Originally, carpets and rugs were cleaned by lifting them, taking them outside, hanging them over a line and beating them with a carpet beater (a very dusty job), or by…
Ultraviolet (UV) light is an invisible part of light. It has a shorter wavelength than violet light (see ‘Making a Rainbow: Breaking Light Into Colour’), and its name means ‘beyond…
Stalactites and stalagmites are formations of rock in underground caves. They are formed when calcium carbonate and other minerals dissolve in water running through the soil and rocks. As the…
Different solids turn into liquids (melt) at different temperatures. This temperature is described as the melting point. Some solids are made up of molecules that bind together tightly and others…
Whether they are in a bubble bath or drifting on the wind, bubbles are beautiful and fun things. Try making your own to examine the amazing properties of the simple…
Magnets are attracted to some metals, and can attract and repel each other. The earth has a magnetic field, and so magnets can be used to find directions. Magnets and…
Friction is the force that acts between two moving surfaces and tries to stop them moving. Friction can be between two solids, a solid and a liquid, or a solid…
Density describes how much something weighs relating to its size. For example, a cubic centimetre of cork weighs less (is less dense) than a cubic centimetre of lead (which is…
Atoms (the tiny building blocks that make everything) contain protons, which have a positive charge, and electrons, which have a negative charge. Some electrons are fixed onto the atoms quite…