Our Sun is a medium sized star, which creates the perfect conditions for life on Earth. What happens on the Sun and how do stars, including the Sun, live and die? Physics - Our Solar System - Learning Points. The Sun is 4.6 billion years...

Learn about the noble gas, neon, and its uses. Chemistry - Periodic Table - Learning Points. Neon is a colourless gas. When electricity is passed through neon, it produces a bright orange-red light. Neon is a noble gas and is inert,...

What exactly are alloys? What is it about their properties that make them so useful for a huge variety of purposes, from construction to jewellery? Chemistry - Periodic Table - Learning Points. Alloys are metals mixed with other...

In 1869, Russian scientist Dmitri Mendeleev created the Periodic Table, ordering the naturally occurring elements by their structure and properties. His Periodic Table changed the course of Chemistry forever, and even predicted the...

Why do we cook our food wrapped in aluminium foil? Why does metal rust? It all comes down to oxidation reactions. Discover what happens to cause these reactions, and how to stop them. Chemistry - ReactionsLearning Points. The combustion...

What is radioactivity? Explore the difference between alpha, beta and gamma radiation and how their different properties can make them useful. Physics - Energy And Radioactivity - Learning Points. Radioactivity is the nuclear decay of...

When Mendeleev created the Periodic Table in 1869, he also predicted the existence of elements yet to be discovered, including gallium. What are the properties of this rare metal and why was its discovery so important? Chemistry -...

The story of chemist John Newlands and his theory of the "Law of Octaves" that related chemical elements to notes in the musical scale. Did the scientific community accept his unusual theory and does it hold up to the laws of modern...

The 17th century German chemist Johann Becher proposed that an element, phlogiston, was released when substances burned. He was wrong, and his incorrect theory led many early chemists to misunderstand the significance of some of their...

Learn why electron shells are responsible for the properties of elements, and whether they are stable or have violent reactions. Chemistry - Atoms And Bonding - Learning Points. An element's reactivity is determined by the number of...

What are stars made of? How are they born, how do they live, and how do they die? Physics - Our Solar System - Learning Points. Our nearest star is the Sun. A star is formed from a cloud of dust and gas, which shrinks under gravity and...

Exploring the science behind fireworks, discover how different elements are used to produce different colours of fireworks. Chemistry - Atoms And Bonding - Learning Points. In the mid-19th century the inventor if the Bunsen burner,...

Witness the exciting reactions that occur when alkali metals come into contact with other substances. What does this tell us about their properties? Chemistry - Periodic Table - Learning Points. The alkali metals make up Group 1 of the...

In 1986, the Chernobyl nuclear power plant exploded. What caused the explosion and why has Chernobyl become a lasting reminder of the dangers of nuclear power? Earth Science - Earth's Resources - Learning Points. The world's first...

The noble gases were one of the last groups of elements to be discovered. From helium balloons to light bulbs, these gases have many uses in the world around us. Chemistry - Periodic Table - Learning Points. The noble gases are found in...

We know that Mars once had a landscape with oceans and rivers, but what happened to it? Physics - Universe - Learning Points. Although Mars is a freezing dry world today, it is thought the planet was once like Earth. If liquid water once...

The discovery and uses of reactive metals throughout history, and how their uses have defined the period in which they were discovered. Chemistry - Periodic Table - Learning Points. The reactivity series ranks the chemical reactivity of...

The discovery by Robert Bunsen which allowed elements to be identified more easily, and even led to the discovery of new ones. Chemistry - Atoms And Bonding - Learning Points. Gustav Kirchoff assembled the first spectroscope - two...

Discover how elements are formed in the centre of stars, and how some elements are formed in even more spectacular conditions. Chemistry - Periodic Table - Learning Points. Most elements were created in space. At the beginning of the...

Transition metals are the largest group in the periodic table. Find out what similarities they share, and how we make use of these metals. Chemistry - Periodic Table - Learning Points. Transition metals are found as a block in the middle...

We compare melting points of lead and tin to the melting point of their alloy, solder. By timing how long it takes samples of each to melt, we discover that the melting point of solder is actually lower than those of both lead and tin....

We look at how an incandescent light bulb can be made. First we attach a tungsten wire to electrodes in a flask of air and pass a current through the wire. The wire glows briefly before burning and breaking. Next we fill the flask with...

How metals and non-metals combine to form compounds with unique and very different properties. Chemistry - Atoms And Bonding - Learning Points. An electrically charged atom is called an ion. Ionic bonds are very strong. Ions are formed...

From our bodies to the oceans and stars, everything is made of millions upon millions of tiny atoms. But what are atoms made of? Chemistry - Atoms And Bonding - Learning Points. The building blocks of all elements are called atoms. Atoms...