Question Answered by Ben Jenkins , Systems Engineer, Idaho Falls Power The metal in an electrophorus polarizes when in presence of a nearby static charge. When one side of the polarized metal plate is discharged then the metal plate is no longer in balance and contains a net positive charge. An electroscope is based on…
To understand how this phenomenon happens, we need to understand what electricity is and how it works. Electricity is the movement of electrons between atoms. Electrons create charge, which we can harness to do work. It’s the movement of electrons through a device like a TV that gives it the energy to produce a picture…
Question Answered by Nicole Desmet, Meteorologist, National Weather Service-Pocatello, Idaho A heat wave is simply a period of prolonged period of very hot, uncomfortable temperatures. Typically a heat wave lasts two or more days. Several factors can influence how hot temperatures can get, where temperatures will be warmest and how long it will be that…
Answered by Travis Wyatt, Meteorologist, National Weather Service-Pocatello, ID Any rain in the path of lightning will turn to steam. Lightning can heat the air anywhere from 18,000 degrees Fahrenheit to up to 60,000 degrees Fahrenheit. The surface of the sun is about 10,000 degrees Fahrenheit. So, lightning is extremely hot. Lightning traveling down a…
Great question about dams! While dams change the ecological makeup of any river that they are placed in, their biggest impact for fish comes in relation to movement. Unless a dam is specifically built to allow fish to move both downstream and upstream, it becomes a barrier. To some fish this is more critical than…
Answered by Nicole Peterson, Meteorologist, National Weather Service-Pocatello Office Fog is simply a cloud, but on the ground. In order for fog to form, there needs to be moisture in the air. Fog typically forms overnight when the air near the ground cools, and disappears in the morning when the sun warms up the air.…
Question answered by Gregg Losinski, Environmental Science Educator This is a great question based on an interesting observation. Like many great questions, the answer may not be a simple one. Without knowing what exactly was being observed it is hard to give a definitive answer, but the potential answers are all possible. The most important…
Answered by Dr. Steve Shropshire, Physics Professor, Idaho State University If conditions are right sound can travel farther and clearer when it is cold. Sound travels faster in warmer air due to the greater average speed of gas molecules with higher temperature. There is also a very slight increase in sound speed with increasing humidity…
Question Answered by Dr. Brian Tonks, Astronomy Professor, BYU-Idaho On 21 August, 2016, Southeastern Idaho and many other places in the United States are in for a rare treat. We will experience a total Solar eclipse. This means that the Moon will pass directly in front of the Sun and cast its shadow on the…
Answered by Travis Wyatt, National Weather Service, Pocatello Office All lightning comes from thunderstorms. When a thunderstorm develops, electrical charges (either positive or negative) within the cloud separate. This creates two different electric fields between the top of the cloud and the base of the cloud. When these electric fields build up enough, there is…
