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Pallava Dynasty

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The south of India has seem many empires, however one of the most powerful to exist in that region was the Pallava dynasty. The Pallavas were great conquerors and patrons of art and architecture. They ruled for nearly 500 years.

The Pallavas initially conquered the region of Thondaimandalam in Pallavapuri right on the coastline. Shortly thereafter, a natural disaster occurred and the entire area was washed away by the sea. The Pallavas then moved to Kanchipuram and it was from there that they built their mighty empire which extended from northern Odisha to Tanjore and Trichi in the far south.

Skandavarman is believed to be the first Pallava ruler who ruled in the early part of the fourth century. Skandavarman extended his territories from the Krishna river to Pennar in the south all the way across to Bellary in the west. After having performed the Ashvamedha and various Vedic rituals, he earned the title of “Supreme King of Kings devoted to Dharma.”

The Pallavas were in a hurry and they began to rapidly expand their kingdom. They soon took over areas of north and south Arcot, Chengalpet and parts of Tanjore. During the period of 350 AD to 575 AD, there were over 16 kings who ruled. King Sambashivu ruled from 560 AD to 580 AD. He was a strong ruler who defeated the Cholas, Pandyas and Kalabhras who were the original rulers of the southern regions. Sambashivu was a Vaishnavite, a devotee of Lord Vishnu and his portrait is present in the Adi Varaha temple in Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu.

Sambashivu was followed by his son, Mahendravarman who ruled from 600 AD to 630 AD. Mahendravarman was a very learned person, a poet and a skilled musician. His instrument of choice was the veena. He was also a patron of the arts, music and architecture, which flourished during his reign. The stunning cave temples of Mahabalipuram near Chennai were initiated by Mahendravarman.

It was during his reign that conflicts with the Chalukyas of Badami began which lasted for centuries. Pulakesi II, the Chalukya king heard of the riches in his neighboring kingdom and provoked Mahendravarman by attacking his empire. Pulakesi attacked Mahendravarman’s army at Pullalar in the year 620 AD. The Pallavas suffered a defeat which completely devastated Mahendravarman. His health suffered badly along with his mental well being as he was never at peace again.

He did try and take revenge by taking on Pulakesi in multiple battles but success eluded him. He finally died, a broken king, in the year 630 AD.

Narasimhavarman, Mahendravarman’s brave and intelligent son, felt deeply humiliated and vowed to avenge his father’s death.

He challenged Pulakesi II twice. One in Manimangalam and again in Pariyalam in 632. Both the times he defeated Pulakesi II and achieved what his father could not. Pulakesi II was pushed into a retreat and he agreed never to conquer lands towards the south.

With these victories, Narasimhavarman had taken control of Badami and continued to rule over it for thirteen years. With his powerful navy he also helped the King of Simhala (Sri Lanka) to get back his lost kingdom.

Narasimhavarman during his reign completed the beautiful temples of Mahablipuram. He also built a host of other temples like the Kailasanatha temple at Kanchipuram and the Shore temple.

The king, who was a great wrestler, had earned the title of ‘Mamalla,’ which is why Mahabalipuram is also known as Mamallapuram.

King Harshavardhana

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The downfall of the Gupta Empire in the middle of the sixth century brought about the breakup of the northern Indian kingdom into many small republics and monarchy states. Punjab and parts of central India had been taken over by the Huns regime, however over time, their power weakened as they assimilated with the native population.

History of King Harshavardhana

Prabhakar Vardhan, ruler of Sthanvisvara, Thanesar (in present day Haryana) was the first ruler of the Vardhana dynasty. He had two sons. The elder son Rajya Vardhana ascended the throne after his father. His younger son was Harshavardhana.

Rajya Vardhana was deceived and murdered by King Gauda, at which point a young sixteen year old Harsha swore to take revenge. Harsha waged war against King Gauda and won the battle.

Harsha was consequently crowned the new ruler and he proved to be a great conqueror and administrator. He first united the kingdoms of Thanesar and Kannauj and then went on to bring Bengal, Bihar & Odisha under his command. He married off his daughter to Dhruvasena whom he had defeated in Gujarat.

King harshavardhana administration

King Harshavardhana then moved towards the south only to be stopped by Pulakesi II of Vatapi. As a result the Narmada became the southern limit of Harsha’s empire. Under Harsha the small republics from Punjab to central India were reunited.

Like many kings of that time, Harsha was a true patron of the arts. He supported the Nalanda university with financial grants. He was also an author of repute having penned Sanskrit plays like Nagananda, Ratnavali and Priyadarsika.

Banabhatta, Harsha’s court poet wrote the Harsha Charitam, the first historical poetic work on King Harsha. The Harsha Charitam is replete with the king’s achievements and deeds.

Harsha’s capital city, Kannauj extended 6 to 8 kilometers along the river Ganges. The city was filled with magnificent buildings & structures. He also had a systematic tax structure in place. One fourth of the taxes went towards the administration of his empire. The rest were given away to charities and to further the arts & cultural endeavors in his kingdom. Trade too flourished during his reign.

King Harshavardhana and Buddhism

Later on in his life, King Harsha, a Shaivite by birth became a follower of Buddhism. He constructed various stupas in the name of Buddha. Under him all religions and schools of thought like Jainism and Buddhism enjoyed freedom of expression.

Harsha ruled ably for 41 years. However as he had no heirs, the kingdom disintegrated after his demise. Soon after his death, the Pratihars of Malwa, Palas of Bengal & the Rashtrakutas of the Deccan all fought for control over northern India.

With King Harsha’s passing, the idea of a single kingdom ruling northern India disintegrated.

Why Do Astronauts Float in Space?

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  • The Earth pulls every thing into it. This force is called gravity or gravitation and becomes lesser, the further you are away from Earth. Even a long way away from Earth, there is still enough gravity to keep a spaceship in orbit. Because of gravity’s pull, the spaceship falls around the planet. When things fall, they don’t have any weight. This is why astronauts float inside a space ship.

THE SPACECRAFT IS FALLING

  • As space crafts move in a circular orbit around the Earth, it falls from point A to point B. There is still enough gravity to keep the space ship on its path. To fly away from the pull of Earth’s gravity, from point A to C, the spacecraft must overcome that last bit of gravity, holding its course.

STRANGE THINGS HAPPEN WHEN YOU ARE WEIGHTLESS

  • Gravity is strongest near the Earth’s surface than in space. This is why things fall to the ground on Earth. In space however, objects and people float.

DID YOU KNOW?

  • Water in space breaks into droplets because of zero gravity.

THINGS TO DO

  • Whatever you throw up will always come down. Try this.
  • Who is Sir Isaac Newton? Understand his contribution to the study of gravity.

Looking for more Physics articles and videos? Go to: Physics for Kids.

Why Don’t Tree Frogs Fall?

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Tree frogs do not fall as their toes that are like pads work like suckers. With the help of these toe pads, frogs can easily hold on tightly to trees. A tree frog doesn’t fall even while hanging upside down. Because of the tree frog’s toes being long and bending easily, it can hang on to branches as it walks.

A TREE FROG’S BODY

  • Its skin is always wet.
  • A tree frog has lungs but it also breathes through its skin. It gives off a slimy fluid to keep its skin wet at all times.

Its skin changes colour

  • A tree frog’s skin colour changes to suit its surroundings and helps it hide from enemies. It turns brown when on a tree and green when in the grass

Its tongue catches insects

  • In an instant, a frog can stick out its tongue and catch an insect. It has many taste buds on its tongue and spits out food that tastes bad.

It croaks when rain is approaching

  • Before it rains, the air gets moist. Some tree frogs can tell when there is more moisture in the air and will croak before the rain comes down.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

  • Tree frogs have sticks, sucker-like pads on their toes that they use to climb trees and even jump from tree to tree. Some are sensitive to the amount of moisture in the air and may croak before rains arrive. Other kinds of tree frogs will croak all through summer or during the mating season. Tree frogs are often as small as 2.5 centimeters long and prey on insects.

THINGS TO DO

  • How many varieties of tree frogs are there?
  • Where are tree frogs found?

You may also like Life Cycle of a Frog, visit: https://mocomi.com/life-cycle-of-a-frog/

What is a Hot Air Balloon?

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A hot air balloon is a very simple type of aircraft that you can use to fly from one place to another.

Using simple laws of physics, one can travel in the basket suspended from a balloon and enjoy the beautiful view instead of being inside an aeroplane that flies much faster and at a much higher altitude.

How does a Hot Air Balloon Work?

The working of a hot air balloon is simple. It is made up of a balloon-shaped envelope in which you fill hot air. Since air will rise when it is heated, the balloon with the air inside is lifted, giving it an upward thrust. The balloon itself is made up of a nylon material with a heat resistant material at the mouth where the burner is. The liquid propane fuel is stored in cylinders in the wicker basket below. We use wicker because it is light enough to not be excess weight, yet sturdy enough to hold the weight of the passengers.

Hot air balloons cannot navigate on their own. They must rely on the wind to push them in a particular direction. Since the wind at different altitudes blows in different directions, the navigator of the balloon can increase or decrease the amount of hot air in the balloon, to make it rise and fall in order to catch a wind and take you on your magical adventure.

Zeppelins work similarly to hot air balloons except that they are able to navigate left and right. Can you find out how this is possible?

What is a Tornado?

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What are tornadoes?

Tornadoes are fierce rotating columns of air, that is in contact with both the surface of the earth and a cloud. These mostly occur in the United States.

What causes tornadoes?

As the warm air flows upwards, a downward air current forms, creating a thunderstorm. If a strong wind blows through the clouds, it twists the rising air currents into a whirlwind. This whirlwind spins faster and faster until it forms a tornado.

The wind generated by a tornado is the most powerful on the Earth, damaging almost everything that comes in its path. When a building comes in way of a tornado, the air pressure inside the building exceeds the air pressure outside. This is why many buildings which have come in way of a tornado, are known to have exploded. Most tornadoes in the United States occur in the Great Plains. In 1925, one of the fastest and largest tornadoes killed 689 people as it traveled 354 kilometers across Missouri, Illinois and Indiana.

3 Amazing facts about tornadoes

  1. Winds generated by a tornado usually spin at about 500 kilometers per hour.
  2. Tornadoes move at speeds of up to 100 kilometers per hour.
  3. Although tornadoes generally last less than an hour, they can cause lots of damage.

Things To Do

  • Where has the word tornado come from?
  • Who are storm chasers?

For more interesting Geography articles and videos, visit our Geography for Kids category.

Elasticity of Rubber

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What is elasticity?

Elasticity is the ability of a material to return to its original shape after it has been stretched. The force that you apply to the material is known as stress. There is a limit to the amount of stress one can apply to a material before it reaches its ‘elastic limit’ and deforms irreversibly.

Elasticity of Materials

Materials like rubber have a high elasticity. This is because it is made up of millions of long and bendable chains of molecules. You can apply stress on these chains in any direction, but they will always return to their original shape. Ever wonder what holds your underpants up or why a rubber band stretches so much?

what is rubber made of?

Rubber can be harvested from the rubber tree by making an incision in the bark and collecting the white sap that oozes out. This liquid is known as latex and is completely natural. Ammonia is added to natural latex to keep it from hardening before it goes through a chemical process to enhance its strength and durability. It is then distributed to different factories to make rubber bands, balls, elastic, and many things you use daily.

THINGS TO DO

  • Find a pair of old socks or underwear which you are going to throw away. Stretch out the elastic to its limit. Would you be able to use them ever again?
  • Make a rubber band projectile.

Head on to Chemistry for Kids for more such interesting chemistry videos and interactive articles.

How is Glass Made?

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What is Glass made out of?

Glass is made from a mixture of sand, lime and soda. When these ingredients are heated together, they form a liquid glass. This liquid glass is made into sheets by cooling and flattening. To make objects like vases, craftsmen blow into a glob of liquid glass with the help of a long tube.

Plate Glass made by Rolling:

  • Sand, lime and soda are heated together in a furnace to make liquid glass. Rollers are used to flatten glass into sheets, which are first cooled, then cut.

Plate Glass made by Floating:

  • Liquid glass from a furnace is floated and slowly cooled on the surface of liquid tin. After the glass has cooled down, it is cut into pieces.

Handmade Glassware:

  • Vases, ornaments and other intricate glass objects are made by a glass-blower. The glass-blower uses a metal blowpipe which has a glob of hot glass at the end of it. A glass blower then blows the soft glass into shape.

Glass has many uses:

  • Glasses, window panes, mirrors are few of the many things that are made from glass. Glass is not only useful, but can look beautiful too. Windows made of stained glass are works of art.

Additional Information:

  • Other glass-making ingredients can include alumina, lead oxide, salt-petre and zinc oxide which are used to make different types of glass. In the production of plate glass, waste glass from a previous melt is also added, making up 5 to 40 percent of the mixture. Melting takes place in giant furnaces, from where molten glass is floated or rolled into sheets.

Things To Do – 

  • Identify different glass objects in your house and notice how each one looks and feels different.
  • Try making a visit to a glass factory or inquire about a glass-blower and see how they give shape to objects.
  • Try looking through different glass objects. What do you see?

Head on to Chemistry for Kids for more such interesting chemistry videos and interactive articles.

Screw – Simple Machines

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What is a Screw?

A screw is one of the most commonly used mechanical devices in the world. It is a machine that converts rotational motion into linear motion.

Why is a Screw a Simple Machine?

A screw has a long and thin metal shaft with threads spiralling along it’s length. It also has a turning head with a groove where a screwdriver can be used to rotate the screw.

The strength of a screw’s hold depends on the width of the threads and the distance between them. The closer and wider the threads, the stronger the hold will be.

However, more threads require more rotations to attach the screw and wider threads require more force in the rotations.

The mechanical advantage of the screw increases when the angle of the spiral increases.

The screw has become an integral part of the mechanical age.

It can be used to:

  • nut and bolt – Hold things together.
  • Car jack – Lift heavy loads.
  • Drill gun – Drill holes on objects.

For more such interesting Physics videos and articles visit our Physics for Kids category.

Wedge (for Kids) – Simple Machine

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What is a Wedge?

The wedge is the active twin of the inclined plane and one of the six classical simple machines. Unlike an inclined plane, which is stationary, a wedge does useful work by moving.

A wedge is made up of two inclined planes. These planes meet and form a sharp edge. For a wedge, the effort (force) is applied to the vertical (height) of the wedge.

We often see a wedge being used for many things –

  • To separate portions of an object (chisel)
  • To lift a heavy load (forklift)
  • To hold an object in place and prevent it from moving.

The force yielded from the wedge is inversely proportional to the inclined angle. For instance, in a wide wedge, the force yielded is less as the inclined angle is large. So, if the inclined angle is small, the wedge yields a larger force and may do the job faster, than a wedge with a larger angle.

Activity
Look for objects around your house that use this principle. Hint- you use one to cut.

Looking for more Physics articles and videos? Go to: Physics for Kids.

States of Matter

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Three States of Matter

Everything on Earth that occupies space and has weight is called matter. All matter is made from small particles called atoms and molecules. Matter can be classified into three states based on certain properties and the molecular arrangement.

States of Matter #1 – Solids

The molecules of solids are tightly packed, usually in a regular pattern.

They keep their shape unless some force is applied on it.

Solids do not flow, since their molecules are strongly attracted to each other. Solids cannot be compressed, since the molecules are already touching each other and cannot be squashed any more.

States of Matter #2 – Liquids

Molecules in liquids are close together but not necessarily touching each other. There is no pattern as they randomly move about in all directions.
Liquids do not keep their shape, they take the shape of the container they are in. They flow easily since the particles can easily move past each other.

When you compress a liquid, the molecules will end up touching each other and hence they maintain volume and becomes difficult to compress.

States of Matter #3 – Gases

Gases are made up of very loosely packed molecules that are largely spread out, moving all over the flask.

Since there is no force holding them together, gases do not keep shape and they completely fill the container that they are in. Gases flow very easily since their molecules move about so randomly.

Gases can be compressed, since the molecules are so far apart that the distance between them can be reduced, so that they can be brought close to each other. So, they can be transferred easily from a large container to a small container.

Head on to Chemistry for Kids for more such interesting chemistry videos and interactive articles.

Sense of Touch

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What is the Sense of Touch?

Your sense of touch, unlike your other senses is not restricted to any particular part of your body. The sense of touch originates at the bottom-most layer of your skin called the dermis.

Your dermis has millions of tiny nerve endings which relay information about the objects, textures and temperatures that come into contact with your body. It relays this information to your brain in the form of small electrical impulses sent via the spinal cord that tells you whether something is hot, cold, rough, smooth or sticky.

There are mainly four common receptors sending information to your brain:

1. Heat
2. Cold
3. Pain
4. Pleasure

Each of these nerve endings are responsible for telling your brain when it is exposed to a particular type of stimulus. Certain parts of your body like the fingertips, lips and face have more nerve endings than the rest of the body, which is why they are more sensitive to touch.

Some parts of body contain more of one type of receptor than the rest. Like your tongue, which has more taste receptors and fewer heat and cold receptors.

Head on to Biology for Kids for more such interesting biology videos and interactive articles.

Sense of Hearing

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How does the Sense of Hearing Work?

Hearing is the ability to detect sound. Humans and other mammals are able to do this with the help of an organ called ear.

The word ear is used to refer to the outer ear, and a group of nerves and muscles hidden inside called the inner ear.

The outer ear or pinna is the first step in hearing. It directs sound energy down the auditory canal towards the eardrum. Sound that passes through the eardrum is simplified into one amplitude, that is detected by the inner ear and transmitted to the brain.

The inner ear is a hollow cavity, that is filled with a liquid and lined with hair-like structures, that are sensitive to sound. When sound passes into the liquid of the inner ear, it applies pressure on the tiny hairs. This triggers a signal to the brain, which it interprets as a particular sound.

Your sense of balance depends primarily on the vestibular system, also located in your inner ear. The moment you close your eyes, your ears can’t correlate and you will start losing balance.

Inclined Plane – Simple Machines

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We use many simple machines to move heavy loads from one point to another. One of them is inclined plane.

What is a Inclined Plane?

An inclined plane is a ramp that assists us in moving heavy objects up and down heights. It is a plane surface set at an angle, other than a right angle, against a horizontal surface.

If Dhakkan in the above video wants to lift and place this barrel on a ledge, it is a bit difficult. With the help of an inclined plane, Dhakkan can now roll the same up a sloping surface, with much lesser effort.

This is because, the force required to raise an object at a distance is greatly reduced by increasing the distance over which the force must be applied.

So the mechanical advantage is the more the distance to be covered, the lesser the force needed to move the load to the raised height.

Looking for more Physics articles and videos? Go to: Physics for Kids.

How And When Did The Universe start?

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Astronomers are scientists who study the universe. Many of them believe that the universe began about 15 billion years ago. They think that at first the universe was very, very small and made from completely different materials than it is today. Soon after it began, the universe started to spread out very rapidly. This growth is now called the Big Bang because it was so fast it was like an explosion.

The Big Bang

Before the Big Bang, the universe was the size of a pinhead. Then it expanded so rapidly that it was like an explosion. There was a great flash of light and intense heat of billions and billions degrees Celsius. There is nothing in the universe today that is as hot as that.

The universe began to clear up

After the Big Bang, the universe continued to spread out and cool slowly. At first, it seemed a hazy mass. As time passed, gases began to form and parts of the universe became clearer

Huge clouds formed

As the universe kept spreading out, gases came together to form huge clouds known as proto-galaxies. The proto-galaxies eventually gave birth to stars.

The universe today

Stars, gas and dust came together to form groups called galaxies. Galaxies can contain billions of stars. Today, the universe is made up of billions of galaxies.

THINGS TO DO

  • Make your own universe by looking up the craft idea “solar system mobile” on www.mocomi.com
  • Get to know more about our universe by looking up our ‘General Knowledge’ pages on www.mocomi.com
  • Do some research on the Big Band experiment that is being conducted in Cern, Switzerland.

For more interesting Geography articles and videos, visit our Geography for Kids category.

Gautam Buddha

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The Story of Gautam Buddha

Gautam Buddha was born as Prince Siddhartha around 566 BC to the King and Queen of Kapilavastu, Shuddhodana and Mayadevi. Soon after his birth an astrologer predicted that Prince Siddhartha was destined to lead the life of a sage and that he would give up his right to the throne and all worldly pleasures.

Shuddhodana and Mayadevi were shattered upon hearing the news and decided to prevent him from being exposed to the outside world, keeping a close watch on him.

A young Siddhartha never left the palace and saw nothing more than the luxuries of it. His parents hoped that he would get used to the luxurious lifestyle and never give it up.

At the age of 16, his parents got him married to Yashodhara who was a beautiful daughter of a nobleman, The King had hoped that this would be another reason for Siddhartha to not leave the palace.

However, as Siddhartha grew older he became more and more curious. On one particular day, he asked his charioteer to take him on a tour of the city. The first person they came across was a old man, weak and frail by the side of the road. Siddhartha was intrigued by him and was made to understand that with old age comes weakness and ill health.

The next person he came across was a sick man in great pain. Siddhartha was told that the man was not immune of diseases. He then saw the body of a dead person being carried to the cremation ground. The young Prince was told that everybody would die one day and leave the world. At the end of his city tour, Siddhartha came across a sage who was calm and serene. He was told that such men give up their worldly possession and desires.

Siddhartha was deeply troubled by his first experience of the outside world. Several questions crossed his mind about life and death. He then decided that to get answers to his questions, he would have to leave the palace and give up on his luxurious life. At the age of 29, Siddhartha left the palace at night while his wife and son were asleep. He wandered far and wide, trying different ways to find the path of truth. Then finally he reached the city of Bodhgaya and started meditating under a large fig tree.

After 49 days of meditation, at the age of 35, Siddhartha attained enlightenment. From that day on he was known as Buddha or the ‘Awakened One.’ He was named after the Bodhi tree under which he meditated.

Gautam Buddha shared his knowledge with five sanyansis who meditated with him. Together, they traveled across the country teaching key principles of Buddhism.

These principles were called the Noble Truths, which were: The world is full of suffering and misery. Desire is the cause for all suffering and misery. Suffering and misery can be abolished by removing desire. Desire can be overcome by following the Eight Fold Path.

The Eight Fold Path included: Right Views, Right Thoughts, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Efforts, Right Mindfulness and Right Meditation.

Buddha preached non-violence, peace and harmony. He strongly felt that people should treat one another with compassion, forgiveness and tolerance. He encouraged his followers to follow a balanced life. Buddha had a number of followers in Magadha, Kosala and other neighboring areas. He was always dressed in saffron robes and would take only his begging bowl when he traveled.

Several monuments have been built in India which were built as tributes to Buddhism- The world renowned Ajantha and Ellora caves, Kanheri and Karla caves, as well as temples and universities at Sanchi, Amaravati and other places.

Gautam Buddha passed away in 483 BC. Though he lived centuries ago, his birthday is still celebrated as Buddha Jayanti in India. The Bodhi tree is still worshipped as a symbol of Enlightenment even today.

What is a Lever?

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Find out about the lever, one of the most basic forms of a machine, which helps lift heavy objects with much less effort, through this fun and animated learning module. Also learn about a variety of levers from this very same module.

The lever is one of the most basic forms of a machine. Levers help us lift loads with lesser effort. Even though this looks simple there are many things going on in order to lift the object easily.

A lever can be described as a long rigid body with a fulcrum along its length.

Load :

The object you’re lifting.

Fulcrum :

Point at which the lever pivots.

Effort :

The force applied to make the object move.

We use levers in so many of our day to day activities.

Types of Lever :-

They are classified into three categories depending on the relative position of the load, fulcrum and force.

The 1st Class Lever –

where, the pivot is in between the effort and the load. E.g. Seesaw

The 2nd Class Lever –

where, the load is between the fulcrum and the effort. E.g. Wheelbarrow

The 3rd Class Lever –

where, the effort is between the fulcrum and the load. E.g Fishing rod

Activity-
Look for objects around the house that use this principle. Hint- you use one on your hands and feet regularly.

Looking for more Physics articles and videos? Go to: Physics for Kids.

How does the Heart Work?

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What is the Heart?

The heart is a vital organ of the human body. It is located in the left hand-side of your chest. But how does the heart work? Here’s how:

Function of the Heart:

– To pump blood through the body
– To provide oxygen rich blood required to live.

The heart is made up of four different blood-filled areas or chambers. There are two chambers on each side of the heart. Think of it as a double-storey building with two apartments each on the bottom floor and two directly on top.

The chambers on the top are the left and right atrium. The ones at the bottom are the left and right ventricle. The chambers of the heart together make it work as a double pump.

Oxygen rich blood flows from the lungs to the left atrium. It is then pumped out to the rest of your body from the left ventricle.

Meanwhile, the de-oxygenated blood enters the heart through the right atrium. It then flows into the right ventricle and gets pumped to the lungs, where it gets oxygenated again. All this happens in a single heartbeat and your heart does this all day and all night for your entire life.

A normal heart beats at 72 beats per minute, and will beat approximately 2.5 billion times during an average lifespan of 66 years.

The heart is a vital organ of the human body. Find out about how the heart is structured and its various functions through this fun and animated learning module.

What are Fiber Optics?

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You may have heard about fiber optics but the name itself does not say much about this fascinating technology. The term is used to refer to the technology where the energy of light is harnessed to transmit data, much like you would use an electric impulse in a copper wire. Since light travels at the speed of 300,000 kms per second, fiber optic technology has greatly reduced the speed at which information can be sent and received via fiber optic cables.

OPTICAL FIBERS

An optical fiber is a semi-flexible, transparent, and extremely thin strand of pure glass that has the diameter of a human hair. Thousands of these strands are arranged in bundles to make a thicker cable. Since glass is optically transparent, we are able to send information-laden rays of light over long distances.

A fiber optic cable is made up of five parts:

Strands of glass that are bundled together to make one single channel of light called the core. The diameter of the core dictates how much information can be sent and received at one time.

A protective sheath or coating around any structure or material is known as the cladding. In fiber optic cables the silica cladding increases the total internal reflection of the core. Therefore, a light pulse can pass through the entire length of the fiber, with little data loss.

A layer of plastic surrounds the core and cladding to reinforce the fiber core. The coating provides extra protection and prevents the cable from bending too much.

The strengthening fibers around the coating give added support to the coating, especially when it comes to stretching tension.

Finally, all this is covered in the cable jacket, like any other cable or wire.

The only part of a fiber optic cable that carries data is the tiny core in the center, but it has layer upon layer of protection, because glass is extremely brittle and in order for it to function at its best, there can be no breaks in the fiber at all. Add to that, the high cost of producing them and you will know why every precaution must be taken to prevent damage.

Total Internal Reflection

If you shine a torch down a long hallway, you will see that light travels in straight lines to the end of the hallway. Now if there was a bend in the hallway, you could put a mirror at the bend and light would be reflected to change direction and continue down the bend. But what if this hallway had many twists and turns and it was up to you to shine light from where you are standing to the end of the hallway? You could set up an elaborate system of mirrors so that light wiould keep reflecting until it reached the end.

A fiber optic cable is able to do this, not with the help of an elaborate set-up of mirrors, but because of the phenomenon of total internal reflection. Think of the cladding as the many mirrors along the walls of the hallway of fiber continuously reflecting light. In this way, the light is contained within the core and continues along its path inside the cable, without degrading.

How does Fiber Optics Work?

  • The first step in relaying information over a fiber optic cable is the transmitter. The transmitter is responsible for converting an electrical digital signal into a light signal. It imprints the information onto the light, as changes in intensity and pulse rate.
  • If the ray has to travel a long distance, it will have to pass through an optical regenerator. This nifty device re-boosts the strength of the ray by copying the message and sending a duplicate onward to its destination. A message may have to pass through multiple optical regenerators along its path.
  • Finally the ray of light, with the message imprinted on it, arrives at the optical receiver. Here, it is decoded back into a binary digital format.

USES

  • The most common use of fiber optics is in the field of communication. Massive amounts of data is sent and received over networks of fiber optic cables for various industries such as cable television, phones, and the internet.
  • Since these cables are able to bend, doctors use them during surgery to shine light inside parts of the body, which are hard to reach.
  • Fiber optic scopes are also used by engineers and mechanics to throw light onto parts of machines with many twists and bends where light cannot easily travel.
  • It is also used for imaging in hard to reach areas or places with extreme conditions such as deep underground, under the sea or inside the body.

CONCLUSION
Fiber optic cables have transformed the communications industry. Before its invention, we relied on copper wires carrying electrical signals. Data would diminish while traveling over the ancestors of fiber optic cables and sometimes even get lost completely. These flexible, light-weight, non-flammable, low-power cables may be expensive but are definitely worth their weight in salt.

  • How does a binary signal differ from an analog signal?
  • Doctors use fiber optic scopes when they perform a particular type of surgery called a laproscopy. Can you find out what this technique of surgery is and how a fiber optic scope is beneficial?
  • Find out whether total internal reflection is possible with materials other than glass.

Magnetic Power Of Different Magnets

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REQUIREMENTS

  • Bar magnet
  • Horseshoe magnet
  • Circular magnet
  • Ruler
  • Safety pins

WHAT TO DO

Place the coins against the ruler about 10 cms apart. Similarly, do the same for the magnets. Using the ruler, gradually push the safety pins closer to the magnets.

WHAT HAPPENS

Some of the safety pins are attracted by the magnets almost at once, others only when they are a short distance away.

WHY THIS HAPPENS

Magnets can exert their force at a distance from things.The larger the magnet, the stronger its force and greater the distance at which it can attract objects.

For more such science experiments and articles, visit https://mocomi.com/learn/science/

Can Magnets Attract Anything?

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REQUIREMENTS:-

WHAT TO DO:-

Divide the objects into two groups, metals and non-metals. Hold the magnet close to the objects in the first group, one at a time. Now repeat the same, for the other group.

WHAT HAPPENS:-

Some metal objects attach themselves to the magnet. Others do not. The magnet is attracted to some surfaces, but not to others.

WHY THIS HAPPENS:-

Magnets are pieces of steel or iron which have the ability to attract objects made from steel, iron, nickel and chrome. Since wood, sketch pens and paper don’t contain any of these metals, the magnet is not drawn to them.

For more such science experiments and articles, visit https://mocomi.com/learn/science/

Is Combustion A Chemical Reaction?

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REQUIREMENTS:-

  • Candle
  • Kitchen lighter
  • A spoon

WHAT TO DO:-

Light the candle and hold the blade of the spoon at the centre of the flame for a few seconds.

WHAT HAPPENS:-

The blade is covered with soot, tiny particles of carbon.

WHY THIS HAPPENS:-

Soot is found in the most central part of the flame. It is caused by the decomposition of the paraffin of which the candle is made.

For more such science experiments and articles, visit https://mocomi.com/learn/science/

Human Hair Facts

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Have fun while learning all about your hair, through this animated learning module, that answers one of your many questions about the human body.

Human Hair: Facts & Information

Hair is a biomaterial which is one of the defining characteristics for mammals. It starts at the hair root, a place beneath the skin where cells band together to from keratin. The hair on your head keeps your head warm and provides a little cushioning for your skull. Hair generally grows about 6 inches per year!

What is the colour of your hair?

Black, brown, blonde?

Hair color comes from melanin, the substance that gives hair and skin its pigments. Hair looks black when it contains much melanin and turns lighter when there is lesser melanin.

Head on to Biology for Kids for more such interesting biology videos and interactive articles.

Sign Language

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Introduction

The language of Sign (Sign Language) is a short film by the Mocomi team filmed at the Red Cross school for the deaf in Pune. This film is made as part of our language editorial. The purpose of this piece is to showcase how the hearing impaired speak and their relationship with language. The amazing thing about the whole experience was how happy, motivated & caring the wonderful kids & teachers at the school were.

We would like to thank Mrs. Rani Parasnis, Principal of the Deaf school for her time & help by allowing us access to her school.

Facts about Sign Language

About 3 in 1,000 babies are born with hearing impairment, making it the most common birth defect. Half of all cases of deafness and hearing impairment are avoidable through primary prevention. Over 300 million people worldwide have moderate to profound hearing impairment.

Hearing impairment in children may delay development of language and cognitive skills, which may hinder progress in school. Sign language, which is a language of hand movements, allows deaf people to communicate with one another without speaking. ISL (Indian sign language) is not a recognised language in India, however, it is used by millions of hearing impaired people across the country.

Sign Language has its own grammatical structure independent of any spoken/written language, e.g. English, Hindi, and Marathi, etc.

Sign Language is used to tell jokes, ask riddles, express sarcasm, tell lies, create idioms, make poetry, etc.

Famous people with hearing impairments

Anjan Bhattacharya, Ranji trophy cricketer  &  fastest Indian bowler in 1970

Marlee Matlin, first deaf person to win an Oscar

Jim Verraros, American Idol finalist

Mabel Hubbard, wife of Alexender Graham Bell

Stefan LeFors, Canadian footballer

Sir William McMahon, Australian Prime Minister

Gertrude Ederle, first woman to swim across the English Channel

Helen Adam Keller, author, political activist, lecturer & first deaf blind person to get a Bachelor of Arts degree

Special Thanks to

The Red Cross School for hearing impaired, Pune
Mrs. Rani Parasnis

Music

Wilhelm Neuland-Guitar and Piano Duets on the Tune of Non Piu Mesta Courtesy Aaron Prillaman & MUSOPEN.org

To read and watch more such such interesting General Knowledge articles and videos, go here.

What Is Inertia?

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Have fun while learning about Newton’s law of inertia through this animated learning module, which makes science look so simple and easy.

What is the Law of Inertia?

When traveling in a train or any other vehicle, have you noticed how you continue to move forward when it stops.

You just experienced INERTIA!

Inertia is the tendency of a body to resist a change in motion or rest. When a vehicle stops, you tend to jerk forward before coming to a complete stop. In the same way, you will jerk backwards when the vehicle begins to move.

The phenomenon occurs because of Newton’s First Law of Motion: An object at rest (or motion ) will continue to be in the same state unless acted upon by an external force. Which means objects tend to “keep on doing what they’re doing,” unless disturbed.

What is Taste?

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Find out about one of your five senses, Taste, through this animated learning module which helps you answer many simple questions you could not earlier.

How does the Sense of Taste Work?

Taste is the ability to detect the flavor of substances such as food minerals and various chemicals. It is one of the traditional five senses of the human body.

Humans receive tastes through sensory organs called taste buds, concentrated on the top of the tongue. There are about 100000 taste buds that are located on the back and front of the tongue.

When you eat something, the saliva in your mouth helps break down your food. This triggers the receptor cells located in your taste buds to send messages through sensory nerves to your brain. Your brain then tells you what flavors you are tasting.

The sensation of taste can be categorized into five basic tastes: Salty, Sweet, Bitter, Umami, Sour.

Akbar the great Mughal Emperor

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History of Akbar the great

Akbar the Great was born on 14 October 1542, at the Rajput Fortress of Umerkot in Sindh. He was the son of Humayun and his wife Hamida Banu Begum. Akbar was born at a time when his parents were in exile.

Akbar spent his entire childhood learning how to fight and hunt. He had no interest in learning how to read and write. However, Akbar was the only Moghul Emperor who was illiterate and still had a penchant for knowledge.

Akbar was made king at the age of 13, after the death of his father. Akbar was with Bairam Khan at the time of his father’s passing and Bairam was made Regent, as Akbar was too young. On many occasions Bairam led campaigns on Akbar’s behalf to expand the kingdom.

Hemu, the Hindu minister of an Afghan Prince, Adil Shah, was waiting for a chance to defeat Akbar. Hemu attacked the kingdom of Delhi and emerged victorious, crowning himself ruler of Delhi.

Second Battle of Panipat

Akbar launched a scathing attack in the Second Battle of Panipat. The two armies fought valiantly and it seemed as the Moghuls were fighting a losing battle until an arrow hit Hemu’s eye and he fainted. Hemu’s men thought that he was dead and put down their weapons, accepting defeat. Akbar became king again.

As Akbar grew older, he won many more battles and added more regions to his kingdom, stretching from the Indo-Ganges Basin to Kashmir and Afghanistan, all the way down to Bengal in the east and part of Deccan in the south.

Religious policies of Akbar

Although Akbar was a young king, he was a shrewd and organised. He got rid of all his ministers who he felt were too ambitious and were looking to covet his position. He removed restrictions on religions and allowed his people to practice the religion of their choice, without having to fear for their life.

Akbar was fair to his people and abolished unfair taxes on non-Muslims. He also played an important role in bringing in social reforms such as the abolishment of child marriage, permission for widows to re-marry and the removal of bans to build Hindu temples.

Although illiterate, Akbar was surrounded by scholars such as Birbal, Abul Fazl and Tansen who were all part of the Nine Gems or Navaratnas. Akbar took keen interest in religion, music, painting, poetry and philosophy.

He had a huge collecting of books and manuscripts and was also the owner of a number of artworks from across the region. His biggest accomplishment however, lay in architecture. He built great structures like the Jama Masjid that stands tall even today. He even built a palace for his wife close to the Hawa Mahal.

Akbar fathered three sons, Jahangir, Murad and Daniyal. Jahangir was the only surviving son as the other two died very young. Jahangir and Akbar did not share a very good relationship and were at constant logger-heads with each other.

Death of the emperor Akbar

In 1605, Akbar fell very ill and died a slow death. He had managed to bring parts of East, West, North as well as South India under his rule. Akbar’s rule is greatly noted for the wealth of learning and culture that existed in his time. He was also admired for his bravery and wisdom.

Carbon Footprint

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What is a ‘carbon footprint’?

Most energy produced in the world is done by burning fossil fuels such as petroleum and gas. You may not experience it directly but everything you do requires energy. You need petrol to create energy to drive your car, gas to light your stove, and even the paper you write on in school requires energy to be transformed from wood to books.

There is no clean way to burn fossil fuels. No matter how you do it, you will produce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in the process. Hence, Your carbon footprint is the total amount of carbon dioxide and methane gas you release into the environment by consuming energy.

To get a better idea of how consuming something adds to your carbon footprint take the example of paper. Let’s say that plants take 5 units of energy to become trees. It takes 1 unit to cut down the tree and 3 units to transport it to a factory. The factory takes another 5 units to convert this tree into paper. Finally another 1 unit is used to transport that paper to your city. This means that when you buy the book it is worth 15 units of energy.

It may take you less than 1 unit of energy to throw a book into the dustbin but in reality you are chucking away 15 units of energy. Now think of every person in the whole world throwing away just 1 book and you get 7 billion X 15 units of energy when someone simply throws away a book.

The choices that we make over a lifetime can be converted into a quantity of how much energy is required to satisfy these habits. If we look at the big picture, the total impression we make on the world in our life is our carbon footprint. When you take an airplane, leave the light on in a room or a tap running, think of the size of the footprint you are leaving on mother nature.

The earth has a natural way of recycling the amount of carbon in the atmosphere called the Carbon Cycle. By reducing the amount of energy you consume on a daily basis you can help keep the environment clean. So the next time you see your parents leave the light on, tell them about their carbon footprint, and don’t forget to turn off the light.

Click HERE to learn more about the carbon cycle

Here are a few ideas of how you can do this-

  • If your going to a friend’s house close by convince your parents to walk with you instead of taking a car or taxi.
  • If you live in a hot place try and reduce the amount of direct sunlight that comes into your house. This way you won’t have to use the fan or air-conditioner all the time. Even if you do use the air-conditioner it will be more efficient if it doesn’t have to compete with the sun.
  • If you live in a cold place, make sure that your windows and doors are properly insulated. Keep the doors and windows closed so that warm air doesn’t get out. This way you don’t have to keep the heater on all the time.
  • All electronic devices continue to use electricity when they are plugged in even if they are switched off.
    You can reduce this by making sure that your television, refrigerator, dvd player, and computer are all plugged into a ‘surge protector’ strip.
  • Speaking of computers, instead of using a screen saver switch off your moniter even if you are going away only for 5 minutes.

Further research

In 2008, India ranked 3rd in the list of countries with the most CO2 emissions, after The United States of America and China. It produced 1473.73 million tons. If the population of India in 2008 was 1.12 billion. Calculate your carbon foot print based on those number. What was the footprint of your entire family. (hint just multiply the number you get for yourself by the number of people in your family).

 For more environment related articles and videos, visit: Environment for Kids category.

Properties of Diamond

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Similar to diamonds, emeralds and rubies are too made up of a number of properties. Can you find out what they are?

What is a diamond?

Diamond is an alltrope of Carbon. Allotropes are the different structures that an element can exist in.

For example Diamond’s close cousin, Graphite, is also made up of pure carbon, but because its carbon atoms are packed more loosely, it is softer and brittle.

What is crystal structure?

The atomic arrangement of a diamonds is called a crystal structure. This means that the atoms are arranged in a repetitive pattern and are closely packed.

Colour of a diamond

The high density of this arrangement makes diamond a super hard material. A diamond in its purest form is colourless. The presence of colour in a diamond is caused by an impurity.

  • Boron turns the diamond blue.
  • Nitrogen impurities results in a yellow hue.
  • Colours such as brown and pink are caused due to structural defects.

What makes a diamond shine?

The property of a diamond that makes it shiny is its luster. The structural uniformity of the atoms in a diamond allow it to disperse light of all colours, which gives it that twinkling effect.

Read related articles –

Ever wondered How diamonds are formed?

Vasco da Gama – Explorer

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Vasco da Gama, was a Portuguese explorer who was commander of the first ships to sail straight from Europe to India. Vasco da Gama was born either in 1460 or 1469 in Sines, on the southwest coast of Portugal.

Early Life

Little is known about Vasco da Gama’s early life, but it is believed that he was a student of mathematics and navigation.

On 8 July 1497, Da Gama led a fleet of four ships with a crew of a 170 men from Lisbon. The distance that he and his crew travelled from Africa to India was greater than what it would have been around the equator.

First voyage to India

Da Gama’a trip to India consisted of several stops along the way in Africa as well as problems faced with Muslim traders who did not want him to interfere in their profitable trade routes. He finally reached Calicut on May 20, 1498.

At first, da Gama and his trading were well-received, but this only lasted a short while. The king ordered him to pay a large tax in gold similar to what other merchants pay. This strained relations between the two.

Da Gama left India on August 29, 1498. His expedition beat all expectations after he brought in cargo that was worth 60 times the cost of the expedition. He also took with him hostages, a few Nairs and sixteen Mukkuva fishermen.

Admiral of the Indian Seas

Da Gama arrived in Lisbon in September, 1499. On Da Gama’s journey back, many of his crew members died from scurvy. He however received a hero’s welcome and was well rewarded by the king. He was given the title ‘Admiral of the Indian Seas.’

Last voyage to India

On 12 February 1502, da Gama led the 4th Portuguese Armada to India, a fleet of fifteen ships and eight hundred men, with the object of enforcing Portuguese interests in the east. On this voyage, Da Gama and his troops killed hundreds of Muslims, often brutally, in order to demonstrate their power. In this trip he returned triumphant, primarily with silk and gold, and also established settlement of the Portugese people in India.

Death

Da Gama was sent to India again in 1524 to replace the incompetent Viceroy. Vasco contracted malaria not long after arriving in Goa and died in the city of Cochin on Christmas Eve in 1524.

The state of Goa and city of Cochin still exhibits the cultural influence of the Portuguese, who landed in the early 16th century as merchants and conquered it soon thereafter. The Portuguese overseas territory of Portuguese India (Goa) existed for about 450 years until it was annexed by India in 1961.

How are Diamonds Formed?

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Prologue to Diamonds

Diamond is a mineral of carbon in its most concentrated form. It is composed solely of carbon, the chemical element of fundamental life.

The critical temperature-pressure balance required for carbon to form diamonds is not present worldwide. Diamonds occur naturally in the earth’s mantle (150 kms below the surface) and require extremely high temperature and pressure.

Outer Zone :-

Diamonds formed in the mantle are delivered to the earth’s surface by deep-source lava that pass through the stability zone.

Mantle :-

Diamond stability zone
During volcanic eruptions, chunks of mantle containing embedded diamonds are brought to the surface.

Mantle chunk :-

These chunks are then mined for their precious cargo.

Look around for some lava rock, and you will find a variety of other precious stones in them. Can you identify what they are called, with a little research on Google?

Read related articles

PROPERTIES OF DIAMOND

Colours of Light

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What are the Colours of Light?

In a broad sense of the word, sunlight is white. The sun emits a spectrum of energy that includes X-rays, ultraviolet radiation, visible and infrared light, and even radio waves. The visible light section of sunlight is made up of all the colours of colour spectrum i.e. a mixture of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet. The reason we cannot see them separately with the naked eye is because the wavelengths of of the primary colours interact with each other- they form a white or transparent beam.

An easy way to see how this works is with the help of a prism. A prism is an optical element with flat polished sides, that is transparent and has the ability to change the wavelength of light. This happens because light changes in frequency and wavelength when moving from one medium to another. When white light enters a prism it bends and separates due to a phenomenon called dispersion. Red light has the highest wavelength (and therefore a lesser frequency) and violet has the opposite.

Looking for more Physics articles and videos? Go to: Physics for Kids.

Baking Soda Volcano

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REQUIREMENTS:-

  • Bicarbonate of Soda (Baking soda)
  • Vinegar
  • A glass, tall and straight
  • Food colour

WHAT TO DO:-

Add a tea-spoon of baking soda into the glass. Then add some vinegar to it.

WHAT HAPPENS:-

Bubbles erupt out of the glass when the soda comes in contact with the vinegar.

WHY THIS HAPPENS:-

This happens because the bicarbonate of soda is a compound of sodium, hydrogen, carbon and oxygen. In the chemical reaction, it breaks up when it comes in contact with the vinegar. The carbon and oxygen seperate from the other elements. Together they form a gas, carbon dioxide.
TRY THIS:-
Try this experiment with detergent powder and you will find more bubbles erupting from the glass. Can you explain why this happens?

For more such science articles and videos, visit: Science for Kids

Indian Railways : Facts and Information

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Introduction on Indian Railways

The Indian Railways or Bhartiya Rail network is the bloodline of Indian mobility.

It binds the social, cultural and economical fabric of India from Udhampur, Jammu in the North to Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu in the south, and from Ledo, Assam in the east to Dwarka, Gujarat in the west.

The rail system transports passengers, animals, commercial goods, and the army also uses it to transport weapons and other top-secret cargo.

History of Indian Railways

  • The first passenger line in India was inaugurated in December of 1851 running 34 km between Bori Bunder (now Chattrapathi Shivaji Terminus) and Thane. By 1854 the Governor of India, Lord Dalhousie formulated a vision to connect all the principle regions of India. By 1867 there was a direct line between Bombay and Calcutta. A route all the way to Chennai was completed by 1880.
  • This network demanded much manpower and soon India began producing its own railway locomotives and carriages; and had begun exporting engineers to build railways for other British colonies, within a few years of operation.
  • The earliest type of engines were steam engines, where coal was burnt to heat water and create steam to turn the pistons. All in all, it was a very elaborate process, until the introduction of the diesel engine, and finally the electric line. Initially, coaches were made of wood, but was replaced with other metals with the advancement of technology.
  • The Indian Railways is a department owned and controlled by the Government of India, via the Ministry of Railways. In 1947, an independent railway ministry was set up to handle its affairs. Private investors remaining after the British rule, were bought out and the entire network was nationalised into the Bhartiya Rail in 1951. It remains the most expansive rail network and the second biggest employer in the world!

GK Questions – Indian Railways

Q. What is the Northern and Southern most stations in the Indian rail network?
A. Udhampur in Jammu (north) and Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu (south).

Q. What are the eastern and western most stations within the Indian railway system?
A. Dwarka, Gujarat (west) & Ledo, Assam (east).

Q. Between which two stations did the first ever passenger train run in India?
A. Between Bori Bunder (Chattrapathi Shivaji Terminus) and Thane.

Q. In which year was the Mumbai – Kolkata line complete?
A. 1867.

Q. What are the three different types of engines that were used by the Indian Railways?
A. Steam, diesel, and electric.

Q. In which year was the railway system in India nationalised?
A. 1951.

Related Links

To read and watch more such such interesting General Knowledge articles and videos, go here.

Subhash Chandra Bose

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Early life of Subhash Chandra Bose

Subhash Chandra Bose was born to a Bengali family on January 23, 1897 in Cuttack. His parents were Janakinath Bose who was a well reputed advocate and Prabhavati Devi. He was the ninth child of a total of fourteen siblings.

Subhash Chandra Bose’s nationalistic temperament first came to light at the Presidency College, Calcutta where he studied briefly, when he was rusticated for assaulting Professor Oaten for his anti-India comments in his classroom to all his pupils. Bose later went on to top the matriculation examination of Calcutta province in 1911 and passed his B.A. in 1918 in philosophy from the Scottish Church College.

Political career

In 1923, he was elected President of the All India Youth Congress as well as Secretary of Bengal State Congress. He also worked as an editor for Deshbahdhu Das’s newspaper “Forward.” In a roundup of nationalists in 1925, Bose was arrested and sent to prison in Mandalay, where he contracted tuberculosis. After spending two years in prison, Bose was released and was appointed the General Secretary of the Congress party and worked closely with Jawaharlal Nehru for Independence.

During the mid-1930s Bose travelled in Europe, visiting Indian students and European politicians, including Mussolini. He observed party organization and saw communism and fascism in action. By 1938, he had become a leader of national stature and agreed to accept a nomination for Congress president. He stood for Swaraj (self-governance), as well as using force against the British but this however meant a confrontation with Gandhi, which also created a rift between him and Nehru.

Holwell Monument

On the outbreak of World War II, Subhash Chandra Bose advocated a campaign of mass civil disobedience to protest against Viceroy Lord Linlithgow’s decision to declare war on India’s behalf without consulting the Congress leadership. Bose organized mass protests in Calcutta calling for the ‘Holwell Monument,’ which then stood at the corner of Dalhousie Square, to be removed. Bose was thrown into jail, but was released following a seven-day hunger strike.

Escape from Kolkata

Bose’s house in Calcutta was kept under surveillance by the CID. With two court cases pending, he felt the British would not let him leave the country before the end of the war. Subhash Chandra Bose planned an escape with the help of his nephew sir K. Bose in a car, dressed as a Pathan sporting a long beard which he grew overnight. This car which he used to escape is displayed at his home in Calcutta.

Escape to Germany

Subhash Chandra Bose escaped to Germany, via Afghanistan and the Soviet Union. In Germany he founded the Indian Legion consisting of 3000 soldiers out of Indian prisoners of war who had fought for the British in North Africa prior to their capture by Axis forces. Its members swore the following allegiance to Hitler and Bose: “I swear by God this holy oath that I will obey the leader of the German race and state, Adolf Hitler, as the commander of the German armed forces in the fight for India, whose leader is Subhash Chandra Bose.”

Instead of being delighted, Subhash Chandra Bose was worried. An admirer of Russia, Bose was devastated when Hitler’s tanks rolled across the Soviet border. Matters worsened when the now-retreating German army would be in no position to offer him help in driving the British from India. So, in February 1943, Bose turned his back on his legionnaires and slipped secretly away aboard a submarine bound for Japan. Travelling onboard the German submarine U-180 around the Cape of Good Hope he reached Imperial Japan (via Japanese submarine I-29). This was the only civilian transfer between two submarines of two different Navies in World War II.

Formation of Indian National Army

The idea of a liberation army was revived with the arrival of Subhas Chandra Bose in the Far East in 1943. Bose took control of the Indian National Army (INA) and was able to reorganize the fledgling army and organize massive support among the expatriate Indian population in south-east Asia. At its height the INA consisted of some 85,000 regular troops, including a separate women’s unit headed by Capt. Lakshmi Swaminathan, which was seen as a first of its kind in Asia.

Even when faced with military reverses,Subhash Chandra Bose was able to maintain support for the Azad Hind movement. The INA along with the Japanese fought in key battles against the British Army of India. Spoken as a part of a motivational speech for the Indian National Army at a rally of Indians in Burma on July 4, 1944, Bose’s most famous quote was “Give me blood, and I shall give you freedom!” In this, he urged the people of India to join him in his fight against the British Raj.

Possession of Andaman and Nicobar Islands

The INA’s first commitment was in the Japanese thrust towards Eastern Indian frontiers of Manipur. The INA and the Japanese also took possession of Andaman and Nicobar Islands in 1942 and a year later, the Provisional Government of the INA was established in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The islands were renamed Shaheed (Martyr) and Swaraj (Independence). On the Indian mainland, the Indian tricolour, modelled after the Indian National Congress, was raised for the first time in the town of Moirang, in Manipur.

It was the battle of Kohima and Imphal which had a significant impact on the Indian National Army. The Japanese could no longer fund their armies, and eventually surrendered. The INA were no match for the British troops, without the help of the Japanese, and therefore surrendered to the British as well.

Death of Subhas Chandra Bose

Mystery still surrounds the disappearance and eventual death of Subhash Chandra Bose though he is alleged to have died in a place crash in Taipei, Taiwan, on 18 August 1945 while en route to Tokyo. The Imperial Japanese Army Air Force Bomber he was travelling on had engine trouble and when it crashed Bose was badly burned, dying in a local hospital four hours later.

Related Article:

Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose’s Speech for Kids, visit: https://mocomi.com/netaji-subhash-chandra-boses-speech/

The Indian National Flag – Facts

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Flag of Colonial India

  • India used to be made up of different princely states with their own flags.
  • After the 1857 revolt, the British Raj introduced a flag to represent their greater Indian territories.
  • This was a Union Jack with the Star of India in the centre and the Tudor crown above it.

The Swaraj Flag

  • The ban on flying an Indian flag led to the use of the Swaraj flag as a sign of protest in India during the freedom struggle.
  • This was a tricolour rectangle with a charka or a spinning wheel at its centre.

The Indian flag of Independent India

The Indian flag of independent India is similar to the swaraj flag.

The saffron colour represents courage and sacrifice, the white represents truth and purity and the green represents peace and prosperity.

At the center is the Ashoka chakra to represent the ideas of low and dharma as it does on the Ashoka pillar.

The 24 spokes of the wheel represent 24 hours of progress everyday.

The National Flag Code of India

There are strict guidelines on how we can use the Indian flag and there is only one licensed flag production and supply unit in India.

  1. An Indian flag must be made of khadi cloth, silk or cotton and each roll of cloth that eventually turns into a flag is sent to a lab to be tested for quality.
  2. The flag must never touch the ground or water. It cannot be used as drapery in any form.
  3. The flag many not be placed upside down. If placed vertically, the safforn edge should be on the left.
  4. Until 2001, private citizens were only allowed to fly the flag on national holidays. This law was changed when a citizen filed suit against the court arguing that every Indian citizen had a right to fly their national flag.
  5. No complete representation of the flag can appear below the waist on clothing, or on undergarments.
  6. Damaged flags must be disposed of in private by burning or any other method consistent with the dignity of the flag.

To make your own republic day mask click HERE.

For more such interesting General Knowledge articles and videos, visit: GK for Kids.

Teeth

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Our teeth help us in more ways than one. Find out what they are with the help of this animated learning module.

Interesting Fun Facts about Teeth

  1. Teeth play a very important role in our day to day lives.
  2. They help you form words so that you can speak properly.
  3. They help you bite and chew food so that it is easier to swallow and digest.
  4. To chew or not to chew, there is no question.
  5. Then show when you are happy and having clean and healthy teeth is really something to be happy about.

Teeth are made up of three layers of varying densities

  • Enamel- a hard protective outer layer
  • Dentine – a second protective layer covering the nerve of the tooth
  • Pulp – also called the nerve, is the soft middle part of the tooth that has a blood supply and nerve endings.

Everybody gets two sets of teeth in their lifetime. Your first set is called milk teeth. It begins to sprout when you are 6 months old. By the time you are two and half, all 20 have grown in. By the time you turn 6, your milk teeth begin to fall out. This is because your permanent set is on its way.

Since your jaw grows alongs with the rest of your body, you have place to accommodate the 32 teeth in your permanent set.

Even though your milk teeth are only temporary, it is important to care for them, because the healthier and stronger your milk teeth are, the better it will be for your permanent set.

Head on to Biology for Kids for more such interesting biology videos and interactive articles.

Why does a Golf Ball have Dimples?

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Small hollows which are present on the surface of a golf ball are called ‘dimples’. These dimples allow the ball to travel much faster through the air and also helps in the accuracy of a shot.

What’s inside a Golf Ball?

Inside the golf ball is a a small rubber sac filled with a liquid. Tightly wrapped around this is a rubber thread. On top of that is a thin rubber-like cover with dimples in it. The depth and arrangement of dimples differ with different kinds of balls. These factor affect how far and high a ball can go.

When a golf ball is hit, it forces the air out of its way as it moves. The dimples help the air to move quickly behind the ball, so it travels faster.

With no dimples, the ball does not go very far as air doesn’t move behind the ball fast enough.

Those who play golf use different types of clubs to make the ball go further or higher.

Additional Facts and Information

Modern day golf was developed in Scotland. However, some historians have traced the sport back to the Roman game of ‘paganica’ in which players used a bent stick to hit a stuffed leather ball. Early golfers used wooden balls, but these were replaced in the early 17th century by stitched leather balls stuffed with boiled feathers. Then in 1842 balls were made from gutta-percha. Since the early 20th century golfers started using balls made from rubber which greatly increased golf’s popularity because it was easier to hit into the air and traveled much faster than the gutta-percha ball.

Project

  • Who invented the gutta-percha ball?
  • Gutta-percha comes from the name of a plant. Which plant is that?
  • Try and make your own gutta-percha ball.

To read and watch more such such interesting General Knowledge articles and videos, go here.

How Do Birds Sit Safely On Power Lines?

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When electricity passes through the body of an animal or human being, it causes an electric shock. But when a bird perches on an electric wire, electricity passes through the wire but not through the bird and the bird does not get an electric shock.

Electric wires come from a Power Station

We get our electricity from a power station. Electricity passes along wires from the power stations to offices, factories and homes. The force that pushes electricity through the wires is called voltage. Voltage is very high when electricity leaves the power station. To make electricity safe for people to use, transformers and substations are setup to lower the voltage. In some cities, underground cables carry electricity, thus avoiding over head wires.

Do Birds get shocked when they sit on Electric Wires?

Electricity flows at two different voltages. If a bird perches on two wires, of if its body touches an electric pole while perched on the wire, then it makes a path for electricity to flow between two different voltages.

How does a Electric Shock kill a bird?

When electricity passes through something, heat is produces. When a strong electric current flows through a bird, it produces enough heat to cause a bad burn. The shock from the current makes the animals heart stop. Even low-voltage electricity can kill animals and people.

Additional Facts and Information

Most electric power stations burn fossil fuels to drive generators, which create and electromotive force, or voltage, that pushes an electric current through wires. The wires distribute the electric current to homes, offices and factories. Since electric currents will flow between voltage differences, people or animals forming a bridge between an electric wire and another medium will become part of an electric circuit and electricity will flow through them.

To read and watch more such such interesting General Knowledge articles and videos, go here.

How does a Light Bulb Work?

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What is a Light Bulb?

A light bulb is a simple apparatus that converts electric energy into light energy. The law of conservation of energy says that energy can neither be created nor destroyed, it simply changes form. A light bulb is able to take the electricity supplied to it and change its form into something that can be used for illumination.

What is a Light Bulb made out of?

A bulb is made up of a positive and a negative terminals embedded inside glass, with a tungsten filament that joins the two. When electricity is supplied to the terminals, the flow of electrons heats up the thin filament in between. The electrons continue to bang against the filament until it heats up to the point that it begins to glow. This process happens extremely quickly.

What makes a Light Bulb glow?

The filament is encased inside transparent glass to let the light shine through and also to protect it from overheating. The air inside the glass is actually a small amount of inert gas that helps prevent the filament from becoming too hot and breaking. When the light bulb has fused it means that the thin coil inside has snapped and therefore electricity cannot flow completely through the circuit.

Can you research what is Tungsten and what makes it a good material to be used in light bulbs?

Looking for more Physics articles and videos? Go to: Physics for Kids.

How Does A Vacuum Cleaner Work?

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What is the physics behind vacuum cleaners?

A vacuum cleaner’s working is similar to what happens when you take a sip of juice from a straw. As you suck the air out, juice from the glass takes its place. This is because you are creating a space of empty matter with your mouth. Since matter has a tendency to occupy space, the juice will flow upward and into your mouth so long as you continue to suck.

Now apply this theory to a vacuum cleaner. The boxy part of the has a motor inside it that does the same job as your mouth. The rotating fan of the motor creates a vacuum and begins to suck in air through the suction nozzle at the end of a pipe.

Any dust that comes within range of the suction of the nozzle gets pulled into the pipe and is collected in a bag. There is a filter inside that prevents the dirt that escapes from the bag, from entering the motor. The two main types of vacuum cleaners are ones with a canister with a pipe attached to it or an upright one whose suction nozzle is at the bottom of the canister itself.

The next time you come across a vacuum cleaner, ask an adult to help you turn it on. Find different materials such as paper clips, a couple of coins, and a small pile of dirt. Test how close you have to go to the material in order for it to reach the grasp of the suction power.

Looking for more Physics articles and videos? Go to: Physics for Kids.

What is Hibernation?

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Definition of Hibernation

When animals hibernate, it means that they are going into a deep and prolonged sleep. Animals mostly do this in the winter times when the temperature outside is very cold and food is hard to find. Different animals follow different patterns of hibernation. Animals can put themselves into a deep sleep for as long as several months.

They retreat underground or in caves where they know they will be safe from predators. During this time their breathing and heart rate slows down. Because of their decreased breathing and heart rate, their body temperature is able to drop close to the temperature outside. They use up reserves of fat stored in their body to survive. Since they are not doing much activity, this can last them for the entire duration of their hibernation.

Not all animals that hibernate, sleep for the entire time. For example, the door mouse will hoard large amounts of food in its nest and wake up on the warmer days to eat. Humans do not need to hibernate because we have invented methods of producing food in the cold and storing large amounts for when there is none growing.

You already sleep during the night. Can you imagine going to sleep for 6 months at a time?

Try and research the different amounts of time that hibernating animals sleep. Also categorise your results as those that go into complete hibernation and those that sometimes wake up to eat.

Head on to Biology for Kids for more such interesting biology videos and interactive articles.

Facts About Oxygen

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People and animals breathe in oxygen and breathe out carbon-dioxide. But plants do the opposite, they breathe in carbon dioxide and breathe out oxygen. So as long as there are enough trees on the planet, the world will never run out of oxygen.

Nature’s Balance

People and animals breathe in oxygen to supply their bodies with air. They breathe out carbon dioxide. Plants take in carbon dioxide and give off oxygen.

What Is Photosynthesis?

Plants make their own food. They absorb carbon dioxide in the air and water from the soil. Chlorophyll, which is found in the leaves of a plant, uses sunlight as a source of energy to covert carbon dioxide and water into food. This is called photosynthesis. Oxygen, a by-product is released during this process.

WILL WE EVER RUN SHORT OF OXYGEN?

If deforestation continues at a rapid rate, and no more new trees are planted, it could lower the supply of oxygen.

Additional Information

When chlorophyll uses sunlight as energy to convert carbon-dioxide and water into glucose; oxygen is released as a by-product. Cellular respiration is the process that converts food into a usable energy source. It takes place in the cells of humans, animals and most plants. it requires oxygen and releases carbon dioxide and water as by-products. It is thought that over 75 percent of photosynthesis occurs in the oceans, in phytoplankton. But incessant deforestation could still affect the world’s oxygen supply.

When a plant loses water from its leaves during photosynthesis is called transpiration. Try doing this experiment by leaving a leaf sample in a bowl of water under the sun. Keep it as it is for an hour or two and come back and check. What do you see on the leaves? Keep plants inside your house. It not only adds a touch to your home decor but also gives a feeling of freshness.

Head on to Biology for Kids for more such interesting biology videos and interactive articles.

Why does Cake Rise?

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Did you know that cooking is essentially a chemical process that changes the form of your food into one that tastes good? Find out about how chemicals such as Potassium Nitrate and Liquid Nitrogen can be used in cooking and explore its impact on food items like cake.

The Science of Cake-making

Baking soda or sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) is the active ingredient that is added to baked goods to make them rise. Recipes that use baking soda as a leavening agent also contain an acidic ingredient such as lemon juice, milk, honey or brown sugar which server as a reactive agent. The baking soda reacts with the acidic ingredient to produce tiny bubbles of CO2 that get trapped in the batter.

The gas bubbles expand in the heat of the oven and rise up, giving you a fluffy and airy cake.

For more such interesting chemistry articles and videos, visit: https://mocomi.com/learn/science/chemistry/

How Does Soap Work?

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How do soaps kill bacteria?

Pure water does not have cleaning properties. Therefore, we need soaps and detergents to remove oily grime and organic soiling.

Soaps and detergents are surfactants i.e they reduce the surface tension of water, allowing it to interact with oil and grease more easily. Soap is made by a process called saponification. This is where a triglyceride chemically joins forces with a strong alkali to fight grime.

What is Hydrophobic?

The triglyceride of a soap molecule is hydrophobic, which means that it is attracted to dirt and grime.

What is Hydrophyllic?

On the other hand, the alkali head is hydrophyllic, which means that it attracts water.

When dirt comes in contact with a soap molecule, the hydrophobic tail attaches itself to the dirt. Many soap molecules will attach themselves to the dirt to form a structure called a soap micelle.

Once the soap-grime mixture is released, it remains suspended in the water and is washed away when you rinse it with clean water.

Project

  • One of the most fun things about taking a bath is the bubbles. How are bubbles formed? Does the temperature outside affect how long a bubble remains a bubble without popping?

For more such interesting chemistry articles and videos, visit: https://mocomi.com/learn/science/chemistry/

How do Fireworks Work?

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All kids like fireworks used during festivals in India and across the world. But do you know what goes into making one? Watch this animated learning module to know more about what goes into that firecracker.

When was the first firework made?

Fireworks have been a part of celebrations ever since their invention by the Chinese in the 7th century. Firecrackers are essentially packets of gunpowder that are packaged in different ways. The components of gunpowder react with each other when heat is applied to it.

What is in a sparklers?:

A sparkler consists of a chemical mixture of aluminium, iron, steel, or zinc that is moulded onto a rigid stick or wire. Once one end of the sparkler is ignited, it burns progressively to the other end.

Rockets :

The aerial shell of a rocket contains packed gunpowder. The hole in the bottom of the rocket allows the expanding Nitrogen and CO2 gas to launch the firework into the sky. The colour and shape of the explosion is determined by the way the components are packed inside the aerial shell.

Project

Research why an oxidizing agent in absolutely necessary to make gunpowder? Would the explosion be the same if it wasn’t part of the compound?

Gladiators Facts and History

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What is a Gladiator?

A gladiator was an armed warrior who entertained large audiences in the Roman Empire in violent battles with other gladiators, wild animals and criminals.

Most gladiators were treated as slaves, schooled under frightful conditions, socially ignored, and discriminated even in death. Irrespective of where they came from, gladiators offered the audience an example of Rome’s martial principles and in their battles as well as death, they could inspire admiration and popularity.

Why were gladiator games so popular?

Gladiator games provided their owners and sponsors with expensive but effective opportunities to promote themselves while offering cheap and exciting entertainment. Gladiators became a huge business for trainers and owners as well as politicians who wanted to reach the top.

A politically ambitious person would often organize shows which would in return drum up votes, thus helping that person rise in power. Ownership of gladiators or a gladiator school gave muscle and flair to Roman politics.

Where did the gladiators fight?

Some of the most celebrated gladiator games were held at the great Roman Colosseum built in Rome. Capable of seating approximately 50,000 spectators, the Colosseum hosted gladiator contests as well as public spectacles such as animal hunts, executions, re-enactments of famous battles and dramas based on classical mythology.

Some of the Roman Emperors gave awards of huge sums of money to some of the gladiators. This included property and residence “equal to those of men who had celebrated triumph.” Mark Antony often, even promoted gladiators to his personal guard.

By the 3rd century, the gladiators’ popularity was no longer at its peak as they had created a huge gap in the economy because of the expenses involved in buying, owning and selling. There was a huge disparity between the rich and the poor.

How did gladiator games come to an end?

Gladiators were finally banned at the turn of the 5th century, after Christianity was adopted as the state religion. Gladiatorial games had been replaced by theatrical shows and chariot races, the latter remaining extremely popular through the 6th century.

Those who were condemned to become gladiators for their involvement in crimes were given jobs at mines. They could now pay for their crimes by working, without it having to involve their blood.

Related Article :
Roman Empire and Roman History, visit: https://mocomi.com/history-of-rome/

Garbage Pollution

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Garbage pollution is a HUGE global problem. We produce so many products and throw out so much every day that garbage and waste disposal is turning into a major ecological nightmare.

In India segregation of certain types of garbage has been routine. Items like newspapers, used bottles, magazines, old exercise books and oil cans etc have been kept aside and sold to local collectors or kabadiwalas for centuries.   Not only was garbage sold but we even used to exchange old utensils for clothes.  So we were very environmentally friendly at one point. This is not so today.  We waste a lot and throw away huge amounts of material that sits in a landfill and pollutes the soil and everything else.

The time to take this very seriously has arrived.  With global warming and decay of natural habitats, there is absolutely no time to waste.

Garbage pollution consists of many things.  Certain items are not biodegradable (they do not decompose easily ie Plastics) but can be reused or recycled. In fact, it is believed that a large portion of the garbage we create can be recycled.  Some can be converted to compost, a large portion can be recycled while a small portion could be considered non recyclable and put into a land fill.

There are primarily 4 categories of waste:

  • Wet and dry waste, which should be disposed of separately.
  • Toxic wastes such as medicines, batteries, dried paint, old bulbs, and dried shoe polish which needs special care when we dispose of them.
  • Wet or organic waste, which consists of leftover foodstuff, vegetable peels, etc., should be put in a compost pit and the compost could be used as manure in the garden.
  • Dry waste consisting of cans, aluminum foils, plastics, metal, glass, and paper could be recycled (Recycled Game).

The world over, governments, local bodies and citizens are taking separating garbage very seriously and there are multiple programs that recycle and reuse.  This is the only way forward.  In India, we are not as aggressive about this and continue to just dump here, there and everywhere.

You can make a difference and dispose waste responsibly!

  • Form a green committee of the children in your neighbourhood. Send a notice to all the residences asking them to segregate garbage into dry and wet.
  • Or bio-degradable and non-bio degradable.
  • Take a trip in your neighbourhood and see where all does your waste end up.  Sides of the street, Open garbage dumps.  You will be surprised.
  • Encourage your parents to buy two separate bins for dry and wet garbage. You can colour code it green for dry and blue for wet. Like this it will be easier to segregate the garbage to be handed over to your garbage collector.
  • Ask your community to purchase different colour garbage bins like the ones featured above and then encourage your neighbours to segregate garbage.

Start a compost pile. Here’s how:

  • Set a commercial or homemade composter on the ground in an easily accessible place. For a simple and inexpensive open bin, make a circle about 3 or 4 feet in diameter out of 3-to-4-foot-high welded wire or plastic garden fencing.
  • Add ingredients. Place a 4 inch layer of stemmy plants, sticks, or other coarse material in the bottom of the bin. As they become available, add kitchen wastes, dead plants, grass clippings and chopped leaves to the bin. Add water as often as needed to keep the material moist but not soggy (like a wrung-out sponge).
  • Turning the pile is helpful but optional. If you choose to turn, lift off the composter or bin and set it next to the pile. Then use a pitchfork to move the pile back into the composter.
  • The compost is ready to use when you can no longer recognize the original ingredients. Until you use it in your garden, keep your finished compost covered to prevent rain from leaching out nutrients.

Mythical Creatures – Part 1

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Mythical creatures gained popularity through literary circulation and story-telling. They are creatures which are believed to be real beings, but there isn’t enough evidence out there to prove that.

List of 10 Popular Mythical Creatures

1. Loch Ness Monster

The Loch Ness Monster is said to be a large aquatic animal which looks like a plesiosaur like reptile, reportedly seen in the waters of Loch Ness, Scotland.
Reports of the mysterious creature date back to the 6th century.

2. Mongolian Death Worm

The Mongolian Death Worm is said to exist in the Gobi Desert. It supposedly looks like a bright red worm with a wide body.

3. Mermaid

The mermaid is a legendary aquatic creature of the sea with the head and torso of a human female and the tail of a fish. In some cultures the Mermaid was considered to be a sea Goddess and the earliest of mermaid stories comes from Assyria around 1000 BCE.

4. Sea Serpent

Sea serpents are a kind of sea monster either fully or partly serpentine. The sightings of these creatures go back to hundreds of years. Although these creatures have been sighted on a number of occasions, there is no physical evidence available to prove that these serpents actually exist.

5. Abaddon

Abaddon means destruction, ruin, and perdition. Abaddon is also used to refer to the place of the dead. An Abaddon is regarded as the angel of the bottomless pit.

6. Leviathan

According to legend, Leviathan originally had a sea monster, crocodile or large snake as its mate. The Leviathan was a monstrous fish created on the fifth day of Creation.

7. Centaur

In Greek mythology, the centaurs are a race of creatures that are part human and part horse. Their body consisted of the head, torso and arms of a man and the body and legs of a horse. Centaurs, it is believed, fought against anything evil.

8. Cyclops

Cyclops are a race of giants, with a single eye in the middle of the forehead.

9. Minotaur

A Minotaur is a creature from Greek mythology that is half human and half bull. It was said to have lived at the center of a great labyrinth built for King Minos.

10. Yeti

The Abominable Snowman, or Metch-Kangmi in Tibetan, is a huge, hairy creature that walks upright and haunts the snow-capped peaks of the Himalayas.

For more such mythical creatures also read: Mythical Creatures – Part 2.

Ashoka The Great

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Ashoka the Great was emperor of the Maurya Dynasty who ruled the Indian subcontinent from 269 BC to 232 BC. His kingdom stretched from Pakistan and Afghanistan in the west to Bangaldesh and Assam in the east, and as far as Kerala and Andhra Pradesh in the East. Ashoka was headquartered in Magadha (Bihar).

Early Life of Asoka the Great

Ashoka in his younger days is said to have had a massive temper and was also very wicked and cruel. He once put his ministers through a loyalty test in which he killed 500 of them. He was also nicknamed Chand Ashoka which means ‘Ashoka the Fierce’ for having built a horrific torture chamber.

On ascending the throne, Ashoka expanded his empire to regions in Iran, Persia and Afghanistan over the next eight years. The battle of Kalinga would be the one that would change his life forever.

Kalinga was a rich and fertile land situated between the Godavari and Mahanadi rivers. This was the only land left to conquer. The people of Kalinga refused to bow down to Ashoka’s rule, however, they were also no match for Ashoka’s army. It is said that in this battle alone more than 100,000 soldiers lost their lives and many civilians who rose up in defence were deported.

After his conquest, Ashoka, while walking through the grounds, was moved by the number of bodies and the wails of the families of the dead. He saw burnt houses and scattered corpses which made him sick and he cried the famous monologue:

What have I done? If this is a victory, what’s a defeat then? Is this a victory or a defeat? Is this justice or injustice? Is it gallantry or a rout? Is it valor to kill innocent children and women? Do I do it to widen the empire and for prosperity or to destroy the other’s kingdom and splendor? One has lost her husband, someone else a father, someone a child, someone an unborn infant…. What’s this debris of corpses? Are these marks of victory or defeat? Are these vultures, crows, eagles the messengers of death or evil?

Why Ashoka the Great Adopted Buddhism?

Ashoka adopted Buddhism soon after and embraced the message of love, peace and kindness that Buddha taught. He made Buddhism his state religion, propagated it and preached it within his kingdom as well as in other parts of the world. He built thousands of stupas and viharas which can still be seen even today.

For the rest of his life, Ashoka pursued a policy of nonviolence (Ahimsa). Unnecessary slaughter of animals was abolished. Hunting was now limited. Ashoka also promoted the concept of vegetarianism.

Ashoka built many universities, water transit and irrigation systems for trade and agriculture. He treated his subjects as equals, regardless of their religion, politics and caste. He is also acclaimed for constructing hospitals for animals and renovating major roads throughout India.

This transformation led to people calling him Dhammashoka, meaning Ashoka, the follower of Dharma (duty or proper behavior). Ashoka defined dharma as nonviolence, tolerance of all sects and opinions, obedience to parents, respect for the Brahmans and other religious teachers and priests, liberality towards friends, humane treatment of servants, and generosity towards all.

The source of our knowledge about Ashoka is the many inscriptions he had carved on pillars and rocks throughout the empire. All his inscriptions show compassionate loving. He addressed all his people as his “children.”

After 40 years of rule, at the age of 72, in 232 BC, Ashoka breathed his last. He left behind a legacy as an able ruler, lawmaker, hero, monk and noble preacher of dharma. Ashoka was the last of the great kings of the Mauryan dynasty, which fell apart fifty years later.

How does a Car Engine work?

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A motor car engine is an Internal Combustion Engine (ICE). Energy is created by burning either diesel or petrol in a combustion chamber. In such an engine, the energy is transferred from the pistons moving up and down at high speeds. This up-down motion is converted to a rotary motion through the crankshaft and axle. The axle turns the wheels and make the car move forward. The four strokes of the engine refer to intake, compression, combustion, and exhaust. One complete cycle occurs with every 2 crankshaft rotations.

INTAKE STROKE:

The cycle begins when the piston is at the top of the cylinder and is moving downward. This causes a mixture of petrol and air (or just air in the case of a diesel engine) to be released into the cylinder.

COMPRESSION STROKE:

The piston continues to move upward and compresses the mixture inside the cylinder.

POWER STROKE:

The power stroke begins the second rotation of the crankshaft. A spark ignites the mixture of petrol and air inside the cylinder. In the case of a diesel engine it is during this phase that diesel is injected into the cylinder. The pressure created from combustion pushes the piston back down.

EXHAUST STROKE:

During this stroke the exhaust valve opens and the piston pushes the by-products of combustion out of the cylinder.

Looking for more Physics articles and videos? Go to: Physics for Kids.

How does a Tube Light work?

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Process of tube light

A tube light or fluorescent lamp is a kind of light that uses a combination of electricity and mercury vapour to create light energy. A fluorescent light does not begin to produce light immediately, because it takes time to apply high voltage to its electric poles, after which, this energy needs to be stabilised. When you turn on the switch, the discharge begins in the starter. The heat makes the bimetallic poles in the starter bend towards each other. Once the bimetallic poles meet, the discharge automatically stops and is sent to the poles of the lamp.

When the bimetallic strip cools, it returns to its original position. Meanwhile, the built up current is transferred to the poles of the tube, vapourizing the mercury droplets. The mercury gas is then ionized by the current flowing within.

Why a Tube Light produces White Light?

The electricity causes tiny particles, called electrons, to travel at high speeds between the poles. These electrons hit the mercury gas, producing ultraviolet radiation. Since the human eye is unable to see this radiation, the glass tube is coated with a fluorescent material which changes it into white light.

Looking for more Physics articles and videos? Go to: Physics for Kids.

Touch Me Not Plant – Mimosa Pudica

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Mimosa Pudica- Sensitive Plant

The touch me not plant or Mimosa Pudica is a herb whose leaves go limp and droop when exposed to touch, but re-opens several minutes later. The quality where the structure of a plant or tree changes over a very short period of time is known as rapid tree movement.

The Mimosa pudica is native to South and Central America, but is now found around the world, because of its fascinating response to human touch. Like some other plants, the leaves of the touch me not plant, seem to go to sleep when exposed to touch.

The restructure of the leaves is due to a loss of turgor pressure, which is the force applied to the cell walls by water inside the cells, that makes the leaves stand upright. When a branch is disturbed, the plant releases potassium ions, which in turn force water out of the cells within the leaf.

The loss of water pressure inside the cells cause the leaves to go limp. Another plant that exhibits similar qualities is the Venus Flytrap.

Head on to Biology for Kids for more such interesting biology videos and interactive articles.

Sense of Smell

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What is a Smell?

A smell is a chemical compound that possesses 2 main characteristics: it is volatile (turns from liquid state to gas) and is in a high enough concentration to be detected by your olfactory system.

Your olfactory system is the anatomical name given to the parts of your nose and brain, that can sense smell. Therefore, smelling is the act of detecting chemical molecules in the air by sensitive nerves in your nose. When these molecules float into your nose, they stimulate these nerves, which send a signal to your brain, telling it what kind of smell it is.

Some of the rapid processes include:

  • Musky
  • Pungent
  • Putrid
  • Camphoraceous
  • Ethereal
  • Floral
  • Pepperminty

What smells good to one person may not smell good to another.

Head on to Biology for Kids for more such interesting biology videos and interactive articles.

The Life Cycle of a Frog

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The life cycle of a frog is interesting, because almost all frogs go through 4 distinct phases in their lifetimes.

4 Stages in a Frog’s Life Cycle

The process begins when a female frog will lay a cluster of gelatinous eggs, either in a water body or on a leaf overhanging one, after which the male frog fertilizes the eggs, only once they have been laid. When these eggs hatch, the emerging creatures look nothing like their parents. A tadpole, or polliwog, has an oval body with a vertically flattened tail. At this point tadpoles are completely aquatic and mostly vegetarian. At the end of the tadpole phase frogs undergo a process called metamorphosis, during which time the tadpole develops very quickly- within a span of 24 hours.

Tadpole Development Process –

  1. The disappearance of the gill pouch, making the front legs visible.
  2. The transformation of the jaws into the big jaws of predatory frogs (most tadpoles are scrapers of algae or are filter feeders).
  3. The transformation of the digestive system: the long spiral gut of the larva is replaced by the typical short gut of a predator.
  4. An adaptation of the nervous system for stereoscopic vision, locomotion and feeding.
  5. Quick growth and movement of the eyes to higher up the skull and the formation of eyelids.
  6. Formation of skin glands, thickening of the skin and loss of the lateral line system.
  7. An eardrum is developed to lock the middle ear.
  8. Once the tail disappears, the frog is ready to leave the water. However, it may take some time after it has begun living on land, for the tail to completely disappear.

Candle Under Water

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REQUIREMENTS:-

  • Water
  • A glass cup
  • Coloured ink
  • A saucer
  • A candle
  • Kitchen Lighter

WHAT TO DO:-

Pour some water into the saucer and then add a few drops of colour to it and mix well. Now, light up the candle and place it in the middle of the saucer and then cover it up with the cup.

WHAT HAPPENS:-

With the flame still burning inside the cup, some of the water starts collecting inside the glass, coming in from outside, and when the flame goes off there is a much bigger gush of water into the glass.

WHY THIS HAPPENS:-

The flame uses up the oxygen in the cup, creating low pressure. Atmospheric pressure then tries to force its way in. Becuase the water at the base of the cup has create an airtight seal, the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the cup causes the water to rise till the pressure (inside the cup) is equal to the pressure outside.
TRY THIS:-
Try this experiment with different sizes of candles to see if more water is absorbed into the glass.

For more such science experiments and articles, visit https://mocomi.com/learn/science/.

Upside Down Glass of Water

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REQUIREMENTS:-

  • An empty glass
  • A picture postcard
  • Water

WHAT TO DO:-

Once you have everything in place, fill up the glass with water right upto its brim. Carefully place the glossy side of the postcard down on the rim of the glass. Keep the palm of your hand placed on the card and turn the glass upside down.

WHAT HAPPENS:-

The card remains attached to the rim of the glass and does not allow the water to flow out.

WHY THIS HAPPENS:-

This happens because the air pressure exerted on the card from underneath is greater that the weight of the water inside the glass. This is why the card manages to hold up the water not letting it spill out.
TRY THIS:-
Use regular paper, cloth, a piece of cardboard to do this experiment. Will the water remain upside-down using these materials too?

For more such science experiments and articles, visit Science for Kids.

Strength of a Magnet

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REQUIREMENTS

  • A magnet
  • A glass container
  • Water
  • Safety pin

WHAT TO DO

First, bring the safety pin on the magnet. Then, pour some water into the jug and drop the safety pin in it. Place the magnet on the outside of the jug, on the side of the safety pin.

WHAT HAPPENS

When this is done, the safety pin follows the direction of the magnet, until it is above the level of the water.

WHY THIS HAPPENS

This happens because the force of the magnet also works through the glass of the water. If the jug was made of iron or steel, the safety pin would still come up, but with a lesser intensity, as the magnetic force would be absorbed by the sides of the jug.
TRY THIS
Use different variants of magnets, as well as different surfaces, such as a steel vessel or a vase and you will see how magnets react differently on different surfaces.

For more such science experiments and articles, visit Science for Kids.

Boyle’s Law- Experiment

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REQUIREMENTS:-

  • A 50 ml syringe
  • A small sized balloon

WHAT TO DO:-

First, trap a small amount of air in the balloon and tie a knot. Place the balloon in the syringe.

WHAT HAPPENS:-

When we place the bulb inside the syringe without squeezing the piston, the balloon remains the same as the air escapes from the front, keeping the atmospheric pressure the same. The moment we close the outlet of the syringe and squeeze the piston, the balloon becomes smaller under increased pressure.

WHY THIS HAPPENS:-

The balloon remains the same size when the pressure decreases and the volume increases. But when pressure increases the volume decreases therefore making the balloon compress to a smaller size. Boyle’s law describes the inversely proportional relationship between the absolute pressure and volume of a gas.
TRY THIS:-
Do this experiment with confetti to see if the same yields similar results. You could also try this with a piece of chalk. Why doesn’t the chalk not compress?

For more such science experiments and articles, visit Science for Kids.

Density Test

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REQUIREMENTS:-

  • A see-through container
  • Honey
  • Oil
  • Water

WHAT TO DO:-

First, pour the honey into the jar and then the oil, and water, last.

WHAT HAPPENS:-

The liquids do not mix, but separate into layers. The oil floats on the honey; the water sinks underneath the oil, but floats on the honey.

WHY THIS HAPPENS

This happens because each of the three liquid have different densities. The oil, which has the least density, floats on the water, but the honey- which has the maximum density, settles at the bottom.
TRY THIS:-
Now that you know different liquids can float together, try this experiment with vinegar, syrups, ketchup, groundnut oil. This will give you a better understanding of which liquid has a greater and lesser density.

For more such science experiments and articles, visit Science for Kids.

What is surface tension of water?

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REQUIREMENTS

  • Water
  • A glass
  • Water
  • Pins (different shapes & sizes)

WHAT TO DO

Fill up the glass of water right upto its brim. And then start dropping the pins into the water one by one.

WHAT HAPPENS

You will see that the water does not spill out of the glass, even though it is filled right up to its brim.

WHY THIS HAPPENS

The surface tension of the water doesn’t allow the water to spill out and is the key reason for holding the water in the glass.
TRY THIS
Now that you know how much external force the surface of a liquid can resist, try the same experiment with vegetable oil. Does oil have a greater surface tension or water?

For more such science experiments and articles, visit Science for Kids.

Transfer Of Magnetism

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REQUIREMENTS :-

  • Magnet
  • Safety pins

WHAT TO DO :-

Pick up one of the safety-pins with the magnet and then draw the safety-pin to the second one. After holding the three together, retract the magnet.

WHAT HAPPENS :-

The first safety-pin attracts the second and and remains fixed to it even after the magnet has been withdrawn.

WHY THIS HAPPENS :-

This happens because after the safety-pin makes contact with the magnet, it becomes magnetized, therefore making the safety-pin work like a magnet on the other one.
TRY THIS
With the magnet try and see if you can magnetize other objects like pieces of wood, paper pins and other objects at home. This will give you a better understanding into what can turn magnetic and what cannot.

For more such science experiments and articles, visit Science for Kids.

Egg in a Bottle

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Egg in a Bottle: Science Experiments at Home

REQUIREMENTS :-

  • Boiled Egg
  • Glass Bottle
  • Kitchen lighter
  • Paper strip

WHAT TO DO :-

Take the strip of paper and light one end of it with the kitchen lighter. Once it is lit, quickly push it into the bottle and place the egg on the bottle’s opening.

WHAT HAPPENS :-

The egg slithers into the bottle almost immediately after the strip of paper is dropped in the bottle.

WHY THIS HAPPENS :-

The pressure in the bottle reduces when the fire used up the oxygen inside. As the egg prevents air from entering the bottle, the force of the air pressure outside the bottle, pushes the egg inside.
TRY THIS-
Now that you know that a peeled egg can fit into the bottle, try this experiment with an unpeeled egg. Why doesn’t the egg fit into the bottle this time round?

For more such science experiments and articles, visit Science for Kids.

Colour changing Milk

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Home Science Experiments: Color-Changing Milk

REQUIREMENTS

  • A quarter plate
  • Milk
  • Food Colour (2-3 variants)
  • A cotton swab
  • Liquid Detergent

WHAT TO DO

Pour some milk into the quarter plate. Now add a few drops of the food colour into the bowl, close to each other. Once this is done, take the cotton swab and dip it in the liquid detergent and then dab the swab in the middle of any of the colour drops.

WHAT HAPPENS

There is a huge explosion of color when the swab dipped in liquid soap comes in contact with the added food color. The food color which was just a few drops when added initially, is all over the quarter plate. You see a huge fusion of colours and this continues for quite some time.

WHY THIS HAPPENS

Milk is made up of water, minerals, vitamins, proteins, and tiny droplets of fat. Soap breaks up the fat globules and weakens the chemical bonds of proteins.

TRY THIS

Replace the milk with water and follow the same steps again. The results are not the same. Can you tell why?

For more such science article and articles, visit Science for Kids.