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.

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...

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...

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 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 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'...

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.

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 ...

Audio and visual cues facilitate some of our most powerful sensory experiences and embed themselves deeply into our memories and subconscious. Sound and light waves interact with our ears and eyes—our biological interpreters—creating a textural experience and relationship with the world around us. This well-researched volume explores the science behind acoustics and optics and the broad application they have to everything from listening to music and watching television to ultrasonic and la...

Many of the world’s most common processes and interactions are governed by the laws of thermodynamics and mechanics. While the transfer, release, or absorption of heat often accompany chemical reactions or seem inherent to mechanical systems, they are also familiar to anyone who has ever spent time outdoors on a warm day or touched a hot plate. Likewise, any physical body—large or small, solid or fluid—is subject to a wide range of forces that trigger motion. This detailed compendium explo...

The field of mathematics today represents an ongoing global effort, spanning both countries and centuries. Through this in-depth narrative, students will learn how major mathematical concepts were first derived, as well as how they evolved with the advent of later thinkers shedding new light on various applications. Everything from Euclidean geometry to the philosophy of mathematics is illuminated as readers are transported to the ancient civilizations of Mesopotamia, Egypt, and beyond to ...