Elephants

Questions about elephants once came out in PSLE. So, here are some facts about the elephants.
Why do elephants have such big ears?

Ans: The big ears are to help the elephants stay cool. Elephants don't sweat, so they have a hard time dissipating excess heat (keeping cool). Their large ears contain many blood vessels that allow heat to escape into the air. When you see elephants they are usually moving their ears back and forth. This fanning helps to dissipate more heat than if their ears remained still.

Adaptations (Penguins)

1   Why do penguins always stand with their back facing the sun?

 Ans: As penguins live in cold places, they get cold easily. When they turn their backs, it makes them warmer as in science, black absorb more heat than white.

2     Why are penguins black and white?

Ans: When it gets cold, they turn their backs towards the sun to generate heat in their bodies and when they are too hot they will face the sun with their white fronts and reflect the sun’s rays. Also because when penguins are swimming if they are swimming more towards to the top it is harder for predators to see them because of the light from above, the bottom is blacker so it is also hard to see them from above.

Why do penguins need webbed feet?

Ans: (for swimming) The webbed feet create greater surface area than say, claws, to push against the water and propel the penguin forward.

      How do penguins hold their breath under water for about 20 minutes?

Ans: Penguins are not fish. They don't have gills and they need to breathe air. When diving to catch food, penguins are able to slow their heartbeat to just a few beats per minute and their blood is packed with haemoglobin, the molecule in red blood cells that carries oxygen. This allows them to stay under water for many minutes at a time. Penguins are adapted to be extreme divers.

Adaptations (Camels)

Facts about camels

Why do camels have long eyelashes?

The long eyelashes keep sand out of the camel's eyes.

Thick eyebrows shield the eyes from the desert sun.

Why does a camel have nostrils which can close?

A camels nostrils can close so it doesn't get sand up its nose.

Other Adaptations:

1. A camel can go a week or more without water, and they can last for several months without food. They can drink up to 32 gallons (46 litres) of water at one drinking session!

2. Camels store fat in the hump, not water. The fat can be metabolised for energy.

3. Unlike most mammals, a healthy camel's body temperature fluctuates (changes) throughout the day from 34°C to 41.7°C (93°F-107°F.) This allows the camel to conserve water by not sweating as the environmental temperature rises.

4. Camels feet are wide so they can walk on sand more easily. Their huge feet help them to walk on sand without sinking into it.

5. Camels have thick lips so they can eat the prickly desert plants with out feeling pain.

6. The colour of their bodies helps them to blend into their environment.

7. Camel's ears are covered with hair, even on the inside. The hair helps keep out sand or dust that might blow into the animal's ears.

Facts on Maglev Train

In the five-years series, they tested you on the Maglev Train. So, here is the info about it!

Maglev Train

Maglev (derived from magnetic levitation) is a method of propulsion that uses magnetic levitation to propel vehicles with magnets rather than with wheels, axles and bearings.Their non-reliance on friction means that acceleration and deceleration can surpass that of wheeled transports, and they are unaffected by weather.If you've ever played with magnets, you know that opposite poles attract and like poles repel each other. This is the basic principle behind electromagnetic propulsion. Electromagnets are similar to other magnets in that they attract metal objects, but the magnetic pull is temporary. 

(adapted from wiki)