Thursday, 13 March 2014

10 Important Science Questions And Their Scientific Reasons.



1. Why does a gun recoil when a shot is fired out?
Since the mass of the gun is much greater than that of the bullet; hence the speed of the gun is very small as compared to that of the bullet. Therefore, the gun moves backwards only by a small distance during recoil.

2. Why are passengers thrown in the forward direction when a running bus stops suddenly?
Passengers sitting or standing in a running bus share the motion of the bus. This means, the passengers in a running bus are also moving with the same speed in the same direction. When the running bus stops suddenly, the lower part of the passenger’s body come to rest, while the upper part continues to remain in motion. As a result, the passengers are thrown in the forward direction when a running bus stops suddenly.

3. An iron ball sinks, a ship does not, why?
In case of iron ball, its weight is more than the weight of water it displaces. In case of ships, the space inside being vacant, the weight of the ship is less than the weight of water it displaced. thus, whereas upward thrust is sufficient to balance the weight of the ship, it is inadequate to balance the weight of the ball.

4. Why is driving on a icy highway extremely dangerous?
For safe driving frictional force between the tyres and the road is an essential factor. When these frictional forces become less, the driving becomes difficult. As the force of friction between the tyre and ice is very small, therefore, driving on icy highway on icy highway becomes dangerous.

5. Why is a gap left at the joint between two rails?
A long railway track consists of many sections of steel called rails – joined to each other. While laying a railway line a small gap is left in between two rails at their joint to allow for the expansion during summer. If such a gap is not left at the joints of rails, the track will get deformed due to thermal expansion in summer, which may cause derailment of trains.
      Another method of allowing for the expansion of rails is to use a wedge joint between the two rails. When the temperature rises during summer, the rails expand and their ends side part each other.

6. Why does water get cooled in an earthen pot (surahi or matka)?
As earthen pot has small pores in its walls. When water is poured into it, some of it seeps through these pores to its outer surface. On reaching there, it evaporates. The heat required for evaporation is taken from the earthen pot and from the water in it. As a result, the water in an earthen pot gets cooled down.

7. Explain how bats use ultrasound to catch a prey.
Bats are usually active at night. They search out for their prey at night. They try to detect the ultrasonic waves emitted by them. The high pitched ultrasonic squeaks of the bat are reflected from the obstacle or the prey and returned to bat’s ear. The nature of reflection tells the bat about the location and size of the prey and they are able to easily attack them.

8. Why do diamonds shine at night?
The rays of light entering it get internally reflected from most of the faces, on account of high refractive index so, from a few faces that permit light to get out, a lot of light comes out.

9. Why does a straight stick look bent when partly immersed in water?
When the rays of light enter another medium, they change their path due to refraction, so the stick looks bent, when partly immersed in water.

10. Why does it take some time to see objects in a dim room when you enter the room from bright sunlight outside?
In a dark room, if we try to see objects, the pupil will enlarge itself. So that more light enters it. If one suddenly goes into bright sunlight (or switches the bright light) one feels the glare. This is because too much light enters the enlarged pupil. Generally, the pupil contracts and things begin to appear normally.



Wednesday, 12 March 2014

Lets know About The Incredible Greater Bladderwort

The greater bladderwort is one of those plants that are truly incredible. This wonder of Nature sits in the water and traps its prey much a fish trap or crab pot, and then proceeds to eat it. They are distributed throughout the world including Asia, Europe, North America, Mexico and Cuba. It is a true survivor and nature’s vacuum cleaner in the water.

The greater bladderworts are showy yellow, two-lipped flowers. They have a conical spur and appear above the water like a periscope on a leafless terminal spike that puts off a sweet nectar smell and attracts many insects that help in pollination. But the real show is blow the water surface.

Unique root system
The root system of the greater bladderwort has multi-layered roots that spread out and contain tiny bladders that look like small berries. They may contain as many as 500 bladders on their roots system that eat thousands of tiny organisms every day. Most of the greater bladderworts sit near the bottom of the ponds, marshes or slow-moving streams. When the plant is ready to flower it floats to the top but the root system and bladders are still below the surface.

How they attract prey

The bladders release slimy mucus that smells sweet and lures small aquatic fishes and organisms even closer. The bladders have small openings surrounded by tiny hairs. When an unsuspecting victim brushes the tiny hairs of the bladder, a snapping mechanism is activated whereby the creature is sucked inside. Sometimes small fish and other aquatic creatures are attracted to the root system  and bladders in search of shelter from larger hunters. Once inside the bladder, the creatures cannot escape because the trap door shuts with no possible exit. When the victim dies, its soluble parts are absorbed by the plant.
 The bladder then reopens and the animal’s remains are expelled with the water. The trap is then ready for the next meal. 
Know More about Stem Cell Therapies

Stem cell therapies have still long way to go for commercialization, but scientists have made rapid progress in the last one year.

What Stem cells are
Stem cells are cells that can become any type of cell- liver, kidney or skin – in the embryos and some adult tissues, but scientists have now learned how to reprogrammed normal tissue cells into stem cells.
You could theoretically make any tissue from your own cells. But we do not know yet how to do it safely. Stem cells are beginning to be used in drug testing as well as in discovery and development of new drugs.

The Controversy
The controversy dates back to the time, before 2007, when stem cells had to be extracted from embryos. This argument is dying down slowly. Now clinics offering untested stem cell therapies are another source of controversy, especially in India.

The new excitement
The primary excitement stems from possibilities of pluripotent stem cells, those developed from adult non-embryonic cells. Tremendous progress has been made recently in labs that can be translated into safe therapies in the next 5 to 10 years.

How useful they are Regenerative medicine
The biggest advantages is that stem cells are able to make whole tissues or organs like liver, kidney, or the skin out of the patient’s own cells. They can then be used to replace diseased organ with no possibility of rejection.

Testing of drug toxicity
Companies are developing specific tissue cells like heart muscles and they can be used to test drugs for toxicity. Cardiac toxicity is very common among drugs and this method s proving to be very useful.

Discovering new drugs
Stem cells can be use to develop new drugs, like those that can make damaged organs heal. Scientists also create models of disease inside dish using stem cells and use them to investigate how best they can respond to drugs.

Recent advances
A number of companies now make human tissues from stem cells for commercial use. Pharma Companies are beginning to use them for toxicity testing and discovering drugs.
A large number of clinical trials are on at the moment for spiral cord injuries, retinal diseases, autism, neurological diseases and others. Clinical trials are planned for voice box damage, macular degeneration, treating fractures and other diseases. A few examples of very recent progress I research include a potential vaccine in the lab for cancer, making fertile mice from stem cells, discovery of stem cells in pancreas, and learning how stem cell genes are switched on and off.

The Indian Scenario
India has recently established a multidisciplinary research institute at Bangalore. It is called Stem. It is also collaborating with Christian Medical College, Vellore to translate research into therapies. The All India Institute of Medical Sciences has a dedicated Centre for Stem Cell research.
Clinical trials are in their early stages in India. AIIMS has started one for multiple-sclerosis a few months ago, and the Bangalore-based Private company Stempeutics has obtained regulatory approvals for several clinical trials.

Stem Cell Bank

There are several stem cell banks of India. They store for a fee stem cells derived from amniotic fluid and cord blood. Parents of children hope that these stem cells may be useful later in the child’s life in expected ways.  
Guarding Your Family’s Health

Animals and diseases germs
Diseases germs may enter your home in many ways. They may be carried in on the feet and bodies of domestic animals. Mice and rats sometimes spread dangerous germs, including those that cause plague and typhus. Flies are particularly dangerous, for they carry the germs of typhoid, dysentery, diarrhea and other gastrointestinal complaints. Even birds that migrate from one part of the country to another may carry germs and viruses that cause serious epidemics.

Germs are a real menace to the human race. Whenever a major emergency arises, such as an earthquake or other disaster, the first thing the public health authorities are concerned about is the preservation of a good water-supply and the proper disposal of sewage and other refuse. This is imperative if the community is to be kept free from the epidemic diseases. The same concerns affect our ordinary ways of life. We are responsible for our own health.
Disposing of waste materials
Proper disposal of body wastes is one of the first laws of health. Today many people are fortunate to have running water in their homes. Flush toilets are now replacing the more primitive types even in some rural areas. But to our dismay, in rural areas open sanitation is still a common scene. But under these circumstances what happens to the waste materials?
Some people merely run the waste water off into some nearby stream, thinking that running water purifies itself. This is only partly true. Often whole communities are ill because of drinking water that has been contaminated by other peoples farther upstream. It is not wise to use water that flows from some other town or village. Nor should a person run waste water into a nearby stream and forget about it. Someone miles away from you may suffer through your neglect. If in doubt, be sure to boil all the water you or your family drinks.
Every family living in rural areas should have a suitable way of disposing of waste materials, such as septic tank. This method was actually used in India many centuries ago. Modern engineers have made improvements, but the septic tank of today still working on the same principles as did those of ancient times.
Other methods of sewage disposal
If you have no running water facility at your home, you must use some other method of disposing of body wastes. Modern chemical toilets are excellent, but rather expensive. Many families, especially in rural areas, still depend on bore-well latrines or pit privies. This arrangement usually consists of a small shed that stands over a pit or hole in the ground. The pit should e at least six feet deep, located at least 75 feet away from any wells or sources of drinking water. The privy or outhouse should be well ventilated and carefully screened so as to prevent the entrance of files. The squat place over the pit should have a removable cover to keep out flies. Every few days the waste materials should be covered with chloride or lime to keep down odours and reduce the number of flies. Never permit peoples or animals to contaminate the ground around your home.
Importance of clean living
Clean living is the first and most important step in the prevention of disease. When this principle is followed, the health and vitality of the family and of the nation improves. Each family must protect itself against disease. We should see to it that our neighbours also understand the importance of clean living, so that all our homes will be safe and happy places.   


Wednesday, 25 December 2013



10 Important Questions That TestHow Good Are You At Elementary Astronomy?


1. At some time in the night a person saw a half moon setting in the west. What time is likely to be?
(a)Midnight                                                                                   (b)Before sunrise
(c)Approximately 3 am                                                            (d)The time depends on the month

2. When a crescent moon is seen to be setting, will the convex edge or the concave edge be downwards?
(a)Always the concave edge
(b)Always the convex edge
(c)Concave edge if before sunset
(d)Concave edge if after sunset

3.Some planets when seen through a telescope show phases like the moon does. Of the following, which is one of them?
(a)Jupiter
(b)Saturn
(c)Mars
(d)Venus

4.The biggest units that are the first subunits constituting the universe are
(a)Planets
(b)Stars
(c)Galaxies
(d)Objects bigger than galaxies called clusters of galaxies

5.We know that during a total solar eclipse, there is a brief nightfall for about two to three minutes in the region it occurs. The sky becomes star-studded, so much so that birds start returning to their nests! The stars that are seen during this eclipse time
(a)will all again be seen on the night that follows
(b)will be seen again on the night that follows, only if they were to the east of the sun
(c)will be seen again on the night that follows, only if they were to the west of the sun
(d)will not be seen on the night that follows

6.Why do planets closer to the sun lack moons?
(a)They are too small to harbour a satellite
(b)The tidal effect of the sun's gravitational does not allow moons
(c)The giant planets like Jupiter and Saturn have captured all their moons
(d)Comets passing close by have knocked off their moons

7. Suppose today evening, the star Sirius is rising in the east. After 3 months, in the evening,
(a)It will not be seen in the sky
(b)It will be seen in between the zenith and the eastern horizon
(c)It will again be seen rising
(d)It will be seen in between the zenith and the western horizon

8. Suppose it is daytime at a place on the moon. How many heavenly objects are seen in the lunar sky?
(a)Exactly one: the sun
(b)Exactly two: the sun and the Earth
(c)Almost as many as you can see at night from the Earth
(d)One or two depending upon the location

9. In a total solar eclipse and an annular solar eclipse
(a)In the latter the sun is farther from the earth than in the former
(b)In the former the sun is farther from the earth than in the latter
(c)In the latter the moon is farther from the earth than in the former
(d)In the former the moon is farther from the earth than in the latter

10. If conditions are favourable for an annular solar eclipse to occur, in which season of the year in the Northern Hemisphere is it likely to occur?
(a)Winter
(b)Summer
(c)Fall
(d)Spring

For Answers of the above questions, Click Here.

Monday, 4 November 2013

Know More About Whole Grain And It’s Importance For Good Health.

With the increasing trends of vegetarianism and healthful nutritious diet, whole grain foods are on the rise. Companies are working with dieticians to make wholesome foods offering wider variety, quicker meals and richer taste.

What are unrefined grains?
In traditional Indian diets, grains were consumed either in whole form, or as coarse flours made from stone grinding. Today, however, much of the grain is milled and refined and this process removes most of the bran and the germ, and leaves only endosperm.
Whole grains are not processed or refined but used as whole, retaining the germ, endosperm and the outer shell (bran) intact.
What is the use of germ?
The germ of any grain has high nutrition value (vitamin B, vitamin E, antioxidants and unsaturated fats) while the outer shell is rich in fibre, calcium, magnesium, iron, copper, zinc and vitamin B. The endosperm is the storehouse rich in carbohydrates and protein to provide energy. They are better sources of fibre and other important nutrients, such as selenium, potassium and magnesium.
Whole grains are either single foods, such as brown rice and popcorn, or ingredients in products, such as buckwheat in pancakes or wholewheat in bread. Refined foods include white flour, white rice and white bread. Many breads, cereals, crackers, desserts and pastries are made with refined grains, too.
Nutritionists advise to include whole grains in your diet rather than refined grains to maintain the healthy lifestyle one needs to follow.
Advantages of whole grain diet
A slice of commercially prepared white bread has 66 calories, 1.9 grams protein and 0.6 grams fibre. A slice of wholewheat bread has 69 calories and provides 3.6g protein and 1.9g fibre. Studies show that eating whole grains, instead of refined grains, lowers the risk of many chronic diseases. Epidemiological studies conducted till date have revealed that people who consume three servings of whole grains on a daily basis are at a lower risk of being affected by hormone-related cancers by 10-40 per cent, digestive system cancers by 21-43 per cent and stroke by 37 per cent.
Those who consume whole grain products on a regular basis are less likely to gain weight. Whole grain products have been found to have beneficial effects on those suffering from hypertension. Including whole grain products in the diet can help one prevent osteoporosis and many other bone-related ailments. The consumption of whole grains has been linked to reduced risk of coronary heart disease. Whole grains have a slow digestibility, making them contribute positively to the glucose and insulin responses. This in turn, has been found to lower the risk of diabetes. Every whole grain item in your diet helps. They are full of nutrients; including fibre, B vitamins, and magnesium. The dietary fibre (the indigestible part of the plant that is also found in fruits and vegetables) present in whole grains consists of soluble and insoluble fibre. The insoluble dietary fibre prevents constipation. It also lowers the risk of cardiovascular diseases by reducing total and LDL cholesterol levels. Soluble dietary fibre (found in oats and barley) is associated with lowering cholesterol levels and offers a protection against cardiovascular abnormalities.
Management of Diabetes Mellitus:
Whole grains may play a role both in prevention and management of diabetes mellitus. In diabetics, soluble fibre in whole grains causes a slower rise in glucose levels; what is generally referred to as an improved glucose response. This is also because they are more slowly digested than the cereals and thus permit a slower increase in blood sugar levels.
The best way to consume whole grain products is to flake them, grind or eat them whole, cracked or split.
How To Make Your Meal Palatable

Eating a variety of whole grains not only ensures that you get more health-promoting nutrients but also helps make your meals and snacks more palatable. Enjoy breakfasts that include whole grains cereals, such as bran flakes, shredded wheat or oatmeal. Substitute whole wheat toast or whole grain bagels for plain bagels. Substitute low-fat bran muffins for pastries. Make sandwiches using wholegrain breads or roll. Replace with rice with brown rice. Add whole grains, such as cooked brown rice or whole grain bread crumbs, to ground meat and poultry. Try and incorporate whole grains in your chappaties. Prepare them with whole wheat, bajra, jowar, and ragi for maximum health benefits instead of flours. Whole wheat breads, oats, wheat flakes and cornflakes can be used as healthful breakfast cereals. Breads made of rye are also available. Whole wheat pitas and pizza bases are also available now-a-days.

Sunday, 3 November 2013

How To Overcome Feeling Of Worry

Here are few practical steps.

Change your self-image. You must begin by asking yourself, “what sort of person I am?” How would you describe yourself? A person who is afraid of life, uneasy in many situations and prone to worry?
The way to overcome fear and worry is to change your response to the situations around you. The secret is in ourselves. It is not what happens to us but the way we react to what happens that counts.
Make a positive approach to life. To change tour self-image you must change your reaction to the experiences of life. Begin by counting your blessings and being thankful for your possessions.

Is your mind able to think and plan? Are you able to see the beauty of the countryside, hear and enjoy melodious music, appreciate tasty and healthy food? These are real blessings.
Every day stop a few minutes to appreciate what you have. Begin the day with a positive affirmation “I am going to live this day enjoying good health and happiness”.
Resolve to face life as it really is. If you have problems face them squarely- don’t run away from them or leave them in the back of your mind.
When some misfortune threatens, consider seriously and deliberately what is the worst that could possibly happen. Then be prepared to face it bravely while hoping for the best. You will find that you worry disappears to a great extent. If you have not shirked in facing the worst possible situation, you will find that your worry dissolves altogether.
Remember you have at your disposal your personal gifts and the strength that comes from the heart of the Universe. Accept the situation in which you find yourself. If there is nothing that can be done to change it, realize that you will have to live with it and accept it. Many people become tense because they struggle against something that cannot be changed. The great secret of happy and peaceful living is in the phrase “one day at a time”. It means: “Live one day at a time”.
Realize how much time you have wasted by worrying about the future and regretting about the past. Today is yours to use it to the full.
When you get up in the morning resolve to think of matters concerned with that one day and leave everything else until the next day comes. Do your best to handle these subjects with faith and perseverance.
Plan your day. It is a good thing to make a plan for the day. Just as you budget your money, you should also budget your time.
Do your best and leave the rest. Resolve to do your best at each task and then leave it. It is good to remember that “Even this will pass away”.
You cannot do anything properly if you worry about something you are going to do next. Give all your attention to the matter on hand.
Relax. This is perhaps the greatest word of all. Take time to relax and live in relaxed way.
Make up your mind that you will never rush up. Get up a little early so that you don’t have a rush out for work. Take things quietly and calmly. Get into the habit of taking ”one minute rest” off and on several times in a day.
Fix some time during the day when, for ten minutes or so, you can sit down and relax yourself completely.

Remember that you need to relax your mind as well as your body. Prepare a quiet room for yourself. Let your mind dwell upon the beautiful pictures around you in the room and the beauty you can see from the windows.

Saturday, 2 November 2013


No bird has been written so much by poets as the nightingale. Its song is supposed to be the most beautiful of all and nobody has been quite able to describe it. As a matter of fact, this attempt at describing it goes back to Aristophanes, the ancient Greek writer!
According to the poets, the nightingale sings only at night and at almost any season of the year. But this isn't true. The nightingale is a migratory bird and in England, for example, can only be heard between the middle of April and the middle of June. The nightingale does not visit Ireland, Wales or Scotland. On the continent of Europe it is quite abundant in the South, and even goes as far as Iran, Arabia, Abyssinia, Algeria, and the Gold Coast of Africa.
Only the male nightingale sings. His melody is the song of courtship to his mate, which remains silent in a neighbouring bush or tree. He sings during the day as well as at night, but because of other birds, his song is not noticed so much then.
The male keeps singing until the female has hatched out her brood. Then he remains quiet so as not to attract enemies to the nest. He stays on guard, and his notes are short calls to tell his mate that all is well, or to warn her of some danger.
While the nightingale sings one of the most beautiful songs of all birds, its plumage is very inconspicuous. Male and female are very much alike- a reddish-brown above and dull grayish-white beneath.
The nest the nightingales build is somewhat unusual. It is placed on or near the ground. The outside of the nest consists mostly of dead leaves set up vertically. In the midst of this is a deep cuplike hollow, neatly lined with fibres from roots. It is very loosely constructed and a very slight touch can disturb it. There are from four to six eggs of a deep olive colour.


Friday, 1 November 2013


Cement is one of the most important raw materials used in construction work because it is the essential ingredient in concrete. Millions upon millions of tones of concrete are used every year in building roads, bridges, dams, and so on. It is cheap, easy to make, and is waterproof and fireproof. It can also be used under water. When concrete is first mixed, it forms a pasty mass that can be cast into any shape. But it quickly sets rock-hard.

Cement Manufacturing Plant

How concrete is made
Concrete is made by adding water to a mixture of cement, sand, and gravel or stone. The sand is called fine aggregate and the stones are called coarse aggregate. The sand fills in the gaps between the larger stones so that there will no air trapped between them. The presence of air would weaken the concrete. The most common type of cement is Portland cement, which is a fine, grey powder made by roasting a crushed mixture of limestone, clay, and other materials. Large lumps of chalk or limestone rock from a quarry are broken down into smaller lumps by powerful mechanical crushers. Then they are mixed with the other materials and water to form slurry. The slurry enters a ball mill where tumbling steel balls grind it finely. From there it passes into a long, cylindrical kiln that slopes slightly downwards and rotates so that the materials gradually move along it. In this kiln the materials are first dried and then heated while-hot to form a hard, coak-like mass, called clinker. After cooling, this clinker is finely crushed into the familiar fine powdery form of cement. A certain amount of gypsum is added to control the rate at which the cement will eventually set.
Concrete Mixer

Concrete is usually mixed on the site where it is to be used in machines called concrete mixers. They have a rotating drum which mixes the ingredients thoroughly together. The wet concrete may be taken to where it is needed in huge buckets, or skips carried by cranes, or it may be pumped into place through a pipeline. Sometimes concrete is supplied ready-mixed in huge mixer trucks, which pour it directly into place.
Concrete may be cast in its final position in moulds made of wood. Or it may be precast into shape and then taken to the site to be assembled.
Reinforced concrete
Ordinary concrete is strong when it is being squeezed, or under compression. But it is weak when it is being stretched, or under tension. If, say a concrete beam is supported only at its ends, this weakness may cause it to crack and collapse. To prevent this weakness, steel wires or rods are cast into concrete. It is then known as reinforced concrete. The strength can be increased further by stretching the wires or rods either before or after they are forced in the concrete.

In pretensioning, the concrete is cast around rods that are being stretched. When the concrete sets, the rods are released and compress the concrete, making it stronger. In post-tensioning, the concrete beam is cast with holes, pulled out, and then anchored so that the beam is under compression. This again strengthens the beam. 

Friday, 25 October 2013


The combat dance of rattlesnake is one of Nature’s great oddities. Actually, it is not a dance but a curious kind of wrestling combat, and it is believed to be rooted in the instinct of all animals to protect their own territory.
The encounter takes place when two angry snakes, one of them an intruder, meet head-on. The combatants pause for a moment, and then, with a sudden convulsive movement, they simultaneously raise the forward parts of their bodies straight up in the air to a height of about two feet and press against each other.
At the same time, they intertwine their tails firmly together to give themselves a purchase for their upright positions. It looks like an embrace, but it is not. It is a fight, each snake trying to push the other to the ground. Weaving back and forth in the air, the embattled reptiles slam and press the free portions of their bodies against each other with great force. The back of the head offers the most vulnerable target. Each snake knows that a push at this point can easily topple his opponent. To add power to this push, the snake fills their lungs deeply with air to make their bodies more rigid on the attack.
The fight continues for some minutes, during which time the snakes are completely oblivious to any danger that threatens nearby. Finally one snake is brought to the ground. The victor holds him there for a moment and then allows the vanquished snake to escape and glide away unharmed.
Only male snakes engage in this combat dance. And they fight only to drive their opponent from the field, very much as medieval knights used to do. They do not fight to kill. If so, they would use their fangs on each other, since most snakes are susceptible to the fatal effects of their own venom.
The combat dance has not been observed very often. The well-known herpetologist, Ross Allen, says that he has witnessed it only three times in more than more than forty years spent studying the habits of reptiles.


Sunday, 20 October 2013



The Sun and its energy
Most of our energy comes from the Sun. The Sun is a big ball of glowing gases, made up mostly of hydrogen. Inside the Sun, hydrogen atoms join together (through a process called nuclear fusion) and become helium. During the fusion process large amount of energy is released. The energy works its way to the Sun’s surface and then radiates out into space in the form of waves. These waves give us heat and light. The energy from the Sun is stored in our food, which provides fuel to our bodies. It happens thus:
  • Plants absorb energy from the Sun (Solar energy) and convert absorbed energy to chemical energy for storage.
  • Animals eat plants and gain the stored chemical energy.
  • People eat plants and meat.
  • Food provides the body with energy to work and play.

The Sun stores its energy in Fossil Fuels
The Sun also provides the energy stored in fossil fuels. Coal, petroleum and natural gas are fossil fuels. They come from the remnants of ancient plants and animals over millions and millions of years. This is how it happened:
  • Hundreds of millions of year ago, before people lied on Earth, trees and other plants absorbed energy from the Sun, just as they do today.
  • Animals ate plants and smaller animals.
  • After the plants and animals died, they slowly became buried deeper and deeper underground.
  • After millions of years, they eventually turned into coal and petroleum.

Although the buried prehistoric plants and animals changed from over time, they still contained stored energy. When we burn fossil fuels today, the stored energy from the Sun is released in the form of heat. The heat is used to warm our homes and other buildings and produce electricity for our lights and appliances.
How does energy get to you?


Energy from Fossil Fuels
Most of our energy comes from fossil fuels. Your home may be heated with oil or natural gas. You may have a kitchen stove that uses natural gas. Cars need gasoline to run. The following shows how energy goes from a primary source to a form of energy that we can use:
  • The fossil fuel is taken to a furnace, where it is burned. The heat produced by the burning fuel is used to heat water that flows through pipes. When the water boils, it becomes steam.
  • The Steam is sent to a turbine. The steam pushes against the blades of the turbine and causes it to spin.
  • A shaft attached to the turbine turns a generator and a spinning magnet produces electricity in coils nearby.
  • The electricity is sent by wires over long distances to homes and businesses. The electricity can then be used for lighting and for running appliances or machinery.


Energy from water
For centuries, people have been getting energy from rushing water. In a hydroelectric plant, water from rivers or dams is used to drive machinery like a turbine. The turbine is connected to a generator, which produces electricity.


Nuclear Energy: In nuclear reactors, Uranium atoms are split into smaller atoms to produce heat. The heat is hen used to produce electricity, just as the heat from burning coal is used.


Saturday, 19 October 2013

  



Nursing a sick child often requires more skill and understanding. The mind of a child works differently. He has no experience to guide him. A sick child is naturally afraid, even if you have told him he will be well again in a few days.
Child’s imagination: Every child has a highly active imagination, which becomes even more sensitive when he is sick. You must be careful not to increase his fears. Children have heard adults tell tales about illness and death, including all harrowing details. This sort of exaggeration is harmful to child. Then when he becomes ill, and his imagination is already working overtime, he may be almost scared to death. Therefore, try to keep him calm and quiet. Another instance of the fear in a child is the moment when the doctor prescribes an injection. If so, be sure to set a good example yourself. Don’t cringe when the doctor opens his bag. The child may be watching how you react in this emergency. If you are calm and cheerful, he will try to follow your example.
Fortunately, Nature is kind to young children. Most of their illness last only a few days at most. One minute they seem to be sick and at another they are up and running around as if nothing had happened. Except in certain crippling diseases, they rarely have to stay long in bed.
When your child is sick, be sure to consult the doctor early in the day. Don’t wait till midnight, merely hoping for the best. Remember, the earlier the doctor is consulted, the better for the child and also for yourself. A young child does not have the reserve energies of an adult. He can go downhill very rapidly with certain types of infection. Don’t take a chance, consult the doctor early.
Should you pamper your child? Not necessarily. All children like to be considered as heroes. So don’t pamper your child when he is sick. Sometimes they refuse to take prescribed diet and demand their choice. When this happens, try to explain the child how the planned and prescribed diet helps him become normal soon. Help him to act like a grown-up. At the same time do not make a simple illness seem too important. If your child gets too much attention, he may prefer to remain sick or feign sick.

Don’t allow too many visitors at home when your child is sick. Allow him to see Nature as much as possible. Narrate stories with happy endings. He may want to hear some favourite story over and over again. Either you read for him or narrate. Talk about cheerful things and avoid all morbid discussions. The child recovers fast and brings cheer in you.

The dog family includes wolves, foxes and jackals. The familiar domesticated dogs, which have been bred into a huge number of different shapes and sizes, probably originated from the grey or timber wolf. Unlike cats, dogs tend to hunt in groups, called packs. Their long, powerful legs enable them to run well and for long periods.
The common or grey wolf,  the largest of the dogs and found in forest, tundra and mountains, varies in appearance across its range. It is also called the timber wolf, steppe wolf, tundra wolf and plains wolf.
Wolves eat a wide range of food, from deer to small mammals and even berries and other fruits. Even though they are common in some places, wolves are very rarely a danger to people. There are 35 species of dogs and relatives. The thirty five species, including grey wolf, live in North America, Europe and across Asia.
Red wolf is found in south eastern North America and is exceptionally rare now. Coyotes are common in parts of North and Central America. They are rather like smaller versions of wolves and their strange night howls are the ‘call of the wild’. The maned wolf lives in tall grassland in South America. It has long, graceful legs and attractive red-brown hair. Like pet dogs, wolves put their ears back and bare their teeth when they feel in danger.
Four species of Jackals live in Africa, Southeast Europe and South Asia; Dingo is found in Australia. Dhole or Asian wild dog is found in India, China, and Southeast Asia; African wild dog is mainly found in Southern Africa.
21 species of Foxes are found worldwide except Australia. Red or Common Fox is one of the most adaptable and widespread of all mammals, living in remote country and also scavenging in towns and cities.


Wednesday, 9 October 2013




One of the richest sources of protein is the soy bean. This simple food contains a complete protein. It has been cultivated in China and Japan for centuries. Soy beans actually contain twice as much protein, ounce for ounce, as meat and four times as much as eggs. Soy beans also contain a high quality vegetable oil that has no cholesterol in it. Soy oil contains lecithin, which s of value in controlling the level of cholesterol within the body. Soy beans are low in carbohydrates, so that diabetic patients can use them freely. They are highly alkaline, and in addition, contain all the important vitamins.
Sprouted soy beans are used in many parts of Asia. They are an excellent source of vitamin C. They are also rich in vitamins A and B complex. Babies who are allergic to cow’s milk can usually take soy bean milk without any trouble.
In some countries a number of foods are made from the soy bean. These include baked beans, canned or frozen green beans, bean sprouts, soy milk an cheese, vegetable shortening, margarine, and salad oil. They are also used in ice cream and sweetmeats, soy breakfast foods, soy sauce, and soy flour. Different types of soy beans are produced for these purposes.

Modern nutritionists and food chemists are busy in many areas searching for new ways of sing this important protein food. Without doubt soy bean is an excellent answer to the problem of feeding an overpopulated world. It is one of our very best foods, Nature’s gift to man.

Monday, 7 October 2013



Antoine Henri Becquerel (1852-1908) was a French Physicist who discovered radioactivity.
Some substances, when they have been exposed to bright sunlight, glow in the dark for some time afterwards. This effect is called Phosphorescence. Henri Becquerel followed in the footsteps of his father and grandfather who had both been well-known physicists. He was interested in crystals which glow (fluoresce) after absorbing sunlight. When Roentgen discovered X-rays in 1895, Becquerel was fascinated. In the meanwhile a Frenchman named Henri poincare, who later became famous as a brilliant mathematician, suggested that phosphorescent substances might give off X-rays. In 1896, a friend and fellow-countryman of Poincare, Antoine Henri Becquerel, decided to put the matter to the test. He exposed crystals of a Uranium compound to sunlight to make them phosphorescent and placed them on thickly wrapped photographic plates. On developing the plates he found that the plates had been blackened by rays from the uranium compounds. It looked as if Poincare had been correct. A few days later Becquerel happened to be developing some old photographic plates to see if they were still good enough to use. The plates had been kept in a drawer in which there were traces of the uranium compounds. He found to his astonishment that those plates had been blackened by the uranium, even though they had been kept in the dark. The blackening had nothing to do with phosphorescence after all. Becquerel had discovered what came to be called radioactivity. He found that the uranium ore pitchblende was more intensely radioactive that even uranium itself. His enthusiasm influenced Pierre and Marie Curie.
The Curies
Becquerel was friendly with Pierre Curie, a lecturer in Physics at the University of Sorbonne in Paris, and his wife Marie, who was a chemist. He mentioned his discovery regarding Pitchblende to them, and they resolved to try to isolate the unknown, powerfully radioactive element that must be present in the ore.
The Curies obtained loads of Pitchblende ‘waste’ from the Austrian government from which the uranium had already been extracted. They worked in an old wood shed in the Sorbonne purifying and separating the ore. In July 1898 they announced that there were not one, but two unknown radioactive elements in pitchblende. They isolated one, which Marie Curie named polonium, after Poland, where she was born. They did not succeed in isolating the second one, which they called radium, until 1902.
For their pioneering work on radioactivity, Becquerel and the Curies were jointly awarded the 1903 Nobel Physics Prize.
The radium the Curies had prepared so far was in the form of a compound. Therefore, they set about producing pure radium. Pierrie, however, was killed in a street accident in 1906, and Marie continued alone. Breaking with all tradition, the Sorbonne offered Pierre’s position to Madame Curie. In 1910 Marie succeeded at last in preparing a minute amount of pure radium. This brought her a second Nobel Prize in 1911. Soon afterwards she helped to found, and became the first director of the Radium institute of Paris.

Marie Curie died of leukemia, a disease of white blood cells. It has since been shown that radiation can cause leukemia, so it is more than likely that Madame Curie died as a result of excessive exposure to the intense radiation from the elements she had discovered. 


Mosquito, a two-winged ‘little fly’ is a menace to humankind. It causes blood loss, transmits diseases like malaria, filaria, dengue, chikungunya, and Japanese encephalitis. There is incredible diversity in the mosquito family. Weighing only about 2.5 milligrams, mosquitoes have survived through the ages. Fossil and zoogeographic evidence suggest that these insects evolved during the dinosaur period of Jurassic Age around 250 million years ago. Though dinosaurs are long gone, these small winged creatures have adapted and evolved to produce extensive taxonomic, genetic and ecological diversity.

Where are they found?
Mosquitoes are found throughout the world except in places that are permanently frozen. They are found amply in the tropics and subtropics. The largest population of individual species occurs in the Arctic Tundra. Out of the 3500 mosquito species, about 350 species have been reported in India.
The diseases they transmit

It is estimated that over 700 million people are affected by the diseases transmitted by mosquitoes. Some of the major diseases are: malaria, filaria, dengue, chikugunya, Japanese Encephalitis (JE), yellow fever, Western Nile Fever (WNF), Western Equine Encephalitis (WEE), Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE), Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis (VEE), and California Encephalitis (CE).
Varieties of Mosquitoes Anopheles

Anophelinae comprises 450 species. Sixty-six of these are medically crucial for their plasmodium-carrying capacity. In our country, 58 Anopheline species have been recorded of which 10 are known to be malarial vectors.

How to identify Anopheles
Anopheles can be identified by the three to four black spots on the upper edge of the wing. It has grayish brown body and pale bands on maxillary pulp. Male mosquitoes have antennae that look like brush. In females, antennae do not have such dense hairs. The Primary vector An Culicifacies has widespread distribution and can efficiently transmit both ordinary and cerebral malaria. It breeds proficiently during monsoon and causes incidence of malaria intensify.

The other varieties are: An. Stehensi, an urban vector; An.fluviatilis that inhabits hilly regions; An.minimus found in tea garden belts and foothill regions; An.dirus, mainly confined to the forest and forest fringe areas; An.minimus, dirus and fluviatilis maintain stable malaria in the northeastern states. An.Sundaicus is at present restricted to Andaman Nicober islands, though it was earlier prevalent in Odisha. Besides malaria transmission An.gambiae, An. Funestus etc. carry the filarial parasite in some parts of the world including East Africa, Papua New Guinea. An.barbirostris and An.hycranus can transmit Japanese encephalitis virus also.
Why they feed on: Major Anopheline vectors are anthropophilic and feed on the blood of humans inside the house. The biting hours vary through night (depending on the species) with a flight range of two to three kilometers. Their flight sound is not audible.

Where they breed: Anopheles breed in fresh water bodies like riverside, lakes, cisterns, wells, paddy fields etc. But few species can breed even in foul water, muddy ponds and marshlands.


Monday, 23 September 2013



The word ‘unique’ denotes ‘one of its kind’ or something very special. Some animals are quite unique in this sense. For instance, the blue whale is unique for its giant size and so also glow worms “Luciferae” that emit greenish glow at night. Likewise, there are a few more creatures which are unique.
Leech the parasite doctor, is a very special physician. Dr Andreas Michalsen and colleagues from Essen, Germany reported that Leech therapy is quite effective in treating patients with osteoarthritis. Twenty-four patients with this wear and tear of the ageing knee problem were given one-shot leech therapy. They allowed four to six leeches to attach themselves to each knee and drink blood for about an hour. They found leech therapy was far more effective than drug therapy.
Leech therapy which benefits those with other causes of pain, was used by the ancient Egyptians, Greek and Indian medicine men. They used the leech to help maintain the humoral balance in the body. They attached leech to the body for the cure, and detached it by sprinkling some slat water.
How it acts as a physician: The leech which is used in medicine is called Hirudo
 Medicinalis. It has five pair of eyes and two sucker both on its front and back side.     .
The head sucker searches and penetrates while the back sucker holds fast to the host. The
Bite of hirudo is painless because it has an anaesthetic that makes the host feel nothing. This substance is under atudy.
The effect of its saliva:  The leech saliva has many other molecules of great medicinal interest. One of the molecules is a vaso-dilator and a histamine that increases the diameter of blood vessels, helping to promote blood flow. Another is an enzyme called hyaluronidase. It breaks down hyaluronic acid, the bonding material of the connective tissue, thus fostering the flow of blood and fluids from affected areas. Another substance in leech saliva is hirudin. It is the most potent inhibitor of blood clotting known to date. Hirudin in leech helps continued blood flow by breaking off the aggregated fibrin plugs that clot and seal blood leaks. Hirudin also shuts off the mechanisms of Factor VIII mediated blood coagulation. Genetic engineers in England are successful in cloning the gene for hirudin and manufacture it through recombinant DNA technology. We have to be thankful to the leech for the benefits it has opened up for modern medicine. Hirudin made it possible to have its cousins balellin and eglin.
How much blood it drinks: Leech drinks hardly 15ml our of the 3000-5000 ml of the human blood. And having drunk, the parasite doctor moves on to chew the cud for six months.


Saturday, 21 September 2013




  1.  Citric acid cycle takes place in the    
a. Mitochondria                  b. Lysosome
c. Endoplasmic reticulum   d. All the above. 

  1. Prokaryotic ribosomes are
a. 10 S           b. 20 S         c. 70S         d. 80S

  1. The organelle that lacks a double membrane is
a. Mitochondria                  b. Lysosome
c. Ribosome                       d.  Nucleus

  1. Cell wall is rigid because of
a. Pectin                      b. Lignin
c. Hemicellulose         d. Cellulose

  1. Major function of mitochondria in a cell is
a. Secretion                      b. Osmoregulation
            c. Excreation                    d. Fat synthesis

  1. Energy currency of cell is
a. ATP                    b. NAD           c. FAD          d. FMN

  1. Autolysis is a function of
a. Peroxisomes                 b.Glyoxisomes
c. Lysosomes                   d. Kinetosomes

  1. An octamer of four histones complexed with DNA is called
a. Centrosome                  b. Nucleosomes
c. Mesosomes                  d. Endosomes

  1. Most of the hydrolytic enzymes of lysosomes fuction at
a. Acidic pH                          b. Basic pH
c. Neutral pH                        d. Any pH

  1. Ribosomes were discovered by
a. Palade              b. de Roberits           c. Golgi            d. Porter

  1. Chloroplasts contain
a. 50s ribosomes          b. 80s ribosomes
c. 70s ribosomes          d. No ribosomes

  1. Lysosomes are discovered by
a. Robert Hook               b. Purkyne
c. Hertwig                      d. Christian de Duve

  1. Which is the smallest cell organelle?
a. Lysosomes                       b. Ribosomes
c. Sphaerosomes                 d. Glyoxisomes

  1. The organelle not bound by a membrane is
a. Nucleus                          b. Mitchondria
c. Centriode                       c. Chloroplast

  1. Lysosomes are generally found in
    1. Animal cells
    2. Both animal and plant cells
    3. Planet cells
    4. Bacterial cells

  1. Silicified cell wall is unique to
a. Blue Green Algae           b. Green bacteria
c. Diatoms                          d. Dinoflagellates

  1. The term protoplast was coined was coined by
    1. Robert Hooke
    2. Antony Von Leeuwenhoek
    3. Purkinje
    4. Hertwig

  1. Ribosomes can be seen within
a. Endoplasmic reticulum         b. Lysosomes
c. Golgi complex                      d. Mitochondria

  1. Acrosome of human sperm is made up of
a. Endoplasmic reticulum            b. Golgi complex
c. Lysosomes                               d. Centroids

  1. Glycolysis pathway was discovered by
a. Calvin                          b. Krebs
c. J.C. Bose                     d. None of the above

  1. Both respiration and photosynthesis require
a. Magnesium                      b. Cytochrome
c. Energy                             d. All of above

  1. DNA replication takes place in
a. S phase                     b. Go phase
c. G2 phase                  d. M phase


     ANSWERS:
    
     1.a        2.c      3.b      4.b        5.d       6.a       7.c
     8.b        9.a     10.a     11.c      12.d     13.a     14.c
     15.b      16.c   17.c     18.d      19.b     20.b     21.d
     22.a