Everyday Science Questions & Answers

Question: Is a coconut a fruit, nut or seed?

Ans: Botanically speaking, a coconut is a fibrous one-seeded drupe, also known as a dry drupe. However, when using loose definitions, the coconut can be all three: a fruit, a nut, and a seed.

Question: Does your heart stop when you sneeze?

Ans: No, your heart does not stop when you sneeze.The changing pressure in your chest due to sneezing also changes your blood flow, which may change the rhythm of your heartbeat.

Question: Why is it easier to spray water to which soap is added?

Ans: Addition of soap decreases the surface tension of water. The energy for spraying is directly proportional to surface tension.

Question: Which is more elastic, rubber or steel?

Ans: Steel is more elastic for the same stress produced compared with rubber.

Question: Why is the sky blue?

Ans: Violet and blue light have short waves which are scattered more than red light waves. While red light goes almost straight through the atmosphere, blue and violet light are scattered by particles in the atmosphere. Thus, we see a blue sky.

Question: Why Does ink leak out of partially filled pen when taken to a higher altitude?

Ans: As we go up, the pressure and density of air goes on decreasing. A Partially filled pen leaks when taken to a higher altitude because the pressure of air acting on the ink inside the tube of the pen is greater than the pressure of the air outside.<

Question: On the moon, will the weight of a man be less or more than his weight on the earth?

Ans: The gravity of the moon is one-sixth that of the earth; hence the weight of a person on the surface of the moon will be one-sixth of his actual weight on earth.

Question: A man with a load jumps from a high building. What will be the load experienced by him?

Ans: Zero, because while falling, both the man and the load are falling at the same acceleration i.e. acceleration due to gravity.

Question: Why does a ball bounce upon falling?

Ans: When a ball falls, it is temporarily deformed. Because of elasticity, the ball tends to regain its original shape for which it presses the ground and bounces up (Newton's Third Law of Motion).

Question: Why is standing in boats or double decker buses not allowed, particularly in the upper deck of buses?

Ans: On tilting the centre of gravity of the boat or bus is lowered and it is likely to overturn.

Question: Why is it recommended to add salt to water while boiling dal?A

Ans: By addition of salt, the boiled point of water gets raised which helps in cooking the dal sooner.

Question: Why is it the boiling point of sea water more than that of pure water?

Ans: Sea water contains salt, and other impurities which cause an elevation in its boiling point.