Science

A Scientist is a person who uses observation, experimentation and theory to learn about a subject. Biologists, physicists, chemists, geologists and astronomers are all scientists. Scientists learn by doing experiments. A scientist tries to discover why things work in a certain way. Scientists often use the Scientific Method which is made of the following steps:

Make observations
Ask questions
Form a hypothesis
Find a method of testing
Perform experiments
Gather results
Reach a conclusion

Science Questions:

What is an atom?

Atoms are the building blocks of everything. An atom is the smallest particle of a particular element . An element is a substance that is made of only one kind of atom. Atoms are too small to be seen with the naked eye, but scientists can photograph them using high powered microscopes. Atoms are made of particles called protons , electrons and neutrons . The center of an atom is called its nucleus.

What is light?

Light is a form of energy that we can see. Light travels very fast at around 186,000 miles a second.

What is matter?

Matter is any substance that occupies space. Most matter exists as a solid, a liquid or a gas.

What is a molecule?

A molecule is the smallest particle of a substance that has its chemical properties. Every molecule of a substance is made of exactly the same number of atoms linked together in exactly the same pattern.

What is luminosity?

Luminosity is the amount of light energy that is emitted by a star.

What is a compound?

A compound is a substance that is made up of two or more elements whose atoms are joined together chemically. For example, water is a compound of hydrogen and oxygen.

What is an electron?

An electron is a type of negatively charged particle that is present in all atoms and that orbits the nucleus. Sir Joseph John Thomson discovered electrons in 1895.

What is a neutron?

A neutron is a subatomic particle that carries no electric charge, positive or negative.

What is an element?

An element is a substance that contains only one type of atom. There are 92 elements found in nature. There are other elements that can be made in the laboratory. Each element has a unique symbol that stands for its name.

Who discovered X-Rays?

A German scientist named Wilhelm Roentgen (1845-1923) discovered X-Rays in 1895. His discovery was by accident. When experimenting with a cathode ray tube, he noticed that crystals in the same room were glowing when the tube was switched on. After moving the crystals to another room, they continuted to glow. Roentgen then made the realization that invisible rays caused the glow. Röntgen named the new form of radiation X-radiation (X standing for "Unknown"). Hence the term X-rays. He was awarded the Nobel prize for physics in 1901, 6 years after his discovery.