Science & Nature

Since flowers require pollination in order for their host plants to reproduce it is important that the pollen used is viable. Pollen considered sterile is unable to complete the fertilization...

Chemical kinetics is the study of chemical reactions and their rates. It includes experimental conditions that speed up reaction rates and favorably affect an intermediate "Transition State." It...

Soil pollution has many causes from past land use such as mining to present day human activities such as poor agricultural practices. From a student's point of view, soil may be just dirt. The...

Containing a universal indicator, pH paper is paper that can be defined as the product used to determine acidity levels of solutions.

The Celsius temperature scale was invented by Anders Celsius (1701-1744), a Swedish astronomer. It is also called the centigrade scale, since each degree is equal to 1/100 of the difference...

A fluorescent light bulb is a complicated but efficient device that takes advantage of the nature of electricity and the properties of a number of chemical substances. The design brings these...

Many tools are available for hobbyists who want to make their own printed circuit boards (PCBs). One of the simplest methods uses a laser printer. You create the PCB pattern using software, print...

Fossil records are chronologically ordered histories of the development, or evolution, of life on Earth. These records are substantiated by fossil remains and the scientific study of these...

Titration is a method used to determine the concentration of a compound in solution. A compound in a solution of known concentrate is added to the unknown solution. The two compounds react, and...

Labrador retrievers, also known as labs, are a popular breed of sporting dog. Labrador retrievers come in three colors: golden, chocolate, and black.

Acetate (CH3COO-) is the conjugate base of acetic acid (CH3COOH), the acid associated with vinegar. The acetate ion is composed of two carbon (C) atoms, three hydrogen (H) atoms, and two oxygen...

Transducer is a device that converts one form of energy into another. Many transducers convert electric waves into mechanical vibrations---or vice versa. Loudspeakers, microphones and phonograph...

Halogen light bulbs can replace your normal household bulbs in fixtures and lamps with a brighter and more efficient light. But halogen lights have far more uses whenever an intense light is needed.

Two hydrogen atoms are covalently bonded to an oxygen molecule in water. When the covalent bonds in the water molecule are broken, the hydrogen atoms combine to produce hydrogen gas, and the...

Yellow--the color of the sun and the color of lemons, the color of happiness and the color of cowardice--covers a wide spectrum of roles in nature, art and psychology.

A crane is a pulley system used to move very heavy loads both vertically and horizontally. They are a vital part of skyscraper construction, because they are the only devices capable of moving up...

Whether you're looking for a fun craft project to do with the kids or searching for a new way to view the world around you, making a cheap telescope can be a great way to see things from a fresh...

Seaweed is actually considered to be an algae, since the plant does not have a true vascular system. Photosynthesis still occurs, with the only difference being that the carbohydrates and other...

Although the initial investment in a home energy system can cost about the same as a new car, it immediately begins paying for itself by lowering utility bills significantly immediately and over...

The flowering maple, or Abutilon hybridum, is not a true maple. The name came about because of the plant's maple shaped leaves. It is sometimes referred to as a Chinese lantern or Chinese bellflower.

Electrical conductivity is a complex, yet fundamental principle of electricity. It occurs unseen on an atomic level, yet it is the driving force behind our modern industrialized society.

Zinc plating is done for a number of reasons, often for practical surfacing and sometimes for decorative purposes. Many times, things such as screws and car parts are plated with zinc during...

Fruits and vegetables make up a large portion of our diets. We have botanically defined the difference between the two food types, but these scientific definitions do not necessarily agree with...

Ecosystems consist of all the living and non-living parts interacting in a given area. The ecosystem is studied at different levels ranging from the species level to the ecosystem level.

A relay is an electromechanical device that uses a control voltage to operate a switch to either open a connection or close one. Electric and electronic equipment use relays for a wide variety of...

The fossil fuel coal has been used as an energy source for heat and cooking for more than 400 years. Its main use today is in the production of electricity, but that use is slowly giving way to...

Want to know what's your destiny number is? Have you been puzzled why there's this certain number every time you look at the clock? Or why this specific number always finds it way to pop up...

Sandpipers are several species of small to medium (about 6 to 12 inches long) shore birds. They can be found in large groups on beaches and farther inland on mud flats during their migratory period.

The daddy longlegs makes its home in wooded areas, among crops or in unoccupied buildings or spaces. Daddy longlegs (Phalangium opilio), also known as harvestmen, belong to the arachnid class, a...

The grassland biome is characterized by a predominance of grasses and very little shrub or tree vegetation. Grasslands often have precipitation levels greater than that of deserts but less than...

Mosses are most recognizable as the green carpet that covers a forest's moist floor. They are part of the bryophyte family, and like the related hornworts and liverworts are some of the earliest...

There are two primary properties of air that can be measured: flow and pressure. Barometers measure pressure, while there are several different techniques you can use to measure flow. Chemical...

Sound travels through air as waves of increasing and decreasing changes in the pressure of the air. The number of complete sound waves moving past a point is called the frequency, which is...

A closed ecosystem cycles all nutrients within the ecosystem with no flow of nutrients into or out of the ecosystem. An open ecosystem differs by having a flow of nutrients into or out of the...

An electrical relay is an electromechanical device operated by a small amount of electricity to control a larger amount of electricity. Relays are used for both control and safety.

Relays use a small amount of electricity to control a larger amount of electricity. A choice of whether to use a solid-state relay or a mechanical one will depend on your application and price range.

Solar ovens use the heat of the sun to cook food. This solar oven can be built in just a few minutes using a pizza box and everyday items found around the house or in a local grocery store. The...

Pieces of green jasper that have been spotted red bi iron-oxide deposits are called bloodstones. Early Christians believed that bloodstone was created during the Crucifixion as some of Christ's...

Sound waves, ocean waves, alternating current, and electromagnetic waves such as light and X-rays occur in regular repeating cycles. One measure of these events is the number of times the event...

The eastern snapping turtle is a reptile found in the eastern two-thirds of the United States. A common creature in rivers, ponds and lakes, the snapping turtle has a varied diet.

Hertz (Hz) is a unit of measure that denotes the number of times an event occurs in one second. This measurement is commonly employed in measuring the frequency of periodic motion or periodic waves.

A cell---often referred to as the building block of life---is the basic functional unit of all living organisms, including human beings. Each cell can reproduce by cell division, metabolize energy...

Although not visible, infrared light is vital to most living organisms on planet Earth. People experience infrared light when being warmed by the sun and using a remote control.