How Stuff Works is a great place to come to learn about how things work in the
world around you. Have you ever wondered how the engine in your car works, or what gears
do, or what makes the inside of your refrigerator cold? Then How Stuff Works
is the place for you! A new article gets added every week, so visit often and sign up for
the HSW Newsletter to get the latest news.
Here is the complete list of articles and features:
Engines and Motors
Electronics
- How Television Works - It's nearly guaranteed that your
house has one or more TVs - now you can understand how they work! Also learn
about digital TV and computer monitors!
- How a VCR Works - A look deep inside your VCR that helps you
to understand how 2 hours of video data can fit onto a $2 tape! You will be amazed
at everything packed inside a VCR!
- How Cell Phones Work - Cell phones are amazing devices - click here to find out why!
- How a GPS Receiver Works - GPS (Global Positioning System) receivers tell you where you are anywhere on the planet. Click here to learn what they do and how they work!
- How the Radio Spectrum Works - You've heard of AM radio, FM radio and CB radio - learn what it all means!
- How Compact Discs (CDs) Work - You probably own a CD player and 50 CDs - now understand how they work!
- How Tape Recorders Work - This article talks about cassette tapes and
recorders, and also helps you understand how magnetic recording works in everything from VCRs to
floppy disks!
- How Chess Computers Work -
If you have ever wondered how a little $30 program can beat you at chess, then this article will be fascinating!
Around the House
- How Telephones Work - The telephone in your house is an amazingly simple device! Learn how it and
the telephone network work to let you call anyone on the planet!
- How Refrigerators Work - Learn the real secrets behind your home refrigerator! This page also discusses propane refrigerators found in RVs, electric coolers and cold packs!
- How Pendulum Clocks Work - Explains what makes a pendulum clock tick!
- How Smoke Detectors Work - Many smoke detectors use nuclear radiation - click here to learn all about both types of smoke detectors found in your home!
- How a Gas Lantern Works - You've always wondered how those funky mantles work - now you can learn the secret!
- How Thermometers Work - You see thermometers everywhere - now learn how to make your own!
- How Toilets Work - Put aside your mental block for a moment and learn about this amazing water-handling device!
- How Water Heaters Work -
Learn about the device that makes hot showers possible!
- How a Tire Pressure Gauge Works - Admit it - every time you use your little pen-shaped tire pressure gauge you
wonder how it works. Now you'll know!
- How a Thermos Works - How does it know to keep the hot stuff hot and the cold stuff cold???
- How Bicycles Work - Now you'll know what bicycle's gears do and how they work!
- How a Microwave Oven Works - Learn all about microwave ovens!
- How Batteries Work - Learn all about batteries!
- How Three-way Switches work -
In your house or apartment you probably have at least one light that is controlled by two separate switches.
If you flip either switch the light turns on or off. Learn how the light knows what it should do!
Things You See in Public
- How Water Towers Work - It is impossible to miss your town's water tower. Now you can understand why it's there!
- How Airplanes Work - Have you ever seen a 500,000 pound jet fly overhead and wondered how it is able to get off the ground? Now you'll know!
- How Hydraulic Machines Work - If you have ever gazed in awe at the
huge bulldozers, loaders, cranes and shovels on a construction site, you will love this
page! It explains how hydraulic machines work, from backyard log splitters to giant construction equipment!
- How a Guitar Works - The guitar is one of the most popular musical
instruments in use today. Now you can understand how both acoustic and electric guitars work, from
the soundbox to the frets!
- How the Power Distribution Grid Works - The next time you see power lines, you will know how they work!
- How Automatic Teller Machines (ATMs) Work -
Learn about the magic machines that give you money, as well as the network
that approves the transactions!
- How Air Conditioners Work - You see (and hear) air conditioners all around you - now understand what they are doing!
- How Radar Works - Radar is everywhere - see how it works!
- How House Construction Works - You probably live in a house, but do you know how it was built? This huge article shows you everything!
- How Solar Cells Work - Learn all about solar cells and how your house might some day be powered by them!
- How Sewer Systems and Septic Tanks Work - Now you'll know what happens after you flush!
Basic Technologies
- How Van de Graaff Generators Work - You've probably seen a Van de Graaff generator in a science demonstration somewhere - it looks like a big aluminum sphere on a pedestal. This article shows you how static electricity works, explains how a Van de Graaff generator produces static electricity, and contains complete assembly instructions if you want to build your own!
- How Electromagnets Work - Includes a collection of neat experiments!
- How Gears Work - Explains what all the gears you see are doing!
- How Relays Work - Relays show up in all sorts of unexpected places - learn how they work and what they are doing!
- How a Block and Tackle Works - Learn about a block and tackle and also explore how gears, levers and hydraulic systems let you trade force for distance!
- How Helium Balloons Work - Learn what makes a helium balloon fly!
- How a Compass Works - See how a compass works, plus create your own!
- How Horsepower Works - You see horsepower ratings on everthing from your car to your lawn mower. Now
you can understand what it means!
The Internet
- How a Web Page Works - You are reading a web page right now - learn how they work so you can create your own!
- How
Web Servers and the Internet Work - How do web servers and the Internet deliver Web pages from anywhere in the world to your computer? Now you'll know!
- How CGI Scripts Work - CGI scripts are pieces of code that allow you to create dynamic HTML pages. They are
the foundation of everything from guest books to search engines. This article will show you how
to get started creating your own CGI scripts!
Computers
- How Microprocessors Work -
The heart of any desktop or laptop computer is a microprocessor - learn what makes your machine tick!
- How Caching Works - Learn about all of the different caches your computer contains!
- How Hard Disks Work - Your hard disk is an incredibly precise mechanism that stores all of the information available on your computer - now you can take a look inside!
- How Modems Work - Your modem allows your computer to connect to the Internet - now you can see how it works!
- How Computer Programs Work - Whether you are 16 or 60 you can learn to program - click here to learn how computer programs work from the inside out!
- How
C Programming Works - The C programming language is probably the most popular and widely used language
on the planet - this series of articles teaches you how to write programs in C!
Understanding Digital Technology
- How Bytes and Bits Work - If you've ever wondered about bits, bytes, mega and giga, this article will explain it all!
- How Boolean Logic Works - Boolean logic lies at the heart of the digital revolution - learn all about gates and logical components!
- How Electronic Gates Work - Shows you how to get started with
your own experiments using 7400 series TTL gates!
- How a Digital Clock Works - Learn all about what makes digital clocks and wristwatches tick, plus learn how to create your own!
- How Microcontrollers Work - Most modern electronic devices (TVs, VCRs, cell phones, etc.) contain an embedded microcontroller - learn how they work, plus experiment with one of your own!
Automotive
In the News
- How Cruise Missiles Work - Every so often
it seems that a salvo of cruise missiles ends up in the news. Now you
can understand what a cruise missile is and how it works!
- How Stocks and the Stock Market Work - You hear about Stocks on the news every day - now you can understand what they are talking about!
- How the Year 2000 Problem Works - You will hear a lot about the Year 2000
Problem this year. Now you can understand exactly what is happening!
- How Computer Viruses Work - Learn all about mysterious and surprising computer viruses, including the recent Melissa Virus!
- How NATO Works -
You hear something about NATO in the news just about every day - now you can know what NATO stands for!
- How Tornadoes Work -
Tornadoes are in the news every spring - learn why they form!
Food
- How Food Works - You eat every day... Now learn why you do it!
- How Bread Works - Learn about the bio-chemical reactions that make bread taste so good!
- How Food Preservation Works - You will be amazed at all of the different techniques people use to preserve food!
- How Fats Work - If you are tired of hearing about things like monounsaturated fats, partially hydrogenated oils
and trans fatty acids and not knowing a thing about any of them, you will love this article! You will
understand it all when you get done!
- How Chocolate Works - Ah, Chocolate! Learn where it comes from and why it tastes so good!
Your Body
- How Cells Work - Inside your body there are about 10 trillion cells. Have you ever wondered what they do all day? Have you ever been curious about biotechnology and genetic engineering? You'll be amazed!
- How Sunburns and Tans Work - The next time you get a sunburn, read this to find out what happened - your skin is an amazing organ!
- How Sleep Works - Learn all about sleep and dreams!
- How Your Immune System Works - You will not believe
all of the different things your immune system can do!
- How Caffeine Works -
You probably drank something with caffeine in it today - 90% of Americans do. Learn why caffeine is America's
most popular drug and what it does inside your body.
Question of the Day
Miscellaneous
- How UPC Bar Codes Work - You see them all over, but what do those UPC bar codes really mean? Click here to find out!
- How Lightning Works - Learn all about the amazing forces that create thunder and lightning!
- How Special Relativity Works - You hear about relativity both in science
and science fiction. Now you can begin to understand the details of this fascinating theory!
- How Nuclear Radiation Works - An in-depth look designed to help you understand nuclear radiation, its benefits and its dangers.
- How Pi Works - A great description of Pi, plus all kinds of links!
- How Christmas Works - And now, for something completely different... You will be amazed at what you learn in this article!
- How Time Works - In the same way that Christmas is surrounded by extraordinary traditions, our clocks and calendars come from totally unexpected origins! Why are there 7 days in a week? 24 hours in a day? 30 days in September? And what is daylight-saving time??? Now you'll know!
The Inside Series
The Inside Series takes you inside real devices that you find around your house!
Other Articles by Marshall Brain
If you enjoy How Stuff Works, Marshall Brain has written extensively on several other topics.
You may find these multi-part articles extremely interesting:
- How Personal Finance Works - Learn how to gain control
of your finances and get your money working for you!
- How Bluebird Houses Work - Easy-to-follow instructions for creating a bluebird house kit
that you can use at a cub scout meeting, give away as gifts or assemble yourself!
- How the World Works -
A complete guide to how the world really works,
specially designed for teenagers who want to understand the world and be successful!
Answers to Questions
- How does a seismograph work? What is the Richter scale?
- How does my appendix work? What does it do?
- Why do prescription drugs have such funny names?
- How does the sense of smell work?
- What is lymph?
- What is root beer and how is it made?
- Is it possible to generate electricity directly from heat?
- What does the "CE" logo stamped on the bottom of many electronic devices mean?
- How does a "Jake Brake" work on a big rig?
- Could you create a pollution-free car that runs off of compressed air?
- How does a miller-cycle engine work?
- How does a pinhole camera work?
- How does an air bag in a car work?
- What are vitamins and why do I have to take them every day?
- What are marshmallows and how do they make them?
- How does a catapult work?
- What does it mean when someone has 20/20 vision?
- How can I tell if the light in my refrigerator turns off or not when the door is closed?
- What is a decibel, and what is the loudest sound I can listen to before it hurts my ears?
- How does a lie detector (a polygraph) work?
- What is the difference between a supercharger and a turbocharger?
- What is the right temperature for a refrigerator?
- What is a heart bypass operation? What are they bypassing?
- What is an MRE and how do they taste?
- What is an MP3 file and how does it work?
- How does a GFCI outlet (the ones with the funny test and reset buttons) work?
- How does an Alka Seltzer tablet work? Why does it fizz?
- Why does Hydrogen Peroxide fizz in a cut but not on your skin?
- How does "Pop Rocks" candy work?
- What does the computer in a car do? Will cars start on January 1, 2000?
- How do silencers on guns work?
- How do genes and genetic engineering work?
- Why do some appliances have 2 prongs on their outlets and some have 3?
- Is your name really Marshall Brain, or did you make that name up?
- Why does normal paper dissolve in the washer but dollar bills remain intact?
- Why do the lids of most spray cans have small holes in them?
- What is a cavity? If it is a hole in a tooth, why do they drill the hole even bigger?
- What is the difference between gasoline, kerosene, diesel fuel, etc.?
- Does a camel's hump really hold water?
- What is this Melissa virus and what are computer viruses in general?
- What is the "gravity boost" technique that interplanetary satellites use?
- In SCUBA diving, what causes "the bends"?
- Why is the hair on my arms so short, while the hair on my head can grow so long?
- How does a water softener work?
- How much oxygen does a person use in a day?
- What causes an "ice cream headache"?
- Could anti-lock brakes be used to detect a flat tire?
- Time and date questions:
- Why are there 24 hours in a day or 60 minutes in an hour?
- Why do the days of the week have such funny names?
- Why are there 12 months in a year?
- Why does a leap day get added to February rather than at the end of the year?
- Why do the number of days in the months follow no pattern?
- Why do we have leap years?
- What does AM and PM mean and why do we have them?
- What does AD and BC mean?
- What year was Jesus really born in?
- What is daylight-saving time?
- Why do we have time zones?
- What does GMT mean?
- What is a light year?
- Where does corn oil and corn syrup come from?
- Why do the children of two parents look so different when they all come from exactly the same DNA?
- How much does it cost to run an electric blanket overnight?
- What does the octane rating of gasoline mean? Why is it called octane?
- What causes the pipes in my house to bang, especially when I run the washer?
- How do anitbiotics work?
- What is spider web made of?
- What is chewing gum made of?
- Which came first, the chicken or the egg?
- What is the difference between jelly, jam and preserves?
- How are people able to breathe inside a submarine?
- What are Internet cookies?
- Why are boogers sticky?
- How do they determine what day Easter will occur on?
- What is a nautical mile, and how does it differ from a normal mile and a kilometer?
- Why do all FM radio stations end in an odd number, e.g. 105.7, 93.3, 96.9, etc...?
- What are the standard top-level domain names and who controls them?
- How does a dehumidifier work?
- What is the year 2038 Problem?
- Why is it so hard to start a car in the winter?
- What causes a sonic boom?
- What causes high tide and low tide? Why are there two tides each day?
- How do they make maple syrup?
- What is wind chill and does it have any effect on inanimate objects?
- What is "stealth technology" and how does it work?
- Marshall, where do you go when YOU have a question?
- How does dry cleaning work? What is "dry" about it?
- What is a catalytic converter and how does one work?
- Is it possible to tell that the earth is round?
- What is a carat (as in diamonds) and a karat (as in gold)?
- Why do many foods have "High Altitude Cooking Instructions"?
- Why, when the electricity goes out, does the phone still work?
- How does a DVD work?
- What does it mean when a Hard Disk has a Head Crash?
- How does black light work?
- Why do they use salt to melt ice on the road in the winter?
- What is baking powder and how does it work?
- Why don't water towers freeze solid in the winter?
- What is a MiniDisc and how does it differ from a CD?
- What is the world's fastest computer?
- At night, why does it take my eyes several minutes to get used to darkness?
- Why do CDs reflect rainbow colors?
- Why do some people have red eyes in flash photographs?
- How many days will February have in the year 2000?
- How does a heat pump work?
- How does the pop-up timer on a turkey work?
- What is white noise?
- What causes flatulence?
- Why does your body temperature rise when you have a virus such as the flu?
- What is the "Dow Jones Industrial Average" and why do I hear about it on the news every day?
- Why does smoke come from a fire?
- How do touch lamps (lamps that turn on when you touch them) work?
- What causes a rainbow?
- What are atomic clocks and how do they work?
- Why is the sky blue?
- What causes the common cold?
- Why do golf balls have dimples?
- How does a lava lamp work?
- How does a rice cooker know when to turn off?
- Can grass grow in a lava rock as well as it does in soil?
- How did public fountains, like those in Rome, work without any type of motor to pump the water?
- Why are the coils on the backs of refrigerators always painted black?
- What is the difference between analog and digital cell phones?
- How much does planet earth weigh?
- How does reverse osmosis work to filter water?
- How does an Uninterruptable Power Supply (UPS) work on a personal computer?
- What exactly are the "Twelve Days of Christmas"? When do they start and end?
- Why do some dump trucks have extra axles?
- How does the a gas pump know when the tank is full so it can turn itself off automatically?
- How does a 3-way light bulb work?
- What happens if I touch the surface of a CD?
- Why does a fan make you feel cooler?
- How do digital answering machines work?
- How does a car's rearview mirror work when it's set on the upwards, "glare resistant," setting?
- How far does ultraviolet light penetrate into the body?
- How does an X-Ray machine work?
- How does a kidney dialysis machine work?
- How many sheets of paper can be produced from a single tree?
- Can you explain pressurized airplane cabins?
- How does a water cooled air conditioner work?
- What actually does it mean when a barometer is rising or falling?
- How do they make helium?
- How does a computer's parallel port work and how can I design things to attach to a parallel port?
- What causes helium ballons to lose their lift after a day or two?
- What is a glacier?
- What is the oscilloscope used to measure?
- Can you explain the basic diference between analog and digital technology?
- What is the function of the fan within the refrigerator?
- How do you write the chemical reaction that takes place in the smoke detector?
- Do certain radio wave frequencies pose health risks?
- What force causes a 3-pole motor to spin one way and not the other?
- How can I make my own battery to win a contest at school?
- Why do you hear some radio stations better at night than in the day?
Off HSW
If you are familiar with the theater scene in New York, you know that there are "Broadway Plays"
and "off-Broadway Plays". In the same way there are many sites off-HSW that cover interesting
topics that you may want to learn about!
Gadget Central
Searching How Stuff Works
If you are searching for something in particular, a full text search facility for How Stuff Works
is available. Click here for the search form.
Books and Links
Citing How Stuff Works
If you use information from How Stuff Works in an article, paper or report, you may reference it bibliographically as follows:
- "Title of Article", How Stuff Works (http://www.howstuffworks.com), by Marshall Brain. BYG Publishing, Inc., 1999.
For example:
- "How Gas Turbine Engines Work." How Stuff Works (http://www.howstuffworks.com), by Marshall Brain. BYG Publishing, Inc., 1999.
- "How Christmas Works." How Stuff Works (http://www.howstuffworks.com), by Marshall Brain. BYG Publishing, Inc., 1999.
If citing HSW in an electronic publication, please link the article title (e.g. - How Gas Turbine
Engines Work)
and the site title (e.g. - How Stuff Works) directly to the appropriate pages.
If citing HSW in a newspaper, magazine or
other publication please include the site's URL (http://www.howstuffworks.com) and the article URL
(http://www.howstuffworks.com/turbine.htm) so that readers
can find the site.
If you reference or review How Stuff Works we would love to hear from you by email!
About the Author
Marshall Brain is the author of ten books
(including his most popular - The
Teenager's Guide to the Real World), and is
nationally recognized for his ability to communicate complex ideas
clearly. Mr. Brain formerly taught in the Computer Science Department
at North Carolina State University, where he was elected to the
prestigious Academy of Outstanding Teachers for his work in the classroom.
Click Here
to learn more about Marshall Brain, the creator of How Stuff Works.