Science

Refine Search

Is moss a producer or a decomposer?

Moss is considered both a producer and a decomposer because it produces its own food through photosynthesis and helps to break down organic matter into nutrients. For example, the most dominant plant found in peatlands is moss. Peatlands, a type of wetland, hosts few animals because not many animals feed on moss with the exception of some birds. However, the moss does benefit small animals in other ways by providing shelter.\nMoss is also found in deserts such as the Arches National Park in Utah, a rare plant in a dry climate. Although it is a valuable food source for animals. It also helps to..

Continue Reading

What are the apparatuses used in a microbiology laboratory?

Incubators maintain optimal environmental conditions, making it easier for microbiologists to grow bacteria. Using an incubator, a microbiologist is able to control humidity, temperature and oxygen levels. A growth medium is placed inside the incubator to ensure the micro-organism has the nutrients it needs to proliferate.\nMicrobiologists must prevent cross-contamination of their samples. To do this, they sterilize instruments and supplies after using them. The autoclave exposes equipment to saturated steam at a high pressure, killing bacteria and other micro-organisms. Autoclaves are often u..

Continue Reading

When did water pollution start?

Early forms of water pollution were usually due to contamination from human and animal waste, which caused major outbreaks of diseases like cholera. After the Industrial Revolution, new manufacturing and mining processes caused toxic chemicals to be dumped into lakes and rivers at a high rate. Several bodies of water became so polluted that they caught fire. However, even in ancient times industries like textile dye factories and tanneries were known for causing water pollution.

Continue Reading

What is taurine made from?

Taurine is an amino acid, a chemical that is a required building block of protein. Although taurine occurs naturally in food and breast milk, nearly all commercially available taurine is chemically synthesized.\nTaurine contains a sulfonate group. In 1993, approximately 5,000 to 6,000 tons of taurine were produced for commercial purposes; half was used for pet food manufacture and the other half for pharmaceutical applications.

Continue Reading

What is the list of categories or classification in order from most general to most specific?

The scientist Carl Linnaeus designed the first taxonomic table, which was based on shared physical traits. Linnaeus began by dividing all of nature into three kingdoms: animal, vegetable and mineral. The taxonomic system has since been revised in accordance with the theory of evolution. Since the 1960s, a new system has been employed called cladistic taxonomy, which arranges organisms in an evolutionary tree. Organisms that share common ancestors are grouped in a clade. Humans are classified as Homo sapiens according to Linnaeus's binomial naming system, which is still used to identify ev..

Continue Reading

How do you determine VOC content?

Federal authorities have regulated VOCs because of their human toxicity potential and their tendency to migrate into ground water and cause environmental damage. The solvents and coatings used in inks, adhesives and other products are largely considered VOCs, although there are some solvents that are VOC-exempt. This is important for manufacturers to know if they are to comply with federal guidelines on VOC content. The content can be measured in two ways. If the substance is a liquid, the formula to determine VOC content is as follows: VOC = pounds of solvent - exempt solvent / gallon of coat..

Continue Reading

What are the building blocks of protein?

The amino acids that are made from chemicals already found within the human body are called non-essential amino acids. Amino acids that cannot be made naturally are called essential amino acids. The digestive system breaks down consumed protein into their amino acids so they can enter the blood stream. Once in the bloodstream, cells utilize the amino acids as building blocks to create various proteins.\nWhile the majority of crops that are grown for human consumption contain some essential amino acids, soy products and animal sources of protein contain all the essential amino acids; these prod..

Continue Reading

How do animals respond to stimuli?

The freezing-in-place response is typical in the young of prey species. Ducklings crouch and freeze when birds fly overhead to avoid detection. Fawns are born nearly odorless, and their dappled coats provide good camouflage as long as they stay motionless.\nPrairie dogs, which live in large colonies, are examples of animals that react to danger stimuli by running and hiding. Prairie dogs take turns acting as lookouts, constantly sampling the air, listening and scanning the horizon. If a predator is spotted, an alarm cry goes out, and the entire colony heads for the safety of the underground tu..

Continue Reading

Why is soil important to humans?

Soil is the upper layer of the earth on which plants grow. It is generally a black or dark-brown material that essentially contains a combination of various organic particles, clay and rock components. Soil is one of the three principal natural resources; the other two are air and water. Soil is regarded as life and the pillar of agriculture because it is the medium onto which most plants grow. Organisms found in the soil, such as worms, beetles, bacteria and fungi, obtain food from the soil.\nTrees meant for commercial purposes are also grown in soil. The growth of forests, grasslands and man..

Continue Reading

Why does blood turn black?

Hemoglobin holds onto oxygen to carry it around your body. Hemoglobin takes on a different shape when oxygenated and appears more "red" when fully oxygenated. When the oxygen molecules leave the hemoglobin, the substance changes shape and appears to be very dark, notes Hiskey. When blood leaves your body, your red blood cells die and the hemoglobin eventually becomes deoxygenated. Blood that has recently left a body has a much brighter red color due to the fact it is oxygenated by the air. The eventual death of the red blood cells releases the oxygen, turning the hemoglobin dark red.\nYour blo..

Continue Reading
Showing 9171 to 9180 of 10000 (1000 Pages)