Science

They can gently manipulate a china cup on the bottom of the ocean, 2 1/2 miles beneath the surface, or inspect the bottom of a boat's hull at the nearest marina.You see them "swimming" around...

Genetics is the study of heredity, evolution and all life forms. Every human has similar characteristics, such as eyes, legs and hair. Genes are the instruction which make us all different. ...

Infinite series (sums) can be calculated to give an actual finite number by clever algebraic manipulation of the terms. Because of the complexity of such analysis, it is usually easier to learn...

Chemistry glassware is produced either through casting glass or blowing glass. In the casting process, the molten glass is poured into a mold, allowed to cool, and then removed from the mold....

Removing oil from seawater can be a daunting task. Oil has a lower specific gravity (0.79 to 0.84) than seawater (1.023 to 1.028) and floats on top of seawater for that reason, which makes...

Inductors are sometimes wound by the user instead of bought. In such cases, the inductance would not be stamped on the side but instead may need to be found empirically. The best way to measure...

While the nature of the universe presents many barriers to achieving true immortality, there are still avenues to "living forever," though they may not be what you had hoped. While...

Potassium nitrate is a powdery chemical component that can be used as a bright flash powder in pyrotechnic displays, for specific lighting effects in photography or videography, or for scientific...

You've seen it in movies and on television, and you've always wondered if you would be able to do it yourself. Perhaps you've wondered if it is even actually possible to pull a table cloth out...

The ideal gas equation discussed below in Step 4 is sufficient for calculating the pressure of hydrogen gas under normal circumstances. Above 150 psi (ten times normal atmospheric pressure) and...

In cubic systems, interplanar spacing is defined as the distance between adjacent planes (hkl). According to Yong-ho Sohn, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Advanced Materials Processing and Analysis...

The alpha coefficient is a measure of excess return in investments and is often used to measure how well an investment firm or portfolio manager has performed. According to Alpha Stocks, the alpha...

Buffers are solutions that resist change in pH. They are important in chemical and biological systems. The capacity of a buffer, B, is defined as the ability of buffer to resist pH change when...

Archimedes' Principle says that, for a boat to float, the water displaced by the boat has to weight more than the boat. This means that a concrete boat that weighs three tons has to displace more...

A welding hood is used during arc welding to protect the welder's eyes. Protection from the light of the welding arc is achieved by using either multiple layers of transparent safety-glass...

A parallel circuit has more than one path for current to flow through. To calculate the ohms (or resistance) in a circuit, a simple formula is used. Each path can have a different resistance, and...

A perpetual motion drinking bird is powered by the heat differential between its head and tail. In an upright position, the felt bill of the bird is wetted, cooling it by evaporation. The...

Aluminum casting is the process of pouring molten aluminum into a mold to create a part of a desired shape. Casting is used in many different industries to create a wide range of parts. Aluminum...

The F distribution is a ratio of two chi-square statistics, each divided by their respective degrees of freedom. If the degrees of freedom of a test statistic (statistic derived from data points)...

To find and prove a discontinuity, it is useful to start with the definition of continuity. Continuity of f(x) at x0 means that, as x converges on x0, all f(x) converge on f(x0). Therefore, for a...

An inductor, when charged, creates a magnetic field. The inductor stores electrical energy in that magnetic field. The armature of an electric motor is an inductor, wrapped in wire to create a...

How radioactive waste is disposed depends on the material's half-life and its level of radioactivity. Nuclear waste is categorized by its origin, not by its level of radioactivity. Low-level...

During the course of training for the practice of land surveying, the surveyor candidate or student will be trained to set up a theodolite. A theodolite can be optical or electronic. In both...

In statistics, imputation is the substitution of some value for a missing data point. Missing data can arise, for example, in surveys in which some questions are left unanswered. Most standard...

In radio systems the EIRP (equivalent isotropic radiated power) is the amount of power that an isotropic antenna would emit to produce the peak power density observed in the direction of maximum...

When you consider how the human arm actually works, the robot arm is almost simple by comparison. Both systems use a frame, which may or may not be movable. One is chemically motivated, the other...

Water might be the only substance in nature that is less dense as a solid than it is as a liquid. By its nature, it is a disorganized form of matter and it takes some doing to coax it into...

Three-phase motors are found in many industrial applications and are one of the workhorses of medium and light industry. As such, they are the first element to be blamed when a "problem" occurs,...

The overturning moment of an object is the moment of energy capable of upsetting the object; that is, the point where it has been subjected to enough disturbance that it ceases to be stable, it...

A laser beam is a narrow, coherent light beam created by a process called "stimulated emission." "Laser" is actually an acronym which stands for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of...

Potassium iodide (KI) is a very difficult element to make since iodine is rarely found in nature. It is mostly used to treat thyroid conditions, prevent thyroid damage and protect the thyroid...

Ever think "I could have invented that!!!"? We all have. So what was it that stopped you? The answer is contained within this article. The following is a personal process that works well...

Early jet aircraft were sometimes called "converters" because they converted large quantities of jet fuel into noise. Converting natural gas to electricity requires the use of a gas turbine engine...

Electroplating works using the principles of electrochemistry. By running an electric current through a solution of a metal, it is possible to cause metal ions (which are dissolved in solution) to...

Electroplating an object with silver occurs based on certain chemical properties of some metals. Essentially, since silver is more reactive than many metals, a chemical reaction using electricity...

MSM is also known as methylsulphonylmethane and is a naturally occurring sulfur compound. It is also found in animal cells and is an important component of collagen and other supportive...

Calculations of energy flux can be important when studying the effects of an earthquake. The measurements of seismic flux essentially can tell how much energy is passing through the earth during...

Phosphorus is a plant nutrient that increases plant growth in fresh water. It is of great importance in the aquatic sciences and is often measured when studying freshwater lakes and other bodies...

Alpha and Beta radiations are surprisingly abundant in nature. The third variety of radiation, Gamma, is more commonly associated with artificially produced radioactivity. The one device suitable...

A true mirror, also known as a non-reversing mirror, does not display images backwards as traditional mirrors do. A true mirror can be made by joining two mirrors together at a right angle.

Reducing voltage in an electrical circuit with resistors is an efficient way for controlling electrical power. The most important aspect for the use of resistors is the correct sizing of that...

Build a bicycle powered water pump. There are many versions of bicycle powered pumps, but this one is probably one of the most simple to put together. You will not need to take apart a cylinder,...

Glow sticks are a common accessory for Halloween, concerts, parties and just for fun. But most of us take their almost-magical powers for granted. What makes a glow stick glow? The answer is a...

With heating oil prices as high as they are, you may be interested in building an experimental waste oil burner for a furnace, heater or boiler. This article walks you through converting a...

The Von Mises Strain (or Stress) is an index gained from the combinations of Principal Stresses at any given point to determine at which points stress occurring on the x, y and z axis will cause...

A recent discovery of a frozen Woolly Mammoth in Siberia has led researchers to speculate that they may be able to clone the ancient, furry behemoth back to life. Here is what you would need to...

A perfect engine is one which uses all the energy with perfect efficiency. Practically, this is impossible.The engines that power cars have only a 25-30 percent efficiency -- the rest of the...

Running a vehicle on hydrogen has become popular lately due to increased interest in "green" alternatives where hydrogen is produced by converting electricity into chemical energy by splitting...

The national cord blood campaign has drawn attention to cord blood's power to change and save lives, but waiting for that lifesaving donation can be a taxing process. Cord blood units are actually...

During pregnancy, nutrients and blood reach the fetus via the umbilical cord. Historically, the umbilical cord was discarded after delivery, though nowadays it is sometimes saved. Cord blood...