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Archives for 2010

Turkey Wishbone Breaking Tradition

By Janice VanCleave

Wishbone Breaking

Thanksgiving is a US holiday originating from the Pilgrims’ giving thanks to God for supplying the resources they needed to survive the long winter in the new world. Among other customs, the pilgrims brought the tradition of the breaking of the wishbone. The basic rules for this event have not changed. Two people, each holding […]

Filed Under: Force and Motion, Physics

Fast Plant Movement

By Janice VanCleave

The leaves of the Mimosa plant in the video close when touched. Even wind triggers leaf closing. This fast plant movement is not a growth movement, instead it is due to changes in cell turgor pressure. Turgor pressure in plant cells is due to the amount of water inside water storage areas called vacuoles. The […]

Filed Under: Biology Tagged With: fast plant movement, Mimosa leaves, turgor pressure

The Fastest Moving Plant

By Janice VanCleave

To date, the fastest moving plant is the White Mulberry (Morus alba). The flower of this mulberry tree shoots pollen at speeds around 200 meters per second. The flower is able to shoot pollen so quickly because its stamens work like medieval catapults. How a Catapult Works A catapult is known as a trebuchet, which […]

Filed Under: Biology, Plants Tagged With: plant movement

Why Liquids are Slippery

By Janice VanCleave

Solids The particles that make up a solid are very ordered, and the forces between the particles are strong, holding the particles in a rigid form. A solid cannot flow (freely move). Gases Gas particles have no regularity in their arrangement. Gases have no restrictions on their movement, and are widely separated. The forces between […]

Filed Under: Chemistry Tagged With: fluids, hydroplane, slippery

Why Sunflowers Follow the Sun!

By Janice VanCleave

Sun-tracking or heliotropic flowers face the Sun as it moves across the sky each day. Sunflowers are heliotropic. How do these flowers turn so they face the Sun during the day? Discover for Yourself! Do the stems of twist so that the flowers continue to face the Sun? You can check this out for yourself. […]

Filed Under: Biology Tagged With: heliotropic, sun-trackers, sunflowers

Benefits of Solar Tracking Flowers

By Janice VanCleave

Artic Heliotropic Flower

Solar-tracking, or heliotropic, flowers are common where the air is often cool and the growing season is short. The snow buttercup, arctic poppy  and other bowl-shaped heliotropic flowers collect energy from sunlight and heat up. The temperature inside the bowl of these flowers can become as much as fourteen degrees Fahrenheit warmer than the air […]

Filed Under: Biology Tagged With: heliotropic, heliotropism, mutualism, solar-tracking

Periodic Table Groups

By Janice VanCleave

The Periodic Table of Elements is arranged so that elements in groups have similar properties. The valence electrons for Groups 1, 2, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, and 18 are easily to determine. Groups 1 and 2 The valence electrons for Groups 1 and Group 2 are equal to the group number.In other words, Valence […]

Filed Under: Chemistry Tagged With: periodic table groups, valence electrons

Calendar:Periodic Table of Days

By Janice VanCleave

Things that repeat according to a pattern are said to be periodic. On a calendar, days are in numerical order in columns (up and down). Each Column (vertical group) is for the same day of the week. Every seventh day falls on the same day. Thus, the dates for the same day of the week […]

Filed Under: Chemistry Tagged With: calendar, coordinates, periodic

Viscosity

By Janice VanCleave

LIQUIDS FLOW Because liquid particles can move past each other, they can flow. This is very important when transporting liquids from one place to another through pipes or water ways. VISCOSITY is a measure of the resistance of a liquid to flowing. The viscosity of a liquid increases as the temperature of a liquid decreases. […]

Filed Under: Chemistry Tagged With: flow, fluid, viscosity

Chlelate: Chlorophyll

By Janice VanCleave

Chlorophyll is an organic molecule. The basic  organic molecule is composed of carbon and hydrogen. More complex organic compounds contain carbon, hydrogen, and other elements such as oxygen and nitrogen. A chelate is an organic  compound with a central metal ion. Chlorophyll is one of the most important chelates in nature. In the diagram, the […]

Filed Under: Biology, Plants Tagged With: chelate, chlorophyll, organic molecule, photosynthesis

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Welcome to Janice’s Science Extravaganza!

The spoon hanging from the string vibrates when struck and these vibrations are transmitted through the string and the sound is amplified by the plastic cups. ABOUT ME: Hi, I am Janice VanCleave, author of 50 best-selling science experiment books for children ages 4 through high school. I taught science for 27 years. MORE.....

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