Atoms under the Floorboards by
Using the modern home as a springboard, Atoms Under the Floorboards presents the fascinating and surprising scientific explanations behind a variety of common (and often entertainingly mundane) household phenomena, from gurgling drains and squeaky floorboards to rubbery custard and shiny shoes. Packed with facts and fun, each chapter focuses on the objects and processes familiar in everyday life and slowly unpicks the science behind them. For example, the chapter on how buildings work introduces static and dynamic forces in explaining why buildings (and their foundations) don't sink into the ground and why skyscrapers don't blow over in strong winds. The chapter on bicycles explores how "circles (better known as wheels) with a few flimsy bits of metal (spokes) stretched between them" are able to support your weight--and this leads into a discussion of compression, tension, and how gears work. After reading Atoms Under the Floorboards, you'll never look at everyday objects the same way again.
Shocking electricity by
hocking Electricity will blow your fuse! Are you buzzing to discover...how an electric eel can give you a nasty shock? Why does electricity keep your heart beating? Which scientist gave electric shocks to his own eyeballs? If you think you can stomach the sick side of science, then switch on to some electrifying facts. Find out how magnets help birds fly, get to grips with the electric wobbling toilet seat and meet the Atom family as they are zapped in an electric circuit. Science has never been so horrible!