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Inquiring Minds: Classroom Edition These witty programs capture students’ interest, and increase their understanding of essential science content as intrepid investigators take viewers outside the typical television studio to explore intriguing questions about the world around them. Middle school science concepts such as energy, motion, and forces come to life as programs illustrate their relevance to everyday phenomena. Building on the knowledge that students already have about each topic, the programs stimulate natural curiosity and boost the desire to learn more about science. Lively experiments and demonstrations — many of which can be adapted for the classroom — illustrate key scientific principles and reveal technological applications that relate to us all. Teachers gain an authentic inquiry-based resource that makes science accessible to all students.

PROGRAMS

Why Is the Sky Blue? BPN 632201 An exploration of sunlight. Viewers discover how the sky is like a giant pinball machine; where the sun is located at different times of the day; and what would happen if there were no air molecules. (6:00) How Do People Survive Lightning Strikes? BPN 632202 An explanation of lightning, including the amount of energy in a lightning bolt, how lightning is formed, and what we actually see in a streak of lightning. Offers useful advice on how to prevent being struck by lightning. Curriculum content: Static and current electricity; temperature; the law of the conservation of energy; the effects of temperature; and the basic principles of electricity and magnetism. (7:25) Why Does Breathing Helium Make Your Voice So High? BPN 632203 Learn why we sound like chipmunks when we breathe helium! Viewers find out how the density of several elements affects sound; what is needed for sound to be present, and how sound works. The program compares the pitch of a person’s voice to that of a musical instrument. It also demonstrates how changing the speed of sound affects the pitch of the voice; and how we can change the pitch of our voices. Curriculum content: The nature of sound; its characteristics, frequency, amplitude, and technological applications; how energy is transferred through sound; how to obtain information about elements from a periodic table. (6:25) Why Don’t Satellites Fall Out of the Sky? BPN 632204 An explanation of what a satellite is; how we put a satellite into orbit and how it maintains its orbit; how satellite dishes work and how they provide better television signals. The program also clarifies interrelationships in Earth/space systems, and looks at the history of artificial satellites. Curriculum content: Trajectory and projectile motion; forward velocity; reflective signals; weather satellites’ distance and speed measurements; the role of gravity; relative size and distance between planets; revolution and rotation; Newton’s three laws of motion; acceleration; applications (rockets, projectiles); lack of friction; and variables of Earth/space relations. (6:35) How Does the Dry Cleaning Process Work? BPN 632205 What is dry cleaning — is it really dry? The program reveals why certain clothes are dry cleaned, the history of the dry cleaning process, and introduces water as a universal solvent. The program also demonstrates that like substances dissolve like; and that emulsifiers (i.e., detergents) break up oil-based stains. Curriculum content: Chemical properties (combustibility and reactivity), solids, liquids, gases, organic and inorganic substances, solubility, odor, and color; the laws of the conservation of matter and energy; the effects of temperature on state, color, and solubility; physical and chemical properties of matter and changes that it can undergo, including oxidation reactions (burning and rusting). (7:30) Why Are Hurricanes Seasonal? BPN 632206 This program explores why hurricanes strike only in late summer or early fall, what a hurricane is, why it is the most destructive natural force on Earth, and even demonstrates how to make a hurricane in the kitchen! Curriculum content: Convection currents; transfer of energy; physical and chemical change; speed and acceleration; vortex; the role of gravity, revolution, rotation, and the relationship of the Earth’s tilt to the seasons; the laws of the conservation of matter and energy, including physical changes; phase change, conduction, convection, vaporization, and condensation; the scientific principles of force and motion; speed/velocity, mass/weight, and Newton’s three laws of motion and acceleration. (6:35) Why Do Voices Sound Different on Recorders? BPN 632207 This program examines how we produce sound, and explains hearing by air conduction, and bone conduction. It uses the example of Ludwig van Beethoven, who suffered conductive hearing loss, to answer the question: How can someone who’s deaf compose a symphony? Curriculum content: Vibrations; resonance; sound waves; conductors; medium for sound to travel through. (6:00) How Do Astronauts Land on the Moon? BPN 632208 This program reveals how a rocket actually gets to the Moon, and compares flying to the Moon to planning and taking a vacation. Curriculum content: Earth/space relations; variables; the role of gravity; relative size and distance between planets; revolution; rotation; speed/velocity; the effects of friction; Newton’s three laws of motion; acceleration; technological applications (i.e., rockets, projectiles). (7:15) Why Do High and Low Pressure Systems Bring Good and Bad Weather? BPN 632209 An explanation of atmospheric pressure and its relevance to the weather report, and our daily lives. The program demonstrates pressure instruments and their uses; how isobars are mapped out; and how to read weather charts to gain information. Curriculum content: Atmospheric pressure; pressure instruments; density, temperature, and units of measurement. (8:20) Why Do Some Rock Concerts Sound So Bad? BPN 632210 Why is the sound at most live rock concerts such poor quality? The program defines an echo, demonstrates how it occurs, and its effects; it describes the acoustic challenges presented by most rock concert venues; and presents strategies to improve the sound. (8:20) Curriculum content: Echoes, sonar, and radar; reverberations; the power behind sound waves; the effects of distance, surface, and power (amplitude) on sound waves. (8:20) How Do 3-D Glasses Work? BPN 632211 tba (6:06) How Do Race Car Drivers Survive Crashes? BPN 632212 Michael Kinny points out some of the obvious safety features and some of the not so obvious - like the special design which absorbs the energy during a crash to keep the driver safe. (6:43) Why Are Mosquitos Attracted to Certain People? BPN 632213 Michael Kinny explores which elements attract mosquitos and what we can do to avoid these pests. (6:41) Why Do We Get Diarrhea? BPN 632214 Michael Kinny explains how increased activity in your intestines can cause diarrhea. (6:38) No Tears Shampoo BPN 632215 How surfactant — the ingredient in shampoo that causes the burning sensation and helps rid the hair of dirt — reacts with the eye’s tear film. And a look at amphoteric surfactants, which are found in “no-tears” shampoo, and their properties. Curriculum content: How mixtures can be separated by physical processes and chemical compounds by chemical processes. Binary compounds and mixtures, and the nature of bonding in compounds and mixtures. (5:25) Artificial Flavoring BPN 632216 A mass spectrometer analyzes the contents of a substance and displays the results on a computer. The human tongue and its ability to recognize four main tastes. The make-up of synthetic imitations and how they are created. Advantages of using artificial flavors rather than their natural counterparts. Curriculum content: The human sense of taste, the taste buds on the tongue, and sensory descriptors (sweet/sour). The trade-offs of business: why it is more cost-effective to create and use artificial flavoring rather than to use natural flavors. Physical and chemical properties of matter, and changes in chemical composition such as acid-base neutralization. (6:15) Making Snow BPN 632217 How nature creates snow. The components used by snow-making machines to manufacture snow. And, natural snowflakes compared to artificial ones. Curriculum content: How physical properties of matter are affected by a change in temperature. The discrimination between similar objects (natural and artificial snow) and design models to explain a sequence. How impurities are used by humans and nature to bring about specific results. (7:05) How are Athletes Timed in a Race? BPN 632218 The history of the stopwatch and an analysis of its accuracy; the starter’s pistol, starting block sensors, and the horn in present-day races. How a high resolution video camera and computer technology help to determine the runner’s finish time in a race. Curriculum content: The importance of technology and electronics in our lives today. How sound waves are heard, the Doppler effect, and the importance of accuracy. Analyzing data to make valid conclusions. How technology transmits energy so that we can see and hear it. (7:50) How Do Bullet-Proof Vests Work? BPN 632219 The structure of a bullet-proof vest; the characteristics of an Aramid fiber — energy absorption, stretchability. How the strength of a fabric depends on how the fibers are woven together. Limitations of bullet-proof vests. Curriculum content: Molecules and the creation of polymers; how polymers can be five times stronger than steel because of their ability to flex and stretch. Force, speed, and velocity. The particle theory of matter; the characteristics of different types of matter based on physical and chemical properties; how energy is transferred; and how energy can be spread out and redirected within matter. (7:25) Why Do Some People Wear Glasses? BPN 632220 Parts of the eye: the lens and the muscles surrounding it; the iris and its function of letting light into the eye; the retina, lined with light-sensitive cells shaped like rods and cones. How the shape of one’s eyeball determines the eye’s capacity to see. Diet, in relation to the eyes. Curriculum content: The senses, sensing organs, and sensing descriptors. Optical tools such as eyeglasses and lens; reflection, refraction, and the basic characteristics of light. (7:05) Why is the Ocean Salty? BPN 632221 The two principle sources of salt: underwater volcanoes and rivers; the different levels of salt concentration in rivers and oceans; salt’s tendency to absorb water; how salt reacts with body cells; kidneys as the organs responsible for removing excess salt from the body. Why the whale — a mammal — can survive in salty water, but a human can’t. Curriculum content: Underwater volcanoes, erosion of minerals, why certain particles sink (in a mixture) and salt stays dissolved (in a solution). Life processes, irritability, and waste removal in humans. Tissues, organs, functions, and processes of cells: how salt reacts to water in the body, and the function of the kidneys. Natural erosion and that caused by human impact. The study of characteristics of marine and freshwater biomes and animal adaptation. (7:35) Pros and Cons for Vegetarians? BPN 632222 The definition of carnivores and herbivores — their respective diets and eating mechanisms. Humans’ teeth, digestive systems, and diet in comparison to those of carnivores and herbivores. Curriculum content: The behavioral and structural adaptation in species: carnivores, herbivores, and omnivores. The different types of teeth and the digestion rate of each. Living systems and the relationship of carnivores, omnivores, and herbivores to each other. Producers and consumers. Energy transformation from food; the evolution in different species. (6:50) Flapping and Flight BPN 632223 tba (6:15) Age of Dinosaur Bones? BPN 632224 Calculating the age of bones from the amount of carbon 14 they contain; potassium atoms in rocks surrounding bones; how bones help determine what the dinosaurs looked like, their habits, and their diet. Curriculum content: Earth history and the use of fossil evidence for dating bones. Radioactive decay and other methods used in calculating age. How populations change and how the evidence found in fossil records can be used to explain the changes. (5:30) Why is Gold So Valuable? BPN 632225 Gold’s properties, its appeal to human beings and impact on society throughout history. The advantages of gold over other metals: its chemical stability (it does not react to water or air); measures of its purity (in carats); and its use in high-tech equipment. Curriculum content: Chemical reactions and various elements, including their physical characteristics. The periodic table of elements. Metals, metalloids, and nonmetals. The history of gold and its uses. The definition of alchemy. Understanding chemical and physical properties to identify metals, as well as patterns of chemical activity. Identifying ore minerals. Rusting and oxidation. (7:25) Why Does Flouride Prevent Cavities? BPN 632226 What bacteria are and why they are so dangerous; what eggshells and teeth have in common; what fluoride is and how it prevents cavities. Curriculum content: Structure and function of living systems (bacteria); concept of causative agents; science in personal health; science in society; collaborative efforts of scientists; environmental costs and benefits. (7:45) What is a Computer Virus? BPN 632227 How a computer virus causes infection; the three stages of program infection; routes to protection. Curriculum content: A comparison of viruses in humans and computers; characteristics of organisms; organisms and their environment; basic understanding of computer theory; binary code. (8:15) Why do Scuba Divers get “the Bends”? BPN 632228 Why we can’t breathe underwater; how a regulator helps scuba divers; the dangers of “the bends” (nitrogen buildup in the blood), treatment, and prevention. Curriculum content: Regulation, structure, and function of living systems; organisms and their environment; calculation of variables such as temperature, pressure, density, and elevation/depth; effects of differences in density and energy transfer on the activities of and in the ocean. (6:35) Why do Bears Hibernate and Humans Don’t? BPN 632229 Why humans must endure winter, while bears and chipmunks can avoid it by hibernating. Curriculum content: Structure and function of living systems; regulation of life processes and behavior that influences them; diversity of adaptations. (7:50) Why do Clocks go Clockwise? BPN 632230 What a stick and a piece of crystal have to do with telling time, and how the clock was invented. Curriculum content: Newton’s law of gravitation, scientific principles and technological design; force and motion (mechanical advantage provided by gears); relationships among various bodies in the solar system. (8:35) What Causes Allergies? BPN 632231 Why some people have allergic reactions, and others don’t; how your immune systems works—or doesn’t work; and a look at auto-immune disease. Curriculum content: Structure and function of living systems; the immune system, including auto-immune response; regulation and behavior of living systems. (6:35) What Causes the Northern Lights? BPN 632232 How the earth resembles a giant magnet, and its relation to the natural light show known as the aurora borealis. Curriculum content: Properties of gas; transfer, properties, and characteristics of energy; structure of the earth: earth in the solar system; earth as a magnet; electromagnetic spectrum; fundamentals of reflection and refraction. (6:30) Why do Golf Balls Have Dimples? BPN 632233 How the golf ball evolved, and its advantages; why a rough ball travels further than a smooth one; the impact of air; and how to make an object more aerodynamic. Curriculum content: Force and motion; technological design; process of flight. (7:10) Why is it so Difficult to Quit Smoking? BPN 632234 Why smoking is a powerful addiction: how it affects the chemistry of the brain and the “reward center;” the causes of withdrawal symptoms; and attempts to escape addiction. Curriculum content: Structure and function of living systems; regulation and behavior of organisms, diversity and adaptations of organisms; science in personal health. (7:50) How Do Microwave Ovens Cook Your Food? BPN 632235 Why, if radio waves and microwaves both respond to being tuned, microwaves cook food and the radio can’t! And where water fits into the equation. Curriculum content: Heat transfer through conduction, convection, and radiation; electromagnetic spectrum and wavelengths; changes in matter; technological design. (7:45) Can a Human Voice Really Shatter Glass? BPN 632236 What resonance means and the natural frequency of structures and objects, such as glass; the effects of resonance, and some examples; why resonance is like swinging someone on a swing; attempts to shatter glass, using a professional resonator—a trained singer. Curriculum content: Characteristics of sound; states of energy such as heat, light, sound; technological application of sound waves; amplitude, wave length, and frequency; force, motion, and energy concepts such as resonance and vibrations and the ability of substances to transmit sound; earthquakes and wave frequencies. (7:05) Why Does Food Rot? BPN 632237 Microorganisms: how they work; their need for water; the role of the freezer and refrigerator; different kinds of bacteria, good and bad; the inevitability of food rotting—nature’s way. Curriculum content: Living systems' dependence on other systems; life cycles; reproduction and heredity, populations and ecosystems, nature of chemical processes; chemical change; nitrogen cycle; producers, consumers and decomposers; technological design; science in personal health; science and technology in society. (8:35) Why Does Getting Sick Always Give You the Same Symptoms? BPN 632238 How a cold or flu virus works, and its effects on your body; the functions of congestion, a sore throat, sneezing, and coughing; why we get sick more often in the winter; washing hands for prevention; a comparison of a cold and flu virus, and the role of a fever; whether medications help. (8:25) Curriculum content: Structure and function of living systems, particularly cells; diversity and adaptations of organisms; regulation and behavior of organisms; immune response. (8:25) Why Don’t Skyscrapers Fall Over? BPN 632239 The evolution of the skyscraper and a look at how high buildings can become; the role that steel, and steel frames, have played; the elevator’s role in the “race for the sky”; the challenge that wind presents; making a building flexible; what stops us from building skyscrapers that exceed today’s tallest ones. Curriculum content: Physical properties of earth materials; mass, energy, and momentum; elastic and inelastic collisions; force and motion; technological design. (6:30) Why do Some Wounds Leave a Scar? BPN 632240 tba (7:55) How Do They Feed All The Animals At The Zoo? BPN 632241 Catering to hundreds of unique diets is a daunting task at the Metro Toronto Zoo. So how is possible to keep all the animals happy and healthy? By inventing specific foods with all the nutrients each animal requires. (8:15) How Do Body Builders Get Their Muscles So Big? BPN 632242 How your muscles function everyday; how your body builds muscles using muscle fibers and protein strands; getting your body into shape. (8:18) How Do The Police Use Ballistics to Solve Crimes? BPN 632243 Chris Robinson explains how forensic scientists can determine exactly which gun a bullet came from by comparing the 'fingerprints' of the bullet to that of the suspected gun. (7:58) How Do They Keep the Ice Frozen in a Hockey Arena? BPN 632244 What antifreeze has to do with hockey rinks; why they paint the ice; how thick the ice surface is; what happens to the ice when another event is held in the arena. (8:13) What Happens to Your Body under a General Anesthetic? BPN 632245 Chris Robinson investigates why general anesthetic is used during an operation and how it works. (8:08) How Do Helicopters Fly Without Wings? BPN 632246 What the wings of a plane and the rotor of a helicopter have in common; how the rotor lifts the helicopter off the ground from a standing position; how a helicopter changes direction; why a helicopter is more difficult to control than an airplane. (6:30) How Does a TV Signal get from the Studio to your Home? BPN 632247 Chris Robinson investigates how a television camera records an image, changes the image into an electronic signal, and then converts the signal back to the original image on your television set. (6:43) Why Do Animals See the World Differenty than We do? BPN 632248 What animals need to see in order to stay alive; why some animals’ eyes are on the sides of their head; which species have more than two eyes. (7:09) Why is Laser Light So Powerful? BPN 632249 How to produce a single wavelength; what neon signs and lasers have in common; what makes a laser powerful enough to cut through steel; why some lasers are more powerful than others. (6:42) How Does Soap Make You Clean? BPN 632250 Where soap gets its cleaning power from; why water alone can’t get you clean; where soap scum comes from; why people don’t use soap to wash their hair. (6:36) How Does a Lie Detector Test Work? BPN 632251 Persis Golwala investigates how a polygraph test reads your body's reaction to questions not the answers you give verbally. (8:05) How Does a Coroner Determine Time of Death? BPN 632252 Persis Golwala investigates the different factors in determining the time of death including how an insect egg can be a deciding factor. (7:37) Why is There No Cure for the Common Cold? BPN 632253 What happens when a virus invades your body; what a vaccine is; why we can’t create a vaccine to protect us from the common cold. (7:30) How is Animation Done? BPN 632254 Persis Golwala visits an animation studio and sees how a static drawing is turned into a full length animated feature film. (7:36) How Does the Bomb Squad Diffuse a Bomb? BPN 632255 Michael Kinny meets one of the most important members of the bomb squad - a robot that deals with explosive devices. (8:35) How Do Surgeons Transplant an Organ? BPN 632256 How the immune system reacts to a foreign organ; how T-cells know what belongs in your body and what doesn’t; how doctors find a match between patients and organ donors. (7:51) What Do the Different Belts in Martial Arts Mean? BPN 632257 Michael Kinny explains how belt color in Karate is determined by one's ability to memorize and perform the different moves. (7:40) How are Crash Test Dummies Used to Make Safer Vehicles? BPN 632258 Crash test dummies promote seat belt safety, sell cars, and most importantly - save lives. Michael Kinny looks at how crash test dummies are used to test safety features like seat belts and child safety seats. (7:32) How Does Nuclear Power Work? BPN 632259 How we get electricity from uranium; how a nuclear chain reaction is created; why nuclear power generation has hazardous side effects. (7:45) What Causes Insomnia? BPN 632260 Michael Kinny investigates why we need sleep, the different stages of sleep, and why some people are unable to reach the deeper stages of sleep. (6:42) What is the Science Behind Keeping Warm? BPN 632261 What happens when your body is unable to produce heat as fast as it is being lost; how your body defends against heat loss; the trick to layering. (7:20)

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