Everyday Science

Scientific, Geographical and Astronomical Phenomena

(Questions and Answers)

Q. Why does a piece of iron get rusted if left exposed in the open ?
Ans. Iron piece rusts if left exposed in the open because it reacts with the oxygen in the air,
forming iron oxide—a compound of Iron and oxygen.

Q. Why can petrol fire not be put out with water ?

Ans. Petrol is a hydro carbon which remains isolated with water and is having less density. So
when water is poured petrol floats on it and keeps on burning. The temperature of the burning
petrol is so high that the water poured on the petrol fire is evaporated before it extinguishes the
fire.

Q. Ice packed is saw dust does not melt quickly. Why ?

Ans. Saw dust is a bad conductor of heat and protects the ice from the external heat and hence
from melting away quickly.

Q. White light passing through a glass prism gives rise to a coloured pattern on the wall.
Why ?
Ans. White light is made up of seven colours. Rays of different colours refract or bend along
different paths and fall on different points on the wall forming a coloured pattern known as
spectrum.

Q. A boatman pushes the bank with his pole. Why ?

Ans. Action and reaction being equal and opposite, the bank will push the boat away from it.

Q. A burning candle gets extinguished when covered with a tumbler. Why ?

Ans. A burning candle gets extinguished when covered with a tumbler because the supply of
oxygen is cut-off and the flame goes out.

Q. Why do you see rainbow after rain ?

Ans. The water drops suspended in the atmosphere act as prism and disperse light into seven
colours.

Q. A metal tea-pot has an ebony handle. Why ?

Ans. Ebony being bad conductor of heat, the handle does not get hot.

Q. Why is one’s breath visible in winter, but not in summer ?

Ans. In winter the water vapour contained in the breath condenses into small droplets of water,
which become visible. In summer it is not so.

Q. The weight of a man on the surface of the moon will be only about one-sixth of his
weight on the earth. Why ?
Ans. The gravity of the moon is one-sixth that of the earth, hence the weight of a person on the
surface of the moon will be onesixth of his weight on the earth.

Q. Why is it easier to roll a barrel than to pull it along the road ?

Ans. Slipping resistance is much more than rolling resistance.
Q. Why is the flash of lightning seen before the sound of thunder is heard ?
Ans. Because light travels faster than sound.

Q. How does a soda water straw work ?

Ans. When we suck through a soda water straw, low pressure is created inside the straw. The
liquid outside rushes into balance the difference.

Q. Small space is left between each set of two rails of a railway line.
Ans. Iron expands when it gets hot. A small space is left between the ends of the rails in order to
allow the expansion of rails due to heat.

Q. How does bulb emit light ?

Ans. The current passes through a wire of high resistance which becomes red hot, and emits
light.

Q. What is an electric fuse ? What purpose does it serve ?

Ans. A thin wire used in maintaining the condition of the energy; it prevents overloading of
energy.

Q. How does a thermos flask keep a hot liquid hot and cold liquid cold ?
Ans. It is a double-walled vessel in which the inner surface of the outer vessel and the outer
surface of the inner vessel are silvered so as to prevent radiation of heat. The space between the
walls of the two vessels is made of vacuum to prevent the escape of heat by conduction or
convection.

Q. A parachute enables a person to descend in safety in case of an accident to aircraft ?

Ans. A man falls to the earth because of the gravitational pull of the earth. The parachute offers
considerable resistance to that g
ravity, thereby slowing down the speed of the descending man. The parachute thus enables a
person to descend in safety.

Q. A person in a moving vehicle is thrown forward when the vehicle stops suddenly.
Why ?
Ans. When a moving vehicle stops suddenly, a passenger will tend to fall forward because the
lower part of his body in contact with the seat comes to stop suddenly but the upper part of his
body is still in motion sharing the movement of the train. So on account of inertia, the passenger
falls forward.

Q. A plane approaching at a speed of 1000 m.p.h. is not heard. Why ?

Ans. Sound travels at a speed of 760 m.p.h., hence a plane approaching at a speed of 1000
m.p.h. cannot be heard.

Q. Why does an electric bulb make a bang when it is broken ?

Ans. An electric bulb has a partial vacuum. When it is broken, air rushes into take the place of the
vacuum, hence it bangs.

Q. Why does a ship made of steel float though a steel ball sinks ?
Ans. The ship displaces more water then its own weight whereas the weight of the water
displaced by a steel ball is much less than the weight of the steel ball.

Q. Why do the stars twinkle ?

Ans. The stars seem to twinkle due to two causes. First the light from the stars passes through
several mediums; secondly our vision has a tendency to distract.

Q. Why is it easier to swim in a sea than in a river ?

Ans. The density of the sea water is higher than the density of the river water.

Q. Why is hot soup more tasty than the colder one ?

Ans. As temperature is increased, surface tension decreases and the liquid now occupies more
area. Thus the hot soup occupies more area on the tongue and is, therefore, more tasty than the
colder one.

Q. Thick glass tumblers often crack when very hot liquids are poured into them. Why ?
Ans. The inner layer tends to expand more rapidly than the outer layer thus producing
phenomenon of unequal expansion resulting in cracks due to the resulting pressure.

Q. Why does water get cooled in an earthen pitcher ?

Ans. Pitchers have pores through which water percolates which evaporates. During evaporation
heat is taken away and the water gets cooled.

Q. Why does the sky and the water of the ocean look blue ?
Ans. The blue part of the sunlight is scattered by the particles of the atmosphere around, while
other parts of light pass through it : that is why the sky looks blue because of the refraction of the
blue light only.

Q. Which will reach the ground first : a bullet which is shot horizontally from a gun or
similar bullet thrown upward from the ground ?
Ans. Obviously horizontally shot bullet is to come down first. Its direction is perpendicular to that
of gravitational force. So both vector will not affect each other but in the case of a bullet shot
upward has velocity vector in the opposite direction of gravitation force. So it will take more time.

Q. Why does an iron gain weight on rusting ?

Ans. The rusted iron is nothing but iron-oxide. Iron in the presence of moisture absorbs oxygen
from the atmosphere and forms iron oxide. The weight gained is equal to the weight of oxygen
absorbed.

Q. Why does hard water not readily form lather with soap ?
Ans. Hard water contains the sulphates and chlorides of magnesium and calcium, which form
insoluble compounds with soap. Hence soap does not lather with hard water.

Q. Why are mountains cooler than plains ?

Ans. It is so because, firstly, the air on the mountains is rare than that on the plains and absorbs
less heat than the air on the plains, secondly the heat absorbed during the day on the mountains
radiates away more quickly due to the rarity of the air, thirdly, major portion of the mountains
remains in shade.

Q. Why is sea-water saline ?

Ans. The rivers in the course of their flow and falling into the sea bring with them deposits of salt
and this process has been going on for lakhs of years, it makes sea-water saline.

Q. Glass when heated cracks while metal does not.

Ans. Glass being bad conductor of heat only that part is heated which comes into contact with
heat while the other parts remain unaffected. This results in unequal expansion and hence the
tension which cracks the glass. On the other hand, metal is a good conductor of heat and so all
its bulk gets uniformly heated and hence no surface tension.

Q. Why does it not hurt when we cut our nails ?

Ans. Nails are the parts of the body which are not connected either with the blood vessels or
cartilage and hence having no relation with the nervous system. Therefore cutting them does not
give pain.

Q. A hydrogen balloon rises. Why ?

Ans. Hydrogen is lighter than air, the weight of the hydrogen balloon is less than the weight of the
air displaced by it.

Q. Why is a compass used as an indicator of direction ?

Ans. The magnetic needle of the compass due to the influence of the earth’s magnetic field
always lies in the north south direction. Hence we can known the direction.

Q. Why is a country like Ladakh, it may be very hot in sunshine, but bitterly cold in
shade ?
Ans. The atmosphere on great heights like Ladakh is rarefied, which offers little obstacle to the
rays of the sun which are therefore, scorching. But the rarefied air absorbs little heat from the
rays of the sun, therefore, the atmosphere remains cold. Hence it is very cold in the shade.

Q. Why does a straight stick look bent when a part of it is immersed in water ?
Ans. The rays of the light passing from a rare medium to a dense medium change their course
due to refraction, where the rays coming from stick in water come in air at surface they get
displaced away from perpendicular as our eyes see straight way so the stick seems bent.

Q. Why does water boil at a lower temperature on the hills than on the plains ?
Ans. The higher the pressure, the higher boiling point : the lower the pressure the lower the
boiling point. The atmospheric pressure on the hills is lower than that on the earth.

Q. Why does a rider feel a tendency to fall when the horse starts running of stops
suddenly ?
Ans. This is caused by inertia. When the horse starts running, the rider, being at rest, falls back.
When a running horse stops suddenly, the rider being in motion has a tendency to fall ahead.

Q. Why does a person carrying a bucket full of water in his right hand bend towards the
left ?
Ans. He bends towards his left so that the centre of gravity falls within the base. This enables him
to keep up balance, otherwise he may fall.

Q. Why does tea cool more rapidly in a saucer than in a cup ?

Ans. In a saucer evaporation takes place more rapidly than in a cup. Cooling is caused by
evaporation.

Q. Ice packed in sawdust does not melt quickly. Why ?

Ans. Ice packed in sawdust does not melt quickly, because sawdust being bad conductor, it cuts
the heat rays.

Q. Why do you heat a metal rim before fitting it to a wheel ?

Ans. By heating, the rim expands and fits easily over a slightly bigger radius than that of the rim.
On being cooled it contracts and has a firm grip on the wheel.

Q. Why do wet clothes dry slowly on a rainy day ?

Ans. On a rainy day the atmosphere air contains more water vapour than on a dry day and hence
evaporation is slower.

Q. Why does a substance thrown up come to the ground ?

Ans. Because of the gravitational force of the earth.

Q. Why does moisture gather outside of a glass of cold water on a warm day ?
Ans. The temperature of the outer surface of glass of cold water is lower than that of its
surroundings. The vapour in the surrounding atmosphere gets condensed on the outer surface of
the water and appears in the form of tiny particles of water.

Q. Why are we advised to empty the ink from our fountain pen before going up on
aeroplanes ?
Ans. A we go up higher and higher the air becomes rare and atmospheric pressure lower, so that
the volume of the air inside the fountain pen will also increase and the ink will be pushed out thus
spoiling the clothes and hence the advice.

Q. What happens to iron when it rusts ?

Ans. It reacts with the oxygen of the air and forms iron-oxide which is the rust.

Q. How would you distinguish between welding and soldering ?

Ans. Welding is the joining of metals by raising the temperature of the metals to fuse them
together by metling their ends. Soldering is the joining of metals with the help of an alloy called
solder.

Q. How does a ball which falls down, bounce up ?

Ans. It is due to the operation of Newton’s Third Law of motion. To every action there is equal and
opposite reaction. A ball falling to the ground is slightly deformed. Due to the elastic force of the
material of which the ball is made, the ball tries to recover its original shape. In doing so it forces
the ground which pushes the ball upward due to reaction and the ball bounces up.

Q. An iron nail floats on mercury but sinks in water. Give reasons.

Ans. The specific density of iron is lower than that of mercury, hence it floats on mercury, while it
is higher than that of water, hence it sinks in water.

Q. How do you convert Centigrade in to Fahrenheit ?

Ans. With the help of the following formula—
C/100 = F – 32/180

Q. It is advisable to work electric appliances when they are earthed suitably. Why ?
Ans. In case of short-circuiting, the current passess to the earth without harming the user, if an
electrical appliance is properly earthed.

Q. How does a refrigerator keep food fresh ?

Ans. Food is kept fresh so long as fermentation does not set in; refrigerator prevents fermentation
by providing low temperature.
Q. Ice wrapped in a blanket does not melt away quickly.
Ans. Blanket being bad conductor of heat prevents the outside heat from creeping inside.

Q. Why can a petrol fire not be extinguished by throwing water on it?

Ans. The heat of the petrol fire is so intense that the water thrown on it gets evaporated and
decomposed. Hence it is not effective in extinguishing the petrol fire.

Q. A train stops when the chain is pulled. Why ?

Ans. When the chain is pulled, one small valve gets opened and air/atmospheric pressure is
admitted to the under side of the piston head of the brake cylinder through pipe connections.
Initially there is vacuum on both top and bottom side of the piston head. When the
air/atmospheric pressure enters the under side of the piston head, the piston raises up due to
difference of pressure and pulls the brake rigging to which it is connected with links and levers.
Thus the brakes are applied and the train stops.
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Labels: General Science
Working Principle of Some Scientific Instruments
Working Principle of Some Scientific Instruments

Diesel Engine
It is a low cost internal combustion engine with high efficiency. It consists of a cylinder with air-
tight piston and provided with two valves. As the piston compresses the mixture of air and diesel,
the temperature increases to 600°C leading to its ignition. The gases formed by ignition expand
and push the piston out with a great force. It is connected with the gear which in turn is connected
with the wheels which are set in motion. Finally the piston forces the inner gases out through
another valve. This cycle is repeated again and again.

Davy’s Safety Lamp

It was invented by Sir Humphrey Davy to save the lives of the miners working in the mines. It
consists of an ordinary lamp surrounded by a cylinder of wire gauze instead of glass chimney.
The inflammable gases from the mine enter the gauze and burn inside the lamp with a blue
flame. The gauze conducts the heat so well that the temperature outside and near the gauze
never reaches the ignition point.

Dynamo
It is a device which transforms mechanical energy into electrical energy. The mechanical energy
needed is obtained generally from a water turbine. It consists of a rectangular coil of wire called
armature which rotates in a strong magnetic field created by electro magnet. As the coil rotates a
current is induced in the coil.

Heart Lung Machine

This is a newly invented machine which promises a revolutionary advance in heart surgery. The
patient’s circulation is temporarily exteriorised through the machinery by passing the heart which
is left empty and idle, enabling the surgeon to work deliberately by direct vision without risk of
severe haemorrhage. The heart lung machine, besides artificially circulating and oxygenating the
patients’ blood can also cool it if hypothermia is necessary.

Lightning Conductor
When heavily charged cloud comes over the building, it induces an opposite charge on the upper
end of the pointed rod of the lightning conductor and similar kind of charge is repelled into the
earth. If the cloud is positively charged, the pointed end becomes negatively charged. From the
pointed ends charge begins to leak setting up an electric wind which neutralises some of the
charge of the cloud, thus decreasing the potential difference. Thus lightning will not strike the
building.

Periscope
It is a device used by crew in submarines to see the surface of the water. The head of the
instrument is visible over the surface of water. Light from an object is twice or thrice reflected
through a rectangular pipe in which mirrors are fixed and reaches the eye-piece in which the
image is seen.

Radar
It is an abbreviated form of Radio, Angle, Direction and Range. It is an instrument used to detect
the direction and distance of distant invisible objects. A narrow beam of high frequency radio-
waves is sent in all directions from the instrument. The invisible object in the space reflects these
waves back. Radar receives these waves and by the time taken by them determines the distance
and direction of the invisible object.

Refrigerator
It is a machine used for keeping temperature sufficiently low so as to prevent foodstuffs from
getting bad by preventing the growth of bacteria or moulds in them. In the modern refrigerations
amonia is liquefied under high pressure at the bottom. The liquid rises in the upper portion, where
foodstuffs are kept. There it evaporates and since evaporation produces cooling effect the
temperature of the place goes down. This process goes on and foodstuffs are prevented from
becoming bad.

Rocket
The underlying principle of the flight of a rocket is Newton’s Third law of Motion viz., to every
action there is an equal and opposite reaction. It is a self-propelled vehicle which depends upon
the force provided by a fuel carried along with it. As the fuel burns, products of combustion are
forced out at terrific speed at the rear of the vehicle and reaction imparts motion to it in the
forward direction. It has its own oxygen supply for burning the fuel and therefore, there is no
dependence on air for combustion or propulsion.

Steam Engine
The motive power in a steam engine is provided by superheated steam. This steam under high
pressure enters the cylinders at one end. It pushes the piston out and pushes in when escaping
out from the other end of the cylinders. This process drives the piston back and forth. This piston
is connected with the driving rods to the wheels of the engine and they are made to work.

Television
With the help of this Instrument we transmit images from one place to another. The object to be
televised is illuminated strongly and then the light waves are by a curious mechanism converted
into electrical impulses. The electrical impulses are converted back into light rays giving visual
image.
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Labels: General Science
Scientific Terms Explained
Scientific Terms Explained
Absolute Zero—On the temperature scale is the lowest temperature theoretically possible. The
theoretical point is equivalent to— 459•6ºF or—273•16º at which all molecular motion stops.

Acupuncture—It is an ancient technique, very much in vogue in China, of deadening pain. It is

claimed that by the use of acupuncture major surgical operations can be performed without
anaesthesia. The underlying principle is that there are several points in the body at which if
needles are struck, a numbing effect is produced.

Allometry—It denotes the relationship between the growth rates of an individual plant part/or an
organ/or organism.

Allotropy—Existence of a chemical element in two or more forms differing in physical properties

but giving rise to identical chemical compounds.

Allelopathy—Also known as antibiosis of allelochemical interaction, which has direct or indirect

inhibitory influence of one plant species or others and V/s.

Anabolism—Building up of complex substances from simple ones in living tissues. It is a part of

the process of metabolism.

Anaesthetics—Drugs causing unconsciousness such as chloroform.

Antibiotics—These are the drugs which are produced by bacteria and which act against other
strains of bacteria e.g. Penicillin, Streptomycin, Teramycin, Chloromycetin etc.

Astigmatism—It is an aberration of an optical system that causes lines in some directions to be

focussed less sharply than lines in other directions. To the eye it causes defective vision.

Atomic Energy—It is produced due to the splitting up of atoms of certain radio-active elements.
The energy produced in this manner can be used for constructive or destructive purposes.

Atomic number—The number of electrons, or what is equivalent, the positive charge on the
nucleus, of an atom.

Black box—It is an apparatus which records the flight data of an aeroplane and is also a voice
recorder.

Bacteria—Are minute organisms appearing under a microscopic observation as a group of rods

or spheres. Some are harmful bacteria for they help in the spread of disease, some are useful for
making soil fertile.

Bioeco compass—A unique device developed by Timiryazev Agricultural Academy in Moscow,

which can give reliable forewarning of natural calamities like floods and droughts.

Blood group—Dr. Costello and later Dr. Moss classified blood into various groups viz. AB, A and
O according to the viscosity of blood. Patients are administered blood of their own group.
Blood Transfusion—This is process of transfusing blood of one person into the blood stream of
another person.

Calorie—The amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water through 1ºC.

Centripetal Force—The force which tends to pull whirling objects towards the centre of rotation.

Centrifugal Force—The force with which a body revolving round the centre tends to fly off.

Catalyst—A substance which aids or speeds up a chemical process, without itself undergoing
any change.

Chemotherapy—Treatment of diseases by means of a chemical compound having a specific

bactericidal effect.

Chlorophyll—The green pigment contained in the leaves of plants. It enables the plants to
manufacture food with the help of sun light. It was first discovered by P.J. Pelletier (1778-1892)
and J.B. Caventon (1715-1887) in 1818.

Colour Blindness—It is an inborn condition in some people of not being able to distinguish
between certain colours.

Deficiency diseases—These are the diseases which are caused due to the deficiency in the
body of certain vitamins.

Dialysis—It is a machine used for blood purification when the kidneys malfunction. The process
is also known as dialysis.

Dry Ice—It is solid carbon dioxide.

Efflorescence—The property possessed by certain crystalline substances of losing their water of

crystallization when exposed to the air and becoming amorphous. Example—washing soda.

Electric Motor—It is a device to transform electrical energy into mechanical energy.

Electrolysis—It is the passage of an electric current through an electrolyte with subsequent

migration of ions to the electrodes.

Ecology—It is the study of the balance of nature, how different living beings and inanimate
objects function together as a harmonious whole.

Endemic—A disease which becomes prevalent in a particular area on account of its sorrounding
conditions.

Enzymes—These are organic catalysts which actually accelerate the chemical reactions
occurring in the living organism. For example lipase accelerates the hydrolysis of fats; diastase
helps the conversion of starch to glucose; zymase quickens fermentation of sugar to alcohol.

Epidemic—A disease which attacks many people in a particular area at one time.
Escape Velocity—It is the minimum speed which a space craft must have to escape the earth’s
“Gravitational Pull”. It is 11•2 km/sec. from the earth.

Exbiology—The new science which deals with life or possibilities of life existing beyond the earth
i.e. on other planets.

Fossils—The remains or forms of a plant or animal which are found deposited at a particular
place over a long period of time in the form of rocks.

Flyash—A waste product from thermal power stations using coal. The strategic metal.,
germanium can be extracted from flyash.

Fungi—A class of plants which have no chlorophyll.

Gene—An elementary unit of heredity. It occurs along the length of the chromosomes which
surround the nuclei.

Genetic Code—The code of life by which inherited characteristics are handed down from one
generation to another. The code bearing material is…D.N.A. (deoxyribonucleic acid) a biological
matter which makes transmission of characteristics possible.

Green House (Glass House)—Heating influence by solar radiation reaching ground surface,
allowed by CO2, ozone, dust, water, vapours, atmosphere etc.

Haemoglobin—The red pigment present in the blood functioning as an oxygen carrier.

Hibernation—Condition of sleep during certain parts of the year.

Hormones—These are chemical substances produced by ductless or endocrine glands.

Heavy water—The usual chemical formula for water is H2O.

This signifies that two atoms of hydrogen are linked with one atom of oxygen to form one
molecule of water. The formula for heavy water is D2O.

Hydrophobia—It is usually caused by the bite of a mad dog. It is an incurable disease. Once it
develops, the patient dies of it. It can be prevented by injections discovered by Pasteur. Injections
are known as ARV (Anti-rabic venom).

Hydroponics—It is the process of growing plants by feeding them on nutrients without using soil.

Implosion—It is a technique for detonating underground nuclear devices.

Ionisation—It is the process of splitting up of a molecule into ions.

Iron Lung—A mechanical device consisting of a chamber in which alternate pulsations of high
and low pressure of the thorax of a patient produce normal lung movements. It is used in cases in
which respiration muscles are paralysed, e.g. in poliomylitis.

Isotopes—Atoms of the same element with the same atomic number but with different atomic
mass number are known as Isotopes of that element. They contain different number of neutrons.
Kinetic energy—It is the energy possessed by the body by virtue of its motion.

Laser Beam—‘Laser’ is the abbreviated form of ‘Light, Amplification, by Stimulated Emission of

Radiation’. It is a device for producing concentrated, powerful monochromatic and coherent beam
of light. It is used in medicine, warfare etc.

Light Year—An astronomical measure of distance; the distance travelled by light in vacuum in
one year. The velocity of light is, 3 x 108 m/s (1 light year = 9•46 x 1015 m)

Meson—A new particle which holds the protons and neutrons of the atomic nucleus discovered
by a Japanese scientistYukawa.

Metabolism—It is a chemical process concerned with the burning and regeneration of tissues
occurring in living organisms.

Myopia—Short-sightedness. A myopic man cannot see distant objects clearly while he can see
near objects quite clearly.

Nitrogen Fixation—Nitrogen has the property of reacting under special conditions to form a
number of useful products. Owing to this property the free atmospheric nitrogen is converted into
so many nitrogenous compounds.

Neutralization—Addition of acid to alkali or vice-versa, so that the solution is neutralized, the

properties of the compounds disappear.

Neutron Bomb—Developed by the United States, the bomb causes negligible damage to
buildings and other installations, but kills people instantly through radiation.

Nuclear Fission—It is the process of breaking apart of the nucleus of an atom.

Nuclear Fuel—It is a substance which undergoes nuclear fission in a nuclear reactor.

Osmosis—In the process of a solution being separated from its pure solvent by a semi-porous
membrane, the molecules of the solvent begin to travel across the membrane and reach the
solution to dilute it. The process goes on till concentration is equal on both sides of the
membrane. This phenomenon is known as Osmosis.

Outer space—The part of the universe which lies beyond the earth’s atmosphere where the
density of matter is very low.

Oxidation—It is a process of addition of oxygen.

Photosynthesis—It is the process by which green plants manufacture food in the form of
carbohydrates in the presence of sunlight.

Polymerization—Chemical union of two or more molecules of the same compound to form larger
molecules. The process results in the formation of a new compound of the same empirical
formula but greater molecular weight.

Potential energy—It is the energy possessed by the body by virtue of its position or shape.
Protoplasm—It is the living matter present in the cells of animal and vegetable life.

Psychedelic drugs—These are the drugs which produce a mental state of great calm.

Radiation—The process of transmission of heat in straight lines without heating the intervening
medium.

Radio activity—It is a characteristic of substances like uranium, thorium, radium and actinium to
emit radiation which can penetrate opaque substances, affect a photographic plate in the dark
and ionize gases etc.

Refraction—When a ray of light enters from a rare medium to a denser medium, it is bent or
refracted towards the normal. Mirage is formed by refraction.

Relativity theory—Theory associated with Albert Einstein based on the principle that all motions
are relative and that time and space are mutually inseparable.

Rocket—A type of vehicle driven by the engine which does not depend upon air as medium. It is
therefore capable of working in outer space.

‘RRR’ Bomb—The U.S. Government has begun secret exploratory research on a new nuclear
‘fast bomb’ known as RRR bomb (Reduced Residual Radiation bomb) for the military, that would
produce increased heat and blast but reduced radio-active fall out.

Specific gravity—Relative weight of any kind of matter expressed by the ratio of given volume to
the same volume of water (for liquid or solid matter) and of air (for gas).

Spectrum—When a narrow beam of light passes through a prism, it disperses into seven
colours. The coloured image is known as spectrum.

Sterilisation—(a) Removing the power of procreation by means of operation, (b) disinfecting

instruments and other materials before performing a surgical operation.

Telex—Means Teleprinter Exchange. It enables subscribers to have their own teleprinter

communication direct with any other subscriber having the same facility.

T.N.T.—Tri-nitro-toluene, highly explosive substance. It is manufactured by the action of

concentrated nitric acid on toluene.

Torricellian Vacuum—The vacant space above the level of mercury in the barometer is known
as Torricellian Vacuum. It is so called because of its being discovered by Torricelli.

Ultra Violet Rays—The sunlight is composed of several colour such as red, orange, yellow,
green, blue, indigo and violet. In the spectrum below this colour there exist other rays known as
ultra violet rays. These rays possess a short wave length but high frequency.

Ultra sonic—It means frequency in excess of about 20‚000 cycles per second.

Virus—Small microscopic agents containing nucleic acid capable of multiplying in an organism

and causing many types of diseases such as plague, small-pox, mumps, measles, typhus,
Poliomytatin etc.

Vitamins—These are minute organic compounds present in food products and are important for
maintenance of health. Deficiency of these in food causes deficiency diseases. The most
important vitamins are five in number; A, B, C, D and E.

Xerography—It is a new process of graphic reproduction and photography recently developed in

India by National Physical Laboratory, New Delhi.
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Scientific Instruments

Some Scientific
Instruments
Altimeter—An instrument used for measuring altitudes in aircraft.

Ammeter—An instrument for measuring electrical currents in amperes.

Anemometer—An instrument for measuring the force and velocity of wind.

Audiometer—An instrument for measuring the intensity of sound.

Audiophone—An instrument for improving imperfect sense of hearing.

Barometer—An apparatus used for measuring the atmospheric pres-sure. It is of 2 types—

Aneroid and Fortin’s Barometer.

Calorimeter—An instrument used for measuring quantities of heat.

Carburettor—An apparatus used in an internal combustion engine for charging air with petrol
vapour.

Cardiograph—A medical instrument for tracing heart movements.

Chronometer—An instrument kept on board ships for measuring accurate time.

Cinematography—It contains a series of lenses arranged to throw on screen an enlarged image
of photographs.

Crescograph—It was invented by J.C. Bose. It is used for measuring growth in plants.

Dip Circle—An instrument for determining the angle between the direction of the resultant
intensity of earth’s field and the horizontal component at a plane. This particular angle is known
as the dip of that place.

Drinker’s Apparatus—An instrument used to help breathing in infantile paralysis.

Dynamo—The origin of electricity in a dynamo is the transformation of mechanical energy into

electrical energy.

Electrometer—It is an instrument for measuring electricity.

Eudiometer—A glass tube for measuring volume changes in chemical reactions between gases.
Evaporimeter—Cumulative Pan Evaporimeter used to measure water evaporation through
sunlights.

Galvanometer—An instrument for measuring electric currents of small magnitude.

Hygroscope—An instrument used to illustrate dynamics of rotating bodies; a type of spinning

wheel fixed to the axle.

Hydrometer—An instrument used for measuring the specific gravity of liquids.

Hydrophone—An instrument for recording sound under water.

Hygrometer—An instrument for measuring humidity in air.

Lactometer—It is used for testing the purity of milk.

Manometer—An instrument for determining the pressure of a gas.

Mariner’s compass—An apparatus used by sailors to tell them the direction. The needle always
points north south.

Microphone—An instrument for converting sound waves into electrical vibrations and thus to
magnify the sound.

Microscope—An instrument used for mangifying minute objects by a lens system.

Odometer—An instrument by which the distance covered by wheeled vehicles is measured.

Phonograph—An instrument for reproducing sound.

Photometer—It is an instrument for measuring the intensity of light; a device for comparing the
luminous intensity of sources of light.
Polarimeter—An instrument used for measuring optical activity.

Potentiometer—It is used for comapring electromotive force (e.m.f.) of cells measurement of the
thermal e.m.f. large potential differences and currents.

Pyrometer—An instrument for recording high temperatures from a great distance.

Radar—It is an abbreviated form of Radio, Angle, Direction and Range. It is used for detecting
the direction and range of an approaching plane by means of radio microwaves.

Rain Gauge—An apparatus for recording rainfall at a particular place.

Radiometer—An instrument for measuring the emission of radiant energy.

Refractometer—An instrument to measure refractive indexes.

Saccharimeter—An instrument for determining the amount of sugar in a solution. It is used in

breweries.

Seismometer or Seismograph—An instrument for recording earth-quake shocks.

Sextant—An instrument invented by John Hadley used for measuring the altitude of the sun and
other heavenly bodies.

Spectrometer—An instrument for measuring the energy distribution of a particular type of

radiation.

Speedometer—An instrument which indicates the speed at which a vehicle is moving.

Spherometer—An instrument for measuring curvature of surfaces.

Stethoscope—An instrument used by physicians to hear and analyse movements of heart and
lungs.

Stroboscope—An instrument for viewing objects moving rapidly with a periodic motion and to
see them as if they were at rest.

Sunshine Recorder—It is used to record sunshine duration (hrs/day) for growth of crops/plants.

Tachometer—An instrument for determining speeds of aeroplanes and motor-boats.

Teleprinter—An instrument which prints automatically messages sent from one place to another
on telegraph lines.

Telstar—It is a space communication satellite developed by Bell for overseas communications. It

was launched on July 10, 1962 from Cape Canaveral (U.S.A.). Besides telephone calls, Telstar
enables television microwave transmission to be made from and to any country with a
transmitting and receiving station.

Telescope—It is an apparatus used for observing distant objects.

Theodollite–An instrument for measuring horizontal and vertical angles.

Thermocouple—An instrument based on thermoelectricity used for measuring temperatures.

Thermometer—An apparatus used for measuring temperature (maxi. and mini.)

Thermometer (Dry and Wet Bulb)—It is used to measure atmospheric humidity.

Thermostat—An instrument used to regulate temperature to a particular degree.

Viscometer—An instrument to measure viscosity.

Wind Vane—An instrument for measuring wind direction, indicated with N,S E,W directions.
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