The story of changes of state is a tale of transformation, where substances dance between being solid, liquid, and gas. This story is as old as time itself, but our understanding of it has evolved over centuries. Ancient Greek philosophers first pondered the idea that matter could change states. They believed in four elements: earth, … Read more
Calorimetry is like the science of measuring the heat version of a story. It tells us how much energy is involved in chemical reactions or physical changes, and it has a story that goes back centuries. The concept of measuring heat goes back to the ancient Greeks, who were curious about heat and temperature. However, … Read more
The story of the transformer begins in the 19th century. The principle of electromagnetic induction, which is the science behind transformers, was discovered by Michael Faraday in 1831. However, it wasn’t until the 1880s that the first practical transformers were developed. In the early 1880s, inventors in Hungary created what we might consider the first … Read more
The journey into understanding thermodynamic equilibrium began in the 19th century. It was a time when steam engines were transforming the world, and scientists were curious about how to make them more efficient. This curiosity led to the birth of thermodynamics as a field of study. Sadi Carnot, often called the “father of thermodynamics,” laid … Read more
In the 18th century, the invention of the steam engine was a pivotal moment. It was the workhorse of the Industrial Revolution, transforming industries and transportation. But, it was not very efficient. Scientists and engineers wanted to make it better, and their efforts led to the birth of thermodynamics as a formal science. In the … Read more
In the 18th century, the study of heat and temperature was a hot topic among scientists. One of the key figures in this field was Joseph Black, a Scottish scientist who made groundbreaking observations. He noticed that different substances required varying amounts of heat to achieve the same increase in temperature. This led him to … Read more
The story of water’s peculiar behavior begins in the mid-19th century. In 1859, a British scientist named W.J.M. Rankine made a groundbreaking discovery. He observed that when water freezes, it expands and occupies more space than it does in its liquid form. This was contrary to the common behavior of substances, which typically contract upon … Read more
The concept of materials expanding with heat has likely been observed since ancient times, as people noticed that hot days could cause doors to stick or metals to become more pliable. The scientific study of thermal expansion began during the Renaissance. This period marked the birth of modern science, with scholars starting to quantify and … Read more
The concept of temperature—how hot or cold something is—has fascinated humans for centuries. Even ancient civilizations noticed the effects of temperature on their surroundings. However, finding precise ways to measure temperature posed a challenge. Whether ancient Greeks or Chinese had specific ways to measure temperature is unclear. However, we can trace the history of temperature … Read more
The concept of heat—how hot or cold something is—has intrigued humans for centuries. Even ancient civilizations noticed the effects of temperature on their surroundings. However, finding precise ways to measure heat posed a challenge. Ancient Greeks and Chinese likely noticed temperature changes, but they didn’t have specific methods for measuring heat. Their observations laid the … Read more