What Causes the Sound of Thunder?

The heat from the Lightning strike raises the temperature of the surrounding air. The heated air is compressed, raising the atmospheric pressure. The compressed air explodes outward forming a shock wave of compressed particles in every direction. Like an explosion, the rapidly expanding waves of compressed air create the booming sound of thunder.

To judge how close lightning is, count the seconds between the flash and the thunder. Each second represents about 300m

Are Elephants really afraid of Mice?

Elephants have basic vision and eyes on the side of their huge heads with trouble focusing at a close range on things that scurry around quickly. In the wild a large animal with no natural predators like the elephant having poor vision is not much of a problem.

In small confined areas like zoos or the circus Elephants would be known to pull up their trunks, shake their heads and stomp their feet in the presense of mice trying to get a better focus. It does not appear that Elephants are "afraid" of mice at all..

Why Do Onions Make Me Cry?

When you slice a crisp onion, it tears through cells releasing a sulfur-based gas. When the gas contacts the water coating your eyes, it forms an irritating sulfuric acid. To protect your eyes, your tear ducts work overtime like crying..

here are some tricks to try:
-Slice the onion under cold water. The gas will react with the water rather than your eyes.
- You can freeze the onion for 10 minutes before cutting it. Cooling the onion will slow down the chemical reaction.

If Hot Air Rises, why are Mountains so cold?

Hot air rises but as it rises it gradually expands and cools down (the process known as adiabatic cooling) the decrease in pressure makes the air become so cold that it doesn't rise anymore.

The air pressure in the mounains is much lower causing the temperatures to be so cold.

Will your tongue really stick to a metal pole?

Yes - Do Not Try this... Actually any warm body part with enough moisture will quickly stick to frozen metal.

Your tongue will try to heat up by "exciting atoms" however the heat will be immediatly absorbed by the Metal pole (because its a better conductor).

When your tongue touches the Pole the temperature quickly drops and the moisture frezes in all the tiny pores on your tongue. By Pulling your tongue you could rip off a piece of it. pouring warm water where the tongue and pole meet is a less painfull option.

Why Dont Penguins Feet Freeze?

Penguins feet are padded with fatty tissue and protected by thick rubbery skin. The muscles that operate the feet are located inside their warm bodies.

Penguins can control the rate of blood flow to their feet by varying the diameter of vessels supplying the blood. Reducing the flow in cold conditions and increasing the flow when its warm.

Penguins also rock about to reduce the direct surface contact with the ice.

Why are Oceans Salty?

As water flows in rivers and creeks, it picks up salts from the rocks and soil of the river beds. This salty water flows into the oceans and seas. The water in the oceans only leaves by evaporating, but the salt does not desolve and stays behind.