Science
A:
Copper, zinc, nickel, gold, manganese and silver are the elements used for making coins. Common U.S. coins, such as the penny and dime, are made mostly of copper.
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Q: What is the difference between a solar and lunar eclipse?
A: A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth so that the Moon's shadow falls on the Earth. A lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth passes between the Sun and Moon and the Sun casts the Earth's shadow on the Moon. Both events happen only when the Sun, Moon and Earth are aligned. -
Q: What do you call a person who studies space?
A: A person who studies space is called an astronomer or astrophysicist. These types of scientists are responsible for the discovery of all of the planets, stars, asteroids and other extraterrestrial objects. -
Q: What causes a lunar eclipse?
A: Lunar eclipses are caused when the moon travels through the Earth’s shadow. Complete lunar eclipses are rare, but partial lunar eclipses may occur up to four times per year. -
Q: Is the sun bigger than the moon and Earth?
A: The sun is bigger than both the moon and the Earth. The Earth is approximately 7,926 miles in diameter, while the sun is roughly 900,000 miles in diameter. The moon is smaller than both the sun and the Earth, with a diameter of 2,159.26 miles. -
Q: How do I set up a Tasco telescope?
A: Tasco provides free online instruction manuals for all of their products. Their telescopes come partially assembled. The tripod needs to be assembled, then the main body of the telescope attached to it. Once the main body of the telescope is on the tripod, the various accessories such as finderscopes and eyepieces need to be attached. The accessories vary slightly by model of telescope. -
Q: What is the bright object in the western sky?
A: The planet Venus is the brightest object in the western sky. At its brightest, Venus is almost 10 times brighter than Jupiter, the sky's second brightest object. - See More Astronomy Questions
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Q: How are microscopes used today?
A: Microscopes are currently used in a variety of disciplines, fields and contexts. For example, biologists use microscopes to study tiny organisms, such as bacteria and algae. Doctors and lab workers often use microscopes to investigate biological samples for parasites. -
Q: What is biological inheritance?
A: Biological inheritance is broadly defined as physical heredity. Heredity, or inheritance in the biological sense, refers to the physical features that offspring inherit from their parents, such as eye color, shape of nose and mouth, height and other distinguishing physical characteristics. -
Q: What is the difference between anabolism and catabolism?
A: Anabolism is a process in which the liver creates new proteins from digested nutrients, while catabolism involves the breaking down of proteins into essential amino acids. Both are vital to the body's metabolism and maintaining healthy cell function. -
Q: How is body temperature controlled?
A: Body temperature is controlled through the process of thermoregulation, which allows the body to maintain a consistent temperature at its core. Homeostasis is the state which occurs when thermoregulation is successful. -
Q: How high can a human jump?
A: The greatest human leapers in the world are able to jump over a bar suspended nearly 8 feet off of the ground. While the world record consistently increased for a period of about 100 years, recently, it appears that competitive high jumpers may be approaching the human body’s biological limits. Most average humans jump only a fraction of this height. -
Q: Where can I find a list of omnivorous animals?
A: The website for the St. John Fisher College has a webpage dedicated to lists of omnivores and omnivore food sources. Omnivores are animals that consume both plants and animals. - See More Biology Questions
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Q: Why does water evaporate?
A: Water evaporates because individual water molecules break free of the bonds that hold them all together as a liquid. While water evaporates more in heat, it is possible for it to evaporate in cold conditions. -
Q: What does oxygen do?
A: Oxygen is a highly soluble element that is critical to biological functions, notably respiration. It comprises about 16 to 21 percent of Earth's atmosphere, allowing it to be inhaled and converted to carbon dioxide to power the cells of aerobic organisms. Most animals and plants on Earth require oxygen to survive. Generally, plants convert carbon dioxide to oxygen, and animals convert oxygen to carbon dioxide, during respiration. -
Q: What is plastic made of?
A: Most plastics are made from oil. Oil is a long-chain hydrocarbon, meaning that it is composed of long chains of carbon molecules. These long chains of carbon molecules give plastic its characteristic strength and flexibility. -
Q: What substances act as natural buffers?
A: According to a 1963 study at Harvard University, carbon dioxide, bicarbonate and carbonate act as buffers to fluctuating hydrogen ion concentrations in natural sources of unprocessed water, helping the water maintain a relatively constant pH. Since the concentrations of buffer chemicals are low, outside forces also influence water pH. -
Q: What is the composition of pure air?
A: By volume, dry air is 78.09 percent nitrogen and 20.95 percent oxygen, accounting for over 99 percent of the total volume. The remaining 1 percent is made up of argon, carbon dioxide, neon, methane, helium, krypton, hydrogen, xenon, ozone, nitrogen dioxide, iodine and trace amounts of carbon monoxide and ammonia. -
Q: What is the nickname for mercury?
A: The nickname for the element mercury is "quicksilver." Mercury's atomic symbol, Hg, is derived from the Greek word "hydrargyrum," which means "liquid silver." It is the only metal that is a liquid at room temperature. - See More Chemistry Questions
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Q: What two colors make green?
A: Combining blue and yellow creates green. However, the shade of green created is altered depending on the ratio of yellow to blue. -
Q: What term describes the lightness or darkness of a color?
A: "Value" is the term that describes the lightness or darkness of a color. The value of a color helps to define a form and to create the illusion of depth in an image. -
Q: What colors make green?
A: Green is made by mixing blue and yellow. A mixture containing more blue than yellow makes dark green, while a mixture with more yellow than blue makes lime green, and a blue-and-yellow mixture with white added makes pastel green. -
Q: How many colors are in a rainbow?
A: There are seven colors in a rainbow: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet. The acronym ROYGBIV, pronounced "Roy G. Biv," is a popular mnemonic to remember the colors in order. -
Q: How do you mix colors to make aqua?
A: When working with watercolors or similar types of dye or paint, mixing primary colors allows painters to create specific shades not included in the paint kit. Mixing blue and green paint together creates any shade of aqua desired. -
Q: What colors do you mix to get turquoise?
A: The color turquoise is made when blue and green are mixed together. The color is named after the semiprecious stone of the same name, which is greenish blue in color. - See More Colors Questions
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