MS-PS4-2

Develop and use a model to describe that waves are reflected, absorbed, or transmitted through various materials.

  1. Physics

    Physics finally explains the sound of clapping

    The “Helmholtz resonator” concept is responsible for the sound produced by hand-clapping.

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  2. Microbes

    Living lenses? Glass-coated microbes might take better photos

    Bacteria with a gene from sea sponges can coat themselves in glass. Working as tiny, bendable lenses, they could lead to thinner cameras or sensors.

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  3. Materials Science

    Orange food dye can temporarily turn skin transparent

    When mixed with water and rubbed on the skin, a common food dye allows researchers to peer inside the body of a mouse.

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  4. Earth

    Analyze This: Why do atmospheric ‘ghosts’ glow green after red sprites?

    Green ghosts — blurs of light that sometimes follow lightning — get their color from oxygen and metals in space dust.

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  5. Physics

    Experiment: Making music with bottles

    In this study, we investigate how the volume of air inside a bottle affects the pitch of the musical notes it can create.

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  6. Humans

    Experiment: Why does the moon look larger on the horizon?

    In this experiment, let’s investigate Emmert’s law, which may explain the full moon optical illusion.

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  7. Space

    Scientists Say: Astronomical interferometry

    This technique links up many telescopes to see the universe in finer detail than any single telescope could alone.

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  8. Physics

    Experiment: Measure the speed of light with a laser

    Grab a laser pointer and some Jell-O, because today we’re measuring the speed of light.

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  9. Plants

    Flowers may electrically detect bees buzzing nearby

    The discovery may reveal how plants time nectar production and share information with neighboring blooms.

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  10. Space

    Here’s how to build an internet on Mars

    Future Red Planet residents will need to get online to talk to each other and Earth. But that will require a lot of new tech.

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  11. Physics

    Let’s learn about particles that help us peer inside objects

    Particles such as muons, X-rays and neutrons help scientists peer inside fossils, mummies, pyramids, volcanoes and the human body.

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  12. Space

    Check out the magnetic fields around our galaxy’s central black hole

    Astronomers have captured polarized light coming from the Milky Way’s supermassive black hole. This offers insight into its magnetic fields.

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