Alkali Earth Metal of the Week

Magnesium is a light, silvery-white, moderately hard metallic element that in ribbon or powder form burns with a brilliant white flame. It is used in structural alloys, pyrotechnics, flash photography, and incendiary bombs. Atomic number 12; atomic weight 24.305. I am fascinated by magnesium fires, they are brilliant.

Colors of Food

Greens galore, we just ate five greens tonight-we need to clear out the refrigerator before our trip. Reds-strawberries, tomatoes, red bell peppers, radishes are all common in our refrigerator. Yellows-bananas, squash, lemons, peaches, yellow bell peppers are yummy. Black-figs are my favorite fruit, blackberries, sesame seeds (black) can strengthen the Water. White-turnips, and more turnips. Orange-carrots, orange bell peppers--they come in all the colors apparently. We also eat various yams, orange, white, yellow. Etc. etc. etc.

Light spectra from gas discharge

These are the unique fingerprints of individual elements. They are beautiful and amazing! The colors of elements sprayed into the meeker burner are also fabulous and are formed when excited states of electrons fall back to base state.

Halogen of the Week

Flourine, is the chemical element with the symbol F and atomic number 9. Atomic fluorine is univalent and is the most chemically reactive and electronegative of all the elements. In its elementally isolated (pure) form, fluorine is a poisonous, pale, yellow-green gas, with chemical formula F₂. Like other halogens, molecular fluorine is highly dangerous; it causes severe chemical burns on contact with skin.

Investigate Electrochemistry

A fuel cell is an electrochemical device that produces electricity from a combined chemical reaction and electrical charge transport that occurs within the fuel cell. The hydrogen fuel cell is like a big battery which produces electricity from hydrogen, which is the fuel; an electrochemical reaction takes place between the hydrogen and oxygen that directly converts chemical energy into electrical energy.

Alchemy

Alchemy is not science in the strictest terms of science. Yet it is trying to make sense of the material world like chemistry. In addition there are mystic, magical and art

Avogadro's Hypothesis

The reading is not easy. when I fund out my guesses were right, I was thrilled.

What is Mole?

22.4 liters of a gas at standard temperature and pressure contains the number of molecules that weigh as much as the molecular weight of the gas expressed in grams. The number of molecules contained in this volume of gas was given the name MOLE.

Inert Gas of the Week

Neon (Ne) is a non reactive gas with atomic number of 10. Neon is the second-lightest noble gas, glows redish-orange in a vacuum discharge tube and has over 40 times the refrigerating capacity of liquid helium and three times that of liquid hydrogen. In most applications it is a less expensive refrigerant than helium. Neon plasma has the most intense light discharge at normal voltages and currents of all the rare gases. The average color of this light to the human eye is red-orange; it contains a strong green line which is hidden, unless the visual components are dispersed by a spectroscope. Next time you walk the neon lit streets of a major metropolis-----be thankful for Neon!

Atom economy

Atom economy takes into account the efficiency of chemical production so as to minimize unusable products which contributes to environmental costs associated with waste treatment. Considerations for the costs of treating waste products in the economic calculations of our industrial processes is certainly a step in the right direction. Although, we may find that cost for good will rise.

Week 4, catalyst of the week

My catalyst is Platinum. Platinum is a soft, dense, ductile metal that is very resistant to corrosion. It is used to make jewelry, wire, electrical contacts and laboratory vessels. Platinum is widely used as a catalyst. It will convert methyl alcohol vapors (CH₄O) into formaldehyde (CH₂O) on contact. Platinum is also used in a device called a catalytic converter, a device found in the exhaust systems of most cars. Catalytic converters combine carbon monoxide (CO) and unburned fuel from a car's exhaust with oxygen from the air, forming carbon dioxide (CO₂) and water vapor (H₂O). Platinum is also used as a catalyst in the production of sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄) and in the cracking of petroleum products. Fuel cells, devices that combine hydrogen and oxygen to produce electricity and water, also use platinum as a catalyst.

Water concepts

Water dipoles are amazing. Water's properties allow it to dissolve many varieties of compounds and thereby lending itself the basis for life. I love the moving visuals on this site; it gives a real sense of the molecular actions.

Structures of Carbon

There are two types of cargon graphite: One is Hexagonal Graphite the other is Rhombohedral Graphite; which are flate grid structures. Another form of carbon is Cubic diamond, which form the well known diamond crystalline rocks that we are familiar. The newest form of carbon may be in the form of nano structures or tubal structures. These may transform the way we harvest solar energy and building cities.

Week 3, transitional metal of the week

Molybdenum (Mo) is a cool sounding element. I first heard about it in college, mentioned by a professor specializing in cold temperature chemistry. I did not understand why he chose Mo to be a focus of his study at the time. I heard maybe it had something to do with Mo's magnetic behavior near absolute zero.

Molybdenum is a silvery-white, hard, transition metal, discovered in 1778. It was often confused with graphite and lead ore. Molybdenum is used in alloys, electrodes and catalysts. The World War 2 German artillery piece called "Big Bertha" contains molybdenum as an essential component of its steel.

Elements, compounds and mixtures

Elements, compounds and mixtures are the three groups of matter that we contact with daily. The behavior and quality increases in complexity going from elements to mixtures. Most of what we are exposed to in nature are mixtures.

Ozone

Ozone(O3) is an important compound in the atmosphere because it helps to shield us from harmful radiation of the sun. At the same time man made ozone is a pollutant. We discussed ozone, and decided to try to identify and eliminate those items that may contain chemicals damaging to the atmospheric ozone; and to limit use of fossil fuel burning machines and vehicles so as not to contribute to ozone pollution.

Week Two, element of the week

Carbon gave me many headaches in organic chemisrty class. But, seeing how carbon constitutes so much of what we are and use, I can forgive and almost forget. Carbon "diamonds" are the most desired and precious objects; carbon "soot, and ash" are some of the least desired wastes; carbon "through nano technology" has the potential to transform our physical world. But most important, we cannot have form without carbon.

Carbon is found in nature in three forms: graphite, diamond, and fullerines. A fourth form, is now thought to exist. Ceraphite is one of the softest known materials while diamond is one of the hardest.

Graphite exists in two forms: alpha and beta. These have identical physical properties, except for their crystal structure. Naturally occurring graphites are reported to contain as much as 30% of the rhombohedral (beta) form, whereas synthetic materials contain only the alpha form.

Without carbon, the basis for life would be impossible. Some of the most important compounds of carbon are carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO), carbon disulfide (CS2), chloroform (CHCl3), carbon tetrachloride (CCl4), methane (CH4), ethylene (C2H4), acetylene (C2H2), benzene (C6H6), acetic acid (CH3COOH), and their derivatives.

Quiz results

My results were all correct; except for the salt being a mixture. I did not consider the iodine that is mixed into typical table salt.

My thouhts on class material-cultural influence of Chemistry

Environmental cycles and natural disasters have been the focus of concern over the millenia. It is of utmost importance for our health and survival. Furthermore, traditional chinese perspective on this issue is foundational to our study of TCM. Many of our society's institutions and thoughts run counter to the harmonious management of our environment. From my understanding of the ancient's teachings, we must start by changing our very own selfish nature. In chinese terms we need to "尊天敬德"--"zun tian jing de". Only through a transformation of our understanding of our place within the universe, in which we have reverence to Tian and De, can society embrace the changes necessary for

Bio

I was born in a sleepy little industrial town on the outskirts of Beijing. I am now a mother of two and a student of TCM.