Is it possible to use a leaf blower as a supercharger?

FromBrainStuff

Start listening View podcast show

Is it possible to use a leaf blower as a supercharger?

FromBrainStuff

ratings:

Length:

8 minutes

Released:

Dec 23, 2013

Format:

Podcast episode

Description

Leaf blowers are convenient, but are they living up to their potential? In this podcast, Marshall examines superchargers, explaining how a leaf blower can (theoretically) perform the same duties. Tune in and learn more about hacking leaf blowers. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Released:

Dec 23, 2013

Format:

Podcast episode

Titles in the series (100)

Whether the topic is popcorn or particle physics, you can count on BrainStuff to explore -- and explain -- the everyday science in the world around us.

Skip carousel

What is the Difference Between a Carat and a Karat?: Carats are used for diamonds, while karats are used for gold. Learn more about the difference between carats and karats in this HowStuffWorks podcast. by BrainStuff
2 min listen
How much fuel does an international airplane use for a trip?: A Boeing 747 uses approximately one galloon of fuel per second -- over the course of a ten hour flight, it might burn 36,00 galloons of fuel. How does this compare to a car? Check out this HowStuffWorks podcast to learn more about airplane mileage. by BrainStuff
2 min listen
How do they measure sea level?: Sea level is an important measurement, but it's also a complicated one. Find out why in this episode of BrainStuff. by BrainStuff
4 min listen
How Activated Charcoal Works: If you look on the label of a water filter, you'll often see the filter contains activated charcoal -- but what exactly is this stuff? Tune in as Marshall Brain explains the nature of activated charcoal in this podcast from HowStuffWorks.com. by BrainStuff
2 min listen
How the Virtual First-Down Line Works: Virtual first down lines are used to indicate where play resumes in football -- but how do they work? Listen in as Marshall Brain explains how the technology superimposes a virtual line in this podcast on HowStuffWorks.com. by BrainStuff
3 min listen
Do the humps on camels hold water?: The camel's hump is a giant deposit of fat that lets the camel survive up to 2 weeks without food. Learn more about camels in this HowStuffWorks podcast. by BrainStuff
2 min listen
How Fountains in Rome Work: Built before the invention of electric pumps, fountains in Rome were powered through an ingenious system of gravity, cisterns, and aqueducts. Learn more about fountains in Rome in this HowStuffWorks podcast. by BrainStuff
1 min listen
How Uninterruptible Power Supplies Work: An uninterruptible power supply protects computers against surges, spikes, sags, and total power failure. Check out this HowStuffWorks podcast to learn more about uninterruptible power supplies. by BrainStuff
2 min listen
How the Corvette ZR1 Works: The 2009 Corvette ZR1 combines several technical innovations to produce a turbo-charged, eight-cylinder engine. Learn more about the Corvette ZR1 in this HowStuffWorks podcast. by BrainStuff
2 min listen
How Catapults Works: There are three different technologies that fall into the catapult category: the ballista, the trebuchet and the catapult. Check out this HowStuffWorks podcast to learn more about the differences between catapult technologies. by BrainStuff
2 min listen
How Maple Syrup Works: The clear, thin sap of Maple trees must be boiled down to create maple syrup -- it takes about 30 to 40 gallons of sap to create one gallon of syrup. Check out this HowStuffWorks podcast to learn more about Maple syrup. by BrainStuff
2 min listen
How does the Nobel Prize work?: Nobel Prizes are highly prestigious, valuable awards that have been given out to visionaries and pioneers in select fields since 1901. Tune in to find out more about the Nobel Prize in this episode of BrainStuff. by BrainStuff
2 min listen
How Perceiving Earth as a Sphere Works: Is there any way that people could know the world is sphere while standing on the earth? Learn more about perceiving earth as a sphere in this HowStuffWorks podcast. by BrainStuff
2 min listen
How Fever Works: In this podcast, learn what causes a fever and what actually happens to the body when a fever occurs. by BrainStuff
2 min listen
How Breathing in a Submarine Work: For air in a submarine to remain usable, three things must happen: The oxygen must be replenished as it is consumed, the carbon dioxide must be removed from the air, and the moisture in human breath must also be removed. by BrainStuff
2 min listen
Why the Sky is Blue?: As sunlight passes through the atmosphere, particles in the air scatter blue light more efficiently than any other color in the light spectrum, creating a blue sky. Learn more about the sky and light in this Brainstuff podcast. by BrainStuff
2 min listen
Are florescent bulbs really more efficient?: Customers are increasingly choosing long-lasting alternatives to traditional incandescent lights. But are florescent lightbulbs really more efficient than traditional lightbulbs? Listen in and find out in this podcast from HowStuffWorks.com. by BrainStuff
1 min listen
When I pay for groceries by check, where does that check go?: When you write a check to purchase goods and services, it passes through the hands of several banks before the process is complete. Marshall explains how checks are processed through intermediary banks in this episode. by BrainStuff
5 min listen
Marshall Brain's News Roundup: April 22nd, 2011: From the Dukan Diet to gigantic super organisms, there's no shortage of fascinating news stories each week -- so how can you keep track of the best? Never fear: Tune in as Marshall catches you up to speed with his weekly news roundup. by BrainStuff
17 min listen
How does SETI at home work?: SETI -- the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence -- is an enormous, global undertaking meant to detect signs of life beyond our solar system. Learn how you can help from home in this podcast from HowStuffWorks. by BrainStuff
4 min listen
What causes the banging noise in my home's pipes?: The problem of pipes banging on a wall is often called "water hammer." Check out this HowStuffWorks podcast to learn more about this phenomenon. by BrainStuff
2 min listen
What is an MRE?: An MRE -- or meal ready to eat -- contains precooked, sterilized food originally made to nourish soldiers. Check out this HowStuffWorks podcast to learn more about the retort packaging that makes MREs possible. by BrainStuff
1 min listen
How gas pumps work: Next time you're filling up your tank at a gas station, ask yourself this: how does the nozzle know when the tank is full? Learn more about gas pumps in this HowStuffWorks podcast. by BrainStuff
2 min listen
Is it harmful to breathe 100 percent oxygen?: Oxygen is a necessary component of the air we breathe; but in its pure form, it can be hazardous to one's health. Marshall Brain explains how breathing pure oxygen harms the human body in this episode. by BrainStuff
4 min listen
How does the ball return work on a pool table?: If you've ever played a coin-operated pool table, then you've probably noticed that the table can sense the difference between the cue ball and the other balls in play. But how does this work? Tune in and find out in this podcast. by BrainStuff
4 min listen
Marshall Brain's News Roundup: March 18th, 2011: As the nuclear situation in Japan continues to deteriorate, Marshall explores how a similar earthquake could affect the United States. And that's not all: Tune in and catch up on the latest, most fascinating news of the past week in this podcast. by BrainStuff
14 min listen
How do they backlight LCD screens?: In this episode, Marshall explains the two technologies that are used to backlight LCD panels. by BrainStuff
4 min listen
How Vacuums Work: If a balloon was filled by a vacuum -- rather than helium or air -- would it float? Check out this HowStuffWorks podcast to learn the science behind balloons and vacuum. by BrainStuff
2 min listen
How many people does it take to do a Formula 1 pit stop?: If you've ever seen a Formula 1 race, then you know the race isn't just between cars -- it's also between pit stop crews. In seven seconds these crews perform an entire pit stop. But how does it work, and how many people does it take? Tune in to find out. by BrainStuff
3 min listen
Marshall Brain's News Roundup: April 1st, 2011: With billions of people on the planet and millions of astonishing events happening each day, it's tough to keep track of everything. Luckily, Marshall's here to keep you up-to-date with the latest news in his weekly news roundup. Tune in and learn more. by BrainStuff
12 min listen

More Episodes from BrainStuff

Skip carousel

How Do Pallas's Cats Work? by BrainStuff
6 min listen
What's the Difference Between Sociopathy and Psychopathy? by BrainStuff
10 min listen
Are Humans Built to Drink Milk After Childhood? by BrainStuff
4 min listen
How Should You Escape a Sinking Car? by BrainStuff
6 min listen
How Do Cherry Blossom Trees Work? by BrainStuff
10 min listen
How Did Bessie Stringfield Shape Motorcycle History? by BrainStuff
7 min listen
How Do Squirrels Organize Their Hoards? by BrainStuff
7 min listen
BrainStuff Classics: What Makes Some Lakes Explode? by BrainStuff
6 min listen
BrainStuff Classics: Why Is Palm Oil in So Many Things? by BrainStuff
6 min listen
Where Did the Word 'OK' Come From? by BrainStuff
9 min listen
Should You Beware the Ides of March? by BrainStuff
8 min listen
How Do Fruit Bats Work? by BrainStuff
7 min listen
What Are Meat Sweats? by BrainStuff
4 min listen
How Did Susan B. Anthony Work? by BrainStuff
7 min listen
BrainStuff Classics: What Happens When Elevator Cables Break? by BrainStuff
5 min listen
BrainStuff Classics: How Can I Donate My Brain to Science? by BrainStuff
3 min listen
Why Is the Ocean Different Colors? by BrainStuff
7 min listen
Are You Picturing the Right Brachiosaurus? by BrainStuff
9 min listen
How Does Critical Race Theory Work? by BrainStuff
12 min listen
Is Oxytocin Really A Love Drug? by BrainStuff
7 min listen
How Do Pistol Shrimp Work? by BrainStuff
7 min listen
BrainStuff Classics: Why Did London Once Have a Train for the Dead? by BrainStuff
5 min listen
BrainStuff Classics: Why Does Beer Foam Last Longer Than Soda Foam? by BrainStuff
4 min listen
How Did Maya Angelou Work? by BrainStuff
9 min listen
How Does Scurvy Work? by BrainStuff
9 min listen
Do Cows Really Pollute As Much As Cars? by BrainStuff
7 min listen
Where Does Earth's Water Come From? by BrainStuff
7 min listen
Why Does the Orchid Mantis Imitate Flowers? by BrainStuff
5 min listen
BrainStuff Classics: When We Lose Weight, Where Does It Go? by BrainStuff
5 min listen
BrainStuff Classics: What Can Probiotics Really Do? by BrainStuff
5 min listen

Related podcast episodes

Skip carousel

Why do cats have whiskers?: Cat whiskers, also known as "tactile hairs," are very different from a cat's regular body hair. In this episode, Marshall explains how these hairs are unique and what cats use them for. by BrainStuff
3 min listen
What are dissolvable stitches?: Stitches have been used for centuries, but dissolvable ones are the most common these days. Why would you want stitches to dissolve, and how do they work? In this episode, Marshall discusses the benefits and features of absorbable sutures. by BrainStuff
3 min listen
How does hemp work?: Hemp fibers are coarse and strong, perfect for things like rope -- hemp is also more environmentally friendly than many other crops. Listen in as Marshall Brain takes a look at the controversy surrounding hemp in this podcast from HowStuffWorks.com. by BrainStuff
3 min listen
How Activated Charcoal Works: If you look on the label of a water filter, you'll often see the filter contains activated charcoal -- but what exactly is this stuff? Tune in as Marshall Brain explains the nature of activated charcoal in this podcast from HowStuffWorks.com. by BrainStuff
2 min listen
Why is a cell phone called a cell phone?: Cellular phone systems divide areas of coverage into "cells," hence the name. But how do they actually work? Listen in as Marshall Brain breaks down the nuts and bolts of cell phone systems in this episode. by BrainStuff
5 min listen
Do you have a hidden savant inside your brain?: Savant capabilities seem extraordinary, but what if they aren't? What if we all have amazing talents embedded in our brains? In this episode, Marshall discusses different techniques that have revealed savant-like qualities in ordinary people. by BrainStuff
5 min listen
Semi Submarines: There's a reason that most submarines are owned by governments - they're incredibly expensive. So what's a sub-loving consumer to do? Tune in as Marshall Brain breaks down the science behind semi subs (and why it makes them so much less expensive). by BrainStuff
6 min listen
How does a pressurized airplane cabin work?: How does a pressurized airplane cabin work -- more importantly, what happens when the pressure fails? Join Marshall Brain as he breaks down the science behind cabin pressurization. by BrainStuff
6 min listen
Is there a way to compare a human being to an engine?: Human muscles are essentially biological engines. In terms of efficiency, biological engines are amazing. Listen in as Marshall Brain calculates human efficiency in this episode. by BrainStuff
3 min listen
How Redheads Work: Redheads are supposedly fiery, passionate people, but is there any truth to these stereotypes? Find out what studies have to say about redheads -- and if they'll really go extinct soon -- in this HowStuffWorks podcast. by Stuff You Should Know
17 min listen
What's in mothballs?: There are two different types of mothballs, each of which contains separate moth-killing ingredients. Tune in as Marshall Brain explains the science behind mothballs in this podcast from HowStuffWorks. by BrainStuff
2 min listen
Why doesn’t the vacuum of space suck away Earth’s atmosphere?: It's often said that "nature abhors a vacuum." If that's true, then why doesn't the vacuum of space suck away our atmosphere? Tune in as Marshall Brain explains the science behind vacuums in this HowStuffWorks podcast. by BrainStuff
3 min listen
How big is the universe?: If all the matter in the universe was pushed into one corner, how much space would it take up? Listen in as Marshall Brain explores the size of the universe in this podcast from HowStuffWorks. by BrainStuff
2 min listen
Is knife hunting the fairest way to hunt?: Fair chase is the idea that a balance should be struck between the hunter's ability to kill prey and the prey's ability escape. Take a look at our HowStuffWorks article to learn more about knife hunting, and whether or not it's the fairest way to hunt. by Stuff You Should Know
7 min listen
Why does a manual transmission make a whirring noise?: When manual transmissions are put in reverse, they produce a loud, whirring noise. What's the culprit? Gears. Marshall Brain explains how helical and spur gears work in manual transmissions in this episode. by BrainStuff
3 min listen
How do plastics work? What is actually in a plastic?: Plastics have become so ubiquitous that we often take them for granted, but have you ever wondered where these popular materials come from? In this episode, Marshall explains what plastics are made of. by BrainStuff
6 min listen
How do airport scanners work?: The new full-body scanners used at airports in the United States have caused a huge controversy -- but how do they work? In this episode, Marshall breaks down the science behind full-body scanners, along with the uproar they've caused. by BrainStuff
8 min listen
How High-level Nuclear Waste Works: What exactly is high-level nuclear waste, and how are we dealing with it today? In this episode, Marshall breaks down the techniques used to store high-level nuclear waste. by BrainStuff
5 min listen
How do jet engines start?: If you've ever watched a jet engine start, you've probably noticed that the blades begin to rotate slowly before spinning up to full speed -- but why? Listen in as Marshall Brain breaks down the science behind jet engines in this episode. by BrainStuff
4 min listen
How does fusion power work?: Fusion reactors like the sun produce huge amounts of energy, so why aren't there fusion power plants everywhere? In this episode, Marshall explains the chemistry of fusion reactions and discusses how close fusion is to becoming a viable energy source. by BrainStuff
5 min listen
How does a jet engine's afterburner work?: The afterburner on a jet engine adds thrust to the engine. Tune in as Marshall Brain explains how an afterburner works -- and the pros and cons of using one -- in this episode of BrainStuff. by BrainStuff
3 min listen
How Poison Ivy Works: Poison ivy, oak and sumac are all variations of the same plant and they all can make you itch... if you're susceptible that is. In this episode, you'll learn just about all there is to know about this itch-causing plant, including how to best avoid it. by Stuff You Should Know
33 min listen
What are chiggers, and how do they bite you?: If you go outdoors during the right time of year, you may be bitten by chiggers. But what are these creatures, and why do they attack unsuspecting humans? Listen in as Marshall Brain breaks down the life cycle of the chigger -- and how it can affect you. by BrainStuff
4 min listen
Did Velociraptors Really Hunt in Packs?: Did real-life raptors work together they way they do in 'Jurassic Park' movies? Do we even have the right raptors? Learn the leading theories in this episode of BrainStuff. by BrainStuff
7 min listen
How Guerrilla Gardening Works: You've heard of guerrilla fighting tactics, but how much do you know about guerrilla gardening? Check out this HowStuffWorks podcast to learn more about this "revolutionary" gardening trend. by Stuff You Should Know
18 min listen
Can cans and string really be used like a telephone?: You've probably heard of this trick before: Connecting two cans with a piece of string in the bottom of each can will supposedly allow people to speak over a distance to one another. Tune in as Marshall Brain explains how it works in this episode. by BrainStuff
4 min listen
Why can you hear the ocean in a seashell?: There are various theories about why you can hear ocean-like sounds when you hold a seashell up to your ear. Marshall Brain explains what you're probably hearing in that seashell -- and why you don't need a shell to hear it -- in this episode. by BrainStuff
3 min listen
What does tear gas do?: You've probably heard of tear gas before, but did you know that Mace is a form of it? Learn more about the three commonly used types of tear gas -- how they work and what they're used for -- in this podcast from HowStuffWorks.com. by BrainStuff
2 min listen
How does large-scale power storage work?: Wind farms and solar power plants are promising sources of renewable energy, but they're not as reliable as conventional power sources. In this episode, Marshall explains how large-scale storage technologies could make solar and wind power more viable. by BrainStuff
5 min listen
How Animal Camouflage Works: The wild kingdom is filled with examples of animals that can camouflage themselves into their environment, but the means and the methods are also wildly varied. Learn about the ins and outs of blending in through this episode. by Stuff You Should Know
32 min listen

Discover this podcast and so much more

Is it possible to use a leaf blower as a supercharger?

Is it possible to use a leaf blower as a supercharger?

Description

Titles in the series (100)

More Episodes from BrainStuff

Related podcast episodes