The tutor investigates the idea that stainless steel is non-magnetic. I’ve heard from more than one source that stainless steel is non-magnetic: if you put a magnet to it, there isn’t attraction like you might expect with “ordinary” steel. According …
The tutor mentions a few points about diatoms. In my Feb 4 post I introduced protists, which constitute a kingdom of eukaryotic, mainly single-celled organisms. Protists are divided into plantlike and animal-like ones. Diatoms, from phylum Chrysophyta, are among the …
The tutor reviews the progress of thought about atoms through the ages. Democritus, a Greek philosopher living around 400 BC, is credited as the first promoter of the concept of the atom. He proposed that all matter consists of tiny, …
The tutor shows a basic example of calculating friction. The force of friction, Ff, on a flat surface is given by Ff = μFN where μ = coefficient of friction (often looked up from a table, or given) FN = …
The tutor makes some comparisons between protists and bacteria. Members of Kingdom Protista are generally single-celled organisms that live in water. They form a significant part of ocean plankton. Bacteria are typically single-celled as well, and are found virtually everywhere …
Biology: protists (Kingdom Protista) vs bacteria (Kingdom Monera) Read more »
The tutor comments about the reproductive pathways of zygospore fungi, including black bread mold. With a zygospore fungus, such as black bread mold, the part you see above the surface comprises sporangia (singular: sporangium), which release spores. Spores have n …
The tutor discusses the exponential growth constant with an example. Let’s imagine a population, initially 100, doubles every 25 hours. To a biologist growing a culture, it’s probably an easy situation to consider. Such a growth pattern would likely be …
The tutor explains his recent understanding of a function he’s wondered about. I’ve noticed the ENG function on more than one calculator, but have never used it. I’ve always assumed it means “engineering”; since I’m not one, it makes sense …
Calculator usage: The ENG function on the Casio fx-260solar Read more »
The tutor shares a feature of LibreOffice Calc that’s very convenient. I don’t evaluate determinants very often, but in the past I’ve done it a few times. I find it’s a process that requires care. LibreOffice Calc will evaluate the …
Spreadsheets: LibreOffice Calc: the determinant of a matrix Read more »
The tutor gets started with projectiles. Consider the following question: A golf ball is hit over level ground at 55m/s with angle of elevation 27°. Find the vertical and horizontal components of its velocity. Solution: We draw a diagram of …
Physics: projectile motion: finding the horizontal and vertical components of velocity Read more »