The inner planets, Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars, are important for study because they are so similar. All are terrestrial, meaning they have a solid surface. Mercury, being closest to the Sun, experiences the most intense solar radiation. Venus is an example of an extreme greenhouse environment, with temperatures nearing 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit. Mars offers us great hope for finding an environment that could have harbored extraterrestrial life. This book follows the Next Generation Scie...

The Sun is merely one of some 200 billion stars that make up the Milky Way--and the Milky Way is only one of a billion galaxies in the known universe. Packed with fascinating facts and stunning photography, this book examines the Galaxy humans call home and travels light years away, to the domain of phenomena such as the Oort cloud.

Common to all matter and its smallest and most fundamental unit, the atom determines the properties of a substance and how it responds to other materials and stimuli. Dividing the atom further reveals several smaller particles whose activity forms the heart of nuclear physics. Readers will discover the structure of the atom as well as the ways in which its electrons, protons, and neutrons facilitate both radioactivity and nuclear reactions, both of which have been crucial to technological ...

While the wheel itself has changed little over time, it has immeasurably altered the nature of transportation. This insightful volume examines the various wheeled conveyances that have been instrumental in agriculture and commerce—carts and wagons, for instance—as well as those that have facilitated human travel—coaches, bicycles, cars, and buses, among others. Also explored is the evolution of roads, as they have expanded to accommodate various modes of wheeled transportation.

Following the Next Generation Science Standards focusing on the universe and its stars, this enlightening book delves deep into the scientific study of stars, analyzing their behavior and composition, as well as their life cycles. Readers will learn fascinating facts, such as just how big they can get, how many there are in the universe, and the spectacular fashion in which some die. Readers can explore the universe of nebulae, the interstellar dust from which stars are born. Treat your st...

Our galaxy, the Milky Way, and others, are so vast and varied that there is virtually no limit to what we can learn about them. This comprehensive book aligns with the Next Generation Science Standards focusing on the universe and its stars, and offers readers a detailed and scientific look at nearly all facets of the Milky Way and galaxies in general. Readers will study the different types of galaxies and their behaviors, the stars that compose them, and the interstellar medium. Any serio...

This fascinating text is a perfect companion for any student interested in a more authoritative source on the subject of asteroids, meteors, meteorites, and comets. Readers will learn, following the Next Generation Science Standards in the area of the Earth and the solar system, the scientific differences between these four celestial objects. They'll also study their features, compositions, characteristics, classifications, and history of their observation. This book is perfect for the stu...

This intriguing book follows the Next Generation Science Standards focusing on the solar system and offers serious students of astronomy a detailed look at our Sun and the bodies that orbit it. Readers will learn, in detail, about the Sun's internal structure, including its energy generation, corona, the solar wind, sunspots, and solar flares, among other fascinating characteristics. They'll also study the solar system, which is fueled by the sun. This book is ideal for any reader who woul...

The outer planets, which are Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune, Uranus are truly fascinating not only because of their size, but also because they offer some of the most unusual worlds we have ever seen. Readers will be intrigued with the scientific details of each planet, which follow the Next Generation Science Standards focusing on the solar system, including their size, temperature, and pressure of their atmospheres, their weather, and their interiors. Readers will also learn about each planet'...

The oft-referenced “E = mc2” may perhaps be one of the world’s most famous equations, but it actually represents only one aspect of the complex branch of physics known as relativity. Together, relativity and quantum mechanics explain both the most cosmic and most elementary relationships and processes of the universe. The profound place that relativity and quantum mechanics occupy in subverting longstanding notions about space, time, matter, and more and the brilliant individuals who advan...

From our television sets to the magnets that dot our refrigerators, electricity and magnetism are ever-present in our everyday lives. Even aside from our modern technology, electrical charges can be found throughout nature—the most significant example being Earth’s magnetic field. This incisive volume includes extensive discussions of electrical and magnetic fields, as well as biographies of the physicists whose work has led to our greater understanding of them.

While the atom is universally acknowledged as the basis for most branches of physics, the study of its constituent particles has illuminated significant new areas of research. The behavior of subatomic particles provides crucial information on the structure and nature of atomic nuclei, which in turn reveal much about energy, matter, and often the origins of the universe. Complete with color diagrams and photographs, this volume elucidates the intricacies of this rapidly developing and alwa...