Science

Refine Search

What are some nonrenewable energy sources?

Fossil fuels are fossilized organic matter formed through millions of years of plant and animal decomposition under the earth’s surface. Fossil fuels require extraction by mining and drilling. Petroleum must be refined and processed into gasoline and other fuel products. None of these fossil fuels, which are used in homes, businesses, manufacturing and transportation, can be reproduced or manufactured. Although nuclear power, used to generate electricity, is not a fossil fuel, it is a nonrenewable resource because the source of nuclear power is a rare type of uranium, U-235, which is expensi..

Continue Reading

What is the smallest planet in the solar system?

Pluto, with a mean radius of almost 736 miles, was classified as a planet prior to 2006, when the IAU established a new set of conditions for an object to be considered a planet. This redefinition led Pluto to be reclassified as a dwarf planet. As of 2014, the IAU recognized five dwarf planets in the solar system, including Eris, which is slightly larger than Pluto.

Continue Reading

What is a hurricane?

A storm that strengthens over a period of days or weeks is considered a hurricane. The process of hurricane formation starts in the warm, damp air over the tropics, which includes the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico, the eastern North Pacific Ocean, the north Atlantic ocean, the east of the International Dateline and the north of the equator. Hurricanes are first categorized as tropical cyclones.\nBefore a tropical cyclone turns into a hurricane, it passes through four different stages. The first stage is tropical disturbance - a system of clouds, showers and thunderstorms originating in the..

Continue Reading

What is the use of transistors?

Transistors were invented by John Bardeen, Walter Brattain and William Shockley in 1947. Prior to transistor development, electronics were very large to compensate for electrical flow. Therefore, very few appliances could be useful or convenient in homes and schools. Integrated circuits allowed for electronics, such as computers, calculators and radios, to be made much more compact and suitable for use in homes.\nThe main property of transistors that allow them to be useful is called gain, which allows the transistor to receive and send very large signals from its very small terminals. They ca..

Continue Reading

How can someone reduce the impact of earthquakes?

In earthquake-prone areas, meticulous inspection should be done on workplaces and houses to determine the existence of any structural dangers. The concerned engineers should give assurance of structural stability on sites. Unstable furniture, water heaters, gas tanks and movable equipment should be secured to the wall or the floor. Heavy objects should be removed from high places, and all the emergency exits should be kept free of obstacles. During an earthquake, people should not move around or try to get out of buildings. If it is a multiple-story building, no one should try to evacuate usin..

Continue Reading

What are some amazing animal facts?

In areas with vegetation, there are approximately 50,000 spiders per acre. To jump, kangaroos use their tails for balance. There are 32 muscles in the ear of a cat. Giraffes lack vocal cords. Seahorses are the slowest fish in the sea. Tigers have striped skin as well as striped fur, and no two tigers' stripes are the same. Female elephants are one of only three mammals to experience menopause, along with humpback whales and humans.

Continue Reading

What are the physical properties of a substance?

The observation or measurement of physical properties of matter does not change its composition or its chemical nature. Other examples of physical properties include the infrared spectrum, attraction or repulsion to magnets, viscosity and opacity.The other basic type of property associated with matter is its chemical properties. Chemical properties of matter include reactivity with water, electromotive force, pH and heat of combustion.

Continue Reading

Is helium flammable?

The U.S. Department of Transportation defines a gas as flammable if it is ignitable within the presence of a less-than-13-percent mixture of air. This has to be able to occur at 68 degrees Fahrenheit and at atmospheric pressure. Because helium is chemically inert and nonflammable, it has uses in areas such as welding and pressure systems, where a gas is needed for a specific function but it is important that the gas not react with the metals in the system.

Continue Reading

What are some characteristics of a normal lumbar spine?

The lumbar vertebrae are larger and heavier than other vertebrae, says Spine-health and Innerbody. This is because they must support the weight of the torso. The spinal cord does not travel through the lumbar spine as it does through the cervical and thoracic spine, but branches out to form the cauda equina, which means "horse's tail." These branches pass down the buttocks, down the thighs and legs and to the feet.\nThe vertebrae of the lumbar spine, like most vertebrae in the spine, have a spongy disk between them to cushion the bones and allow the spine to be flexible, claims Healthline..

Continue Reading

What are jacaranda trees?

The jacaranda tree can grow up to 50 feet in height and have a 60-foot diameter. These trees grow best in large spaces due to their space requirements. South-Florida-Plant-Guide.com recommends planting jacaranda trees a minimum of 15 feet away from sidewalks and driveways, as their roots tend to grow close to the surface of the ground, which can cause problems as the tree reaches maturity. Planting away from such areas also minimizes the accumulation of jacaranda blossoms on the ground, which some people find messy.\nJacaranda trees generally do not bloom until at least five to seven years aft..

Continue Reading
Showing 2241 to 2250 of 10000 (1000 Pages)