Tides are caused by the gravitational attractions between the Moon and the Earth. At some times, though, the gravitational pull of the Sun can lead to an even larger tide. The basics of a tide is that they are higher and lower depending on where the Moon is. If the Moon is right over that area, the tide will be low because the Earth is moving in that direction. If the Moon is on the opposite side of the Earth, the tide will be high because the Earth is being Read More

The Coriolis effect is the tendency for a moving body that is on or above the Earth’s surface to drift sideways from its intended course due to the Earth’s rotation. The direction of drift is to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere. This is because the Earth’s surface rotates to the east at a faster speed near the equator than near the poles. Who Discovered the Coriolis Effect? French scientist, Gustave-Gaspard Coriolis, is given credit for first discovering the Coriolis effect by Read More

A hot water circulator (circulator pump) is a device that circulates hot water through a house’s pipes so that hot water is always instantly available. In traditional one-way plumbing systems, water is run through a hot water heater and directed through the pipes towards the taps whenever a tap is turned on. When a tap is off, the water remaining in the pipes begins to cool and becomes stagnant. This is why users often have to wait a few seconds for the water to get hot. In a plumbing system Read More

Blizzards are severe storms which are marked by extremely low temperatures, high-speed winds and substantial snowfall. They are formed when a region of high atmospheric pressure, termed as a ridge, interacts with a region of low atmospheric pressure. As a result of this, a phenomenon known as advection takes place, in which there is a rush of air from the high pressure region to the low pressure region. The visibility is reduced to less than a quarter of a mile. Three factors necessary for blizzards to form Air below freezing Read More

A psychrometer is a type of hygrometer and is used exclusively to determine the relative humidity or moisture content in the air. Psychrometers represent an older humidity measurement form and electronic sensors that depend on changes in electrical resistance and capacitance rather than condensation temperature have widely replaced them. However, psychrometers are still found in many industrial environments and are available in both stationary and mobile versions. How Psychrometers Work Psychrometers consist of two thermometers, one dry and one wet. The wet thermometer is encased in a sock or cloth Read More

A flood is an instance where large amounts of water overflow the coast line of a body of water and flow throughout the nearby land. Whether it is brought on by excess rain or certain weather conditions, a flood typically brings with it an ample amount of destruction due to the ferocity of the water. Here are the causes of floods: Tropical Storms When a tropical storm or hurricane hits land, it brings with it considerable amounts of water. Due to the way in which a hurricane is formed, large Read More

An air circulator is basically a fan. Although the term “air circulator” most often refers to an industrial fan that is used in a warehouse, factory, or office building, it can also refer to a regular household fan. Air circulators also refer to air conditioning units and other types of air cooling devices. They are designed to cool a room or area in very hot environments. For example, factories that have many people and machines often become hot very quickly. Likewise, homes can also become very hot due to so Read More

An ionic air purifier is a device that uses an air ionizer to filter dust, smoke, and other harmful particles from the air. An ion is an electrically charged molecule that can either have a negative or positive charge. Positively charged ions have one or more less electrons, while negatively charged ions have one or more extra electrons. Ionic air purifiers almost always produce negatively charged ions, allowing them to attract positively charged molecules. How does an Ionic Air Purifier Work? An ionic air purifier consists of a metal plate Read More

Anemometers are meteorological devices that measure wind velocity and pressure. They are normally found in weather stations, but are also used on ships, oil rigs, at airports, and for personal purposes. The devices derive their name from the Greek word “anemos,” which means wind. There are currently two anemometer categories: pressure and velocity. Velocity Anemometers There are currently two types of velocity anemometers, one that uses a wind vane to operate and one that does not. Of these two, the cup anemometer is more popular and consists of four cups Read More

When the Earth begins to get too hot, the water increases in temperature. As the water continues to get hotter, it begins to undergo a phase change in which water turns to gas. The water droplets turn into water vapor because the temperature has caused the individual water molecules to speed up considerably. This process of heating water up and turning it into vapor is known as evaporation. Evaporation should not be confused with boiling because when water undergoes evaporation, only water molecules that are on the surface of the Read More