Did you solve it? Do you think like a physicist?

The answer to today's puzzle

Published 20 July 2026 105 words
SCIENCE A1
Did you solve it? Do you think like a physicist?

Today you got a puzzle about keeping homes cool. Here is the puzzle again with the answer.

Imagine a room with curtains. The Sun shines. Its energy goes through the windows and warms the curtains. The curtains get hot. They send 50 per cent of the heat back to the window. They send 50 per cent of the heat into the room. So, curtains stop 50 per cent of the Sun's energy.

Now imagine blinds and curtains. The blinds are on the windows. The curtains cover the blinds. This is two layers to stop the Sun. What percentage of the Sun's energy gets into the room? The answer is 33 per cent.

Vocabulary

puzzle — a game or question that is difficult to solve
curtains — pieces of material that hang down to cover a window
energy — power from heat or light
percentage — an amount out of 100
blinds — covers for windows, often made of thin strips

Discussion Questions

  1. How do curtains help keep a room cool?
  2. What are blinds?
  3. Why is it good to stop the Sun's energy from coming into a room?

Based on an article from The Guardian.

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