Physics
A new device uses atoms’ quantum weirdness to peer underground
Quantum sensors like this one could monitor magma beneath volcanoes or uncover archaeological artifacts.
MS-PS1-1
Develop models to describe the atomic composition of simple molecules and extended structures.
More Stories in MS-PS1-1
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PlanetsNo, organic molecules alone don’t point to life on Mars
These carbon-based molecules, found in a meteorite, may reflect merely a mixing of water and minerals on the Red Planet over billions of years.
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ChemistryExplainer: What are fats?
A fat molecule's three long chains of carbon and hydrogen atoms repel water, stash energy and keep living things warm — even in the bitter cold.
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Materials ScienceLet’s learn about glass
Unlike the atoms in other solids, the atoms in glass don’t exist in an orderly crystal structure. They’re more jumbled up, like the atoms inside liquids.
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ChemistrySnail slime + gold could boost the power of sunscreens and more
These two strange ingredients could make skin-care products that are better for both our skin and the environment.
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ChemistryExplainer: What is a metal?
Metals can bend and pull without snapping, and conduct electricity. The reason: Their atoms tend to lose electrons to neighboring atoms.
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ChemistryScientists Say: Silicon
The chemical element silicon is used to make everything from bricks to cookware to electronics.
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EnvironmentA new way to make plastics could keep them from littering the seas
Borrowing from genetics, scientists are creating plastics that will degrade. They can even choose how quickly these materials break down.
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MicrobesGenes point to how some bacteria can gobble up electricity
A new study shows how some microbes absorb and release electrons — a trait that may point to new fuels or ways to store energy.
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ChemistryScientists Say: Electron
Electrons are negatively charged particles. They are attracted to the positively charged particles in the center, or nucleus, of an atom.