Does your child ask you a lot of questions? We know that young children are constantly asking 'why' as they try to understand the world around them. And it's our job, as parents to educate and show it to them. So, it's in this spirit that we've decided to find out the answers to the most commonly asked questions.
Q1. Why is the moon round?
In fact, above a certain size, all objects are round - our moon, the planets in our solar system, the sun and all the stars that we see twinkling in the night sky. It's all to do with gravity, the gentle puppeteer that causes colliding dust and gas particles to accumulate into ever-larger lumps of rock and ice. As the mass of these lumps increases, so too does their gravitational pull, which in turn hoovers up even more of the surrounding material.
Once the object reaches a certain size - around 400-600 km in diameter - and depending on such things as composition and density, it's massive enough to become a sphere. At this size - or, more accurately, mass - the object's gravitational pull is sufficiently strong to overcome the structural strength of the rock, ice and gas from which the object is made. Moreover, gravity is symmetrical, so it exerts the same force equally and from all sides, pulling the object into a sphere.
Q2. Why are all snowflakes different?
Firstly, snowflakes are not tiny frozen raindrops. They are ice crystals that form when water vapour condenses directly into ice. The snowflake's universal six-sided symmetry is simply a reflection of how water molecules arrange themselves when moving from water vapour into a solid-state ice crystal. But if every flake's basic shape is conjured from the same template, how does each evolve into a unique, never-to-be-repeated ice sculpture?
Well, although every flake begins life as a symmetric hexagon, each is still a distinct and separate ice crystal following its own unique path through the atmosphere. As it travels and grows, each individual snowflake encounters minute variations in atmospheric conditions. Sometimes our flake will travel through humid air and then, a moment later, less humid air; higher and then lower temperatures. It is these tiny differences that sculpt the uniqueness of each and every snowflake. As it is with each and every child.
Q3. Why is the sky blue?
To answer this question, we first need to know a little about light. Visible light is not really white - this is simply how our eyes have evolved to perceive it. Instead, it consists of a spectrum of colours: the beauty we can see in a rainbow. But whereas rainbows emerge from raindrops acting as prisms, separating white light into its constituent colours, our canopy of blue sky is crafted from a slightly different process.
Light can be thought of as waves of energy. Each individual colour within light's spectrum has its own unique energy, or 'wavelength', which is simply the distance between peaks. Blue light has a short, high-energy, wavelength, whereas red light's is long and languid. As light enters Earth's atmosphere, it is scattered and bounced around by the oxygen and nitrogen molecules with which the atmosphere is saturated. The sky is blue because blue light has one of the shortest wavelengths and is therefore bounced around far more than light of other colours, with the result that much more of it reaches our eyes.
Do you have a curious child? Then why not interject some extra science into their lives with these fabulous educational but fun facilities:
1. Hand's On Science
Set up three years ago b a physicist and a former children's TV producer and drama teacher, Genie Lab now takes its fun kitchen science experiments into over 20 schools in Surrey, running after-school clubs for 4 years plus. Kids try their hands at all kinds of experiments from alka seltzer rockets to making lava lamps, and there's always something to take home. If your school doesn't run them, check out the website for details of holiday clubs and parties.
2. Mini Professors
This popular nationwide franchise was the first science programme specifically designed for pre-schoolers and there are now classes in Haslemere for 2-3 years, and 3-5 years at St. Ives School, on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. Its 40-minute classes are packed full of experiments, singing and stories with children learning about topics such as germs, cloud-making, space and dinosaurs. And they get to wear their own mini-lab coats!
3. The Science Museum
No-one's too young (or old) to love this place, but it can be a tad overwhelming if you're very tiny or you find crowds difficult. On November 11, the museum is opening early at 8 am for families needing a little more quiet, with some of the loud noises turned off and many of the interactive galleries opening exclusively for booked Early Bird visitors.
4. The Royal Institutions
Home to the famous Christmas Lectures, the Institution hosts excellent science-themed fun days and workshops, as well as a series of lectures aimed at families. On November 16 at 6 pm, bestselling maths author (Maths for Mums and Dads) Rob Eastway will be wowing kids with his mind reading tricks and puzzles in Maths, Magic and Mystery (from 7 years).