Curious Questions from Curious Minds!
Welcome to Curiopedia, where imagination and discovery take shape! Discover something new today with these curious questions from children. Click on the ‘View Answer’ button to find out the answer! If you want your (child’s) curious question answered and featured here, submit it now.
Month Year
-
Around the atmosphere
How come atmospheric gases do not escape the earth’s atmosphere?
Y.K.S Harsha , Tuni, Andhra Pradesh
View AnswerEarth’s atmosphere is a very thin layer, in fact only 1/1,200,000 the mass of the earth. It would seem that it would be easier for it to escape into space. Well, it actually would, if it were not for gravity — the same force that keeps us grounded, literally. If Earth were much less massive, like Mars for instance, gravity’s grip would be weaker. Scientists have found that it is one of the reasons why the Red Planet lost most of its original atmosphere. Yet, earth does lose some of its atmosphere to space. Don’t worry about running out of air any time soon, as this loss takes place over billion-year time scales.
-
Man in the ground
Why are manholes round?
S. Anesh Kumar , Hosur, Tamil Nadu
View AnswerMost manholes and consequently, their covers, are round because of several reasons. The main one being safety. All manholes have a rim that holds the cover from falling in. This can work for other shapes as well. But a round manhole cover can’t fall through its circular opening when inserted diagonally or placed in any position, while a square, rectangular, or oval manhole cover could fall in if it was inserted diagonally into the hole.
The other reasons are that round shapes are easier to manufacture and, manhole covers being heavier, become easier to transport as well — just roll them!
-
National emblem
Why is the peacock the national bird of India?
Druthi , Bhimavaram, Andhra Pradesh
View AnswerThe peacock was declared the National Bird of India because of its rich religious and cultural significance. There were many factors to consider when deciding on the bird, some of which were, that the bird must be well-distributed within the country so it could really be a ‘national’ bird; that it must be recognisable to anyone; that it should not be confused with the bird emblem of any other nation; and should be associated with Indian myths and legends and so on. Finally, it seemed clear that the peacock was the best fit for our nation.
-
Taste of sea
Why is sea water salty?
K. Dakshitha , Secunderabad, Telangana
View AnswerWe know the water cycle: fresh water falls from the sky as rain fills and fills rivers, lakes and oceans. Then, it evaporates and forms clouds and comes down as rain once again. But, the fresh water that falls as rain isn't 100% pure. It mixes with carbon dioxide in the atmosphere on the way down, making it slightly acidic. When it reaches the earth's surface, it travels over land to reach the waterways. As it passes over the land, the acidic nature of the water breaks down rocks, capturing ions within these rocks and carries it along to the sea. Roughly 90% of these ions are sodium or chloride — which, as we know, form salt when they band together.