Make Ice Cubes

Last question:

Is it really true that no two snowflakes are exactly alike?

Answer:

Yes. Most snowflakes look alike as you watch them fall from the sky. What you see under a microscope is something entirely different. The size, shape, and texture of snowflakes are determined by a wide variety of factors including temperature, humidity, and other atmospheric conditions at the time it is formed.

At a molecular level, the number of possible variations is huge. The possibility that any two snowflakes will be exactly alike, even when formed under similar conditions, is virtually zero. I suppose you could try and find two snowflakes that are alike, but they would probably melt before you could validate your finding!

Today’s Question:

Is the following true or false?

When making ice cubes, using hot tap water rather than cold water will make them freeze faster.

Snowflakes

Last Question:

Can burning wood in a fireplace can make the inside of a house colder?

Answer:

Yes. A fire in the fireplace may evoke feelings of warmth and coziness, but in actuality it can be an inefficient way to heat your home. The design of most traditional masonry fireplaces creates a draft that pulls air out of the room to fuel the fire and causes the majority of the heat generated by the fire to go up the chimney. This, in turn, can draw cold air in through other leaks in your home, making it colder rather than warmer.

I personally do use a fireplace to heat my home in the winter. The fireplace is very efficient, so heat pours into the house which warms us up every morning in the winter.

Today’s question:

Is it really true that no two snowflakes are exactly alike?

Fireplaces

Last Question:

President Franklin Roosevelt once said,

“The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco.”

Answer:

No, Franklin Roosevelt never said this, but it is a great quote. Summers in San Francisco are cool and unruly. Most people do not know this and tourists who visit in the summer are usually in for a huge shock. I suspect sales of sweaters in San Francisco during the summer are brisk.

Today’s Question:

Can burning wood in a fireplace can make the inside of a house colder?

Summer in San Francisco

Last Question:

Does drinking alcohol (for example brandy) warm you up when you are spending time out in cold weather?

Answer:

No

Drinking alcohol might initially make you feel warmer, but drinking alcoholic lowers your core body temperature. It sends blood to your skin, which will make you feel warm and flushed. This effect however causes a loss of body heat. Hypothermia could result. Alcohol also dehydrates the body and impairs judgment.

Today’s Question:

President Franklin Roosevelt once said,

“The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco.”

True or False?

Keeping Warm in Cold Weather

Last Question:

Why do leaves change colors in the fall?

Answer:

They produce less chlorophyll, which keeps them green.

Without sufficient chlorophyll, leaves take on the shade of other substances that remain which vary from plant to plant as a function of their constitution.

Today’s Question:

Does drinking alcohol (for example brandy) warm you up when you are spending time out in cold weather?

The Color of Fall Leaves

Last Question:

Is it true that modern Halloween customs are derived from ancient Celtic celebrations that involved human and animal sacrifice?

Answer:

Yes, it is true. Modern Halloween customs stem from the harvest festivals of ancient Europeans, including the ancient Celts, whose Samhain festival involved human and animal sacrifices to honor Druid deities.

Today’s Question:

Why do leaves change colors in the fall?

Halloween Customs

Last Question:

According to the National Retail Federation, what was the most popular children’s Halloween costume for the year 2005 in the United States?

Answer:

A princess costume

According to the National Retail Federation, the most popular costume among U.S. children in 2005 was a princess costume. For adults, it was a witch costume.

Today’s Question:

Is it true that modern Halloween customs are derived from ancient Celtic celebrations that involved human and animal sacrifice?

Most Popular Halloween Costume of 2005

Yesterday’s Question:

In Ireland, a barmbrack is a significant part of the Halloween tradition. What is a barmbrack?

Answer:

Ireland’s barmbrack, or bairin brack, is a sweet, yeasted bread often served toasted and buttered with afternoon tea. The Halloween barmbrack is a fruitcake-like flat, round bread containing sultanas, raisins, and any one of various mystery objects, such as a piece of cloth or a ring that tells the fortune of the person receiving it in their slice.

Today’s Question:

According to the National Retail Federation, what was the most popular children’s Halloween costume for the year 2005 in the United States?