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Electrical Safety
Whether it's a faulty appliance or a bolt of lightning, an electric shock can be fatal. How can we avoid electric shocks? Physics - Electricity And Circuits - Learning Points. If humans become part of an electric circuit they will...
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The Elements: Iron
Iron is crucial in many areas of life: it is found in our blood, as well as being used to build bridges. Chemistry - Periodic Table - Learning Points. Iron is one of the most common element on Earth. Iron is found in living organisms....
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Body Crash
When a significant collision occurs, extreme forces can cause serious damage to the car and its passengers. How do airbags and seatbelts work to reduce the forces that are exerted on the body? Physics - Forces - Learning Points. If a car...
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The Elements: Aluminium
Learn about the most abundant metal in Earth's crust. Chemistry - Periodic Table - Learning Points. Aluminium is the most abundant metal in the Earth's crust. Aluminium is highly reactive. Aluminium alloys are strong and lightweight,...
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The Elements: Sodium
Find out why sodium is highly reactive and highly useful! Chemistry - Periodic Table - Learning Points. Sodium is a highly reactive metal. Sodium is so reactive, it cannot exist naturally in its pure state. Sodium is found in salt, soap...
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The Elements: Silver
Learn about silver and why it is so valuable. Chemistry - Periodic Table - Learning Points. Silver is found in relatively small quantities on Earth. Silver is a good conductor. Silver ions have antibacterial properties. A Twig Context...
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The Elements: Potassium
Potassium is one of the most unpredictable elements, a soft metal that is essential to life. Chemistry - Periodic Table - Learning Points. Potassium is a soft metal. In our bodies potassium compounds help keep us healthy. Potassium...
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Defensive Plants - Plant Protections
Plants have developed an array of chemical, mechanical and mimicry methods to fight off predators, meaning that they are not as defenceless as they seem. Biology - Plants - Learning Points. Plants have evolved defence mechanisms to ward...
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Metallic Bonding
Metals can be strong and hard, or they can be flexible. It's the special behaviour of ions that give metals their different properties. Chemistry - Atoms And Bonding - Learning Points. Metal atoms bond together and create giant lattice...
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Mendeleev's Prophecy
When Mendeleev created the Periodic Table in 1869, he also predicted the existence of elements yet to be discovered, including gallium. What are the properties of this rare metal and why was its discovery so important? Chemistry -...
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Pollution: Land
How does land get polluted, and what with? Discover the quantities of waste deposited in landfills each year, and just how much could be recycled. Earth Science - Human Impacts - Learning Points. Landfills are holes in the ground where...
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Static Electricity: The Hidden Dangers for Helicopters and Crew
A build up of static electricity is usually harmless, resulting in only small shocks. But in some cases it can be deadly. Discover the danger static electricity poses for helicopters and their crew. Physics - Electricity And Circuits -...
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The Elements: Radium
Learn why radium is so radioactive it can both cause and cure cancer. Chemistry - Periodic Table - Learning Points. Marie and Pierre Curie discovered radium in 1898. Radium is a product of the radioactive decay of uranium. Exposure to...
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Metals in Medicine
Metals are used in the human body for a wide range of medical purposes. Discover which metals are used and what properties they have that can help to heal us. Chemistry - Periodic Table - Learning Points. Titanium, stainless steel and...
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Alkali Metals
Witness the exciting reactions that occur when alkali metals come into contact with other substances. What does this tell us about their properties? Chemistry - Periodic Table - Learning Points. The alkali metals make up Group 1 of the...
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Nuclear Power
How is this powerful and controversial energy source produced? Do the advantages outweigh the dangers of nuclear power? Earth Science - Earth's Resources - Learning Points. Nuclear power is created using uranium, and small amounts can...
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Reactivity Series: Reactive Metals
The discovery and uses of reactive metals throughout history, and how their uses have defined the period in which they were discovered. Chemistry - Periodic Table - Learning Points. The reactivity series ranks the chemical reactivity of...
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How Do Fireworks Work?
Fireworks combine chemical processes, from combustion to spectroscopy, to create spectacular displays. Discover what happens when the fuse is lit. Chemistry - Reactions - Learning Points. Fireworks involve combustion and exothermic...
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Carbon: Synthetic Diamonds
Diamonds take millions of years to form within the Earth's mantle, but now scientists are trying to produce them synthetically. Chemistry - Atoms And Bonding - Learning Points. Diamonds take a long time to form in the Earth's mantle....
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Ingenhousz's Heat Conductors
We use a metal box holding rods of different materials to test their ability to conduct heat. The box is filled with boiling water and a paperclip is attached to the end of each rod using petroleum jelly. As the heat moves through the...
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Metal Extraction
We extract copper metal from copper chloride solution using electrolysis. The electric current causes copper to form at one electrode and chlorine gas to form at the other. The presence of chlorine is tested using blue litmus paper....
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Heat Loss
We compare two cans, one painted black and the other painted white, to see how quickly they lose heat. The containers are placed in front of a heat source and heated to the same temperature. The temperature in each container is recorded...
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Ball and Hoop
We use a metal ball and hoop to demonstrate heat expansion. When cool, the ball fits through the hoop, but there is little extra space. The ball is then heated over a Bunsen burner. When hot, the ball doesn't fit through the hoop. We see...
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Mass of Wire Wool
We look at how the mass of wire wool changes when it is burned. Wire wool is almost 99% iron. When we burn it, it combines chemically with oxygen from the air to form iron(III) oxide. The mass of the product is more than the mass of the...