Once again it is that time of year – National Science Week. Some of you might remember that I’m always saying you should go visit your local science centre. If you can’t get your teacher to take the whole class, then ask your parental agents to take you. They’re really very cool places, where not only do you have loads of fun, but you also learn some very interesting stuff.
So I thought I’d share some crazy facts and maybe you’d like to do a little science experiment all of your own at home.
First the facts. Did you know…
- Your tongue is the strongest muscle in your body.
- Earth is the only planet not named after a god.
- There are no naturally occurring blue foods, even blueberries are purple!
- Just like finger prints, everybody’s tongue is different.
- A “jiffy” is the scientific name for 1/100th of a second.
- You breathe on average about 5 million times a year.
- Cockroaches can live several weeks with their heads cut off. (Eeergh – that’s really gross.)
Now for the experiment…
Its winter time and we all enjoy a bit of heat when we are cold – right. Heat is an important form of energy. It is produced in our own bodies as we break down and use the food we eat. We can release stored heat energy by burning fuels such as wood or coal.
Heat can move from one substance to another in three different ways:
- By convection. (Convection takes place when heated molecules move from one place to another, taking the heat with them.)
- By radiation. (Radiation is rays of energy – the Sun’s rays travel through space and reach us as heat and light energy.)
- By conduction. (Conduction is the way heat spreads through a solid or a liquid object – metal is a faster conductor than glass.)
Maybe get an adult to help you here – or at least ask if you can have 3 peas and a teaspoon of butter!
Take a metal spoon, a wooden ruler and a plastic spatula. Stick a frozen pea to one end of each using a bit of butter. Put the other ends in a jug of hot water.
Heat is conducted from the water up each object, melting the butter and making the pea fall off. Which one do you think will be the best conductor?
Science makes the world go round!
Sibo