Science

Refine Search

What is the bright star under the moon?

The planet Venus shines at a magnitude of -4.1, as measured on the astronomical scale of brightness, making Venus’ brightness 11 times that of the next brightest star, Sirius. According to Space.com, Venus' distinct brightness stems from cosmic geometry. As the planet orbits the sun, humans on earth can see it illuminated from all directions. The planet is at its brightest point of illumination when it is on the far side of the sun in relation to the Earth.

Continue Reading

What is the function of podocytes?

As explained by Richard Ransom of the University of Michigan, one of the most important functions of the kidneys is the filtration of blood. The kidneys must excrete fluid and waste products, while retaining blood cells and proteins within the bloodstream.\nThe first functional unit in this process is the glomerulus, which is a network of leaky capillaries surrounded by Bowman's capsule. The capillary walls are the barrier between the bloodstream and the urinary space of Bowman's capsule, and the podocyte processes maintain the filtration barrier. As described by Ransom, the podocyte..

Continue Reading

How many miles wide is the Earth?

Because the Earth slightly flattens out at the poles, its shape is an oblate spheroid, meaning that it is similar to a sphere but is not perfectly regular. The circumference of the Earth at the equator is 24,902 miles. Again, that is a bit more than its circumference from pole to pole, which is 24,860 miles.\nAt 5.52 grams per cubic centimeter, the Earth is the densest planet in the solar system. The Earth has a mass of 6.6 sextillion tons and a total surface area of 197 million square miles.

Continue Reading

What are some common natural disasters?

Wildfires destroy acres of land in days and are common in the western United States. Extremely hot, humid weather is known as a heat wave. As of 2015, heat waves in the United States cause dozens of deaths each year. Around 10,000 severe thunderstorms affect the United States annually, resulting in major damage and causing around 80 deaths.

Continue Reading

What measures mass?

Mass is independent of position, while weight is not. A balance counteracts the difference in weight between a reference weight and a measured weight to give mass, regardless of the magnitude of the acceleration due to gravity. The weights of two objects placed on a scale are reduced to one-sixth of their weight on Earth, meaning a scale will tip the same amount regardless of where the measurement is made.\nMass can also be measured by measuring the acceleration of a body due to the application of a known force. Because force is equal to mass times acceleration, according to Newton’s second ..

Continue Reading

What is the left-hand rule of magnetic polarity?

In regard to magnetic polarity, the left-hand rule shows the direction of the magnetic force, electrical current and magnetic field when a charged particle comes into contact with a magnetic field. It is performed by contorting the left hand in such a way so that the index finger points in the direction of the magnetic field. The middle finger should, in a 90-degree angle, point towards the electrical current. The thumb then forms a 90-degree angle with the index finger and points in the direction of the force being applied on the particle.\nFleming's left-hand rule can also be used to he..

Continue Reading

How can you tell when the next full moon is?

The moon travels around the Earth every 29.5 days, meaning the next full moon is 29.5 days from the last. Contrary to common misconceptions, the phases of the moon are not caused by the earth's shadow, but rather the fact that half of the moon is always in shadow while half of it is always lit by the sun, just as with the Earth. As the Moon revolves around the Earth, different portions of that shadow are visible, going from new moon to half moon to full moon and back.\nMoonGiant.com and MoonPhases.info are websites specifically dedicated to the moon and both list its cycle dates. MoonGian..

Continue Reading

Is nickel magnetic?

Nickel is a silvery-white metal that can be highly polished. The magnetism of the element is caused by long-range ordering at the atomic level. The unpaired electrons in nickel spin to line up parallel with one another in the atom's domain. These magnetic domains line up with one another when exposed to an external magnetic field. This quality makes nickel very useful in the creation of electromagnets.

Continue Reading

What are examples of static electricity?

Static electricity is essentially the electric charge of a surface or material being out of balance. Everything is made up of atoms and atoms contain protons, neutrons and electrons. Protons have a positive charge, electrons a negative charge and neutrons are neutral meaning they have no charge. When two objects are rubbed against one another, electrons can transfer from one object to another. This builds up static electricity.\nIf a person wearing a wool hat removes the hat, her hair becomes electrically charged. The wool rubs against the hair when the hat is removed, transferring electrons f..

Continue Reading

How did artificial selection influence Darwin's thinking ?

Darwin used artificial selection as a key argument to demonstrate the processes and potential of natural selection in his work "The Origin of Species". Before writing the book, he made a thorough study of artificial selection in order to guide the Victorian reader through the intellectual basis of his theory. Artificial selection is also known as breeding. All domestic plants and animals have undergone breeding by humans to produce the crops, pets, draft animals, herds and flocks seen today.\nDarwin used pigeons in particular to test his theory of selection, as domestic pigeon breeds are exce..

Continue Reading
Showing 2981 to 2990 of 10000 (1000 Pages)