VanCleave's Science Fun

Your Guide to Science Projects, Fun Experiments, and Science Research

Archives for 2010

Black Hole Facts

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A black hole starts out as a star, which is very large. Stars give off light because of the nuclear reaction in its core. This reaction produces massive amount of energy resulting in extreme temperatures. The motion of particles increases with an increase in temperature. The kinetic energy of these particles is in an outward […]

Sound Facts

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 Sound is a vibration in an elastic material that is capable of being heard by the human ear.  Vibration is a back and forth motion. Elastic is the ability of a material to compress and expand .  Sound energy moves as a wave, thus is called sound waves. These waves cause a material to compress, […]

Good vs. Bad Acoustics

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Acoustics has two meanings: (1) The science of acoustics is the study of sound, which deals with the production and transmission of sound. (2) The acoustics of a room indicates how sound acts in a room. Acoustical engineering understand the science of acoustics and use this knowledge in designing and building structures with specific acoustics. […]

Scientific Method: Outline

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What is the Scientific Method? The scientific method is a basic outline that is required for for science fair projects. The steps in this outline were determine by observing the work of successful scientists of the past and they are still in use today. The steps shown here are in an order suggested for developing […]

Simple Leaves vs. Compound Leaves

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The diagram shows two types of leaves: Simple Leaves: A single leaf is attached to the stem. While most are attached by a petiole, it could be directly attached without a petiole. Compound Leaves : The petiole of each compound leaf is attached to a petiole-like midrib, which, in turn, is attached to the stem. […]

Torque: Turning Effort

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Torque Torque is the turning effort. To open a jar, you must apply a turning effort on the lid in a counterclockwise direction. To close a jar, you must apply a turning effort on the lid in a clockwise direction. The lid turns around a point in its center. A merry-go round also turns around […]

Chemisty: Perfume

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I love Meet Me At The Corner videos. They all present information via an interview with someone in the know. The Chemistry of Perfume for Kids video contains an interview with a perfume maker. He has lots of interesting facts about perfume, such as: At one time people put perfume on their gloves. These scented […]

Eye Pupil: Dilated vs. Contracted

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Pupil: Hole in Your Eye The pupil of your eye is the dark spot in the center of your eye. The pupil is actually a hole in your eye covered by a thin skin. Light enters your eye through your pupil. Pupils change size in response to light intensity. Pupils dilate: This means the opening […]

Symbols for Synthetic Elements

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Synthetic elements are man-made. These elements are radioactive (decay giving off radiation). Synthetic elements are often named after the person discovering them or after some famous scientist, such as Einsteinium. The person who is given credit for discovering an element has the right to name it. Both Soviet and American scientists claimed to have been […]