To the people who suffer through a major earthquake it may not be very important to know how strong the quake was on a scale of 1 to 10. But there is such a scale, developed to assign a number to the power or strength of an earthquake. This is commonly called the Richter scale, [...]

As we try to answer this question we have to understand the difference between “can” and “may.” For nearly 20 years, the federal agency responsible for electronic communication in the United States and the companies that own airplanes have banned the use of cellular phones on airplanes. This means we may not use our phones [...]

When people think about earthquakes their first thought is usually the shaking of the ground that causes buildings to collapse. This is definitely one of the hazards associated with an earthquake. But there are a lot of other hazards and “problems” that are caused when Mother Earth decides to shake and tremble.
It may not [...]

A surface that is pure copper or contains a large amount of copper will develop a green patina with a bluish tint after an extended period of exposure to the elements. The simple explanation for this is that the metal weathers in a specific manner when exposed to sunlight, wind and moisture.
Atoms of copper (also [...]

Radar has been used for decades in military settings and in weather tracking. This technology may be one of the most useful tools human beings have. In fact, we have enjoyed the benefits of radar for so long, in all parts of our lives, that we may be taking it for granted in the 21st [...]

Color, electromagnetic waves and heat levels are very closely related; a fact that we don’t always consider when we use everyday objects. For example, red light has different temperature levels and wave lengths than blue light, green light or any other color of light. This basic information is important to our understanding of infrared technology. [...]

Getting knowledge of how a pedometer works starts with understanding the two parts of the word. “Ped” refers to the feet and to moving while “meter” refers to measuring. So we are trying to measure how far we are going while on our feet (as opposed to a thermometer, which measures temperature, or a speedometer, [...]

People who live in cold climates understand that salt is a great way to melt ice on sidewalks and driveways. But the same people might not understand that salt is also a key ingredient in making things freeze!
How can this be?
We’ll look at the basic process and relate it to how an ice [...]

Most people will never know how a breathalyzer works, at least not from personal experience. This is a good thing, considering that this modern piece of equipment is designed to detect the amount of alcohol in a person’s system. Most of the breathalyzers in use today are in the hands of law enforcement officers, of [...]

This unique and efficient form of lighting has become more popular in recent years, primarily because fluorescent lights cost less to operate than the traditional incandescent light bulb. The fluorescent lamp is a bit more complicated than the classic bulb so they may be more expensive to purchase. However, the cost of operation is less, [...]