[baudrunner]

1. what is magnetism?

In general, electrons form pairs in the orbitals of an atom. An electron spins about its own axis, which, because it is electrically charged, gives it the properties of a small magnet, with north and south poles. The two electrons of a pair spin in opposite directions, resulting in the cancellation of their magnetic moment. An unpaired electron confers paramagnetism upon the entire atom or ion. The greater the number of such electrons, the larger the magnetic moment.

Additionally, the nuclei of all elements can be classified as having spin or not having spin. A nucleus with spin gives rise to a small magnetic field, the nuclear magnetic moment.

paramagnetism: The tendency for most of the transition metals and their compounds in oxidation states involving incomplete inner electron subshells to move into a magnetic field.

ferromagnetism: An extreme form of paramagnetism - a property exhibited only by iron, cobalt, nickel, and gadolinium. They have incompletely filled d or f subshells and their atoms cannot be too closely aligned in their crystal lattice or too far apart. In the first case the singly occupied orbitals of neighboring atoms overlap and the electrons become paired with those of opposed spins, and in the second, the unpaired electrons of one atom cannot align the electron spins in the neighboring atoms.

The central core of the earth is largely iron. Iron ranks second in abundance among the metals and fourth in abundance among the elements in the earth's crust. Hematite and magnetite are the important iron bearing ores. Magnetite is strongly magnetic, sometimes possessing polarity, in which case it is called loadstone. There is a massive deposit of loadstone very near the north magnetic pole.

The sun has been found to consist of collossal nuclear reactions surrounded by an iron mantle under a sea of plasma. Not all of the planets have a magnetic field like the sun and the earth.

2. why shoot rockets from the equator?

The speed of the earth's rotation in mph at any point on the planet can be approximately calculated by multiplying the cosine of the latitude by the constant 1038. This gives the greatest value near the equator, making it the most favorable latitude for the launching of a rocket, since it would already have a huge head start in attaining escape velocity.

3. what causes ice ages?

We are certain that the last ice age was caused by a giant super volcano located in Indonesia about twenty-five thousand years ago. This is the conclusion drawn by three international research teams working independently and without knowledge of each other's work. Sunlight was blocked for years and the sulphides spewing into the air mixing with water vapour produced sulphuric acid which rained down on earth, killing many lives and rendering some forms extinct. About half of the earth froze.

4. what causes global warming?

We are currently in the final stage of the last ice age and this is one of the factors contributing to global warming. This factor is irreversible. Another factor is the precession of the earth's rotation around its axis, ie. - the wobble in its spin, which is cyclic in nature. That is, slowing down then speeding up over time. This is one reason why the north pole is growing warmer while the south pole is growing colder. This factor is also irreversible. The third factor contributing to global warming is the production of greenhouse gases, most notably carbon dioxide. The biggest single contributor to carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is the ongoing conversion of oxygenated air in the upper atmosphere to carbon dioxide by the tens of thousands of jets flying through it at any given time. This factor is unlikely to be reversed because who wants to tell the airplane manufacturers to stop making jet air planes or the thousands of airlines flying them to stop?

The sun is hotter in areas where nuclear and hydro electric power generate a region's electricity than in areas where coal fired generating plants produce it. Travel to China and see for yourself. That is because smoke stack emissions of particles block sunlight, which actually contribute to global cooling.