VanCleave's Science Fun

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

Types of Energy

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Energy (E) is defined as the ability to do work (W). This relationship between energy and work can be expressed by this equation:  E = W Work is the force needed to move an object. The amount of work done is equal to the product of the force (F) times the distance (d) the object […]

Center of Gravity vs. Center of Mass

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The center of gravity is also called the center of mass.The center of gravity is the point at which an object can be balanced. In the photo, a line has been added to show the center of gravity of the system (chairs + the lady). The center of gravity is also the center of mass […]

Butterfly vs Moth Wings

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Butterflies and moths are insects in the order Lepidoptera. These insects are  similar in appearance, but there are distinct differences that can be used to identify one from the other. Period of Activity Moths are nocturnal (active at night) and butterflies are diurnal (active in the daytime).  This information helps you to distinguish a moth […]

Weather: Air Pressure

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Meteorology is the study of weather in a given region. Weather refers to whats going on in the troposphere (atmospheric layer next to the Earth). In other words, weather is the condition of the air layer above the Earth at a given place and time. Weather reports include air temperature, humidity (how wet the air […]

Stone Soup Activity

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Stone Soup is a wonderful story to encourage kids to share with each other. The video is one version of the story “Stone Soup.” Another tells of a solder who set up a cooking pot outdoors. He added water and a stone to the pot and started a fire beneath the pot. Periodically he would […]

Enzymes

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Catalyst vs. Enzymes A catalyst is a chemical that changes the speed of a chemical reaction. Generally a catalysts increases the rate of the reaction. Organic catalysts found in living organisms are called enzymes. Enzymes are proteins found in both plants and animals. It is believed that enzymes act like a holder into which molecules […]

Catalyst Model

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What is A Catalyst? A catalyst is a chemical that changes the rate of a chemical reaction, but does not become part of the product. Catalyst generally increases the rate of a chemical reaction. Catalysts are not all the same, one type of catalysts cause chemicals to break apart forming two or more  smaller molecules. […]

Leaf Blades and Petioles

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Basil The plant leaves represented are made of blades and petioles. The blade is the plant leaf.  It is the blade of the basil leaf that it used to season food. The petiole is  attaches the leaf to the plant stem. Celery Petioles are the part of the leave that attaches the blade to the […]