I want to learn an instrument, and am thinking about the piano.  Is that a good choice?
Yeah you will like it. It is a stringed musical instrument invented in Italy in 1700s.
The piano is a stringed instrument?  Where are the strings?
Strings are connected to hammers that are connected to a row of keys. It is played using a keyboard.
Wow I would have never considered the piano a stringed instrument.  Are there any other interesting pieces to it?
The loudness of the strings is controlled by the force in pressure on the keys. The greater the velocity, the louder the sound.
yeah that makes sense.  What are the foot pedals for?
The pedals dampen or enhance the loudness. "Piano" means "soft" and "forte" means loud. Musical pieces indicate when the pedals should be used.