What It Is An authorization hold is a temporary charge placed on a credit or debit card to confirm that enough funds are available for a purchase. How It Works When a payment is started, the bank or card issuer sets aside a specific amount of money. This amount is not fully charged yet but…
What It Is Morning fog is a cloud that forms close to the ground when water vapor in the air condenses into tiny liquid droplets. How It Works During the night, the ground loses heat and cools the air just above it. When this air cools enough, it can no longer hold all of its…
What It Is Towels can feel stiff after air drying because the fabric fibers dry in place without being loosened by movement or heat. How It Works When towels air dry, water evaporates slowly. As the water leaves, the towel fibers dry exactly where they are, which can cause them to feel firm or rough….
What It Is “Backordered” means an item is currently out of stock but can still be ordered. The seller expects to ship it later when new inventory arrives. How It Works When a product is backordered, an order is accepted even though the item is not available to ship right away. The order stays open…
You see your breath when it’s cold because the warm, moist air you exhale meets colder air. This causes the moisture in your breath to condense into tiny droplets. Those droplets scatter light, making your breath visible. What It Is Visible breath is a form of condensation. It happens when water vapor turns into tiny…
Static electricity shocks you when built-up electrical charge suddenly releases. This happens when electrons move quickly from one surface to another. The quick release of energy causes the shock you feel. What It Is Static electricity is an imbalance of electrical charge on a surface. It builds up when electrons collect instead of flowing away…
Your ears pop because pressure inside your ears is adjusting to match the air pressure around you. This usually happens when pressure changes quickly. The popping sound or sensation is a sign that pressure is being equalized. What It Is Ears popping is a normal response to changes in air pressure. It involves a small…
Ice melts faster in water than in air because water transfers heat more efficiently. Even when water feels cold, it can deliver heat to ice faster than air can. This faster heat transfer speeds up melting. What It Is Melting is the process where solid ice turns into liquid water. This happens when ice absorbs…
Sound travels faster in water than in air because water particles are packed more closely together. This allows sound vibrations to move more quickly from one particle to the next. The closer the particles are, the faster sound can travel. What It Is Sound is a vibration that moves through a material, called a medium….
Your nose runs in cold weather because it produces extra moisture to warm and protect the air you breathe. Cold air is typically dry and needs to be conditioned before reaching the lungs. The extra moisture can drip out, creating a runny nose. What It Is A runny nose in cold weather is a normal…