Science

Refine Search

Why is it important to conserve ecosystems?

An ecosystem is an area of land and/or water and the species that populate it. This can be a river or a river basin, a mountain, a marine area like coral reef, a desert or a forest. The ecosystems provide food, breathable air and clean water, as well as supplies for different industries. Disrupting the fragile balance between the organisms in an ecosystem and their interaction with the environment can result in significant and irreversible damages.\nEcosystems are life support systems. For example, cutting of vast areas of forests reduces oxygen in the air, dries the climate, enhances erosion,..

Continue Reading

What types of cells are animal cells?

In an animal, the cells go through constant mitosis to divide and multiply. This works to guarantee that offspring are genetically identical to the parents. Animal cells also undergo meiosis to ensure the formation of haploid cells. Haploid cells form either eggs or sperm, and these work to form a new diploid cell when one egg and one sperm meet for fertilization. The process of mitosis comes in again to divide the fertilized cell for new organism formation.

Continue Reading

What is the strongest alloy known to man?

Steel had been considered the strongest alloy traditionally, but research has found metals able to withstand higher pressure and temperatures. The high-entropy alloy showed over one gigapascal of tensile strength under high pressure tests. The alloy has great toughness, ductility and cryogenic strength due to nano-twinning, a formation of atoms in crystal structures that mirrors each other during pressure.

Continue Reading

What is gene cloning?

Genes are made from DNA and contain the basic building blocks of heredity. When a gene is cloned, an exact replica is produced. The process requires a variety of biotechnical techniques.A basic explanation of the process of cloning a gene:\n\nStep 1: Extract the DNA from the organism that contains the desired gene. Using restriction enzymes, the DNA is cut into gene-sized pieces. \nStep 2: Restriction enzymes are used to cut the bacterial plasmids, which are the small circles of DNA that are located within bacteria cells that occur naturally. \n Step 3: The plasmids and cut DNA are combined to..

Continue Reading

Why are rhinos endangered?

The rhino has lost its habitat to both people and land cleared for agricultural and commercial uses. For example, in Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park in Sumatra, forests formerly inhabited by rhinos are being used for coffee and rice settlers. Some populations, such as the Javan, are so small that it is difficult to breed large numbers that are healthy. Natural disasters, such as tsunamis and volcanoes, threaten some rhino populations. Finally, diseases transmitted from other animals also hinder their health and numbers.

Continue Reading

What are some uses for argon gas?

Argon is a noble gas which under normal circumstances doesn't react with any other element. This is why it's used as a shield gas during welding. Its use protects the metal that's being worked on from the oxygen in the air.\nWhen argon is excited by a current of electricity, it glows with a bright blue light. This makes it sought after for light signs and indicator lights.\nCrystals of germanium and silicon are grown in protective atmospheres of argon. Argon is also used to humanely slaughter chickens and even helps prolong the time when the meat is good to eat. It's used a..

Continue Reading

What time of year do droughts occur?

Droughts are usually noticed the most during periods when a region receives the majority of its precipitation. This varies from place to place. One region may get most of its rainfall in the spring, while another receives most of its during the winter. A drought can take weeks, months, years or even decades to notice.\nA drought is a period of drier-than-normal conditions that results in water-related problems, such as a lack of drinking water, crop failure and lower water levels in rivers and streams. The term drought is very subjective and can mean different things to different people. To a ..

Continue Reading

How is radon used?

A bigger concern than its use is the potential harm caused by radon. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates radon to be responsible for 21,000 lung cancer deaths annually.\nAccording to the EPA, radon gas results from the natural radioactive decay of uranium, which is in almost all soils. It moves through the ground into the air, it enters the home through holes and cracks in the foundation, and levels continue to build as homes trap the gas.\nRadon gas is everywhere in the United States, and it contaminates homes in every state. While it is not possible to smell or see radon, simple te..

Continue Reading

What are the eight phyla of invertebrates?

Sponges are members of the phylum Porifera. They look like plants and were once thought to be plants. They live attached to substrates on the ocean and filter out their food from the currents of water.\nCnidaria are also simple, aquatic animals. These include sea anemones, jellyfish, corals and hydroids. Unlike sponges, they have bodies that are radially symmetric, which means one side resembles the other if the animal is cut in half.\nPlatyhelminthes are flatworms. Some of these worms, such as tapeworms, are parasitic. Annelida are also worms and include the earthworm and the leech.\nNematod..

Continue Reading

How do you build a pulley for a science project?

Instead of storebought pulleys for a science project, it is easy for a student to make her own. The only supplies needed are heavy corrugated cardboard, a compass to draw circles, scissors, a nail, strong glue, nuts and bolts and a wire coat hanger.Make the circlesUse the compass to draw three circles on the cardboard. Two of them should have a radius of 1.5 inches. The third circle should be slightly smaller, with a radius of about 1 to 1.25 inches. Cut the circles out with sharp scissors. Three circles make one pulley, therefore if a pulley system is the goal, make more sets.Glue the circles..

Continue Reading
Showing 2361 to 2370 of 10000 (1000 Pages)