Is chlorine water bad for you? (age 11)

This is an interesting question!

Chlorine is usually added to drinking water and swimming pools to make the water safer for people. Viruses and bacteria can’t live in chlorinated water so the chlorine keeps people from getting diseases. Sometimes natural compounds in water can mix with chlorine to make unhealthy chemicals so when water is chlorinated it gets tested to make sure these unhealthy chemicals won’t make people sick. Even though it is safe, some people don’t like the way chlorinated water smells and tastes.

Chlorine does a really important job by making sure people don’t get diseases from their drinking water. So the answer to your question is no, chlorinated water isn’t bad from you. It actually... Keep reading.

What are atoms? Are humans made of atoms? (age 10)

You bet we are made of atoms! Atoms are the smallest pieces of chemical elements. Scientists have figured out that there are about 118 different kinds of elements. Have you ever heard of gold, calcium, neon, or aluminum? These are some of the elements. Every kind of stuff is made of a combination of elements. Human beings are made up of tiny atoms of these different elements too. Most of our bodies are made of the elements called oxygen, carbon, and hydrogen.

Atoms are so small that we can’t see them with our eyes. We can’t even see them with a regular microscope. We need a special high-powered microscope to see a single atom. Atoms are so small that a human hair is about a million carbon atoms wide. We are amazing... Keep reading.

What does outer space smell like? (Willow)

Willow,

Thank you for your question. The issue of smell in space is a tricky one. While you would think that there is no smell in space due to the lack of atmosphere, that may not be the case. Astronauts have stated that space does have a smell. They have noticed this smell in the airlock and clinging to the spacesuits after returning from a spacewalk. The smell has been described various ways, the most popular of which are “metallic” and “like burnt cooking”.

Thanks again for your question. I appreciate your interest in space.

Sincerely,
Professor Science

Does 100 % of oxygen come from trees?

That is a great question! Humans need oxygen to live, so it’s a good idea to know where it comes from. Oxygen is released into the air by trees but it can also be found in lots of other places.

Oxygen makes up about 20% of air, and it is also found in water. It is also found in rocks, minerals, plants, and the human body. Oxygen is needed for fires, and it is essential for humans to breathe. The oxygen in the air also has another form known as ozone. Ozone makes up part of the atmosphere known as the ozone layer and protects the Earth from harmful ultraviolet rays.

Oxygen is produced by some kinds of bacteria, algae, and plants (including trees) during photosynthesis. Photosynthesis is the process by which bacteria, algae, and... Keep reading.

What causes the electrical shock I receive when getting out of a car during the winter? Vicello (age 36)

The shock you get when getting out of your car, particularly in the winter, is from static electricity. Static electricity often occurs whenever two dissimilar materials are rubbed together. When electrons, or the negative charge, are removed from one material and deposited on the other a static charge results. When you are in a car the seat is one material and your clothes are another when you move you create friction and build up a static charge. Once your body accumulates enough of a charge and then touches a good conductor, usually metal like the car door the charge quickly leaves you and you feel the shock.

The reason you feel this shock more in the winter than in the... Keep reading.