Graphite and Diamond are both polymorphs of carbon (there are other polymorphs). Although there share the same atom, carbon, they have very different structures and very different properties.
Graphite has a sheet like structure where the atoms are strongly bonded (covalent bond) within a 2-D plane and are only weakly bonded to the graphite sheets above and below. Diamond has a framework structure where the carbon atoms are bonded to other carbon atoms in 3-D.
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Bonding links
Of all the links posted this week, I found WATER CONCEPTS on the edinformatics.com site and Chemical Bonding on the visionlearning.com site the most helpful.
For a visual learner like me, diagrams and animations really help to drive things home.
The Water Molecules in Motion animation on Edinformatics.com is my favorite. Bonding between these atoms are a little like that of bonding between humans. In the animation, I saw a network of family and friends. There are a few people in my life who I am so close to that I can't picture myself ever separating from, people who I have real connection with and our bond is always in flux, and then there are those who touch my life for a much briefer period of time and after we part our ways, I don't know if I would ever see them again.
For a visual learner like me, diagrams and animations really help to drive things home.
The Water Molecules in Motion animation on Edinformatics.com is my favorite. Bonding between these atoms are a little like that of bonding between humans. In the animation, I saw a network of family and friends. There are a few people in my life who I am so close to that I can't picture myself ever separating from, people who I have real connection with and our bond is always in flux, and then there are those who touch my life for a much briefer period of time and after we part our ways, I don't know if I would ever see them again.
On Neptune's Medicine Chest
Yet another untapped resource and potential on Planet Earth. Discovering new natural medicines that cure diseases is great news itself. My main concern is, can we tap into this resource without over-exploiting it and upsetting the ecosystem even more than we have?
Besides Fenical's research, we also see a general trend among natural health food enthusiasts in intaking more sea vegetables. Many people believe that sea vegetables have the richest source of nutrients on Earth, especially given how depleted farm soils are. If this trend continues, it seems like it would be only a matter of time before we ruin the ocean.
So we have ruined the land resources, and the ocean is next? Then, after the ocean, what else do we have left?
Besides Fenical's research, we also see a general trend among natural health food enthusiasts in intaking more sea vegetables. Many people believe that sea vegetables have the richest source of nutrients on Earth, especially given how depleted farm soils are. If this trend continues, it seems like it would be only a matter of time before we ruin the ocean.
So we have ruined the land resources, and the ocean is next? Then, after the ocean, what else do we have left?
Mercury
Mercury is a naturally occurring element that is found in air, water and soil. It exists in several forms: elemental or metallic mercury, inorganic mercury compounds, and organic mercury compounds.
Elemental or metallic mercury is a shiny, silver-white metal and is liquid at room temperature. It is used in thermometers, fluorescent light bulbs and some electrical switches.
Inorganic mercury compounds take the form of mercury salts and are generally white powder or crystals, with the exception of mercuric sulfide (cinnabar) which is red. Inorganic mercury compounds have been included in products such as fungicides, antiseptics or disinfectants. Some skin lightening and freckle creams, as well as some traditional medicines, can contain mercury compounds.
High levels of mercury in the bloodstream of unborn babies and young children may harm the developing nervous system.
Almost all people have at least trace amounts of mercury in their tissues, reflecting mercury’s widespread presence in the environment. People may be exposed to mercury in any of its forms under different situations. The primary way people in the U.S. are exposed to mercury is by eating fish or seafood containing methylmercury.
Elemental or metallic mercury is a shiny, silver-white metal and is liquid at room temperature. It is used in thermometers, fluorescent light bulbs and some electrical switches.
Inorganic mercury compounds take the form of mercury salts and are generally white powder or crystals, with the exception of mercuric sulfide (cinnabar) which is red. Inorganic mercury compounds have been included in products such as fungicides, antiseptics or disinfectants. Some skin lightening and freckle creams, as well as some traditional medicines, can contain mercury compounds.
High levels of mercury in the bloodstream of unborn babies and young children may harm the developing nervous system.
Almost all people have at least trace amounts of mercury in their tissues, reflecting mercury’s widespread presence in the environment. People may be exposed to mercury in any of its forms under different situations. The primary way people in the U.S. are exposed to mercury is by eating fish or seafood containing methylmercury.
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Ozone Talk (Week 2)
Talked to my friend Marty.
"What do you know about Ozone?"
"Not much."
"Nothing at all?"
"ugh...The ozone layer?"
"Yes! Tell me more!"
"Listen, I know a lot about a lot of things, but when it come to science, sorry, can't help you."
Maybe I will try someone else this week for a better answer.
"What do you know about Ozone?"
"Not much."
"Nothing at all?"
"ugh...The ozone layer?"
"Yes! Tell me more!"
"Listen, I know a lot about a lot of things, but when it come to science, sorry, can't help you."
Maybe I will try someone else this week for a better answer.
Link Review (Week 2)
The chemguide.co.uk site is informational, very clear, if not a little dry.
The Purdue site for Elements, Compounds & Mixtures has good animations that explain the difference of the three very well. Too bad they don't have similar pages for other concepts.
The Purdue site for Elements, Compounds & Mixtures has good animations that explain the difference of the three very well. Too bad they don't have similar pages for other concepts.
Cadmium (Element of Week 2)
Symbol: Cd
Atomic Number: 48
Atomic Weight: 112.411g
Here is a brief description of cadmium from webelements.com:
Standard state: solid at 298 K
Colour: silvery grey metallic
Classification: Metallic
Availability: cadmium is available in many forms including foil, granules, pellets, sheet, powder, rod, shot, sticks, wire and "mossy cadmium".
Cadmium is a soft, bluish-white metal and is easily cut with a knife. It is similar in many respects to zinc. Interestingly, aa characteristic cadmium "scream" is heard on bending a cadmium bar (such as that illustrated above). Cadmium and its compounds are highly toxic. Silver solder, which contains cadmium, should be handled with care.
So that's how Cadmium looks like?
Frankly, metallic compounds and minerals almost always interest me most as an artist. As a painter, I work with paints. Paint is made from pigment and binder (ideally). Pigments are usually mixtures of chemical compounds. Here is what I can tell you about paint: TITANIUM WHITE is the whitest white, very opaque, almost always used with ZINC WHITE. Though some people prefer LEAD WHITE for skin tone because it's an easy mixer and less pasty. MANGANESE BLUE has an ice-blue undertone unmatcehd by any other pigments (but it's not really made from Manganese). COBALT BLUE is good for skies...
And then there are CADMIUM yellows, oranges, reds...
For painters, CADMIUMs are synthetic organic pigments that are brilliant, opaque and the deeper shades had the greatest tinting strength. They are colors that a lot of painters can't live without. Expensive paints, and toxic too. They are strong colors to use and have good permanance ratings, excepted when mixed with COPPER-based pigments. As paint, CADMIUMs are synthetic organic pigments and they weren't produced until 1840. (the metallic cadmium was discovered in 1817) That means painters before that time never used this paint. Chemistry (and science) has always played an important part in the development of art.
This site can tell you way too much about paint:
www.handprint.com/HP/WCL/pigmt1.html#pigmenttypes
Atomic Number: 48
Atomic Weight: 112.411g
Here is a brief description of cadmium from webelements.com:
Standard state: solid at 298 K
Colour: silvery grey metallic
Classification: Metallic
Availability: cadmium is available in many forms including foil, granules, pellets, sheet, powder, rod, shot, sticks, wire and "mossy cadmium".
Cadmium is a soft, bluish-white metal and is easily cut with a knife. It is similar in many respects to zinc. Interestingly, aa characteristic cadmium "scream" is heard on bending a cadmium bar (such as that illustrated above). Cadmium and its compounds are highly toxic. Silver solder, which contains cadmium, should be handled with care.
So that's how Cadmium looks like?
Frankly, metallic compounds and minerals almost always interest me most as an artist. As a painter, I work with paints. Paint is made from pigment and binder (ideally). Pigments are usually mixtures of chemical compounds. Here is what I can tell you about paint: TITANIUM WHITE is the whitest white, very opaque, almost always used with ZINC WHITE. Though some people prefer LEAD WHITE for skin tone because it's an easy mixer and less pasty. MANGANESE BLUE has an ice-blue undertone unmatcehd by any other pigments (but it's not really made from Manganese). COBALT BLUE is good for skies...
And then there are CADMIUM yellows, oranges, reds...
For painters, CADMIUMs are synthetic organic pigments that are brilliant, opaque and the deeper shades had the greatest tinting strength. They are colors that a lot of painters can't live without. Expensive paints, and toxic too. They are strong colors to use and have good permanance ratings, excepted when mixed with COPPER-based pigments. As paint, CADMIUMs are synthetic organic pigments and they weren't produced until 1840. (the metallic cadmium was discovered in 1817) That means painters before that time never used this paint. Chemistry (and science) has always played an important part in the development of art.
This site can tell you way too much about paint:
www.handprint.com/HP/WCL/pigmt1.html#pigmenttypes
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Chemistry: Week One (Part 2)
Disappearing flowers, submerged islands, rising temperature, decline of food stock...The health of our planet is certainly in rapid decline. These few years, whenever I think of this subject, a mixed bag of emotions will always come up: on one hand i am frustrated at our government policies and people who leaves heavy environmental footprints without remorse; on the other hand, I feel despair about the state of our planet.
Much of what we discussed centered on the need of reducing the negative effects of chemicals and global warming. But is it too late to save the planet? If we will all be doomed in 50 years, should we still bother trying?
For me, the answer is yes. Because from holistic point of view, a lot of the things we can do to help save the planet is also healthier for our beings and our society.
For example, a society less dependent on automobiles doesn't only mean less dependency on energy supply. But cities built around pedestrians/public transportations often have more vibrate street life, more foot traffic, which means more locally-owned stores; less money that is needed to be spent on roadwork, less obese citizens, more relaxed environment and more public space. People who are car-free or car-lite also tend to get more exercise from walking and bicycling and save money ...The list goes on and on.
I have been trying to find ways to simplify my lifestyle. What I found is that most of the time, I ended up saving money and time, having a greater peace of mind...and reducing my environmental footprint!
As students of Chinese medicine, it is important that we not only look at specific cause/effect, but rather look at patterns of disharmony and treat the whole. We can certainly look at the problems of our current state of our world with the same mind.
Much of what we discussed centered on the need of reducing the negative effects of chemicals and global warming. But is it too late to save the planet? If we will all be doomed in 50 years, should we still bother trying?
For me, the answer is yes. Because from holistic point of view, a lot of the things we can do to help save the planet is also healthier for our beings and our society.
For example, a society less dependent on automobiles doesn't only mean less dependency on energy supply. But cities built around pedestrians/public transportations often have more vibrate street life, more foot traffic, which means more locally-owned stores; less money that is needed to be spent on roadwork, less obese citizens, more relaxed environment and more public space. People who are car-free or car-lite also tend to get more exercise from walking and bicycling and save money ...The list goes on and on.
I have been trying to find ways to simplify my lifestyle. What I found is that most of the time, I ended up saving money and time, having a greater peace of mind...and reducing my environmental footprint!
As students of Chinese medicine, it is important that we not only look at specific cause/effect, but rather look at patterns of disharmony and treat the whole. We can certainly look at the problems of our current state of our world with the same mind.
Saturday, January 13, 2007
Chemistry: Week One (Part 1)
http://chemistry.boisestate.edu/rbanks/inorganic/chemistry/chemistry.htm
Quiz results:
1)
Burning wood: Chemical change
Crushing Rock: Physical change
Dissolving sugar in water: Physical change
Rusting of Iron: chemical change
2)
Milk: Mixture
Table Salt: Mixture
Sugar: Pure substance
Steel: Mixture
3)
d...
(Saw that the answer is b. don't quite get it. How can something be impure but homogenous?
4)
d.
Quiz results:
1)
Burning wood: Chemical change
Crushing Rock: Physical change
Dissolving sugar in water: Physical change
Rusting of Iron: chemical change
2)
Milk: Mixture
Table Salt: Mixture
Sugar: Pure substance
Steel: Mixture
3)
d...
(Saw that the answer is b. don't quite get it. How can something be impure but homogenous?
4)
d.
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