Physical Science

Mars is the fourth planet in the solar system, located in an orbit between Earth and Jupiter (this also makes it the last of the rocky planets; all more distant planets are gas giants). Viewed from Earth, Mars has a…
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In school they teach the speed of sound is 1,126 feet per second.  That is only part of the story and it is only partially true.  The reason for this is that the speed of sound changes. The factors that…
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If water is poured in a pan and put it on a stove over heat, the water will eventually start boiling. The phrase “water is boiling” essentially means that the water is transitioning from a liquid to a gaseous state…
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It is a common observation that warm water dissolves sugar more quickly than cold water. Temperature is just one of the factors that influence solubility. Nature of solute/solvent, pressure, particle size and mechanical motion, also affect the solubility of a…
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This makes an excellent science demonstration for high school students when performed by a trained adult professional.  Potassium chlorate (available through most chemical suppliers, such as Sigma-Aldrich – www.sigmaaldrich.com) is a white solid and perfectly safe to handle under normal…
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An atom is the smallest unit of stable matter that we speak of in normal conversation. This does not mean that it is the smallest type of matter: atoms themselves are made of smaller components, namely protons, neutrons, and electrons….
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A human’s “reaction time” is the amount of time it takes for a person to respond to stimuli, or to perform simple reflexive functions. Reaction time is generally related to reflex, the involuntary movement in response to a stimuli. To slow a reflex is…
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There are many factors that can affect human reaction time.  Reaction time is the time taken between a sensory stimulus appearing or occurring and the person involved making a response.  This happens constantly in every day life often subconsciously from…
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Fabulous Saturn, showpiece of the solar system is the sixth planet from the sun. It is also the second largest planet exceeded only by Jupiter in that regard. Named after the Roman god of agriculture, Saturn is roughly 10 times…
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Mixtures are all around us.  Remember, a mixture is anything other than a pure substance, and very few things are entirely pure substances.  Walking around the house and yard, a myriad of example are instantly available.  For the sake of…
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