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 …
Category Archives: Our Planet Earth
Happy Earth Day! 2024
Senator Gaylord Nelson wanted to make a day where people could recognize and care for the environment! The first Earth Day began in 1970 and it grew even more! People plant trees and even have parades to honor the Earth, the blue orb we live on.Here are some things you can do to help the …
Happy Earth Day! 2023
Check out this short video about Earth Day on the Spectacular Science YouTube Channel here! youtu.be/ti9OygNsEKI Gaylord Nelson. He wanted to make a day where people could recognize and care for the environment! The first Earth Day began in 1970 and it grew even more! People plant trees and even have parades to honor the …
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 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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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 …
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 Earth Support Life?
There are a few reasons why Earth is the only planet in the Solar System to support life. One is that Earth is located in the “Goldilocks Zone” from the Sun. The “Goldilocks Zone” is a specific distance from the Sun where it is not too hot or not too cold. It is just right! Earth is …
What Causes The Continents On Earth To 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 …
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All About 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 …
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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The Providence Canyon in Georgia!
Providence Canyon State Park in Georgia is home to Providence Canyon, also known as “The Little Grand Canyon”. This canyon formed because of clearcutting of trees and farming. The land’s history began millions of years ago when sediments were deposited under ancient seas and coastal beaches. These delicate ribbons of sand were protected by trees and …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 Are Coral Reefs Important?
Coral is often mistaken for a rock because of its hard surface! Many think it is a plant because it is rooted in the ground. Coral is a group of animals!! Different from rocks, coral is alive. Unlike plants, corals do not make their own food. A coral is actually made up of thousands of tiny …
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 Is The Global Conveyor Belt?
The Global Conveyor Belt is a series of ocean currents that move water around the world! Currents are rivers of moving water that are caused by differences in 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. …
Why Do Hummingbirds Hover?
If you have not seen a hummingbird before, it is a tiny bird and it hovers in place like a helicopter! That is the hummingbird’s specialty! Hummingbirds can hover for two reasons. One is the bones that are in a hummingbird wing. Most birds have arm bones in their wings, but hummingbirds have hand bones …
A Few Million Years Ago, Antarctica Was a Rainforest! How?
Antarctica, a few million years ago, was a rainforest! Now, we see Antarctica as a giant deserts with just ice. How did this transformation happen? It all happened because of the continents moving. They move thanks to convection currents. Convection currents all start with density. Density is how much “stuff” (atoms and molecules) that are …
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What Makes It Easy For Cheetahs To Run So Fast?
A cheetah is a mammal that mostly lives in the African Savanna. It is covered in spots and has black markings under its eyes. Cheetahs are in the genus or family Acinonyx. They are unlike big cats like tigers or lions because they do not have retractable claws that they can pull in. Their claws are …
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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 Trees?
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 turned into sugar and oxygen that the tree can feed …
How Does Echolocation Work?
Echolocation is when animals locate objects using sound. Bats, dolphins, and other animals use echolocation. First, the animal makes a sound, which is usually high pitched. This helps the sound travel farther and also give it more energy. Then, the sound reflects or bounces off of a surface or another animal. Then, the sound reflects back to …
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. …
What Is Saharan Dust?
Sahara Dust is debris such as sand, smoke, soot, and dirt that comes from the Sahara Desert in Africa. The Sahara Desert takes up 3.552 million square miles!! The Saharan Air Layer (SAL) is an intensely dry, warm, and heavy dust layer that originates from this giant Sahara Desert! It travels over the ocean to reach North America, …
Why Do Flowers Wilt After They Have Been Taken Off The Plant?
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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What Is A Leaf Made Out Of?
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 …
Why Does Mown Grass Have a Smell?
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 …
What Is A Lunar Eclipse?
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 Does Earth’s Tilt Cause 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 its axis. An axis is an imaginary rod going from the top to the bottom where …
What Causes The Sky To 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 Is Coral?
Coral is often mistaken for a rock because of its hard surface! Many think it is a plant because it is rooted in the ground. Coral is a group of animals!! Different from rocks, coral is alive. Unlike plants, corals do not make their own food. A coral is actually made up of thousands of tiny …
Why Is Water Important For Survival?
Yesterday, I wrote about why Earth is the only planet (at least for now) in our Solar System that hosts life. One of the reasons was water! In this post, I am going to tell you why water is important for survival! Water is a substance that is found everywhere on Earth! It can be a …
Why Is Earth The Only Planet In Our Solar System That Supports Life?
There are a few reasons why Earth is the only planet in the Solar System to support life. One is that Earth is located in the “Goldilocks Zone” from the Sun. The “Goldilocks Zone” is a specific distance from the Sun where it is not too hot or not too cold. It is just right! …
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Earth Day 2022!! How To Go Green
Every April 22nd, we celebrate a day we call Earth Day. Earth Day is a day that we do good things for the environment. This holiday was created by Senator Gaylord Nelson. He wanted to make a day where people could recognize and care for the environment! The first Earth Day began in 1970 and …
What Caused The Formation of 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 and cools …
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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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Why Are Bees Important For Flowers?
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 Is 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 …
What Are Vascular Plants?
Vascular plants are plants that have a series of tubes running through their stem/trunk to their leaves. These tubes or veins are what a plant uses to transport nutrients through it. A plant with roots is also considered a vascular plant because it roots are tubes that carry water and nutrients. HINT: Vascular Plants usually …
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 Are Some 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 happens …
What Are Owls?
Owls are nocturnal birds that live on every continent, except Antarctica. They are flying birds that eat small rodents and other small birds. Owls are carnivores, meaning that they ONLY eat meat. Owls are almost like superheroes! They have many amazing powers. They have very big eyes that help them see in the dark. This is because …
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 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 …
Continue reading “What Are Flowers and What Is Their Purpose?”
Why Is There So Much Pollen In The Air During Spring?
There is so much pollen in the air because lots of flowers bloom in the Spring. 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 …
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What Is The Greenhouse Effect and What Causes It?
The Greenhouse Effect is what climate change is caused by. This effect is when gases like Carbon Dioxide (CO2) and Methane (CH4) are released into the atmosphere. These gases, also known as greenhouse gases trap the heat that the Sun beams out inside of Earth’s atmosphere. This happens because these gases are able to absorb …
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What Are High Pressure Systems?
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. …
How Does Sand Form?
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 …
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 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 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 …
How Do Tectonic Plates On Earth 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 Tides Work?
Tides are when ocean water moves up and down the coast. There is high tide and low tide. High tide is when the water moves up the coast or advances. Low tide is when the water moves down the coast or recedes. Tides are caused by the Sun and the Moon, but mostly the Moon. …
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 …
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 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 …
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 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 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 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. …
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 …
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. …
What Is Mount Everest?
Located on the border of Tibet and Nepal, Mount Everest is the tallest mountain in the world. It reaches a height of 8,848 meters above sea level, which is equal to the height of 5.5 miles! Mount Everest was formed because of converging tectonic plates. Tectonic plates are giant slabs of rock that move. Tectonic plates make up the curst, the thinnest …
What Are Glaciers?
Glaciers are large moving rivers of ice. Glaciers form when snow is compressed into a large object that is made of ice. This only happens where the temperature doesn’t reach high enough for the snow and ice to melt completely. Glaciers take hundreds of years to form because the snow has to pile up over …
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 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 Convection Currents?
Convection currents are the movement of hot and cold things. 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 …
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 for things like …
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 …
Why Is The Arctic Shrinking?
The Arctic, or the North Pole is actually shrinking! It’s ice thickness has reduced by 80% since 1980 and is rapidly reducing in size. This is all because of the rise in global temperatures due to Climate Change. Climate Change is when greenhouse gases like Carbon dioxide and Methane go into Earth’s atmosphere and trap …
How Can Some Animals See In The Dark?
Some animals, like lizards and snakes, can see in the dark! This is something that only a few animals can really do. These animals can see as well in the dark as they do during the day! They are able to do this because of the structure of their eyes. Eyes are made up of …
How Do Rocks Form?
Rocks are collections of minerals and sediment. They can form in many different ways, but we are going to focus on three of the ways. The first is cooling magma. Magma from deep in Earth’s mantle flows up to the surface and solidifies as it cools down. That makes igneous rock. The next way rocks …
What Are The Layers of the Earth?
Believe it or not, the Earth has layers just like an onion! Let’s start at the top. The part we walk on is called the crust. It is a thin layer that harbors life. Next, is the mantle. This layer is underneath the crust. Lot’s of minerals form in this area including diamonds and emeralds. …
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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How Do Earthquakes Happen?
Earthquakes are energy that is released in the tectonic plate boundaries. Tectonic plates are giant slabs of rock that move around! The crust (outermost layer of the Earth) is made up of these tectonic plates. These tectonic plates can get stuck. When they do this, lots of pressure builds up. Kind of like when you …
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 …
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 …
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 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 …
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 …
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 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’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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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 …
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 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 …
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 …
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 …
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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Climate Change = 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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
Owls! Amazing Birds
Owls are nocturnal birds that live on every continent, except Antarctica. They are flying birds that eat small rodents and other small birds. Owls are carnivores, meaning that they ONLY eat meat. Owls are almost like superheroes! They have many amazing powers. They have very big eyes that help them see in the dark. This is because …
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 …
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 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 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 …
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 …
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 …
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 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 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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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 …
How Do Mountains Form?
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 …
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 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. …
Why Are Days Longer in the Summer, Than the Winter?
Why Are Days Longer in the Summer, Than the Winter? 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 orbits, or circles around the Sun, different parts of the world get stronger or weaker amounts of sunlight. The …
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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 …
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 …
What is Sea-Level Rise?
What is 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 …
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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What Happens During a Solar Eclipse?
What Happens During a Solar Eclipse? A Solar Eclipse is a natural phenomenon when the Moon blocks part of or the full Sun when viewed from Earth. Solar Eclipses only happen about 2-4 times every year. This includes from different parts of the world! Total Solar Eclipses are very rare. A Solar Eclipse happens in a specific …
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. …
Crush A Soda Can With… Air?!?
Use the experiment video below to do this experiment yourself! Then, read the explanation below the video that tells you what happened. What Happened During the Experiment? When you poured the hot water into the soda can, the water vapor or steam pushed all of the gases, like Oxygen or Nitrogen, outside of the can. …
What Happens When Greenhouse Gases Collect in Earth’s Atmosphere?
What Happens When Greenhouse Gases Collect in Earth’s Atmosphere? Greenhouse gases are special types of gases that can trap heat in Earth’s atmosphere. They are called Greenhouse gases because they trap the heat close to Earth, like how a greenhouse for plants can keep the plants warm during the winter. Some examples of Greenhouse gases …
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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, …
How is Wind Made?
How is Wind 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. There is this giant …
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 …
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, …
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 …
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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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 …
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 …
Earth Day 2021! How to Help the Earth!
What is Earth Day? Every April 22nd, we celebrate a day we call Earth Day. Earth Day is a day that we do good things for the environment. This holiday was created by Senator Gaylord Nelson. He wanted to make a day where people could recognize and care for the environment! The first Earth Day …
How Do Volcanoes Erupt?
How Do Volcanoes Erupt? Just a quick note, if you want to learn more about volcanoes, check out our episode on this very topic! First we have to talk about the layer of the Earth called the Outer Core. The outer core is literally “liquid metal”!! It is full of magma, which is hotter than …
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 …
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). …
Tornadoes
What is a Tornado? 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. …
Spectacular Science DEBATE POST!!! Spring vs. Fall (Autumn)
This blog post is another a debate showdown! We take topics and make them into a debate!! Today’s topic is… Spring vs. Fall (Autumn)! Remember, please send us what side you agree with going to www.spectacularsci.com/debateform and fill out our form! Seasons Seasons are differences in the Earth’s orbit around the Sun. The Earth is slightly tilted. that …
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Plants and Flowers: Two Important Things in Nature
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 …
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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. …
Flowers!
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! A fruit is what is left after a flower dies and sugar is put into …
Run-Off of Water!!
What is Run-Off? 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. How is Run-Off Benificial? Millions of …
Mechanical Weathering and Chemical Weathering!
What is 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: Mechanical Weathering is when rocks are broken down WITHOUT a chemical change. They are changing their physical properties. Mechanical weathering can split rocks in …
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Sand Dunes!
What are Sand Dunes? 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. How Do Sand …
Sinkholes!
What are Sinkholes? 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 …
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 …
Earthquakes!!
What are Earthquakes and How Do They Happen? Earthquakes are energy that is released in the tectonic plate boundaries. Tectonic plates are giant slabs of rock that move around! The crust (outermost layer of the Earth) is made up of these tectonic plates. These tectonic plates can get stuck. When they do this, lots of …
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 …
How Are Fossil Fuels Created?
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. How are Fossil Fuels Created? Fossil fuels are created …
Mountains: How They Are Formed!
What are Mountains? 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! How do Mountains Form? Mountains can form …
River Deltas!
What is a River Delta? 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 …
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 …
Erosion
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 agt the rock, the pieces of soil or rock that come off get carried to someplace new. Erosion …
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 …
The 3 Types of Pollution
What is Pollution? Pollution is when humans and other animals cause harm to environment. They can spill harmful chemicals or throw waste everywhere. Pollution can cause harm to the living things on Earth. There are 3 main types of pollution: land pollution, water pollution, and air pollution. We are going to talk about each type. …
Clouds!
What are Clouds? Clouds are made up of frozen water droplets that float high in the air. They make the cloud’s fluffy coating. There actually different types of clouds that all bring different weather. Cumulus Clouds Cumulus clouds are fluffy, white clouds that float high in the sky. They usually mean that the day is …
Rainbows!!
Side Note!!: Roy G. Biv is the acronym for the colors of a rainbow! What are Rainbows? 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!! How …
Spectacular Science DEBATE POST!!!: Oxygen vs. Carbon Dioxide
This blog post is another a debate showdown! We take topics and make them into a debate!! Today’s topic is… Oxygen vs. Carbon Dioxide. Remember, please send us what side you agree with going to www.spectacularsci.com/debateform and fill out our form! Oxygen Oxygen or O2 is a chemical found in the universe. Humans need Oxygen …
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The Wonderful Water!!!
What is Water? 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. Water gives living things …