Matter and Energy on ZME Science

The loudest sound in mankind's history

Krakatoa is believed to be the loudest sound produced on the surface of the planet -- in human history, that is.

The Plum Pudding Model: how a flawed idea was instrumental in our understanding of the atom

The tale of how an old British cake influenced leading physicists.

What, really, is the speed of sound?

Unlike the speed of light, this one isn't constant.

Who really discovered electricity?

Spoiler: It wasn't Ben Franklin.

The different types of electromagnetic radiation: from radio waves to gamma rays, according to experts

All of them are light -- but not quite.

What's the difference between nuclear fission and fusion

Despite having some things common, the two can be considered polar opposites.

What is the Electron Cloud Model: this is how electrons inside an atom really behave

From the ancient Greeks to quantum mechanics, the model of the atom has gone through many iterations.

10 Years of the Higgs Boson: how this particle is still unlocking new physics

A decade after the discovery of the Higgs boson this ellusive particle is still delivering important science.

What color is a mirror? It's not a trick question

Mirrors aren't 'silver' or 'colorless'.

What does the universe sound like? The eerie world of cosmic sonification

The sonification of astronomical data provides a new way to experience the cosmos.

What is Plasma -- the most common state of matter found in the universe

Cats may or may not be liquid, but researchers are more certain about other states of matter: namely, plasma.

The 'Tsar Bomba': the most powerful nuclear weapon ever made

The nuclear device was so powerful, it was too big to use effectively.

What is a Faraday cage and how does it work?

It prevents the entry or escape of electromagnetic fields

The color purple is unlike all others, in a physical sense

The 'royal color' does indeed stand apart from the rest.

What is Mass-Energy Equivalence (E=mc^2): the most famous formula in science

The mass-energy equivalence is the crown jewel of special relativity, explaining the phenomena that power the stars, our homes, and humanity's most destructive acts.

What is Special Relativity: A Guide to Spacetime, Time Dilation and Length Contraction

Einstein's theory of special relativity would revolutionise the field of physics upon its introduction. This is the first part of the ZME Science guide to that revolutionary theory.

Why is the ocean blue?

It's all due to the physics of the scattering of light.

Examples of electricity in nature

Electricity is quite busy in the natural world.

What is the neutrino: a hauntingly significant particle

Neutrinos interact so weakly with matter and yet, are of vital importance in the processes that govern the Universe. This is the story of the ghost particle that haunts modern physics.

What is the vacuum of space?

Nature hates a vaccuum -- so why do we have one?

What are the different types of energy

Don't let your boss find out, but in a physical sense, energy is defined as the ability to do work.

Why is snow white?

...because it can't get a tan.

How many dimensions are there?

According to String Theorists, there are at least 10 dimensions. But there could be as many as 26.

Why does electricity hum -- and why is it a B flat in the US, and a G in Europe?

Who knew sound and current can intertwine so much?

What exactly is a photon? Definition, properties, facts

Let's shine some light on the matter.

What sound is (and why it can topple buildings)

How it forms, how we hear it, and what it can do.

How to slow down light until it stops

In vacuum, light always travels at a constant speed of 299,792,458 metres per second. Nothing can travel faster than this constant c, as denoted by physicists. These two postulates are basic building blocks of modern physics and were first announced more than a hundred years ago by Albert Einstein. Yet, there are ingenious ways to slow light to the point of trapping it in a dead stop. Prepare for some weirdness.

How does an eraser work?

When you rub an eraser across a pencil mark, the abrasives in the eraser gently scratch the surface fibers of the paper to loosen the graphite particles.

What makes things coloured - the physics behind it

Have you ever wondered where do colours come from?

How fire burns in zero gravity

In space, of course, you can't have any fires because there isn't any oxidizer (i.e. oxygen) to sustain the combustion process. Inside a spacecraft or in the International Space Station, however, things are a bit different. Inside you have the same air mixture as on Earth, but because gravity is millions of times smaller an open flame behaves significantly different.

The Oh-My-God-Particle

The Oh-My-God particle was an ultra-high-energy cosmic ray (most likely a proton) detected on the evening of 15 October 1991 over Dugway Proving Ground, in Utah. The particle was 20 million times more energetic than the highest energy measured in radiation emitted by an extragalactic object – in other words, this subatomic particle had the energy of […]

The real color of water is blue -- here's why

While relatively small quantities of water appear to be colorless, water's tint becomes bluer and bluer as its thickness increases.