3-Minute Science

<p>Like many kids his age my 8-year-old son is fascinated by science. I took him to science 'shows' and lectures for kids on both sides of the Atlantic and bought him a massive stack of kids' science books. What I noticed is that he was getting lost in the excitement of experiments with test tubes lightnings and explosions and missed the actual science facts behind the flashy lab action. Most science books for young readers are too expansive and systematic for his age and the books written for elementary school kids are too simplistic.</p><p><br></p><p>So I wrote this book with the goal of explaining assorted middle- and high-school-level concepts of physics and chemistry to elementary school kids in a way that lets them easily grasp each idea:</p><p><br></p><p>- 2-page bite-size chapters each focusing on one natural phenomenon</p><p>- easy for independent reading from 2nd grade up</p><p>- lots of big colorful photo illustrations.</p><p><br></p><p>Now my son is walking around impressing friends and strangers by randomly divulging science facts such as the structure and polarity of water molecules the properties of hydrogen and helium that stem from their atomic weight and the coherency of a laser beam. Mission accomplished! We have shifted our focus from explosions and bubbles to actual science facts.</p><p><br></p><p>2H2 + O2 --> 2H2O What is this?</p><p>Why it's a chemical reaction of hydrogen burning also called combustion.</p><p>Yes a second-grader is entirely capable of explaining such things to anyone.</p><p><br></p><p>Here are the subjects we cover in this book.</p><p><br></p><p>Seeing colors - the nature of light photons light reflection RGB the color wheel</p><p>Rainbows diamonds - prisms light refraction</p><p>Colors of the sky - light wavelengths visible light light scattering</p><p>X rays UV rays - electromagnetic radiation invisible portions of the spectrum</p><p>Lasers - properties of laser beams spatial coherence laser-emitting devices</p><p>Glass - transparency UV vs visible light</p><p>Mirrors - specular reflection</p><p>Oil water soap - chemical polarity structure of water and soap molecules</p><p>Ice - states of matter structure of ice density</p><p>Ocean water - NaCl freezing point</p><p>Hot air balloons - temperature and density</p><p>Bubbles and drops of water - surface tension compactness interference colors</p><p>Carbonated drinks - carbon dioxide oxygen cycle</p><p>Metal and plastic - thermal conductivity</p><p>Air - gravity weight atmospheric pressure sea level elevation</p><p>Helium balloons - the periodic table chemical elements atomic weight hydrogen helium blimps</p><p>Fire and water - oxygen atoms hydrogen atoms reactive elements combustion</p><p>Electricity - conductors and insulators</p><p>Lightning - static electricity and static discharge</p><p>Rust and tarnish - oxidation and oxides</p><p>Plants - chlorophyll photosynthesis carbohydrates</p><p>Flames - burning flame zones candles vs gas burners</p><p>Diamonds and graphite - crystalline forms of carbon</p><p><br></p>