VanCleave's Science Fun

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

The Science of Going Barefooted

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Use Discount Code– AFF20 —-to save 20% on Purchases. Janice VanCleave’s Biology For Every Kid: 101 Easy Experiments That Really Work   Janice VanCleave’s The Human Body for Every Kid: Easy Activities that Make Learning Science Fun 

Biomes

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Notes from Janice’s Desk I’ve been thinking of all the different geographical regions of the world that I’ve had an opportunity to visit. The geographic South Pole in Antarctica was the most difficult to get to as well as being a difficult place to visit. Not only was it cold but the altitude was about […]

Earthworm: Respiration System

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Earthworms Do Not Have Lungs. How Does Oxygen Enter an Earthworm’s Body? Answer: While earthworms do not have lungs, like you, they must have oxygen to live. You have lungs that fill will air when you inhale. In your lungs, oxygen from the air is mixed with blood, and then the blood carries oxygen to […]

The Color Of Human Blood

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Why is Human Blood Red? Why Do Veins Under the Skin Look Blue? Human blood has two parts, liquid and solid. Liquid: About 50 to 60 % of your blood is a yellowish liquid called plasma. Plasma is a solution made up of water (solvent)  and solutes, such as glucose, vitamins, minerals, antibodies, and all […]

Milk Protein Groups: Casein and Whey

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Caseins are proteins in milk containing  amino acids, which are  important for growth and development, especially of young nursing children and animals. The key reasons why cow milk  is such an important human food is that the milk contains casein. Caseins are highly digestible in the intestine and are a high quality source of amino […]

Milk Proteins: Casein and Whey

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Proteins are chains of amino acid molecules connected by high energy bonds, called peptide bonds. There are twenty two different kinds of amino acids that are combined in different orders to form proteins.  All but nine of the amino acids can be produced by your body. These nine amino acids are called essential amino acids […]

Antioxidant vs. Free Radicals

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Free radicals are substances that have unpaired electrons. These substances act like “electron scavengers,” in that they snatch away electrons from other chemicals, thus turning these chemicals into free radicals on the prowl for electrons. This ongoing robbing of electrons can result in damage to critical chemicals needed for life processes. Antioxidants are molecules that […]

DNA Extraction Research

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Discovery Investigation: DNA Extraction 1. Why is the banana smashed? Smashing the banana breaks cell wall as well as cell membranes so that the nuclei are released. 2. What is the purpose of the dish washing liquid? The membrane around cell membranes as well as the membrane around the nuclei contains material that dissolves in […]

Vision: Color Perception

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Color is the perceived image of a surface determined by the wavelength of light reflecting from the surface. The color of a flower depends on who or what is viewing the flower. The top photo show the flowers as perceived by a person with color vision. The bottom photo shows the pattern revealed to bees, […]

Respiration

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Respiration is more than just breathing. In fact, while breathing is necessary to supply oxygen, the respiration process has three sets of chemical reactions: glycolysis; the Krebs cycle, or the citric acid cycle; and the electron transport system. Each of the three parts of respiration is carried out in every cell of your body. Respiration […]