Books in How it Works series

Did you know the microwave oven was actually invented by mistake? While experimenting with electricity, a scientist noticed the chocolate snack he had in his pocket actually melted. This led to the technology that has made cooking faster, more convenient, and used more than conventional cooking. This book addresses the differences between a standard oven, which uses conduction, and a microwave oven, which uses microwaves, causing food molecules to move, creating heat. The more the molecules move, the hotter the food gets. So, pop in a snack, set the timer, and in a few seconds you’ll be ready to enjoy! This book will allow students to plan and conduct an investigation to determine the effect of placing objects made with different materials in the path of a beam of light.

Can you imagine having to actually get up to change the channel on your TV? Well, before the remote control was invented, that’s exactly what you had to do. This book talks about all kinds of remote controls used on TVs, video games, smartphones, and remote controlled toys. A remote control can actually turn your lights on and off, change the temperature in a room, and even lock your doors! But, be sure not to lose it or YOU might actually have to get up and do it for yourself! This book will allow students to ask questions to determine cause and effect relationships of electric or magnetic interactions between two objects not in contact with each other.

Having trouble seeing something far away? Well, you may need a pair of binoculars! This book investigates the pieces of a pair of binoculars and explains how they combine to magnify far away objects. You won’t need a pair of binoculars to read this book, but it’s sure to be a topic you’ll want to learn more about. This book will allow students to make observations and/or measurements of an object’s motion to provide evidence that a pattern can be used to predict future motion.

Discover the inner workings of 150 machines, gadgets and vehicles, from digital cameras to bucketwheel excavators. Detailed 3D illustrations reveal the technology behind central components and throughout there are photographs to show each subject in action. Simple sketches demonstrate key concepts to help explain things further. Every spread explores the history and the future of individual inventions while Internet links provide an exciting way to find out more about this subject.