Science & Technology

Alkalinity is the chemical opposite of acidity. Whereas acidity shows up as a low pH reading and represents the capacity of a substance to donate a proton, or hydrogen ion (H+), alkalinity shows up as a high pH and signifies…

An atom that has an equal number of protons and electrons is neither positive nor negative — it has no net charge. If that atom gains or loses electrons, however, it may become a cation, an ion with a positive…

A protractor is a mathematical instrument used for measuring, drawing or plotting angles. Its scale, graduated in angular units or degrees, fringes the instrument’s upper-edge. Protractors have a vertex mark at their base mid-point from which you can measure all…

Fish are diverse — each species has evolved to live successfully in its specific underwater environment, from streams and lakes to the vast expanse of the ocean. In fact, fish are the most diverse animal species among the vertebrates with…

Rainforests have over 50 percent of the plants and animals found on the planet, amounting to around 30 million species. Tropical rainforests occur near the equator, and more than half of them are found in Latin America. They are a…

Although mold and fungus are related – the former is actually a subset of the latter – the terms cannot be used interchangeably. Each has its own distinct characteristics, features and functions. Despite the many dangers associated with molds and…

An induction motor is a type of electric motor that converts electric power into rotary motion. An induction motor uses the principle of electromagnetic induction to cause the rotor to turn. The induction motor was created and patented by Nikola…

All organisms need nutrients, energy and space to grow, and sexually reproducing organisms want to mate. Often the resources these organisms need are in short supply; a given ecosystem may only have so many nutrients and so much space, for…

In classic mechanical physics, a pulley is one of the six “simple machines,” along with the lever, inclined plane, screw, wheel and axle, and wedge. In the classic description of the renaissance scientists who first defined them, a simple machine…

Integers include all whole numbers, plus the negatives of all the numbers except zero. They do not include any decimal or fractional numbers. Fractions, on the other hand, express one integer divided by another, and often equal a decimal number.…