Science – Catius

What do camels eat?

Camels are herbivores, which means they eat plants or vegetation.

Camels are specially adapted to live in the desert, where vegetation is scarce. What does grow in the desert can be prickly and tough due to the lack of water. Camels have leathery mouths which allow them to eat thorny twigs, as well as leaves, stems, shoots and fruit.

Mother and son looks at the camels at the zoo

Their mouths aren’t the only part that is especially adapted to desert living.

If you would like to know more about camels, please see the link below.

More interesting camel facts from I Love Animals

Their mouths are so tough, they can even eat cacti!

How many people have walked on the moon?

Twelve people have walked on the surface of the moon.

Kid.

The twelve were part of NASA’s Apollo Programme which ran from 1961 to 1972. The first person walked on the moon on the 20th of July 1969.

For more in depth information on the Apollo Mission, please click on this link.

The twelve astronauts are named below. Click on their names for their individual Wikipedia pages.

For a brief history of the first moon landing, and some details of the heroism and ingenuity of the astronauts involved, please see the video below.

How strong is stomach acid?

Stomach (or gastric) acid is a mixture of hydrochloric acid, potassium chloride and sodium chloride. An acid’s strength is measured on the pH scale. The range of acid strength goes from 0(strongest) to 6(weakest). Stomach acid measures between 1 and 3 on this scale, making it quite a strong acid.

Asian boy conduct an experiment microscope

The reason the acid doesn’t burn our insides is because the stomach produces mucus to line itself and protect it from the acid. We need acid in our stomachs as this starts the process of breaking our food down(digestion), so it can be absorbed by our bodies.

After the food leaves the stomach and enters the next part of your digestive system, the pancreas releases a bicarbonate which helps to neutralise, or weaken, the acid so it doesn’t damage your insides.

For further reading and facts on the stomach, click on this link.

For a video that explains the part of the stomach in the digestive system, please see below:

Who invented fireworks?

Fireworks were invented in 7th century China. The Chinese people believed they would ward off evil spirits and bring happiness and good luck.

Family looks holiday fireworks

Nowadays fireworks are used all around the world to celebrate various events. In the United Kingdom they are traditionally used on Bonfire Night, the 5th of November, to celebrate the failed Gunpowder Plot of 1605.

Please see below video on how fireworks work.

For further reading on the history of fireworks please click on this link.

What type of animal was the first to orbit the Earth?

The first animal to orbit the Earth was a dog called Laika. She was launched into space aboard Sputnik 2 in 1957. She was a stray dog from the streets of Moscow in Russia. In the early days of space flight animals were used to test the safety of the technology, before humans tried it.

For further reading on the history of animals in space click here.

For an animation of Laika’s story, please see below:

What is a diamond?

A diamond is a precious stone and is the hardest naturally occurring material known. It is made from carbon which can come in different forms depending on how its atoms are arranged. A diamond has a lattice structure in which the atoms are bonded together very strongly.

Family in shopping mall looking at jewelry department

Diamonds are formed deep underground in the earth’s mantle, around a 100 miles down. They are formed under high pressure and temperatures and can take 1 to 3 billion years to form. They are brought closer to the surface by deep volcanic eruptions and are then mined by people.

For further reading and some fun facts on diamonds please click this link.

For a video explanation, please see below.

Why do bees make honey?

Bees make honey as a way of storing food for themselves. They need to do this for when their usual food sources are in short supply. Flowering plants are more abundant in spring and summer, so bees make honey during this time to see them through the winter, when there are much fewer flowers.

Grandpa beekeeper passes his experience little grandson.

Honey is an ideal way to store their food supply, as it doesn’t go bad. This is because it has a high sugar content, which also means it provides a lot of energy for the busy bees!

For further reading on bees, please click this link to the very informative buzzaboutbees.net

For a video explanation of why, as well as how, bees make honey, please see below.

What is a hurricane?

A hurricane is a large storm characterised by very strong winds. If a tropical cyclone has winds over 74mph(119km/h) and it forms in the Atlantic Ocean, it is known as a hurricane. There are 5 categories of hurricane numbered 1 to 5. The most severe category 5 hurricanes can have winds up to 200mph(320km/h). The hurricane develops around an area of low pressure(the eye) and the winds rotate in an anti clockwise direction around this point. This is what they look like from space.

Extremely detailed and realistic high resolution 3D illustration of a Hurricane approaching Texas. Shot from Space. Elements of this image are furnished by Nasa.

A hurricane is specific to the area around the USA. A tropical storm formed in the Indian Ocean is called a cyclone, and one formed in the Western Pacific Ocean is called a typhoon.

For more in depth information on hurricanes, please see the following link:

An excellent page from Weather Wiz Kids

For a video on hurricanes, please see below.

How do you make metal?

Metals are chemical elements which means they are part of the basic building blocks of our universe and cannot be broken down into anything simpler.

Industrial landscape with playing boy

Photo credit: Soloviova Liudmyla via Fotolia.com

When we talk about metals we usually mean things like iron, tin or lead. These are found in rocks which are called an ore.

To make the metal you have to break down the ore to separate the metal from the rock. There are a few ways to do this, you can use heat, electricity or other chemicals, depending on the type of ore.

stones with orange and yellow texture

Photo credit: xfotokex via Fotolia.com

Once the metal is separated it can be formed into moulds, sheets, wires etc.

For more information on metals from Science Kids.

For a video on the steel making process, please see below:

How do people predict the weather?

The science of weather prediction or forecasting is called meteorology. A person who predicts the weather is a meteorologist.

A meteorologist will collect data from a range of sources to show what the current weather conditions are. They then predict what will happen based on what has happened in the past, when the conditions were the same or similar.

Among the type of data collected is air pressure, temperature, wind speed and direction. This data is collected by weather stations which are dotted around the country.

A more in depth answer from Weather Wiz Kids

A video explanation: