Head: Getting to the heart of science

Curious kids question the world around them

By Dr. Jon

Maintaining Equilibrium

Off the tip of Digby Neck, NS, rests a long island, creatively named the same. Beyond Long Island, where St. Mary’s Bay meets the Bay of Fundy, lies an even smaller rock in the water known as Brier Island. Not unlike many Newfoundland outports, the island’s survival depends on lobsters, tourism, and most of all, community.

Despite this welcomed isolation, there’s plenty of science happening between the walls of Westport Village Elementary School. Science is all about asking questions, and who better to ask them then the inquisitive minds of our youngest budding scientists? If we listen carefully, we might just learn something ourselves.

Mrs. Tudor asked the students in her multi-grade classroom to come up with some questions for Dr. Jon. Here’s what they said:

What is gas (that you put in your car) made of? – Nick, Grade Five

Gas for your car is a mixture of a whole bunch of things. Mostly it’s made up of carbon, which is the stuff in your pencil that makes it write, and hydrogen, which is what all those stars in the sky are made of. Gas makes your car go because when you light it on fire it releases a lot of energy to push you down the road. Gas is made from fossil fuels created when plants and animals decompose underground, but it takes a really long time – over a million years – to be ready to use in your car.

SUB: Why does your hair get staticky? – Cassidy, Grade Six

Everything in the world – including your hair – is made up of tiny pieces called atoms. The atoms are made of even smaller pieces called electrons and protons. When the electrons and protons in your hair are equal, everything is balanced. When you take off your winter hat or you rub your hair against a balloon some of those electrons are removed, which means the balance between the protons and electrons is messed up. Protons by themselves are like Westporters and Freeporters – they just don’t get along. When hairs try to get away from each other they stick out in all directions; it’s static electricity that causes all that statickyness.

Why is it a different time in Winnipeg than here? – Caitlynn, Grade Five

That’s because the Earth rotates once per day as it moves around the sun. It’s daytime when your province faces the sun, which lights up your part of the world. While you’re facing the sun, countries on the opposite side of the world are completely dark. Winnipeg isn’t on the opposite side of the world, but it’s still far way from Nova Scotia. That means when you’re waking up for school, kids in Winnipeg are still sleeping because the sun hasn’t reached them yet. We have to set our clocks at different times so that it will be light outside at the right time. If we all had the same time it would be sunny in Australia at lunch time, but it would be pitch black during your lunch break on Brier Island.

How do tides work? – Frank, Grade Five

You live in a part of the world that has some of the highest tides in the world. Remember that the Earth goes around once every day. The moon is so big that as Westport passes by it tugs on the water, making it rise. As the day goes on and we rotate past the moon it stops tugging and the water goes down. The pulling force from the moon is called gravity. The rise and fall of the water is even bigger when the sun and moon are lined up – that’s what they call the spring tide.

How do vegetable seeds grow? – Hunter, Grade Three

That’s a very good – and complicated – question, Hunter, but I’ll try my best. A seed is like a little baby plant waiting to be born. It has three parts: A little plant (embryo) that will grow larger, some food to help the plant grow, and a coat to protect it just like your coat keeps you warm when you’re outside. If you give the seed water it will soak up the moisture and swell, which allows the plant to break right through its coat. Then the little plant – the seedling – keeps growing every day just like you do, except faster.

What is in paint to make it paint (that you paint your house with)? – Marlee, Grade Four

Paint is made up of two main parts: The sticky part and the colour part. The part that does the colouring is called the pigment. Different pigments are mixed in with the paint to give it a certain colour. To make white paint you can add a white powder that you can get from rocks. An orange-red colour is made by adding special clay to the paint. Once you have red, blue, and yellow paint you can mix them to get all the other colours.

Thanks to Nick, Cassidy, Caitlynn, Frank, Hunter, and Marlee for your great questions. Keep asking and you’ll keep finding out more.

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