Neodymium is a soft silvery metal that oxidizes when it is exposed to air. It is a chemical element and it represented by the atomic number 60 and the chemical symbol Nd. It is never found in free form in nature, but it can be found as a part of certain minerals, such as monazite and bastnäsite. It is classified as a rare earth element, but is actually very common in the crust of the Earth (it is estimated that the neodymium reserves could be higher than 8 million metric tons). About 7,000 metric tons are produced each year. The largest producer of this metal is China and other significant producers include the United States, India, Brazil, Sri Lanka, and Australia. Let’s find out who discovered this element.
A guitar string is a length of flexible material that is attached to the guitar. They are kept under tension and vibrate when played which causes the instrument to make a sound. The tension on the strings can be adjusted to tune the string to the right pitch. A standard guitar has 6 strings that are all tuned to different pitches. There are two main types of guitar stings known as plain or wound. Plain strings are made of a single material and wound strings have a single material core with another material wound around the outside. Traditional guitar strings were made of cow or sheep intestine (known as gut) and the wound strings were made of a silk thread core which was wound with gut. These strings are still sometimes used, but synthetic guitar strings are far more common today. Let’s find out how guitar strings are made.
Hafnium is a silvery-gray, corrosion resistant transition metal that is chemically similar to zirconium. In fact, it is often found together in zirconium minerals. Hafnium is a chemical element and is represented by the symbol Hf and the atomic number 72. It is a relatively recent discovery and was first isolated in the 20th century. It is never found in its free form in nature, but can be found in certain minerals. The mineral zircon is the most important commercial source of hafnium and this is commonly found in the titanium ores ilmenite and rutile. Hafnium is relatively rare and it is predicted that the reserves of this metal could last less than 10 years if the demand for hafnium increases. Let’s take a look at the current uses of this transition metal.
Sheep are a domesticated animal that are probably descended from the wild mouflon that is native to Europe, Asia and the Middle East. It is believed that they were one of the first animals that were domesticated for agriculture. Sheep are commonly raised for their meat and fleece (which is sheared and turned into wool), and less commonly for their milk. There are more than 200 different breeds of sheep in existence (although estimations of thousands of breeds are also common if extinct breeds are included) and each breed is raised for their specific characteristics. The diet of a sheep may depend on the purpose that the sheep is being raised (for meat, milk or wool).
The SAT, once called the Scholastic Aptitude/Assessment Test, is a standardized test for college admissions used in the United States. The test is owned and developed by the College Board and is administered by the Educational Testing Service. The SAT is designed to assess the college readiness of individual students and it is required for entry to many colleges in the United States. It was first introduced in 1926 and since this time it has undergone many changes including several scoring changes. Today, the test is made up of three sections (Math, Writing and Critical Reading) and each of these sections is worth the same amount of points. The average score for each of these sections has historically been around the 500 mark (this means that an average total score is about 1,500). The test usually takes about 4 and a half hours to complete when breaks are included. Let’s find out the maximum possible SAT score that can be achieved.
Argentina is a large country in terms of both area (8th largest in the world) and population (32nd largest). It covers an area of approximately 2.78 million square kilometers (1.07 million square miles) and has a population of about 42 million. It is a highly important country in its own region and is a moderate world power. It has one of the strongest economies in its region and is recognized as an emerging world economy. Argentina is also a member of many important worldwide organizations such as the United Nations. Let’s find out where Argentina is located.
“The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” is the first in a series of science-fiction novels. The story began life as a radio broadcast on BBC Radio in 1978 and it was later adapted into the better known novel. The story has been adapted for many other purposes as well including stage shows, television, film, computer games and comics. It has become one of the most popular science fiction stories of all time and has sold more than 14 million copies in 30 languages. Let’s find out who wrote this popular novel.
Grizzly bears, also known as silvertip bears or North American brown bears, are a subspecies of brown bear commonly found in the northern reaches of western North America. Grizzly bears are a large animal with an adult bear capable of reaching 360 kg (790 lbs) in weight and more than 2 m (6.5 ft) in height. Grizzly bears are known for their sometimes aggressive interaction with humans, especially where a mother is protecting her young. The grizzly bear was once found from Alaska right through to Mexico, but today cover only half of their former range. Let’s find out what led to this decline and why the grizzly bear is now listed as an endangered species.
Billy Bob Thornton is a celebrity actor and musician who began his career as a singer and drummer in the band Tres Hombres. In 1981 he moved to Los Angeles to try his hand at acting and writing. The first few years were very hard and he had almost no interest at all in his acting or writing skills. His first film role came in 1986, but he landed most small roles and received virtually no attention. In 1992 his role as a villain in “One False Move” finally got him some recognition and after this time he began to land more important roles. In 1997 he was nominated for two Academy Awards (one for best writing and one for best actor) and he took home the Best Writing Oscar. This was a further boost to his career and just two years later he was nominated for another Academy Award. The following is a list of movies that Billy Bob Thornton has acted in during his career so far.
The Anderson shelter is a air-raid shelter (bomb shelter) that was used extensively throughout Europe (Britain in particular) during World War II. It was designed for 6 people and was made out of fourteen panels of corrugated steel. Six curved panels were used to form the top, three straight panels were used for the sides and two more straight panels (one with a door) were used for the front and rear of the shelter. These shelters were approximately 1.8 m (6 ft) high, 2 m (6 ft 6 in long) and 1.4 m (4 ft 6 in) wide. They were buried with about half a meter (19 in) of soil to protect the occupants. These shelters were given to all people under a certain income and more than 3.6 million of them were installed before and during the war. This type of shelter was effective against ground shocks and direct blasts because they could absorb a lot of energy. However, they lost popularity during all-night alerts because they were cold and often flooded in wet weather. Let’s find out who designed and invented this air-raid shelter.