Earthquake strength is reported on a special scale that gives us some idea of the “magnitude” of these major events. This measurement method, commonly referred to by the name Richter scale, is based on the same idea that astronomers use to measure the brightness of objects in the sky. That scale also uses the word [...]

This galaxy among the billions of stars in the universe is given the name “Milky Way” because of the way it appears to those viewing it from the Earth. Most of the stars in our galaxy appear so close together that there is a “milky” white band in the night sky. All of the stars [...]

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 [...]