Dust Storms on the Moon

Astronomy
The solar winds blow, shaping earth's magnetic field. What happens on the moon when it encounters the magnetotail? Can dust storms on the moon be affected by earth's magnetic field? Apples and Oranges The earth's magnetic field receives constant bombardment from the sun's solar wind. This forces back the flux lines into a long extended tail on the side of earth opposite the sun. This extended stream is referred to as a magnetotail. The Moon's Time of the Month Most of the month the moon is not under the influence of earth's magnetotail, but is exposed to the solar wind. Yet, part of each month the moon does cross into earth's magnetotail. This occurs over a period of about six days, three days before the moon enters its full phase…
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Acetylene and Acetylides

Chemistry
Acetylene and acetylides are easy to make and simple to understand. Acetylene (ethyne) is one of the tiniest organic compounds. Its formula is C₂H₂. The two carbon atoms share a triple bond. Its structure is HC≡CH. Acetylides are produced from acetylene by replacing one hydrogen atom. Acetylene is a useful fuel. Despite this, acetylene can form acetylides that are extremely dangerous, explosive! Making Acetylene Making the gas is simple. Mixing calcium carbide with water makes acetylene. CaC₂ + 2 H₂O → Ca(OH)₂ + C₂H₂↑ Calcium Carbide Where does calcium carbide come from? Lime and coke are combined at temperatures ranging from 2000 to 2100 degrees C in an electric arc furnace. CaO + 3C → CaC₂ + CO↑ [caption id="attachment_16272" align="alignright" width="280"] Calcium carbide[/caption] Triple Bond What is the origin of…
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Thalia and Melpomene: Comedy, Tragedy

History
[caption id="attachment_7319" align="alignright" width="440"] Masks based on Thalia and Melpomene[/caption] Who are Thalia and Melpomene? Born in the 40s, I watched black and white movies. They had few special effects. Still, they offered top notch acting. Some of the movies were from the 20s. Some were older. These were the silents. Silent Movies To convey emotion, gestures and facial expressions were exaggerated. Today, this would be overacting. Many scenes were filmed at a distance, but directors soon realized audiences wanted closeups of their favorite actors. Ancient Greeks used different means to gain audience engagement. The Stage and Back to Greek Drama In the 19th and early 20th century, entertainment featured live performances. The faces of actors were not readily seen. Greek theater with its large audiences, used contorted facial masks.…
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Privacy Statement for Quirky Science

People
If you require any more information or have any questions about our privacy policy, please feel free to contact us by email at vsummers@gmail.com. At www.quirkyscience.com/, the privacy of our visitors is of extreme importance to us. This privacy policy document outlines the types of personal information is received and collected by www.quirkyscience.com/ and how it is used. Log Files Like many other Web sites, www.quirkyscience.com/ makes use of log files. The information inside the log files includes internet protocol ( IP ) addresses, type of browser, Internet Service Provider ( ISP ), date/time stamp, referring/exit pages, and number of clicks to analyze trends, administer the site, track user’s movement around the site, and gather demographic information. IP addresses, and other such information are not linked to any information that…
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