Category: SciLearn

DO YOU KNOW?

Enjoy the incredible facts…

• Unless food is mixed with saliva you can’t taste it.
• The average person falls asleep in 7 minutes.
• Lemons contain more sugar than strawberries.
• 8% of people have an extra rib.
• An asteroid about the size of a car enters Earth’s atmosphere roughly once a year – but it burns up before it reaches us. Phew!
• 85% of plant life is found in the ocean.
• The first computer of the world, the ENIAC weighed around 27 tonnes and occupied an entire hall.
• Like humans, plants recognize their siblings and give them special treatment.

-Team ScienceNow

Solve This

A king once condemned a prisoner and wanted to give him a very harsh punishment. He keeps a glass containing some hydrochloric acid and another containing an equal amount of sodium hydroxide before the prisoner and asks him to drink both of them. The prisoner knows that the acid is highly corrosive and will destroy the mucous lining, as well as his oesophagus. The other solution is equally bad and will cause him to collapse. But he goes ahead and obeys the order. The king finds that the prisoner has survived without any ill effects.

How did he manage it?

Answer:

The prisoner understood the chemical reactions well. He knew that an acid is always neutralized by an alkali. So he poured the liquids in the two glasses into a third empty glass. When they thus got mixed, they reacted producing salt and water. These were harmless, except for the salty taste!

HCl + NaOH = H 2 O + NaCl

-Team ScienceNow

Do you know?

Some candid facts that will amaze you…

Why is DIAMOND the hardest substance on Earth?

Diamonds are incredibly hard because they have crystallized in a particular atomic shape after being subject to the effect of heat and pressure on Earth at a depth of 140 to 150 kilometres. This makes diamond the hardest mineral on earth and cannot be broken or cut easily. It is only possible by using another diamond.

Why do NEWSPAPERS turn yellow over time?

Paper is made from wood, which is made up mainly of white cellulose. Wood also has a lot of a dark substance in it called lignin, which ends up in the paper, too, along with the cellulose. The exposure of lignin to air and sunlight is what turns paper yellow.

Why do we get HEATSTROKE?

Heatstroke is a condition caused by your body overheating, usually as a result of prolonged exposure to or physical exertion in high temperatures. This most serious form of heat injury – heatstroke, can occur if your body temperature rises to 104 F (40 C) or higher.

Why do FORMULA 1 driver lose weight?

The F1 drivers can lose up to three kgs weight after a race due to extreme heat in the cockpit of the vehicle. Hence, the drivers take in large amounts of water before the race, even if they do not feel thirsty, to avoid dehydration through sweating.

Why is SUN harsh in summer?

In the early morning and late evening, UV (ultraviolet) radiation is less strong because the rays have farther to travel to get to the Earth. But throughout the year, the sun’s angle varies with the seasons, so the strength of UV rays change, too. UV rays are strongest in the summer months.

-Team ScienceNow

Test Your IQ

Try this Science Teaser….

Nisha’s mother was packing her lunch box. She tried to put an apple in it. But the fruit was big. So, she cut it into two halves and placed it inside. At lunch time, when Nisha opened the box, she found that the apple had turned brown in colour. She thought, “Now I know why mummy says that apples contain iron.” How did Nisha come to that conclusion?

Solution:

The apple was cut open. So, the pulp inside was exposed to air. It had turned brown. Obviously, some ingredient in the apple pulp had undergone a chemical reaction with constituents of air. Oxygen which is a major component of air reacts easily with substances and forms oxides. The brown colour of the apple was due to iron oxide. It was thus easy for Nisha to conclude that the apple contains iron.

-Team ScienceNow

Experiment

Make Some Ghost Bubbles

Bubbles are cool, but bubbles filled with fog are even cooler. Ghost Bubbles are what you get when you fill a bubble with a ghostly carbon dioxide cloud. But Ghost Bubbles are truly magical because you can roll them on your hands, bounce them off your sleeve, and pop them to release the burst of fog. It’s the combination of science and performance art that will leave everyone awestruck

Materials

• 1 cup of dry ice
• Insulated gloves for handling dry ice
• 2 cups lukewarm water
• 1 tbs. Liquid soap
• Some water to mix with the soap
• 1 rubber hose
• 1 plastic nozzle
• A jar with a hole in the lid to fit the hose
• Safety glasses
• Cotton towels for the bubbles to land on Bubbles are cool, but bubbles filled with fog are even cooler.

PROCEDURE

Step 1: Mix 1 tbs. liquid soap with water to your liking in a small container.

Step 2: Get a jar that has a lid

Step 3: Puncture a hole in it big enough to tightly fit the hose in it.

Step 4: Take the rubber hose and place it in the punctured hole. If it fits loosely, use tape to make a good seal.

Step 5: Place a plastic nozzle or something equivalent on the end of the rubber hose.

Step 6: In the jar, add the water and then the dry ice.

Step 7: Dip the nozzle in the soapy mixture. Step 8: Cap the lid and watch the bubbles form

What’s happening ?

Dry ice is carbon dioxide (CO2) in its solid form. At temperatures above -56.4 °C (-69.5 °F), dry ice changes directly from a solid to a gas, without ever being a liquid. This process is called sublimation. When dry ice is put in water it accelerates the sublimation process, creating clouds of fog that fill up your dry ice bubble until the pressure becomes too much and the bubble explodes. Dry ice is sometimes used as part of theatre productions and performances to create a dense foggy effect. It is also used to preserve food, freeze lab samples and even to make ice cream!

–Noel Fernandes

Team ScienceNow Digital

TEST YOUR IQ

QUIZ

Test your Brain Power… solve this QuiZ…..

1. In which month will the Gulmohar tree be at its peak of blossoms, filled with red flowers?

(A) December

(B) January

(C) June

(D) September

 

2. For which of the following tasks will an artificial satellite not be used?

(A) To measure the forests on earth

(B) To transport goods

(C) To telecast TV programmes

(D) To obtain information about weather

 

3. Public Health Department appeals to observe ‘A Dry Day’ once in a week __________.

(A) to prevent mosquito reproduction

(B) to clean up polluted water supply

(C) to tackle water shortage

(D) to make the area disinfectant

 

4. According to the time of sunrise, starting with the earliest, arrange the cities – Kolkata, Delhi, Mumbai and Shillong in the correct order.

(A) Kolkata, Mumbai, Delhi, Shillong

(B) Shillong, Kolkata, Delhi, Mumbai

(C) Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Shillong

(D) Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Shillong

 

5. Which of the following characteristic of a surface helps to form an image?

(A) Hardness

(B) Transparency

(C) Opacity

(D) Smoothness

 

6. What is the shape of galaxy Mandakini?

(A) Spiral

(B) Elliptical

(C) Barred Spiral

(D) Irregular

 

7. For avoiding pollution, which method of disposing wet garbage should be followed?

(A) To throw garbage in the dumping ground.

(B) To burn the garbage.

(C) To throw the garbage in stream water.

(D) To put earthworms in the garbage.

 

8. In which organ does mixing of inhaled Oxygen in the blood and exhaling of Carbon dioxide from the blood take place?

(A) Lungs

(B) Windpipe/Trachea

(C) Air-sacs

(D) Diaphragm

 

9. Soyabean mixed wheat flour used for making rotis provides more ________ to the body.

(A) carbohydrates

(B) fats

(C) proteins

(D) salt

 

10. Guess who am I?

I am formed out of ice and dust particles. I am seen after certain years.

My identity is my long feathery tail.

(A) Asteroid

(B) Dwarf planet

(C) Meteor

(D) Comet

 

11. On which tree-leaves, does a female tiger butterfly lay eggs?

(A) Cotton (Rui)

(B) Mango

(C) Mulberry

(D) Banyan

 

12. The colour of soil in Maharashtra state is different in various regions, as _______.

(A) the temperature of each region is different

(B) the proportion of minerals is different in the stone from which the soil is formed

(C) there is a difference in rainfall

(D) different crops are grown on the soil

 

13. Which of the following animals is a vertebrate?

(A) Toad

(B) Cockroach

(C) Earthworm

(D) Snail

 

14. When grain was stored in a closed tin, there were no maggots in it. But when opened after some months, there were maggots in the tin. From where they could have entered the tin?

(A) They must have entered the tin from the gaps

(B) They were hidden in the gaps

(C) There must be maggot eggs in the grain, when the grain was filled in the tin

(D) Maggots were born automatically

 

15. Which vehicle will require minimum energy to carry equal mass at equal distance?

(A) Ship

(B) Aeroplane

(C) Truck

(D) Railway

 

16. Raju sowed coriander seeds in a pot. After a few days, he noticed that the saplings from the pot had rotted. Find the reason.

(A) Got more sunlight

(B) Less use of manure

(C) More water was supplied than required

(D) Less sunlight and more manure were supplied than needed.

17. Smoking is prohibited in public place by law because.

(A) it causes diseases to breathing organs

(B) It causes lungs cancer

(C) persons who come in contact with the smokers, have to face bad effects of smoking.

(D) lips turn black.

 

18. Which of the following is an example of uniform linear motion?

(A) A girl coming down a slide

(B) A ball thrown in upward direction

(C) An arrow sent at its aim by the archer

(D) A train starting from station

 

19. Density of planet ________ is less than water.

(A) Earth

(B) Mars

(C) Saturn

(D) Mercury

 

20. A 10 cm long pencil is placed vertically in front of a mirror at a distance of 5 cm. If we join both ends of the pencil and its image to make a rectangle, what will be its area?

(A) 200 cm2

(B) 50 cm2

(C) 100 cm2

(D) 25 cm2

 

21. What is the principle behind functioning of a pinhole camera?

(A) Light rays travel in a straight line

(B) Light gets reflected

(C) White light is made up of seven colours

(D) While travelling through the hole, light changes its path

 

22. A boy weighing 50 kg is sitting on a seesaw 3 m away from its support. On how many meters a girl should sit, whose weight is 25 kg to balance the see-saw?

(A) 1 m

(B) 2m

(C) 3m

(D) 6 m

 

23. Which astronomical incident takes place when the Sun, the Mercury and the Earth come in a straight line?

(A) Mercury eclipse

(B) Solar eclipse

(C) Transit of mercury

(D) Earth eclipse

 

24. Which year was a leap-year after 1897?

(A) 1898

(B) 1900

(C) 1902

(D) 1904

 

25. Where on Earth can we not have ‘Zero’ shadow day?

(A) Equator

(B) Equator to the tropic of Capricorn

(C) Equator to the tropic of cancer

(D) Both poles

 

-Team ScienceNow

QUIZ ANSWERS 1. C; 2. B; 3. A; 4. B; 5. D; 6. C; 7. D; 8.

C; 9. C; 10. D; 11. A; 12. B; 13. A; 14. C; 15. A; 16. C;

17. C; 18. C; 19. C; 20. C; 21. A; 22. D; 23. C; 24. D; 25. D

Career

Space bound

A career in aerospace engineering will see you working with cutting-edge technology in top-notch space agencies like ISRO, NASA, ESA and more… 

In simple terms, Aerospace Engineering is the study of the complex materials and structures that are put to use under atmospheric test such as aircrafts, spacecrafts, missiles and other airborne objects. And to manufacture all these and implement them you require highly trained engineers, scientists and technicians specializing in areas such as aerospace, aeronautics, electronics, computer science, robotics, chemistry, physics and meteorology. In short, Aerospace Engineers are engaged in high tech fields such as manufacturing of aircrafts for commercial or military use, space research and spacecraft production.

Job Profile

The primary job of an Aerospace Engineer is to design, create prototypes of these designs, and finally test them. The work may also involve evaluating designs of other engineers to make sure that the idea meets certain ethical, safety, and environmental standards. Overlooking building process as well, ensuring that proper deadlines are met is also part of work of an Aerospace Engineer. Typically, an Aerospace Engineers specializes in either aeronautical or astronautical design, which will determine whether they work with aircraft or spacecraft.

Work Demands

Using high-end computers and sophisticated programs, an Aerospace Engineer spends much time in an office setting. At times, you might find an Aerospace Engineer working in a manufacturing environment to oversee the construction and implementation of a design. Aerospace Engineers work fulltime on regular basis. However, managing larger projects can require overtime hours, particularly when deadlines are approaching. Also working at the forefront of technology makes long career breaks difficult, as they need to keep up-todate with industry developments.

Skills Required

Above average intelligence Excellent academic background Responsible attitude Ability to put in long work hours and days at crucial assignments Good analytical ability Scientific acumen Ability to undertake challenging assignments

Institutions

Indian Institute of Aeronautical Engineering, Dehradun

Indian Institute for Aeronautical Engineering and Information Technology, Pune

Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal

Rajasthan Institute of Technology and Engineering Science, Kota

The Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore

Qualification Required

Students who want to build their career as Aeronautic Engineers are advised to prepare for the career path well in advance by focusing on science and mathematics in high school. Students who have successfully completed 12th or equivalent with PCM/ PCB are eligible to apply for the entrance exam for Aeronautical Engineering for B. Tech. course. The minimum percentage required for it is 60% for most of the entrance examinations. They could also go in for post graduate and doctoral studies in the particular field of interest.

Future Prospects

Mostly Aeronautical Engineers get jobs at automobile or power companies, where the principles of turbines or engines come into play. Companies like BHEL, L&T, Tata Power etc. can hire aeronautical engineers. But yes, if you’re seeking purely aerospace jobs, then try to apply at ISRO, which is one of the world’s top space agencies. You can also seek jobs at DRDO (makes missiles and fighter jets), Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) or National Aeronautics Limited (NAL). However, bagging a job at either ISRO or DRDO is extremely competitive because the positions are few and there would be many applicants

-Team ScienceNow

Career

Perspective for Researcher

Last month we tried to understand ‘Why to be a scientist’ & mentioned some advantages. Let’s know in-depth perspective about becoming a researcher.

First and foremost mention must be made about the Ph.Ds. It is not at all a degree as most think…same is about M.Phil…however in every educational institutes for the teaching purposes M.Phil and Ph.Ds are required qualifications to teach either at Senior Colleges or at University Departments. In a lighter note I always say that if you don’t have Ph.D, don’t even knock the doors of any Educational Institute to become a Professor or Principal….

Research

As seen, if you don’t have Ph.D never try to enter any University Campus. So you will understand obviously these are the qualifications required for teaching purposes…but not for the research needed for society or industry or for the entire humanity.

To maintain the academic ratings of the Universities all Professors are required to write and publish research work periodically and it is now made almost mandetory…but accept that such publications are coming out to be just a peripheral documentation of work done by various students who are pursuing Ph.D’s under the guidance of Professor. Take it with the pinch of salt as it may hurt many in the teaching profession…and same is the situation in the Agricultural field too.

Research Institutes
In India the major research work is done in Research Institutions like TIFR, IISC, ISRO, IISER, NCL, Virology Institute, IIUCA, BARC, APL, ICT Mumbai etc. These are just a few names known to the common man. There are many institutions which are unknown to many that include various industrial R&D departments of particularly Pharma Industry. About the Pharma research I would like to bring out the fact that huge fund is necessary to come out with a new molecules useful for treating diseases. Cost incurred for such research is usually in multiples of crores. You must have heard the vaccine stories all over the world and also the success stories of Serum Institute of India & Bharat Biotech.

Skills Required
To be a Researcher, just Studying & getting in depth knowledge of your subject is not sufficient to be a good researcher. One must be acquainted with other necessary skill like Maths & Statistics. Handling of big data, knowledge of basic languages of computer programming and continuous updating of global trends in research, as well as the technology evolving in various fields should be the inherent part of the daily ritual of a researcher.

The continuous learning ability is the right way of life of a scientist. In the process some proud moments are always in waiting. In India for young scientists, several encouraging awards like Bhatnagar prize is a very prestigious encouragement for the further development career. International recognition comes when your research paper is published in International Journals of repute, like Nature. The aptitude and hard work results in recognition…
Research – the way of life
There is always a misconception in the minds of even senior learned executives, managers, or even CEO’s of various companies that to be a scientist is only to deal with research and development . Obviously most think that a scientists are needed only for the purpose of developing production process or Industrial Technology…

Research is an entirely different process. Very logical, very creative, in technical terms it is called lateral thinking or divergent thinking…That is the reason for all over the world research labs are Independently working entities but funded by Industries.

In most of the advanced countries a genuine researcher starts his own lab. maybe in the campus of a University or outside the University…associated with industrial environment…establishing Industry-Academic Interface…Developing the Technology…That is the global trend setting in the Research Arena

-Dr. Shreeram Geet.
Career Counselor.

QUIZ

1)Gear up for the food for Brain…

1. When you stand on the ground, what is the distance of the horizon from you?
2. A) 500 km B) 5 km C) 15 km D) 50 km

2) If we ever make contact with aliens, which of our fundamental units is likely to match them?

1. A) Kelvin B) Light year C) Atomic Mass Unit D) None of these

3) If a person beats drum on the Earth and an astronaut beats an identical drum in space, what

will be the differences in the effects?

1. A) There will be no vibration in the drum in space
2. B) There will be vibration in space but no sound.
3. C) The drum on Earth will vibrate for a longer time then the one in space.
4. D) There will be no difference in terms of the vibrations or sound.

4) A student fails to complete a presentation. The angry team leader launches him into a rocket

far into space and then throws him out. The student just grazes the upper edge of the

atmosphere during his trajectory. He will…

1. A) Go around the Earth
2. B) Crash on the Moon
3. C) Get lost into deep space
4. D) Reach the same place venue again.

5) A star is seen rising from Kolkata (23.5-degree N 92-degree E) at 7:00 pm IST, at what time IST

will it be seen to rise from Mumbai (19-degree N 72-degree E)?

1. A) 5;40 pm B) 7:00 pm C) 7:20 pm D) 8:20 pm

6) Which of the following physical quantity is useful to determine the purity of an element?

1. A) Mass B) Volume C) Density D) Weight

7) In the polar region in winter the aquatic creatures remain alive under water. For this which

mode of transmission occur?

1. A) Conduction B) Radiation C) Convection D) Above all three

8) In which range of age human can hear sound up to 25,000 Hz from the following?

1. A) 1 to 4 years B) 10 to 50 years C) 60 to 90 years D) 90 to 100 years

9) Which of the following pair is not correct?

1. A) Baking soda – Sodium bicarbonate
2. B) Calamine – Zinc Carbonate
3. C) Slaked lime – Calcium hydroxide
4. D) Blue vitriol – Copper sulphate

10) Which of the following has three chambered heart?

1. A) Owl B) Shark fish C) Rat D) Toad

11) Which of the following group is improper to make the magnet?

(A) Iron, Cobalt, Nickel

(B) Titanium, Nickel, Iron, Aluminium

(C) Titanium, Bronze, Nickel

(D) Aluminium, Nickel, Cobalt

12) A lamp of 100 W was used 4 hours daily in February 2016. Then find out how many units of

electricity was consumed in that month

11. A) 11.6 B) 1.16 C) 116 D) 0.116

13) Find odd one out according to pH value.

1. A) Vinegar B) Black coffee C) Blood D) Urine

14) The fluorescent tubes and neon sign bulbs glow because of ________

1. A) High density of gases
2. B) High temperature of gases
3. C) High applied voltage
4. D) Presence of charged particles

15) Name the gas which turns moist lead acetate solution silvery black.

1. A) SO 2 B) H 2 C) CO 2 D) H 2 S

16) Who am I? I am clean and pollution – free energy. I provide uninterrupted energy to the

space shuttles.

1. A) Solar energy B) Wind energy C) Atomic energy D) Tidal Energy

17) Germs in water can be killed by __________

1. A) Condensation B) Boiling C) Filtration D) Decantation

18) Ban on plastic bags is justified because…

1. P) Ground water table will be improved
2. Q) Air pollution will be restricted
3. R) There will not be water logging during rainy season
4. S) Soil pollution will be reduced

19) Which of the following stringed instruments are played by using ring of wire in the finger

(nakhi)?

1. A) Bulbul B) Extari C) Tambora D) Sitar

20) Which natural phenomenon is responsible to produce ozone gas?

1. A) Water cycle B) Hail storm C) Lightning D) Earthquake

21) Leaf of which plant of the following is a reproductive organ?

1. A) Brahma Kamal B) Cactus C) Sugarcane D) Aloe vera

22) _____________ component of air is formed from coal.

1. A) Sulphur dioxide B) Nitrogen dioxide C) carbon dioxide D) Nitrous oxide

23) From where one can see the sun rising from the west?

1. A) Saturn B) Venus C) Mars D) Mercury

24) Select the alternative that has third type of lever

1. A) Betelnut cracker B) Stapler C) Opener D) Beam balance

25) What oil is used in toothpaste?

1. A) Ginger oil B) Clove oil C) Eucalyptus oil D) Coconut oil

 

-Team ScienceNow

ANS :

1) B, 2) D, 3) B, 4) A, 5) D, 6) C, 7) C.

8) A, 9) B, 10) D, 11) C, 12) A, 13) C,

14) D, 15) D, 16) A, 17) B, 18) D, 19) D,

20) C, 21) A, 22) C, 23) A, 24) B, 25) D.

Read the astonishing facts to know more…

• Unless food is mixed with saliva you can’t taste it.
• The average person falls asleep in 7 minutes.
• Lemons contain more sugar than strawberries.
• 8% of people have an extra rib.
• An asteroid about the size of a car enters Earth’s atmosphere roughly once a year – but it burns up before it reaches us. Phew!
• 85% of plant life is found in the ocean.
• The first computer of the world, the ENIAC weighed around 27 tonnes and occupied an entire hall.
• Like humans, plants recognize their siblings and give them special treatment.

-Team ScienceNow Digital