First, you need to understand how batteries work. Ok, how do batTeries work?Batteries are composed of three parts: the anode, the cathode, and the electrolyte. What do each of those do?Let's start with the anode, better known as the negative end of the battery. All it is is a piece of metal with a chemical that makes it act as a negative terminal, or have a buildup of electrons. The cathode is the same thing, but positive, meaning it lacks electrons. However, there needs to be something separating the anode from the cathode, since electrons are attracted to positive areas in an attempt to balance the charges. That’s where the electrolyte comes in. It’s a typically a liquid, and it separates the anode and cathode. So, how does all that make electricity?Well, electricity is the flow of electrons. Think back to the battery and lightbulb circuit experiment you did in elementary school (or click here for those of you who missed out). The wire serves as a conductor, attracting electrons. Electrons flow from the anode (called oxidation) through the wire and whatever else is connected to the circuit (like a lightbulb) until they reach the cathode and flow into the electrolyte (called reduction). When does the battery run out?When there are no more electrons to leave the anode. So, how Do you recharge it?By reversing this process. The application of electricity from an external source, such as an outlet or another battery, can generate enough energy to reverse the flow of electrons back to the anode. then why do RECHARGEABLE batteries eventUally die?There's only so much recharging one battery can take. Eventually, irregularities occur in the anode, reducing the amount of electrons it can hold, limiting the life of the battery slowly but surely. Irregularities can even ruin the flow of electrons entirely, killing the battery. Either way, no battery will last forever. So, how do RECHARGEABLE batteries work?Rechargeable batteries work by reversing the flow of electrons from anode to cathode to electrolyte in order to provide an electron buildup in the anode, once more giving the battery its electricity generating potential. Curious? Here's some more information!
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Um, because they’re delicious. But why can't we cook cookies and bake bacon?To answer this question, we must delve into the world of etymology. etymology?Yes, etymology. For those of you not well versed in your -ologies, it’s the study of the history and origin of words and how their meanings have changed over time. What does that have to do with cooking bacon?Ok, so the problem we seem to be having is that the verb “to bake” sounds a lot more like “bacon” than “cookie,” the opposite is true for the verb “to cook,” and yet it is grammatically incorrect to bake bacon and cook cookies. Am I right? Yes, and doN't Similar words share the same roots?Not necessarily. The word “bacon,” for instance, comes from the Old French bacon, translating to “meat from the back and sides of a hog.” However, “bake” comes from the Old English bacan, meaning “to cook by dry heat in a closed place or on a heated surface.” Although the words sound similar, one comes from an Old French word for back meat, and the other comes from an Old English word for cooking. Clearly there is very little correlation between the meanings of the words. But what about “cookies”?Well, the word “cookie” comes from the Dutch koekje, meaning “little cake.” “Cook,” on the other hand, roots itself in the Latin coquus, from coquere, meaning “to cook, prepare food, ripen, digest, turn over in the mind.” Once again, sounding similar is merely a coincidence. Ok, so whAt's the difference between “bake” and “cook”?Despite their different roots, “bake” and “cook” seem to have the same meaning. Definition wise, this is fairly true, as baking is considered a type of cooking. However, talk to a culinary expert and it’s a different story. Baking typically refers to cooking food in an oven of some sort, especially if the food is flour-based. This applies to cookies, but not so much to bacon. Furthermore, the words “cooking” and “baking” imply how the food is prepared. Baking is an exact science: directions must be followed exactly in order for the food to be a success. Cooking, on the other hand, is much more fluid. (Think Remy cooking soup in Disney's Ratatouille.) Simlarly, cookie dough must be measured carefully, being sure not to confuse baking powder with baking soda, while bacon is just thrown on a pan of some sort and doesn’t need a recipe whatsoever. so, why do we bake cookies and cook bacon?We bake cookies and cook bacon because the etymologies of the similar words are not alike, and, in the world of chefs, “baking” is used to describe the preparation of a precisely-measured, flour-based food in an oven, whereas “cooking” is used to describe preparing a food without specific guidelines on a hot surface of sorts. This post was suggested by Sabrina M. from Maryland. curious? Here's some more reading!
Well, you’re going to need more than just you to qualify. Some land might be a good starting point. Ok, then how does a country become a country?It has to be recognized as a country by other countries. So each country gets to choose what counTries exist?Basically. According to the US State Department website, the United States formally recognizes 195 independent states. However, this number differs from country to country and source to source, generally landing somewhere between 191 and 206. Wait, how many countries are there really?Again, this depends on what your country recognizes, but we can look at the United Nations for an idea of what countries are generally considered to be countries. There are currently 193 member states and 2 non-member observer states, giving us a grand total of 195 countries in the UN. Of those 195, 191 are undisputed, meaning everyone accepts their statehood. Statehood? I thought we Were talking about countries.Yes. The word “state” can be applied to countries just like the word “nation”. However, these two words have different meanings. According to the New Oxford American Dictionary, a state is “a territory considered as an organized political community under one government,” while a nation is “a large aggregate of people united by common descent, history, culture, or language, inhabiting a particular country or territory.” To put it more simply, a unified government is a state, a unified peoples is a nation, and a country is the merging of the two. Therefore, undisputed statehood is when nobody argues against your right to govern. so, how might one reach this “undisputed statehood”?Well, there are some things that, according to history, it definitely helps to have: some land, a government, a good amount of people, an economic system, and an efficient military. For a good, safe example, let's look to the formation of none other than the great United States of America. Now, unless you slept through history class for the first fifteen years of your life, you are probably familiar with the story of the colonists who fought against the great English Empire to gain their freedom and become a sovereign state. And how did the united states reach this status?Politics. France was the first country to recognize the US in 1778, and it was mostly because the French hated the British and the colonists seemed to have a fighting chance. The French then helped with the revolution, followed by the Netherlands with their recognition of the US in 1782. Britain recognized the loss of its colonies to the new nation in 1783, quickly followed by Spain, who waited to recognize American independence to avoid the wrath of the British. but that's only four countries.And, at the time, those were the only four countries that mattered. So, it's all just a game of politics?Yes, but there are a few theories in international law about what a country should be. The two most common ones are the constitutive and declaratory theories of state creation. Care to elaborate?Certainly. The constitutive theory of state creation was the nineteenth-century standard for statehood. It states that the existence of a state is constituted by recognition by other states. However, it is unclear whether recognition is diplomatic recognition, or merely a recognition of existence. Because of these and a few other shortcomings, the declaratory theory of statehood was developed in the twentieth-century. The idea is that a state exists once it reaches a certain criteria (a defined territory, a permanent population, a government, and a capacity to enter into relations with other states); any statement of recognition, therefore, is purely declaratory. So, which one do we use?Both and neither. International politics is messy. Only allowing statehood by recognition is ridiculous, especially since the definition of recognition is debatable. It would be absurd if anyone could start their own nation just by standing on a piece of land, claiming independence, and having an already-recognized state say something (see Sealand). The list of criteria offered by the declaratory theory is also vague (what constitutes as a government?). Yet, too much regulation could leave many countries worthy of statehood out of the picture. The line is fine and blurry. So, how do you qualify as a counTry?While there's no real method, generally the goal is to be recognized by other states, specifically the more powerful ones, by having a somewhat-defined territory, a population, a government, and the ability to deal with international affairs. (A good military/nuclear weapons don’t hurt, either!) CurIous? Here's some more information!
Well, according to the New Oxford American Dictionary, a condominium is “a building or complex of buildings containing a number of individually owned apartments or houses,” while an apartment is “a suite of rooms forming one residence, typically in a building containing a number of these.” Wait, a condominium is a building of apartments?According to the definitions, yes. So, is there a difference?Well, physically, not really. They’re both a collection of small residences contained in one building. However, the main difference is in the ownership of the complex. ok, what's the difference?Apartment buildings are owned by one entity and then leased out to tenants, while condos are individually owned and are managed by a homeowners association (HOA). Is that it?Yep, pretty much. So how do the different types of ownership change the living environments?First of all, because condos are individually owned, there is more room for customization. Apartments, on the other hand, are much more “cookie cutter”. This also changes how much maintenance is provided. Apartment complexes often have staff on-call to help out in case of a leaky pipe or a broken heater. While the HOA will take care of maintaining common areas and everything outside the individual units, individuals are typically in charge of their own living space. Wait, condos sound a lot like townhouses.They are. In fact, there are only two major differences. First: townhouses are multi-leveled, meaning that townhouse owners only have to share their walls, while condo owners often have neighbors both above and below. For this reason, townhouses are generally larger then condos. Second: townhouses come with a yard, for which the owner is in charge of maintaining, not the HOA. Yay, yard work! so, what's the difference between a condo and an apartment?While condos and apartments look relatively similar, the main difference lies in how each complex is run, as condos are individually owned and therefore rely more on individuals than apartments, which are owned by a single entity. This gives condo owners more freedom, but also more work. Similarly, townhouses rely on the individual, not only to keep up the unit, but also the surrounding land. This post was suggested by Oscar W. from Rhode Island. Curious? Here's some more information!
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