Mister Pip's Corner

Welcome to Mister Pip's corner. Here I will answer questions from some of my biggest fans. It was so hard to pick the question, but here we go.

Dear Mister Pip,

I'm an avid reader and thought to ask you one question that I have had for a long time. Why was Pluto excommunicated from the planetary family system? I know it has something to do with Pluto not fitting all of the requirements, but can you explain the exact reasons why it is no longer considered a planet?

Thanks,

Hermione G.

Dear Hermione G.,

This is a common question I get. In order for an object to be a planet it must follow three requirements. The first requirement is that the object must orbit the sun. Pluto obviously orbits the sun, so in this sense it could be considered a planet. The second rule is that an object must have a great enough mass so that it is able to pull itself into a spherical shape. Pluto's mass is large enough, so this category is not a problem. The final rule to be a planet is that it must have cleared things out of its "orbital neighborhood". Pluto is relatively small compared to other objects in its orbital neighborhood, so in this sense Pluto cannot be a planet. Pluto was degraded to a dwarf planet on August 24, 2006 at a meeting of the International Astronomical Union.

Sincerely, Mister Pip

Dear Mister Pip,

I love your blog posts and look forward each week to reading them. My question for you today is kind of stupid, but I have always wondered. Why does wood float? I have heard that it has to do with weight, but that can't be true because even large trees like Redwoods float in water. What's up? Any help would be much appreciated.

Your Secret Sweetheart,

Cho C.

Dear Cho C.,This question is one that is commonly overlooked. Wood floating in water does have to deal with weight, but not directly. The whole reason wood floats is that wood is less dense than water. Let me explain. Density is how much mass something has in comparison to its volume (d=m/v). Wood on average has a density of about 650 kg/cu.m. Bamboo is one of the lightest woods with 300 kg/cu.m while Lignum Vitae has a much higher density of about 1300 kg/cu.m. If you would like to see a full list of wood densities you can click here. Anyways, objects that have a lower density than water float. Hence, wood has a lower density than water, so it floats.

Sincerely, Mister Pip.

Dear Mister Pip,

I work in an office building in Edinburgh and they are testing the office building for asbestos. What is this? If there is asbestos, how could this substance get into the building? Thanks for all your help.

Joanne R.

Dear Joanne R.,

I'm so flattered I have international reader. Actually I'm not that surprised; I am pretty spectacular. As we all know. Anyways, asbestos is pretty serious if you breathe it in. Asbestos is one of six silicate minerals (natural). If it is inhaled, it has the potential to cause tumors. Asbestos is a very dangerous substance. It can also cause mesothelioma and lung cancer. Asbestos used to be used in construction, before they realized the dangers of it, just like how they used to lead paint. Unlike lead paint, however, many older buildings still have asbestos. I hope this helps. I would try avoiding asbestos, because of its health problems, at all costs.

Sincerely, Mister Pip