The words homogeneous and heterogeneous are often used in scientific contexts to describe kinds of mixtures, but they can be also used in other ways, such as to describe groups of people. But what do they actually mean, and what is the difference? In this article, we’ll define homogeneous and heterogeneous, break down the differences between them, and provide some examples of the different things …
Meteors, meteorites, meteoroids, asteroids, comets … that’s a lot of terms (and space objects) flying around! Not to mention shooting stars and meteor showers. Are they all the same thing? Even though some of them may appear pretty similar to us, the answer is no, they’re not the same thing—especially not to the scientists who study them and who use different terms for specific reasons (more …
The flu is so well-known that the term “flu-like symptoms” is commonly used as a way to describe the effects of other diseases—including COVID-19. Because its symptoms can be similar to those of the flu, COVID is sometimes compared to the flu. But medical professionals stress that the two are different in important ways. And knowing the difference is crucial to understanding the risks of …
In medical care, there are few things more important than cleanliness. There are several different terms used in the context of keeping things germ-free, and the two most common are aseptic and sterile. In many cases, they mean just about the same thing, but each one is often applied to specific situations. Scrub in, mask up, and join us as we examine the differences between …
The difference between prospective and perspective is all in how you look at it. Prospective is used in the context of looking ahead to what might happen in the future. Perspective is used in the context of viewpoints or the position from which something is viewed. The difference can be confusing, especially since they sound so much alike. We’ll break down the difference in meaning, …
The words interpolation and extrapolation may sound super technical, but they’re actually not all that complicated. Each term is used slightly differently depending on whether it’s being used generally or in the context of math and data science. But we’ll help you sort all that out. In this article, we’ll discuss their more specific technical usage (hint: it tends to involve data sequences), cover the …
Welcome to the Trebuchet and Catapult Helpline. If a large projectile is currently hurtling toward you, move out of the way before reading any further. For all other inquiries, we’re glad to help. So, a large boulder has just been hurled at you with a medieval-looking contraption and, understandably, you want to know what it is. Or perhaps you find yourself desiring to fling an …
We hear the words hallucination and delusion mentioned in discussions about mental health, lists of medication side effects, and in general conversation—sometimes interchangeably. In all three contexts, they involve perceiving things not based in reality. But is there a clinical difference in a medical context? Their meanings and differences are important, because hallucinations and delusions, like many other aspects of mental conditions, can carry strong …
Heterozygous and homozygous are terms used in biology and genetics to indicate whether a living thing has two of the same copies of a gene for a particular trait, or whether it has two different ones. For example, let’s say one parent has black hair, and one has brown hair. One of their children might get two copies of the black hair gene, while another …
An anion, pronounced [ an-ahy-uhn ], is a type of ion—an electrically charged atom or group of atoms. A cation is a type of ion for cats (OK, fine, that’s not true, but it is pronounced [ kat-ahy-uhn ] ). But seriously: anions and cations are both ions. The difference is in the electrical charge. Anions have a negative charge, and cations have a positive …
Concave and convex are literal opposites—one involves shapes that curve inward and the other involves shapes that curve outward. The terms can be used generally, but they’re often used in technical, scientific, and geometric contexts. Lenses, such as those used in eyeglasses, magnifying glasses, binoculars, and cameras are often described as concave or convex, depending on which way they curve. In geometry, both words can …
Most of us landlubbers live out our dry lives on solid ground, so it can be easy to forget that Earth is primarily an ocean planet that’s 71% covered in water—most of which connects in a giant blue mass around our little green islands. Ocean, sea, it’s all the same salt water, right? Yes and no. In general use, it’s extremely common for the two …