and the lights in your house has all of the colors of the Rainbow! The Visible Light Spectrum contains the colors red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. How Can We …
Airplanes and Helicopters!
Airplanes Airplanes are machines that can fly with engine or propeller power. They are able to use aerodynamics (how air and objects move) to fly. Airplanes make it so that we can travel around the world in just a few hours! Airplanes can coke in all shapes and sizes like the tiny airplanes that you …
How is Paper Made?
What is Paper? You use paper just about everywhere you go! Paper has been around for thousands of years. Paper is just old trees that have been mashed up and their fibers have been separated. Fibers are tiny hooks or barbs that keep things together. Once they have the mixture of old trees, the join …
States of Matter!
The three states of Matter are solids, liquids, and gases. This will cover how the molecules will look like when they are in these different forms. Solids The molecules in solids are very solid. They barely have room to move! Imagine a cluster of balls in a box squished together. The molecules are close to …
Water’s 3 States of Matter!
Solid Water can be a solid! Water can be solid when the molecules in the water are packed tightly together. This usually happens when the water gets cold. A great example of this is… ICE! Ice is water in its solid state. Liquid Water can be a liquid! That is what we usually think of …
How Do Airplanes Fly?
What are Airplanes? Airplanes are machines that can fly with engine or propeller power. They are able to use aerodynamics (how air and objects move) to fly. Airplanes make it so that we can travel around the world in just a few hours! Airplanes can coke in all shapes and sizes like the tiny airplanes …
The Magnificent Trees!!
What are Trees and How Do They Help The World? Trees are large plants that have a long life cycle. That’s why they are so big. The parts of trees are roots, the trunk, branches, and leaves. The leaves take in Carbon dioxide and sunlight. The roots suck up water and nutrients. That is then …
The Power of Computers!!
What are Computers and Who Invented Them? Computers are all around us. From our laptops to our everyday smartphones. A computer is an electronic device that reads and processes data. The father of a computer was Charles Babbage. He came up with the idea but never built it. He called it a tabulating engine. It …
Rapid Eye Movement (REM) Sleep: How it Affects Your Body!
What is REM Sleep? REM Sleep or Rapid Eye Movement Sleep is a very important stage for human health. REM Sleep is the stage when your brain is active, dreams occur, and your eyes move back and forth rapidly under your eyelids. During this stage, your brain is very active! The brain organizes information it learned the …
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Why is the Sky Blue?
Visible Light Spectrum The Visible light spectrum is the different colors in the white light that we see. The different colors are red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. You can see these colors by bending light with a prism or with water. The Blue Sky! The sky is blue because the molecules (building …
How Do Neon Signs Work?
What is Neon? Neon (Ne) is a colorless and odorless gas that makes up 18% of the air that we breathe! Neon is a noble gas, which means that it does not mix well with other elements. Neon has specific power. It produces light! How Do Neon Signs Work? Neon signs produce a red glow. …
Helium!
What is Helium? Helium (He) is an element that is found all over the universe. It is the second most-abundant element in the universe! It is also the second lightest element in the universe. It is lighter than the air that we breathe, so it always escapes from Earth’s atmosphere. Helium is called a “Noble …
Microphones: A New Era of Sound
What is a Microphone? A microphone is a device that makes sound waves into electrical signals. These electrical signals are stored inside of a computer or other recording device. FUN FACT: I actually use a podcast microphone to record my podcast! The microphone’s signals can go to two places: (1) to a computer or other …
Green Energy!!
What is Green Energy? Green Energy means a way to make power without polluting the atmosphere. Most power plants today use coal and gasoline to generate electricity. When they burn coal and gasoline, it creates Carbon Dioxide (CO2) which is a Greenhouse Gas. This means that it traps the Sun’s energy in the atmosphere and …
Telescopes!!
What are Telescopes? Telescopes are devices that let people see things that are far away. People at sea also use telescopes. Telescopes are most commonly used to look at space. The inventor of the telescopes was Galileo Galilei. He invented the telescope with eyeglass parts. How Do Telescopes Work? Telescopes work using light. Light is …
The Fire Triangle!
REMEMBER, NEVER EVER use fire related products WITHOUT an ADULT’s help!!! What is the Fire Triangle? The Fire Triangle is a visual that represents what a fire needs to burn. Things like stoves, campfires, and ovens use the Fire Triangle to make food or keep warm. We are going to talk about each side of …
Pressure Cookers!
How Do Pressure Cookers Cook Food? Pressure cookers use the pressure of water vapor or steam trapped inside of a closed container to cook food like rice. As the water inside of the cooker starts to boil, it turns from liquid to a gas. This gas is called water vapor. As the water vapor rises, …
How Does a Refrigerator Work?
How Does A Refrigerator Work? A Refrigerator is a device that keeps food inside of it cool to preserve it. Here is how a Refrigerator works. First, a fluid called Refrigerant is pumped from a container in the back of the Fridge. This Refrigerant gets pumped through the pipes inside of the cooling compartment (where …
The Internal Combustion Engine! The WHAT??
What is the Internal Combustion Engine? The Internal Combustion Engine is a real mouthful to say. The Internal Combustion Engine is a mechanism found in trucks, cars, and some trains! The Internal Combustion engine, or I.C.E, as I like to call it helps the vehicle’s wheels move. How Does The Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) Work? …
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How Do Microwaves Work?
Even though we use microwaves in our kitchens every day, it is still very fascinating once you know how these machines work. How Do Microwaves Heat Up Food? Microwaves are a very complicated machine, but let me break it down for you. First, there is a device inside of the microwave called a Magnetron. This …