Magnetism: Magic or Just Cool Science?

 Have you ever wondered how a magnet works? On the surface, it almost looks like magic. It can pick up things made of iron. It can repel other magnets. It can even tell us north and south. Magnets are all around us. They keep your papers on the refrigerator. The can hold closet doors shut. They help motors to turn in all of our gadgets. But how does it work?

A magnet is a material that produces a magnetic field that attracts the metals Iron, Nickel, and Cobalt. It happens when most or all of the molecules line up going the same direction. This gives a metal a North and South Pole. Magnetic lines of force form like in the diagram. The more molecules that are aligned, the stronger the magnetic force.

There are two main types of magnets – temporary and permanent.  Temporary magnets are usually made of softer metal and do not keep their charge well. They are often used as electromagnets. These are magnetic when an electric current is flowing around them but lose their magnetism when the electricity is turned off. They can be used in cranes that move iron pieces from one place to another. They are usually mad of soft iron.

Permanent magnets are magnetic
all the time. They are usually made of much harder metal. The strongest magnets are mad of something called “neodymium”. They are usually made of three metals, neodymium, iron, and boron. They are so strong that larger ones have are really hard to pull apart. They can actually hurt you if you get pinched between them.

Magnets are fun to use, but you need to be careful and take care of them. Here are some rules for safe magnet use.

1. Never heat a magnet. If it gets too hot it may lose its magnetism.

2. Do not pound on them or drop them. This can disorganize the molecules and weaken the magnet.

3. Use a “keeper if provided with your magnet.

4. Never put magnets in your mouth, especially the neodymium magnets! There have been people who ended up with holes in their intestine because the magnets were so strong.

If you don’t have any magnets at home, there are many kinds of kits you can buy in stores and online. Many have little extras that make magnets even more fun. Have fun exploring!

Love, Papaw.

 Here is a fun video about magnets.

How Do We Grow?

So what really happens when we grow up? Human growth happens in three ways, physically, emotionally, and mentally. We also can grow spiritually if we choose to. We all start as a single cell that starts to divide. Soon there are many cells that are basically exactly alike. Then something fantastic happens. The cells begin to differentiate. That’s a big word for they become different. There are signals that are controlled by the genes we have (our DNA) that cause some cells to change into heart cells, nerve cells, skin cells, brain cells, and a whole lot of other kinds. There are even genes called Hox genes that tell the cells where they are supposed to go. Imagine having brain cells in our feet. That just wouldn’t work! Once these different cells are in the right place they continue to divide. Soon there are millions of cells and the tiny human is starting to look like a baby.

Once the baby is born, it begins to eat and grow. Some cells stop dividing. The brain has all of the cells it needs. The bones continue to elongate by adding new cells to an area called the growth plate. Our skin keeps dividing and stretching to keep up. Our heart and other organs grow and mature. There are many hormones and other chemicals that help keep everything growing on schedule. One gland, located at the base of our brains called the pituitary gland is like the head guy. He tells all the other parts of the body when to grow, stop, or do their various functions. The pituitary gland is the one that secretes a hormone called growth hormone. Without it we would stay small. When we reach about 18-20, we may stop growing taller, but that doesn’t mean we are finished growing. Our brain’s keep developing. The cartilage in our nose and ears never really stops growing. If we get injured the body repairs itself by growing new cells.
We also grow emotionally. We learn how to relate to other people and solve problems. We can learn from our parents, our friends, and especially from reading the Bible. The more we experience and see how others adjust to situations, the more mature emotionally we can become. It may take some time and you will have to be patient.

We grow mentally by learning new things. We go to school. We learn skills from our parents and other relatives. One way we can grow mentally is to read. Books can teach us many things about nature, the world, and even ourselves. The greatest book is the Bible. It can help us grow physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. If we do all four we can become the person God intended us to be and be able to do all the good things he wants us to accomplish.

There’s a whole lot more to growing up that you will learn along the way, but I hope this helps!

Till next time!

Love Papaw.

Celebrating Easter in Other Countries

 This week the Musings and the Notes from Papaw collide. (It means they’re both the same.)

Have you ever wondered how other countries celebrate Easter? Easter is when we celebrate the resurrection of our Savior, Jesus Christ. In America, many go to a special church service, have a special Easter lunch with family, and decorate with flowers like the Easter lilies in this picture. Children often get Easter baskets with eggs that are supposed to come from the “Easter Bunny”.

Easter Around The World.

Here in America, it’s the beginning of Spring. For the Southern Hemisphere however, it’s turning to Fall. Things are getting colder. In Australia, many celebrate with hot cross buns - a spiced sweet bread marked with a cross. They think of rabbits as pests so there is no Easter Bunny. Instead they have the Easter Bilby, an endangered species that kind of looks like a rabbit. In Vanuatu, a South Pacific island, they like to have a sunrise service for worship. In Columbia, there are solemn processions in the streets during Holy week.

In Africa churches are adorned with butterflies, flowers and bright colors. The night before Easter morning they have a vigil that begins quietly but erupts into singing and dancing at sunrise.

In the Philippines, Easter morning begins with two separate processions. The men follow an image of Jesus, while the women follow one of his mother Mary. At the church, they encourage each other that Jesu has risen.

In India, there is not a very large percentage of Christians. Instead they have a Spring festival. They often purchase lavishly decorated egg for their children.

In Europe, there are many different fun traditions. Germany is the originator of the Easter egg. They even put them on Easter trees.  In Poland, families gather for Easter Sunday breakfast, which often includes a sweet bread called babka. In the French town of Bessières, people gather together to cook a giant omelet. It is said to go back to the time of Napoleon. I guess he really liked omelets!

Meals, festivals, and candy are all fun as long as we don’t forget What Easter really stands for. Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord was crucified, buried in a tomb, and according to the scriptures raised the third day to take His place in heaven as our mediator and High Priest before God. Enjoy the season; just don’t forget the sacrifice!

The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.” So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Matthew 28:5-8

Until Next Week!

Most information is from https://www.wycliffe.org/blog/featured/how-easter-is-celebrated-in-countries-around-the-world

How Do They Make Nuclear Energy?

When you say nuclear energy, many people have some interesting ideas about how it works. Some people think you can just put wires into the fuel and get electricity. Others think it’s like magic. Some have no idea at all how it works. So today I’m going to try to simplify the process for you.

 Except for solar and bioluminescence, power plants uses turning magnets and coils of wire to create an electrical current. Wind power and Hydroelectric (water) plants use motion to move the magnets and coils. For everything else we use steam. Normally we just burn something to heat up water. The water turns to steam and expands. This turns a set of blades called turbine blades. The blades are connected to a shaft that turns the magnetic coils inside a machine called an alternator or generator. This produces the  electricity we use every day. We can burn oil, gas, coal, wood, or even trash. Geothermal power uses steam from the hot areas inside the crust of the Earth to run a turbine but we don’t have to burn anything.

For nuclear power, the heat source is made from an element called uranium. The fuel is made into pellets or rods, usually made of uranium oxide. The uranium atoms naturally fall apart in a process called fission (think division) and create a lot of heat. This heat finally gets transferred to water and creates lots of steam. The steam is what turns the turbine generator. The power plants have tall things that look like smoke stacks that are used to cool the water down before it leaves the plant. The white “smoke” is really just water vapor called steam. Because they use so much water, many nuclear power plants are built by rivers or by the ocean.

Nuclear power plants can run for many years using a small amount of fuel. The tough part is what to do with the fuel rods when they wear out. They are still radioactive (giving off lots of radiation) and can be very dangerous. Usually, the old fuel rods are sealed in watertight, very strong containers and taken to a special place to be buried.

Nuclear reactors are also used in aircraft carriers, submarines, and even satellites. They allow the ships, subs, or satellites to run for a long time without refueling. Here is a picture of a typical nuclear reactor.

 

I hope you learned something today. See you next time!

Love, Papaw.

What Do You Mean Radiation?!

 

When you hear the word radiation, what comes to mind? Does it sound scary? What is it anyway? Are there different kinds? Is it safe or dangerous? There are so many questions we could ask. Today I want to help you understand what radiation is, what it’s used for, and whether or not it is safe to be around.

Basically, there are two kinds of radiation: non-ionizing and ionizing. There are some who put sound waves as a third kind, also called acoustic radiation, but it needs a medium (something to move through) like solids, water, or air, to move through, so I will talk about it another day.

Non-ionizing radiation is a low energy radiation that can move atoms and molecules but not break the bonds between them. We see and use it every day. Visible light, infrared heat, radio waves, and microwaves are common examples. There are part of the electromagnetic spectrum. We can use light waves (the Sun), or heat waves to keep us warm. Microwaves help us cook things quickly. They cause the molecules to speed up, giving them heat energy. The thing to remember is that none of these make something radioactive. There is nothing dangerous left over when they are used. You could even use the Sun’s radiation to grow a plant or get a sun tan. We couldn’t live without it.

Ionizing Radiation has so much energy that it can break atoms apart. These include x-rays, gamma rays and alpha and Beta particles. There are many good uses for these as long as we are careful. X-rays (they use a very low setting) can help us see a broken bone inside our body. It can be used to sterilize equipment. I can kill cancer that cannot be reached with surgery. I is also used to create electricity. Aircraft carriers and submarines now have nuclear reactors that heat up water into steam to run turbine generators and make lots of electricity. Ionizing radiation can be very dangerous if not used properly. That’s why you need to be very careful and pay attention to warning signs. If you see this symbol, make sure and ask an adult if the area is safe. 

 Well that’s all for today. In another post I may explain how we use nuclear fuel to make energy!

Love Papaw.

Leprechauns!

I know many of you like to have an “Elf on the Shelf” at Christmas time. Have you ever heard of a leprechaun? They are kind of like elves, only Irish. Since March 17^th is St Patrick’s Day this year, I thought you might like to hear some “facts" about leprechauns.

Leprechaun actually means “small body" in Gaelic (one of the Irish first languages). I know the picture has one dressed all in green, but traditionally, they are described as wearing red jackets with seven buttons, and a top hat. They are described as being 1-2 feet tall with reddish beards. They are said to hid pots of gold at the end of rainbows. They are shoemakers by trade. Legend says that if you catch one, especially by the beard, they will grant you three wishes. But beware, since they are considered fairies, they are tricksters, and are known to vanish away immediately if you look away for even a second!

One of the reasons people wear green on St Patrick’s Day is that it is said to make a person invisible to leprechauns so they won’t pull a trick on you. They also like to give you a pinch!

One fun thing that some of my friend’s children are doing this year is making a Leprechaun trap. You can make one out of a shoebox. To lead them to the trap, you need to make a trail of shiny coins. It can even be the chocolate coins that are wrapped in gold foil. The shinier the better! They love it if you add pretty colors, especially rainbows! Be sure to cover up any logos like the Nike symbol on your boxes. If they see that you will scare them away.  

They can be simple or fancy. You can google lots of design ideas online. If you can really trick them, you might catch a leprechaun. Papaw hasn’t caught one yet but I will keep trying!.

 

 Here is a fun video about how to make a simple trap.

 Be sure to let me know if you catch one!

Love, Papaw.

Taken from Fun facts about leprechauns: https://www.garfieldrefining.com/resources/blog/pot-of-gold/

How Do Snakes Lay Eggs?

Here is another request from the grandkids. Well, at least one of them. I’m not sure everyone will like it. I’ve always liked snakes. My wife? Not so much. That’s why I have to keep them in my classroom. My students seem to like it. When things get boring, we can just feed a snake. There are quite a few of the staff that tend to avoid visiting. Oh well, their loss.

The question of “how do snakes lay eggs” is not as straight forward as it seems. First, not every snakes lay eggs. There are snakes that give birth to live young. The baby snakes are ready to go from the start. There are 2 kinds of “live bearers”, viviparous & oviparous. Viviparous snakes do not have eggs at all. The common garter snake and ocean-going sea snakes are examples of viviparous snakes. Oviparous snakes have eggs that hatch inside the mother shortly before birth. These include vipers, rattlesnakes, boas, and anacondas. https://wildlifeqld.com.au/viviparous-oviparous-snake-egg/ Many of these snakes live in colder climates and it is thought this can give the babies a better head start.

About 70% of snakes lay eggs. Some common egg layers are pythons, cobras, and the common rat snake. The eggs usually take about 60 days to hatch. The babies are born with a special “egg tooth” that they use to cut open the rubbery egg shell. It falls off shortly after birth.

So how do they lay their eggs? Underneath a snake you will notice that the scales are much larger than on their back. An inch or two from the tip of their tail, depending on whether it’s a male or female, you will notice a spot where the scales are different. This is called the vent. It’s used both for eliminating waste and for laying eggs. Chicken have the same kind of structure that they use to lay eggs also. Live babies also are born through the vent.

Many snakes lay their eggs in the leaf litter and leave them alone. Others can make nests and stay with them until they hatch. Mother pythons wrap around their eggs and can even warm up their eggs by shivering so they won’t get too cold.

Snake are pretty cool and fun to look at, but unless you are with someone with experience, it’s better to just watch them from a distance. Some snake can be cranky when they first wake up!

Here’s a video of a bay corn snake hatching. 

Hope you liked it!

Love Papaw.