Science

One of the basic skills of a biology lab is streaking a petri dish with a microbial sample. The ability to do this well, with an understanding of the method and goals, will allow better and...

New breakthroughs in science, such as the completion of the human genome project, define milestones in biology. The project was accomplished in February 2001 and provided new knowledge, such as a...

When working with electronics it is easy to make mistakes, and to top things off, it can often be difficult to spot these mistakes until the project can be tested. Luckily a mistake doesn't mean...

Direct sunlight is important in the natural world and elsewhere because it provides the energy which fuels the growth of plants that are necessary for the survival of all life forms on the planet.

Physics seeks to study and explain atomic and subatomic particles that cannot be seen with the naked eye or even with an ordinary microscope. A number of tools can be employed to help with this...

Crystals grown from a chemical dissolved in solvent or from a melt possess a definite geometry. Crystal geometry is categorized into standard types, including rhombic, monoclinic, triclinic, etc....

The invention of the CPAP machine allows doctors to effectively treat patients with sleep apnea. CPAP stands for continuous positive airway pressure. CPAP machines are available by prescription....

Soil probes are used in a variety of industries to collect samples of dirt. The probe is a long, hollow structure that gathers a cylindrical segment piece that allows researchers to analyze the...

A science experiment using a ramp can illustrate principles involving kinetic energy, gravity, force and friction. Use objects around the house or classroom to construct a simple ramp, building a...

Although Einstein is known for his theories of relativity, he is also responsible for making a great contribution to the understanding of quantum mechanics via his study of light relating to the...

Black lights can be seen at amusement parks, in haunted houses and even bowling alleys. They have been used in a wide variety of ways over the years, from forensic science to poster lighting and...

The theory of lattices is one of the most important theories in algebra. Lattices are made up of partially ordered sets in which any of their elements represent a least upper bound and a greater...

Just about everyone has heard the expression "Two heads are better than one." When it comes to research, this adage comes to life and is improved upon in the form of think tanks.

The moon is our closest celestial companion. Its gravitational forces affect the Earth's tides, with both the full and new moons responsible for the highest tides. The moon's gravitational pull is...

Cyanoacrylate adhesive effectively bonds materials together and has a wide range of uses. Many department stores and home improvement centers carry this relatively inexpensive adhesive.

Ammonia is gas in natural form. With technological advances, scientists have found a way to manipulate the properties, like the physical state, of matter in order to take advantage of its...

Morphogenesis, or the process of change as an organism develops, is regulated by genes and hormones that control developmental changes in cells. In Nicotiana tabacum, or cultivated tobacco, floral...

Electromagnetic therapy as a system of healing has existed for more a century. Though often considered too advanced during the 1900s, the practice has made a comeback among those looking for...

Developed by the Swedish company SAGAB, Volt Stick is the brand name for a line of pen-sized instruments used to detect electricity (specifically, the magnetic field generated by the flow of...

The vertebral column, also referred to as the spine or spinal column, is essential to the form and function of the human body. It physically supports the body and protects other parts of the body...

Mercury is the densest liquid at standard conditions for temperature and pressure (STP). Also called quicksilver, mercury has been known for more than 3,500 years. It is an important metal in...

Although digital two-way radios may be more expensive and harder to learn to operate, they have several technical advantages over analog radios that may make them worth the additional price.

Ice melts faster in water than in soda. This is because soda has sodium (salt) in it, and adding sodium makes ice melt more slowly than it will in plain water. In order for ice to melt, the...

Over the past century the marine environment has experienced significant changes in sea levels, water temperature, salinity, and pH levels. The observed decrease in pH levels is impacting...

Temperature can affect the amount of electricity produced by a wind generator or wind turbine in several ways. Depending on the temperature, efficiency of the turbine can either be decreased on...

Stem cell research is a relatively young technology that involves the use of primitive cells for therapeutic purposes. Stem cell research is generally divided into two categories: adult stem cell...

The vertebral column is another name for the backbone. It performs many vital functions in the body and has a large impact on our lives. A healthy spinal column is vital to an active and enjoyable...

The binocular dissecting microscope, also known as a stereo microscope, is commonly used in classrooms to view dissected specimens (as its name implies). Specimens considered too large to view...

DNA profiling is a component of forensic science that identifies individuals based on their DNA profile. First applied by Sir Alec Jeffreys in 1984, DNA fingerprinting has become a important...

Wind generators can have two or three blades and can produce from 100 kilowatts up to several megawatts of power. They can be single units or placed in large groups to form a power plant to serve...

Silicone is a water-resistant and chemically durable material used in a wide variety of applications. The basis of silicone's utility lies in its chemical structure and the way it is created.

Meteorologists employ a diverse assortment of instruments to observe weather conditions. These instruments allow a meteorologist to forecast the weather by relaying information to them about many...

Agarose gels and acrylamide gels are used in biotechnology laboratories for a process called electrophoresis, which is used to separate molecules of different sizes. Electrophoresis is used for...

Moonlight differs from sunlight in many ways, primarily in that moonlight is actually reflected sunlight that bounces off the moon in the direction of the Earth. Changes in the power density of...

Convection refers to the transfer of heat via a moving substance, such as air or water. Convection currents are the manifestation of those movements.

A light-year, which is abbreviated ly, is a measure of distance based on how far light travels in a year. It equals about 5.9 trillion miles or 9.5 trillion kilometers.

The ears are necessary for hearing and for the process of converting sound into electrochemical information that the brain can use to code the information. There are several parts to the ears that...

Flowers are the means of sexual reproduction in angiosperms, those plants that produce seeds within an ovary. Flowers can contain male or female sex organs, or both. Depending on the species,...

Hurricanes are tropical cyclones. West of the International Date Line, the storms are known as typhoons. They are called cyclones in Australia and India. Heat causes the condensation of ocean...

A quantum is a small and exact amount of energy. Each photon contains a quantum of energy. An atom can only experience a transition through absorption of a particular frequency photon. This is the...

Infrared thermometers (temperature laser guns) give you a means to take the temperature of objects that are too difficult or dangerous to access otherwise, by using an infrared beam to collect the...

Helium is the sole unreactive gas used in modern airships. One could claim that nitrogen and argon, being the most common unreactive gases in the atmosphere, and therefore present in the air...

Dividing the process of respiration into two categories, internal and external respiration, can help clarify some of the complexities of this biologically important process. Together, the...

Chlorophyll, the main photosynthetic pigment in green plants, does more than give plants their green color; it also absorbs light, which allows plants to convert solar energy into chemical energy...

Hachure marks are defined as multiple crossing lines that create a shaded definition on either maps or drawings. In topography, they are used to define surface relief. They are also known as "tick...

The material we call steel is in fact an alloy, a mixture of different metals. The element iron (symbol Fe) makes up a large percentage of all steels, generally composing more than 75 percent of...

The public once viewed the non-stick skillet coating known as Teflon as a godsend to the modern kitchen. It bears the chemical name polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). Teflon surfaces are remarkably...

Hydro-electric power plants not only provide clean energy, they also conserve water and provide lakes for fishing, recreation and water sports. There are five major parts to a hydro-electric...

The chemical formula for glucose, C6H12O6, describes the composition of this sugar molecule; its structure and function require a more complex overview. Glucose, among other sugars, plays a vital...

The method of extrusion is one of the main processes in regards to the manufacturing of plastic. Extrusion refers to the process of forming a piece of plastic through the use of certain shaping...