Paperback, 160-208 pages.
Awards:
Best Books Award: Finalist; Recommended by TD Monthly, NSTA Recommends.
Science affects everything-yet so many of us wish we understood it better. Using an accessible question-and- answer format, 101 Things Everyone Should Know About Science expands every reader's knowledge. Key concepts in biology, chemistry, physics, earth, and general science are explored and demystified by an award-winning science writer and a seasoned educational trainer. Endorsed by science organizations and educators, this book is perfect for kids, grown-ups, and anyone interested in gaining a better understanding of how science impacts everyday life.
Sample Questions!
1.Name some characteristics of all mammals
2.Name three of the bodily fluids
3.What are the three states of water?
4.How does a semiconductor work?
5.Why is it colder an hour after sunrise than it is at sunrise itself?
6.How can you use a lemon to light a light bulb?
Answers:
1. All mammals have backbones, are warm-blooded, have hair or fur, and drink their mother's milk when they are born. All mammals are vertebrates, which means they have backbones, unlike worms or insects. They are also able to maintain a constant body temperature, which is called being warm-blooded. Mammals have hair or fur at some point in their lives, and the females produce milk for their young through mammary glands. Mammals have large brains with modified skulls, complex teeth, and three ear bones. Their skulls have adapted over time to support their elaborate chewing muscles, and to better contain their large brains. Scientists believe that mammalian ear bones (the malleus, incus, and stapes) evolved from bones that were no longer needed, such as a bone to support gills. There are three orders of mammals: monotremes (egg-layers), marsupials (pouched mammals), and placentals (which account for the majority of mammals, including humans).
2. Blood, sweat, saliva (or spit), tears, breastmilk, semen, urine, mucus, lymph, plasma, serum, and digestive juices. The human body is composed mostly of water, which our body uses to produce different fluids. These fluids help the body to work properly. Glands are organs in the body that create and release chemical substances through ducts. Glands produce sweat, saliva, tears, and breastmilk. Blood comprises two fluids and it also carries hormones, nutrients, infection-fighting cells, and oxygen. Plasma is the liquid component in the blood, while serum is the protein-rich fluid that remains after blood clots. Lymph is a milky fluid that contains lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell. It plays a critical role in the body's immune system by filtering out and destroying toxins and germs. In mature males, the reproductive system produces semen, which contains the sperm needed to reproduce. Our kidneys process urine to carry wastes out of the body. Mucus is a thick secretion made by special tissues, including the inside of the nose and throat.
3. Liquid, solid, and gas.
Water exists in three states. We use the liquid state most often in our daily activities, for drinking, washing things, and cooking. Liquids do not hold a shape, but they maintain the same volume. In humans, liquid water makes up about 70 percent of our bodies. Ice, snow, and frost are frozen water. Water's freezing temperature-the highest temperature at which water will become solid-is 32°F (0°C). Water vapor is water in its gaseous state. Until it reappears as a liquid or solid, it is invisible. Water evaporates into the air from bodies of water and from plant and animal respiration. Water vapor is an important regulator of the earth's heat. Without it, and other so-called greenhouse gases, our planet would be very hot by day and very cold at night. A gas doesn't hold its shape or maintain its volume. For example, if you pour one liter of water from a watering can into a bucket, it's still one liter. If you take one liter of water vapor and release it into a two-liter bottle, it will spread out to fill the entire bottle. At sea level, water vaporizes at 212°F (100°C).
4. By conducting electric impulses in a controlled fashion. Semiconductors have had a monumental impact on our society. You find semiconductors inside most microprocessor chips-the heart of any normal computer. Anything that's computerized or uses radio waves depends on semiconductors. Semiconductors, often created with silicon, allow the transmission and control of electric impulses in microscopic circuits. The smallness of these circuits has led to portable technology that could not have been built with the previous technology of vacuum tubes. For example, the computing power of a modern laptop computer would have required a large building full of power-hungry equipment and a large maintenance staff were it not for semiconductor technology. A diode is the simplest possible semiconductor device, and is therefore an excellent beginning point if you want to understand how semiconductors work. A diode allows current to flow in one direction but not the other. You may have seen turnstiles at a stadium that let people go through in only one direction. A diode is a one-way turnstile for electrons. Most diodes are made from silicon. You can change the behavior of silicon and turn it into a conductor by mixing a small amount of an impurity into the silicon crystal. A minute amount of an impurity turns a silicon crystal into a viable, but not great, conductor-hence the name "semiconductor."
5. Because the planet continues losing heat after sunrise. We think the minimum temperature should occur at sunrise because the earth has been cooling down all night. The temperature drops throughout the night because of two processes. The earth no longer receives energy from the sun, and the earth radiates energy to space. Overnight, the balance is strongly negative, and the earth loses heat. At sunrise, solar energy again arrives, but the heat loss due to radiation to space dominates until about an hour after sunrise. At that time, incoming solar radiation increases enough to overcome the radiational heat loss.
6. Turn the lemon into a battery. A lemon can be used like a battery by placing a copper penny and a steel paper clip (or a zinc-coated nail) into slits cut into the lemon skin, then connecting the penny and clip with a small piece of wire. The two different metals react with the acid in the lemon juice and cause electrons to travel from the negative terminal (the steel or zinc) to the positive terminal (the penny). An electric potential is created when the different metals are immersed in the lemon, and you can measure this with a voltmeter. One lemon alone will probably not produce enough power to light a bulb, but if you link four or more lemons together in a circuit by connecting the negative terminal of one lemon to the positive terminal of the next, and so on, you may get enough electricity to light an LED bulb, or some other small device.
Not an ordinary mystery book, One Minute Mysteries: 65 Short Mysteries You Solve With Science! makes science fun. These short mysteries have a clever twist-you have to tap into your science wisdom to solve them. Each story, just one minute long, challenges your knowledge in earth, space, life, physical, chemical and general science. Exercise critical thinking skills with dozens of science mysteries (solutions included) that will keep you entertained-and eager to learn more! Written by a father-daughter team, this entertaining and educational book is great for kids, grown-ups, educators and anyone who loves good mysteries, good science, or both!
Sample Questions and Answers!
1. Bear Scare
At a one-week ski camp in mid-winter, three best friends were in the same group-Carla, Sasha and Elizabeth. Today their group was going on a treasure hunt for a bag of candy.
They had a map with names of the different ski trails and clues that led them to the right ones. After going down several trails and up some ski lifts, they found a tree painted with an X. Also on the tree was a large scratch mark. "X marks the spot," Carla said. They took off their skis and dug in the snow at the base of the tree. But there was only an empty box. They skied down to the ski school, where they found Leslie Coyle, their instructor. "We found the box, but there was no candy in it," Sasha said. "I asked the workers to take out the prize because of the bears," Ms. Coyle said. "Bears can smell food even through
a box and we don't want them going to the areas where there are skiers."
Elizabeth noticed a big bag of candy on Ms. Coyle's desk. "Stealer!" Elizabeth said, laughing. "You just wanted the candy for yourself. And I can prove it." "So, prove it," Ms. Coyle laughed. "Are you saying there are no bears in this area? Or that bears couldn't smell candy through a box?"
Answer: "There are bears here-that's what made the scratch mark on the tree," replied Elizabeth. "And bears probably could smell the candy through a box. But it's the middle
of winter. Bears are hibernating now, so they wouldn't be out roaming around," Elizabeth said as they all shared the candy.
2. Needing a Lift
"Hey, watch out!" Karl said. "Oops, sorry!" Barry said. It was Earth Day, and as part of their project, they were planting trees at the elementary-school playground. Karl and Barry each had taken one handle of a wheelbarrow. In the wheelbarrow was a tree, its roots protected by a heavy cloth sack full of dirt. As they crossed the playground toward the holes that had already been dug for the trees, they struggled to control the wheelbarrow because of the weight. As they got near the see-saw, Barry's hand had slipped and he let go of his handle. The wheelbarrow tipped over and the tree slid out onto the ground. The two of them tried to pick it up, but it was too heavy. Alejandro and DeWayne came to help, but even the four of them couldn't lift the tree. "We'd better stop before we hurt ourselves," Alejandro said. "How about if we push it?" DeWayne suggested. They did manage to scoot it across the ground a little. "That won't work. Even if we could push it all the way to the hole, the sack would tear and we'd ruin the roots," Barry said. "I have an idea," Karl said. "Let's hear it," Barry said.
Answer: "A see-saw is a lever," Karl said. "Let's adjust it so the side next to the tree is the short end. Then we'll push the root ball onto that end. Alejandro and DeWayne, you push down on the long end, I'll hold the tree steady and Barry can move the wheelbarrow underneath it." In a few moments, the tree was back in the wheelbarrow and on its way to being planted.
3. Thrown a Curve
"No kidding, your coach taught you how to throw a curve ball?" Wayne asked. "Yep," Randy said. Randy was a good athlete. He was quarterback for his football team in the fall, point guard for his basketball team in the winter and pitcher for his baseball team in the spring. "I thought you weren't allowed to throw curve balls until you got older," said Wayne. "The rule actually is that you can only throw so many curve balls in a practice or a game," Randy said. "Because throwing too many can hurt your arm." "Can you show me how?" Wayne asked. They were standing in the school courtyard at break time after lunch. The problem was they didn't have a baseball, just a smooth ball about the size and weight of a baseball. "Okay, you grip it like this," Randy said, showing Wayne how to position his fingers. "When you throw it, you snap your hand down to put topspin on it. Like this." Randy threw the ball with a downward snap of his wrist, but the ball just went straight. Wayne retrieved the ball after it bounced off the brick wall and handed it back to Randy. "Try again," Wayne said. Randy did, snapping his wrist harder this time. But still the ball went straight. After three more tries with the same result, Randy said, "The ball was really curving for me at practice last night. What's happening?"
Answer: "At practice, you were using a real baseball, which has stitches that are above the surface of the ball," Wayne said. "The stitches are what grab into the air when you put topspin on the ball by snapping your wrist. Because of the topspin, air is moved out of the way under the ball, lowering the air pressure there, and more air is brought around to the top of the ball, raising the air pressure there. The result is the ball curves down. It's the same reason golf balls have dimples-to grab the air. Except in golf, backspin is put on the ball and the dimples help it go up. This ball is smooth, so you don't get that effect."
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