Beakman’s World - Season 1 Episode 16

Using a question about hot and cold to explain the science of thermodynamics, Beakman employs the Boguscope to show how heat is created when molecules move. Then, upon mixing hot and cold water, he shows how their molecules exchange energy during collisions which cause faster ones (hotter) to slow down and slow ones ( cooler) to speed up, resulting in an average rate of motion (warm). However, when Lester notes that you don't need to add anything to hot chocolate to get it to cool down, Beakman explains that air molecules provide for the same effect in their collisions with the liquids, moving them toward an average temperature. After inquiries about whether penguins can jump (yes, about six feet up); how much a typical typist can type in a day (12.6 miles); and how much lead there are in pencils (none, they're made of graphite!), Beakman challenges Lester to blow a small scrap of paper into a large soda bottle. However, when Lester is unable to perform the seemingly simple task, Beakman shows how the air inside the bottle blocks anything else from entering, causing the paper to come flying out. Asked about pimples, Beakman begins by explaining how the skin is full of tiny holes (pores) that allow sweat and oil to be expelled from the body. Demonstrating how these pores can get clogged with dirt, he shows how bacteria can grow which can cause the infections known commonly as pimples or acne. Warning Lester that they should not be tampered with, Beakman uses benzoyl peroxide, the active ingredient in most acne medicines, to help Lester with a pimple.