Kevin+Myers

US Towns named after elements- Some of these towns are named for geological deposits or abundance of the element, while some are non-geological. Some ones mentioned were Antimony, Utah and Arsenic tubs, Arizona. Antimony, Utah was named for a mineral known as Stibnite. Stibnite is a compound made up of Antimony and Sulfur. The Antimony was used to make bullets and arrowheads. From one deadly element to another, Arsenic Tubs, Arizona was named for their hot springs, the water in the hot springs contains varied amount of Arsenic along with other elements and minerals. Since it varies the hot springs water would be a heterogeneous mixture.

Kevin, Well written. 5 stars! MW

Crude Oil- Crude oil is a mixture of multiple hydrocarbons. As a mixture it has no use, but once it is distilled it has multiple uses. When the oil is distilled it breaks up into multiple fractions, 1st fraction at about 40 degrees, 2nd fraction at about 60 degrees and so on, there are five fractions. The first is around 40 degrees. In large distillation towers the hot crude oil enters at 330 degrees Celsius and the vapors separately rise. Most will switch to a liquid and condense before they reach the top that is 85 degrees Celsius.

Good job. 5 stars. MW

Kilogram article- Over the past few centuries, scientists have set standards for measuring constants in the universe. Seven base units were created for that purpose. However, over time six of those seven were defined by unvarying physical properties of nature. The kilogram is the only SI unit without an unvarying natural property. The weight used to defined a kilogram that was ratified in 1889 is currently located in a vault at the International Bureau of Weights and Measurements in Paris. However, there's a problem the original weight has decomposed by 50 micrograms. Now scientists are debating which constant, Planck's or Avogadro's, to use. Kevin, Right on! 5 stars. MW

Where do chemical elements come from?- Some scientists believe that elements came from space. They believe this due to the existence of supernovas and the fact that stars conduct fusion in there core to form elements up to iron. Most stars reach that stage of fusing, the stage in which they form iron, and they will explode in a nova. When the core becomes iron it begins to collapses due to all the pressure, the collapse happens so quickly that it causes shockwaves forcing the outer parts of the star to blow into space. This creates a supernova, and during a supernova the temperature is hot enough to start fusing iron and other elements to create elements that are heavier than iron. Elements that are heavier than iron are created in the "s" process. The "s" process can also create isotopes, some of which are stable, and some of which are radioactive. However, the "s" process is slow; there is another process known as the "r" process that is a faster version of the "s" process, both capture neutrons, which only occurs during the explosion of a star. Eventually in the "r" process the atom becomes too heavy and breaks apart in nuclear fission, So it is believed that everything, besides hydrogen, reached Earth through clouds created by supernovae.

Kevin,

I think it's safe to say that earth(and everything on it) was at one time part of a star. 5 stars for you! MW

Mole Day- The Mole was discovered by Amadeo Avogadro. He was credited with it's discovery after his death though. He didn't even call it mole though, the term mole is believed to have been coined around 1900 by Wilhelm Ostwald. It isn't sure what is the origin of the word mole though. The National Mole Day foundation was established in May of 1991. Avogardo's number has been calculated to multiple sig figs, however not as many as pi. That is because pi is a mathematical function, while the mole is a measurement. The theme for 2009 Mole Day was the Molar Express. A mole of any substance can be determined by it's atomic mass. It's atomic mass in grams is the same as the weight of one mole. There are multiple definitions for the word mole (from other research and prior knowledge), the mammal, a double agent, a machine used for tunneling, a dark-colored blemish, a massive structure normally made of stone to be used as a pier, the mole is chemistry (6.02x10^23), a certain area of skin, and a spicy Mexican sauce that is flavored with chocolate.

Kevin, Very well done. I particularly enjoyed that you included all of the definitions of mole. 5 molerrific stars. MW

Dust Explosion- After an explosion at Imperial Sugar plant in Georgia, some factories may want to make safety precautions. A simple spark can cause a large explosion with the smallest of dust particles. Most solids when ground into powders/dusts become combustible, most of which are also explosive. The smaller the particle, the more surface area is available. Experts say 420 micrometers or less should be considered explosive. Combustion happens when the dust combines with the oxygen in the air, and something as small as a spark can make this an explosion. I'll use Sucrose as an example of combustion- C12 H22 O11 (solid powder)+ 12 O2 (gas) ---(In the presence of heat)---> 12 CO2 (gas) + 11 H2O (gas). This with a small amount of sugar would be a rather small non-deadly explosion, but in a large scale like that factory where there were so many ducts and passages that contain some dust, one little spark, or burst of static electricity could take out the whole plant and take a few lives. Hydrogen reacts with fire, by exploding, the pop test, while Oxygen, can ignite things that are hot, relighting a smoldering splint. Also it takes 12 moles of Oxygen for 1 mole of Sucrose to ignite.

Kevin, Amazing post!!! You really went above and beyond on this one! 5 super sugar burning stars!!! MW

Sulfur Hexaflouride article- I knew that Sulfur Hexaflourice is one sulfur atom and six fluorine atoms, that was obvious, SF6. Another thing I knew was what are the noble gases. They're in the last column, Helium, Neon, Argon, Krypton, Xenon, and Radon. I knew that your body has an urge to breath after 15 to 20 seconds after holding your breath, but I had no clue it was due to the buildup of Carbon Dioxide in your blood. Finally for the I knows, I know that Helium balloons tend to deflate faster because Helium molecules moves so fast causing it to leak out. I didn't know that sulfur hexafluoride was inert until I looked at my chart. I had no clue about the dangers of helium and sulfur hexafluoride tanks with oil and hydrogen fluoride gas (Isn't Hydrogen fluoride gas practically hydrofluoric acid in gaseous form?). I know lack of oxygen suffocates you, but breathing helium for enough time can do it too, I was surprised by that. Finally since I didn't know much about sulfur hexafluoride before I read the article I had no clue that it would make a balloon expand over time.

Kevin, Good post! You are very thorough! That HF scares me -it is very dangerous! MW

Motion Detectors- I knew that some motion detectors use a light source, like infrared radiation. I also knew that materials have different thresholds. I also knew about how bats find their food through echolocation. Echolocation is how bats hear sounds then intercept their food. The final thing I knew was that even one million ping-pong balls can do as much damage as one steel ball to a window pane. I didn't know about how some motion detectors use pulses. I didn't know about the electrons in the cis-retinal molecule. I didn't know about how strong red lights would be caused no electrons to be ejected, yet a weak blue light could send electrons flying. I didn't that Einstein won a Nobel prize for photoelectric effect. I had no clue that glass blocks waves, and polyethylene stop no infrared waves.

Kevin, Good call on the cis-retinal molecule! No one else mentioned that. 5 stars. MW