Science Explained--in 140 characters or less

This week I've been posting explanations of science concepts on Twitter @authordanallen on the hashtag #SciFact.

Solar Prominence. Credit: NASA picture of the day

Below are some of the highlights. My favorite was explaining all 4 of Maxwell's equations in one tweet. Some of these concepts are really deep, like the definition of temperature as the derivative of energy with respect to entropy--they don't teach that in high school! And even when they teach it in college, we sometimes struggle grasping even basics ideas like why it is thermodynamically favorable for hot objects transfer energy to cold ones.

Hopefully all the fun analogies help.

Dig in. Think deep, and don't be afraid to get on Wikipedia and find out more if any of the concepts excites your curiosity and imagination.

I am also taking #SciFact requests @authordanallen. ...and yes, I will attempt relativity!

                          

#SciFact: #2ndLight Big Bang=bright. Universe stretches & dims. Darkness. Matter cools into stars--> light! #Gen1:8 pic.twitter.com/rEhQwAS3bl

#SciFact #TidalLocking near gravity>far so moon stretches, spinning moon = rolling squishy ball, stops quickly. Thus, spin stops. #DarkSide

#SciFact #StimulatedEmission Electrons trade photons. Brokers trade stocks. One sells & others can buy (absorption) or sell (stim. emission)

#SciFact #Lasing 1 Population Inversion=overvalued stock 2 Stim Emission=1 broker sells 3 Feedback(mirrors)=media --> lasing/mass selloff

#SciFact #2ndLawofThermodynamics There are more ways for a room to be messy than clean. Moving things randomly makes disorder more likely.

#SciFact #MaxwellsEquations 1 E fields spray from charge 2 Mag fields do loops. 3&4 Changing elec field bends mag field & viceversa #EMwaves

#SciFact Temperature: difficulty to add chaos w/energy. Library (cold) shout = big change. Rave (hot) shout=meh. Combine & rave hypes lib.