Plant Functions
Backgrounders
Learn about the important plant functions of photosynthesis, respiration and transpiration
Natalie Swanson
Petroleum Geologist
Terry Penney
Hibernia Offshore Installation Manager
Catalytic Converters
STEM Explained
Learn about how catalytic converters make vehicle emissions less harmful.
How Do Plants Survive in the Desert?
STEM Explained
Plants need to exchange gases and water with their environment as part of photosynthesis. Some plant cells have evolved specifically for this purpose.
![Hamilton Street Railway bus in downtown Hamilton, Ontario © Adam E. Moreira [CC BY-SA 3.0], Wikimedia Commons](/sites/default/files/styles/resource_card_image_360x300_/public/2019-08/Hamilton%20Street%20Railway%20bus%20in%20downtown%20Hamilton%2C%20Ontario%20%C2%A9%20Adam%20E.%20Moreira.jpg?itok=1ZSDJMZQ)
Fueling Internal Combustion Engines
Backgrounders
Learn about the wide variety of fuels used in vehicles.
Why do leaves change colour in the fall?
Hands-on Activities
How do the green leaves of summer change to vibrant colours in fall? Explore plant pigments in this chromatography activity.
Which materials bounce?
Hands-on Activities
Balls go up and down. But what makes for a good ball? Find out by exploring which materials bounce.
What are Greenhouse Gases?
Backgrounders
This backgrounder explains what greenhouse gases are and how they contribute to climate change.
What are the Pros and Cons of Nuclear Energy?
STEM Explained
These two “point-counterpoint” videos provide arguments for and against using nuclear energy to generate electricity.
What If You Could Charge Your Phone Using Radio Waves?
STEM Explained
Could we use radio waves to charge electrical technologies in the future?
What is Fracking?
STEM Explained
The fracking process gets natural gases out of rocks. This process can have effects on freshwater, water quality and even earthquakes!
Thermopower and the Body Heat-Powered Flashlight
STEM Explained
Can your body be a source of electricity generation? Maybe, if you understand heat transfer. Explore this concept through a 2013 invention by a Canadian teen.
Understanding Electricity Supply and Demand
Backgrounders
Electricity demand changes constantly. Suppliers need to generate more electrical energy when demand is high, and less when demand is low.
Telegraph Key
Interactives
The telegraph works by transmitting signals through an electrical circuit. Learn more and print your own telegraph key using this 3d model of a real artefact.