Puffer fish

Puffer fish or Blow fish live in warm waters around the world. What makes a Puffer fish so intresting is that is can "blow up" about 8 times its orginal size. This happens when it feels threatened by a predator. They have very flexible stomaches and can swallow lots of water or even air very quickly. Even if a predator ate a Puffer fish the poison inside it would kill the predator. The poison inside the Puffer fish is 1,200 times stronger than cyanide. There is also no known antidote. However, there is a dish in Japan called fugu which uses Puffer fish meat. Many times people have died eating it because it wasn't prepared correctly.

photo credit: 

   http://www.tvacres.com/chemicals_tetrodotoxin.htm

Source: 

http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/fish/pufferfish/

The universe

Scientists are always trying to measure the universe. They use special equiment that tells them if an object is moving closer or farther away from Earth. Many scientist belive that the universe is still expanding and might never stop. Scientist also belive the universe started with something called The Big Bang. The Big Bang theory is that before the universe started there was matter and anti-matter. Massive amounts of matter and anti-matter collided and caused a huge explosion. Most anti-matter was destroyed, but some matter survived. This created the universe. Some scientists believe the universe has already expanded and the light from far away galaxies are finally reaching us. The universe is on big mystery on how it started. What do you think happened?

photo credit:https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=universe+site:.gov&source=images&cd=&docid=StRJJjj496bNrM&tbnid=-3Rv9E7cx-QcuM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwmap.gsfc.nasa.gov%2Fnews%2F5yr_release.html&ei=llVFU7W_Bqbt2wX_tIH4Bg&psig=AFQjCNHsofYatdfKZXF3xykGHukQ69PRmg&ust=1397139211186839

source: http://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/StarChild/universe_level1/universe.html Authors: The StarChild team

Spliting atoms

When atoms split they cause a huge reaction that has the same blast radius as 57,000,000 tons of TNT. This is more commonly known as a nuke or nuclear explosion. When atoms split into two they shoot off into different directions and hit other atoms. When a half hits the other atom the same thing happens and that atom split and shoots off to hit another atom causing a chain reaction. To start this reaction you take a element and hit the element with neutrons. Several different things can happen but with Uranium it splits the atom.This is called fission. This is what causes these devastating events in Hiroshima in World War II.      

Photo Credit: http://www.weirdwarp.com/2009/08/nuclear-fusion-and-its-future-uses-in-spacecraft/

Source: 

CCMR, 627 Clark Hall of Science, Cornell University, Published: 11 March, 2004, http://www.ccmr.cornell.edu/education/ask/?quid=748

Bullet

Sadly bullets are used every day. Some are used in gun ranges and some are used in war. Generally, not many people know the structure of a bullet. The bullet is like a rocket. When a rocket takes off, it breaks apart into different pieces. The back part of the bullet contains the gunpowder. When a gun fires it hits the back of the bullet which causes a chemical reaction making a tiny explosion. The front part of the bullet serpartes and is the projectile that comes out of the gun. The back part of the bullet is discarded out of the gun and the next bullet comes into place. There are many different types of bullets. For example in the picture this is a sniper or rilfe bullet. There is also a shotgun bullet which is very different from a normal bullet. In a shotgun shell, when the gun is fired, the shell has many pellets inside which scatter when they come out of the barrel. When you pump the shotgun again the shell is discarded and the next bullet comes into place. 

 

http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=428775

Bernoulli's Principle in volcanoes

Volcanos relate to Bernoulli's Principle. When pressure builds up inside the volcano it erupts. Usually there is a layer in between the outside and the inside. Lava from the Earth's core builds up against the layer which builds up a lot of pressure. When it breaks through it rushes through very quickly. Bernoulli's Principle is like when you put your thumb on the end of a hose and the water goes farther and faster. You would think the water would go slower but it doesn't. Another example is saw you were trapped in a small room with a lot of people. I lock the door and start to turn up the heat. You would probably be very desperate to get out so when the smallest gap appears everyone would rush to it to get out. Or they would try to break down the door like the lava.  

Gas

Gases have huge amounts of energy.  When a gas is compressed it is always trying to escape. When you open a soda and you hear they hiss, thats the gas inside escaping. The more a gas is compressed the more energy it has. Think of it like this. If you lock a bunch of people in a room an turn up the heat they will try to get out. When the door opens just a crack they will charge out. Gas will also try to fill up every little space too. They spread all the way out until they fill the container. Gas is warmer than solid and liquids because it has more energy. The less volume a gas has the more pressure it has. The more volume a gas has less pressure. Thats why when you go to higher alitudes its harder to breath.

Scuba Diving Science

            Most people believe that all you have to do to scuba dive is strap a tank on your back and jump in the water. There is a lot more that that. When you dive into the water the water puts pressure on your ears the farther you go down. If you don't equalize you ear will get sharp pains in the ear drum. To equalize you plug you nose and blow through your nose or you can swallow. A adult with a certification can dive down to 60ft/ 18m. Also the farther you go down you start to lose color. The first color you lose when you go down is red. The number one rule of scuba diving is ALWAYS BREATH NORMALLY!!! Never ever hold your breath. Think of a balloon full of air. The farther it goes down the smaller the balloon gets. It expands when it goes back up. if your lungs are full of air and you hold your breath and go up then that can seriously hurt your lungs. You try getting certified and you can see beautiful reefs and fish. It is worth it.