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Radars Work
The word radar stands for radio detecting and ranging. It makes use of very short radio waves called
microwaves. Radars work to find out how far away an Object is and in case of a moving object in what
direction it is moving and at what speed.
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Aeroplanes Fly
Aeroplanes fly by a combination of power from the engines and lift provided by the wings. These are shaped
in such a way that air flowing along the upper surface takes a longer path than the air flowing along the
lower surface. As a result when an aircraft moves forward, the air flowing above the wings moves faster
than the air flowing below the wings, creating a low pressure above the wing according to Bernoullis law.
This difference in pressure above and below the wings causes lift. As the speed of the aircraft on the runway
increases, the lift also increases, eventually overcoming the download force of gravity. The aircraft also uses
the thrust created by its engine to climb and after reaching certain height cruises along in a horizontal
direction.
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ATM Work
An automatic teller machine (ATM) performs simple banking functions such as deposits withdrawal, cash
dispensing, and transfers between accounts. An ATM is a terminal connected via telephone or dedicated
telecommunication lines to larger computer system that identify the users account on the basis of data
stored in a magnetic strip on the back of a plastic ATM card commonly known as the credit card. The user
operates the system using an exclusive personal identification number (PIN), assigned to him or her.
Pearls Cultured
A pearl is a biological product produced naturally by certain oysters as a defense mechanism. They are
formed when a foreign body such as a sand particle enters the body of the oyster. the oysters in order to get
rid of the foreign body coasts it with a material called nacre which is basically the chemical calcium
carbonate.
Over a period of time these layers make the pearl grow in size until they are taken out. Pearls are cultured by
inserting an artificial irritant into the oyster. The oysters are then carefully tended in special beds. Cultured
pearls usually take three to six years to grow to a good size.
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Photocopies Made
Photocopying makes use of materials which can be electrostatically charged and which loses the charge
when exposed to light. In a photocopying machine a drum made up of selenium is first charged electrically
in the dark. An image of the illuminated document to be copied is then projected on to the charged drum.
The illuminated areas in the image falling on the drum destroy the electric charge while the dark areas retain
the charge. The drum is then dusted with a fine black resinous powder called toner image of the original
document. The image is transferred to paper which is given the opposite charge. The toner image is finally
fixed on the paper by applying heat which melts the toner and sets it into the fibers producing a permanent
dry copy of the original document. The entire process is automated.
We Fall Asleep
In humans the sleep wakefulness cycle is controlled by the hypothalamus located in the lower portion of the
brain.
Blood Preserved
Outside the body, blood coagulates in five to ten minutes. Coagulation involves alteration in one of the
plasma protein called fibrinogen into an insoluble protein called fibrin with the help of calcium icons.
Coagulation can, therefore, be prevented by removing the calcium icons from blood. For preservation of
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AIDS Detected
AIDS is caused by a virus called human immunodeficiency virus or HIV. The presence of this virus is
detected by screening the blood of a person for special kinds of proteins called antibodies which are
produced in the body in response to viral infection A characteristic feature of antibody molecules is that they
are highly specific. They bind only to certain regions of the antigen. This is similar to a key fitting only a
specific lock. AIDS detection tests are actually based on detecting the binding of the antibodies present in
the blood with an artificially synthesized antigen attached to a solid surface.
Fireflies Glow
A firefly emits yellow-green light from special organs located in the lower portion of its abdomen. These
organs contain in enzyme called luciferase which acts as a catalyst. When luciferin comes in contact with
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Fruits Ripen
Unripe fruits are typically hard, green, and have a sour on astringent taste due to the presence of organic
acids such as malic, citric, and tartaric.
They have high amounts of large molecule carbohydrates called polysaccharides and low amount of protein.
Ethylene gas which triggers the ripening process emanates from fruits and causes rapid and dramatic
changes. The green color of the fruits disappears and red, or yellow coloured pigments such as anthocyanins
and carotenoids appear giving the fruits distinct colour.
The polysaccharides are broken down to smaller sugars which give the fruits the sweet taste. The fruits also
begin to soften. Volatile substances are produced during ripening which gives many fruits their distinct
aroma.
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Lighting Occurs
Lightening is coused by an electric discharge in thunder clouds. These are clouds that rise to great heights
and have strong air currents in them. The ice crystals, water droplets and other particles present in these
collide with each other and get electrically charged.
Air usually works as an insulator to prevent these electric charges from escaping. But when the charge build
up in the thundercloud crosses a certain level, the insulation effect of air breaks down and causes a massive
discharge which we see as flashes of lighting. As the discharges takes place, the surroundings are suddenly
expands to produce the sound which we hear as thunder. Lighting can pass from one cloud to another or
from a cloud to the ground.
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Curd Formed
This bacteria produces produces lactic acid by the fermentation of the milk sugar lactose. The lactic acid so
formed by the bacteria action contains positive hydrogen ions which are attracted to the negative particles of
the protein casein. As the latter are neutralized, these protein molecules no longer repel one another but
coagulate. The optimum temperature at which lactobacillus acts is around 40 c. so milk is usually warmed to
this temperature before setting it to curdle.
Stars Born
Stars take birth out of clouds of hydrogen, helium and dust particles present in galaxies. Due to the turbulent
motion in these gas clouds, the dust particles undergo random collisions and condense under the influence of
strong gravitational pull. As the gases and dust particles begin condensing, the temperature inside rises due
to increasing pressure. As the condensing mass grows bigger the gravitational pressure at the centre
increases further till the intense heat raises the temperature to around 10 millions degree Celsius. At this
temperature the hydrogen atoms start colliding so vigorously that they fuse with each other to form helium
atoms. In the process some mass is lost. For every 1000 kg of hydrogen used up, 993 kg of helium is
formed. The rest is converted into tremendous amount of energy according to the relation ship E=mc2, where
E is the energy, m the mass and c the velocity of light. This energy is liberated in the form of light and heat
and a star is born.
Spacesuits Protect
A spacesuit is protective gear that protects an astronaut from the hostile environment of extremely low
pressure, low temperature and radiation in space. It is made up of several layers of strong synthetic materials
including Teflon and nylon which shield the astronauts from tiny particles called micrometeoroids. The
intense solar radiations are reflected by a white plastic layer which has a metallic coating. The interior of the
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Things Burn
Burning is a chemical process in which the material burns combines with oxygen with the generation of
large amounts of heat. As a result the temperature of the burning material rises to serveral hundred degrees
Celsius and it may burst into flames. Therefore, any substance that readily combines with oxygen at a few
hundred degrees and produces a lot of heat will burn if ignited. Such substances such as paper, wood, cloth,
plastics, rubber etc. are usually rich in carbon and hydrogen. Some volatile liquids such as alcohol, petrol,
etc. catch fire easily because they produce highly combustible vapors.
Acid Rain
Natural rain always contain small amount of dissolved carbondioxide which makes it slightly acidic. But
large-scale burning of coal or oil in industries, power plants and vehicles produce large amounts of gases
such as sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, etc., which are released into the atmosphere. Under favourable
conditions they react with water vapour and oxygen in the atmosphere to produce sulphuric and nitric acids
which is eventually come down with rain, snow or fog. The countries wrost affected by acid rains are
southern Sweden, Northway, parts of central Europe and Eastern Region of North America.
AIDS
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is the most devastatign and fatal diseases of the 21st
Century it is a viral disease caused by the Human Immune Deficiency Virus (HIV).
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