With schools staying closed during the fresh national lockdown, most of the country’s pupils are learning remotely from home. As classrooms continue to stay shut, home learning is set to be the new normal for children in the UK for quite some time. Here are 25 of the most common questions that children are asking while they are learning at home - from science and English language to history. What is photosynthesis? Photosynthesis is the chemical reaction that takes place in the leaves of a plant, and more specifically in the part of the plant cell containing chloroplasts. This reaction produces food that the plant needs to survive. For photosynthesis to take place, carbon dioxide, water and sunlight are needed. Who invented the telephone? Alexander Graham Bell, a Scottish inventor, is credited with inventing and patenting the first practical telephone in the 1870s. Who was Charles Darwin? Charles Darwin was a British naturalist and biologist who is best known for his theory of evolution by natural selection. His idea that humans were descended from apes challenged was very controversial at the time. Darwin’s book explaining his theory of evolution, On the Origin of Species, was published in 1859. When did WW2 end? World War II started on 1 September 1939 and ended on 2 September 1945. How many wives did Henry VIII have? The monarch had six wives: Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anne of Cleves, Catherine Howard and Katherine Parr. What is a verb? A verb is a “doing word”, used to describe an action, state, or occurrence. “Jumping”, “writing” and “singing” are all verbs. What is respiration? Respiration is the chemical reaction that supplies all the energy needed by living organisms. The reaction happens constantly in all living cells, and can be aerobic (using oxgyen) or anaerobic (without oxygen). What is a compound? A compound is a substance that is made up of atoms of two or more different elements. For example, water is a compound of hydrogen and oxygen, and each water molecule contains two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom. What is a noun? Nouns are the names of things, places or objects, like “tree” or “dog”. A proper noun is the name of a particular person, place or thing and they always have capital letters, like Edinburgh or James. What is a synonym? A synonym is a word or phrase that means exactly the same or nearly the same thing as another word or phrase. For example, synonyms of “bad” are: awful, terrible and horrible. While synonyms of “good” are: fine, excellent and great. What is an atom? The atom is the basic building block for all matter in the universe. They are tiny, and they are made up of even smaller particles. What is climate change? Climate change describes a change in the usual weather, or conditions, found in a place. That can include changes in temperature and rainfall. It is used to describe the recent rise in the Earth’s temperature, which is caused by humans adding extra greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. What is diffusion? Diffusion is the movement of a substance from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration. It happens in liquids and gases when their particles move from place to place. What do carnivores eat? Carnivores are organisms that eat the flesh of animals, whereas herbivores get their energy from eating plants. What is an element? An element is a substance that cannot be broken down into any other substance - for example, hydrogen or oxygen. Each element is made up of its own type of atom, and they are very different from each other. Most elements are metals, some are gases and a few are solids at room temperature. What is an adjective? An adjective is a “describing word” which names an attribute of a noun. Some examples include, “old”, “red” and “pretty”. When was the industrial revolution? The industrial revolution occurred in Britain between the 18th century up until the mid-19th century. It marked a process of increased manufacturing and technological advancements. When was Shakespeare born? William Shakespeare, the English poet and playwright, was born in Stratford-upon-Avon in April 1564, but the exact date of his birth is not known. When did the Titanic sink? The Titanic tragedy started on 14 April 1912. The ship sank in the early morning hours of 15 April 1912. What is electrolysis? Electrolysis is the process by which ionic substances are broken down into simpler substances when an electric current is passed through them. An ionic substance is something that contains charged particles, called ions. The process is used to extract and purify metals. What is a covalent bond? A covalent bond is formed when two atoms share a pair of electrons. Covalent bonding results in the formation of molecules. For example, covalent bonding can happen between a hydrogen atom and a chlorine atom to make hydrogen chloride. Why do we have seasons? Seasons are caused by the Earth tilting on its axis as it orbits the sun. This means the Earth is always pointing in the same direction, so different parts of the Earth get the sun’s direct rays throughout the year. In summer, the sun’s rays are hitting the UK more directly than any other time of the year. What is biodiversity? Biodiversity is the name of all the different life forms you can find in one area. That includes animals, plants, fungi and even microorganisms like bacteria. These species work together in ecosystems. Why are rainforests important? Rainforests are important to the Earth for many reasons, but mainly because they absorb carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and release oxygen that we breathe to survive. This absorption of carbon dioxide helps to stabilise the planet’s climate. What is globalisation? Globalisation is the process of the world becoming more interconnected as a result of increased trading and cultural exchanges. Globalisation has been taking place for hundreds of years but has sped up over the last half-century.
