Physical Science

Physical science is the study of the physical world around you. Learn about everything from electricity to magnetism in this section.

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As a child, when trying to come up with the biggest number possible, you might have said "infinity plus one." While technically infinity is the largest number because you cannot run out of numbers, the biggest numbers that we know of are still difficult to count but a bit more quantifiable.

By Yara Simón

Flame colors span a spectrum that tells a tale as old as fire itself. Many people wonder what color is the hottest flame; more than a testament to the natural fascination with fire's beauty, this question underscores a fundamental principle in the science of thermodynamics and combustion.

By Clarissa Mitton

Do you need to calculate the rate at which something changes over time? Whether it's the change in the x-value over the change in the y-value of a line on a graph, or the distance travelled by a car over the course of an hour-long drive, you'll need a rate of change formula.

By Sascha Bos

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Physicists use the displacement formula to find an object's change in position. It sounds simple, but calculating displacement can quickly get complicated.

By Sascha Bos

In nuclear physics, the concept of half-life plays a crucial role in understanding the decay of radioactive substances. Scientists use the half-life formula in other disciplines to predict the rate of decay, as well as measure the age of ancient artifacts through carbon dating.

By Yara Simón

Frequency is a fundamental concept when you're talking about waves, whether that means electromagnetic waves like radio waves and visible light, or mechanical vibrations like sound waves.

By Marie Look

The wavelength formula is a fundamental concept in physics, particularly in the study of waves and electromagnetic radiation.

By Yara Simón

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In math, few skills are as practical as knowing how to do long division. It's the art of breaking down complex problems into manageable steps, making it an essential tool for students and adults alike.

By Desiree Bowie

We get it: You need help with the parabola equation because those graphs won't draw themselves. Here's how to draw a parabola from an equation.

By Yara Simón

Trying to figure out whether your research problem would benefit from qualitative vs. quantitative data? Learn about the differences and uses of each.

By Yara Simón

Distinguishing between discrete vs. continuous data and situations that call for each data type is important in ensuring you get your desired results.

By Marie Look

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The iconic "school bus yellow" was the invention of an educator named Frank Cyr. But if yellow is so good for visibility, why don't all fire trucks use it too?

By Dave Roos

All bubbles pop — that's a fact of life. But what's the science behind the short life and inevitable pop of a bubble?

By Allison Troutner

The Standard Model of physics provides a framework for the subatomic world of all energies. Could a possible newfound carrier boson expand the definition of that framework?

By Mark Mancini

Whether you're a math whiz or not, there are some pretty cool number theories, beliefs and coincidences to appreciate. How down with digits are you?

By Alia Hoyt

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You've probably had ice stick to your hand when you pull it out of the ice maker. But why is that?

By Alia Hoyt

It’s the ultimate cheat sheet for science class — and it’s right there hanging on the wall. What do you really know about the indispensable periodic table of elements?

By Nathan Chandler

The scutoid is kind of like the Higgs boson. Researchers theorized the new shape existed. And then they went looking for it.

It’s true: In 6 easy steps, you too can draw an impossible shape.

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Juice and soda mix well with alcohol, but a few things don't mix so well. Some may just produce embarrassing moments. Others could cost you your life.

By Beth Brindle

Most people probably haven't heard of the inventor T. Galen Hieronymus, but according to his advocates his machines are able capable of everything from remote analysis to remote healing -- so what is eloptic energy? Tune in to learn more.

All colors that you see fall into the visible light spectrum. Learn about the colors in the visible light spectrum in this article.

By Sascha Bos

Tour the inside of a nuclear power plant with these illustrative diagrams to learn more about how nuclear power plants work.

By Allison Loudermilk

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When a corpse is found, the presence of insects gets a lot of attention during the investigation. But which bugs show up for the flesh feast? And how much can these bugs reveal about death?

By John Fuller

The magnets found in an MRI machine are incredibly powerful. It can pull a stethoscope right out of a doctor's lab coat. So what would happen if you forgot to take out an earring? Ouch!

By Katherine Neer