Why are there twelve months in a year? Because it is the closest match to the number of times the moon orbits the Earth in a year. Before there were names for the months, people lived by a lunar calendar. There was no need to know what month it was or what day it was. […]
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What causes quicksand? It forms in saturated loose sand when the sand is suddenly agitated. Quicksand is an example of a non-Newtonian fluid. That means it is a liquid, but has the properties of a solid when the pressure applied to it changes. A Newtonian fluid is a liquid such as water that flows exactly
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How many revolutions has France had? France has had three revolutions and they are currently on their fifth republic. The first revolution was the big one. The one we learn about in school as “The French Revolution”. It started in 1789 and it ushered in the first republic. It began because of rising inequality in
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What is in toothpaste? It usually has fluoride, abrasives, flavors, humectants, and detergents. So, what do all of these things do? Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral. It can be found in most places on Earth, and it is also present in our bodies. Our bodies use it to strengthen our bones and teeth. Fluoride
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What are the four laws of thermodynamics? I didn’t know there were four laws until researching this. Thermodynamics is the study of the relationship between heat, temperature, and energy. The 0th law of thermodynamics states that if two systems are in thermodynamic equilibrium with a third system, the first two systems are in equilibrium with
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Photo by Pixabay: https://www.pexels.com/photo/assorted-color-laser-lights-417458/ How does a laser work? By focusing light into a narrow beam. LASER is actually an acronym, and it stands for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. They have been around since the 1960s when the first laser was built by Theodore H Maiman, although the theory behind them goes
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Why are rubies red, emeralds green, and sapphires blue? Rubies and sapphires are varieties of the mineral corundum. Emeralds are a variety of the mineral beryl. They all have impurities that give them their color. Rubies are obviously red. Their name comes from the Latin ruber, which means red. They come in many different shades
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Who was Molotov and why was the Molotov cocktail named after him? He was Vyacheslav Molotov, Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Soviet Union A Molotov cocktail is usually a bottle full of a flammable fuel with a fuse that is thrown by hand. They have become very famous because they are very easy to
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How does a Geiger counter work? By using radiation to create an electrical signal. There are four types of radiation and they all have different mass and energy. The types are alpha, beta, neutrons, and electromagnetic waves. Alpha particles are the heaviest. They have two protons and two neutrons. They are made by many of
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Why do fish have scales? For protection, for camouflage, and to help them swim faster. There are four basic types of fish scale, but there are many subdivisions within each category. These are the main ones: Placoid scales. They are found on fish such as sharks and manta rays. They are very similar to teeth,
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