Street Science Season 2 Episode 5 Forces of Nature

In this episode of Street Science, titled "Forces of Nature," host Kevin Delaney teams up with a team of experts to explore the amazing power of nature. From thunderstorms to land erosion, the show dives into the science behind the forces that shape our planet.

The team begins by examining the power of lightning, which can strike with a force of over one billion volts. Kevin joins up with a storm chaser to witness a lightning storm up close, learning about the electrical charges that build up in the atmosphere before being discharged as a bolt of lightning. The team then turns their attention to another natural phenomenon - tornadoes. They travel to the Midwest to study the wind patterns and atmospheric conditions that lead to these powerful storms, and Kevin even steps inside a giant wind chamber to experience what it's like to be inside a tornado.

Next, the team explores the power of water, which has shaped the earth's surface over millions of years. They visit a massive dam in Utah to learn how engineers harness the power of water to generate electricity, and they travel to Florida to investigate the effects of hurricanes on the shoreline. Along the way, they learn about erosion and sediment transport - the process by which rocks and soil are moved across the earth's surface by water and wind.

Finally, the team delves into the science behind earthquakes, which are caused by the movement of tectonic plates deep beneath the earth's surface. They visit a seismology lab to learn how scientists measure earthquakes and predict their effects, and they explore the devastating impact that earthquakes can have on communities and infrastructure.

Throughout the episode, Kevin and his team use experiments and demonstrations to help viewers understand the complex scientific concepts behind these natural forces. For example, they use a giant Tesla coil to create a miniature lightning storm in the lab, and they simulate the effects of a hurricane in a large water tank.

Overall, "Forces of Nature" is an exciting and educational episode of Street Science that explores some of the most awe-inspiring natural phenomena on earth. Viewers will come away with a deeper appreciation for the power of nature and the scientific principles that explain it.