22May 2017 by Vincent Summers 3 Comments

Is Our Concept of Matter Merely an Incorrect Perception?

philosophy, Physics
Picture a large polished stainless steel bearing. Now visualize dropping it onto a concrete floor from a height of, say, h. It impacts the concrete and bounces back to a somewhat lesser height h′. What actually was the physics at the time of collision? Our concept of matter provides one answer. Our Concept of Matter The rock-solid steel bearing is not thrown, but “dropped”. It falls with a force equal to its mass times its acceleration due to gravity. That is, F = mg. Upon striking the concrete floor, the bearing experiences an equal yet opposite reaction forcing it to bounce back. Even so, due to internal and external factors, the bearing does not attain its original elevation. Is the Bearing Truly Solid? If the bearing were of solid and…
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16May 2017 by Vincent Summers No Comments

Simple Algebra II Graph Symmetries Discussion and Examples

Education, Mathematics
[caption id="attachment_17854" align="alignright" width="480"] Typical functions in two variables.[/caption] College preparatory classes in high school often include Algebra and Algebra II. Perhaps the most memorable aspect of Algebra II is the two-dimensional (2D) graphing of mathematical functions in two variables. This is typically introduced beginning with the Cartesian coordinate system. The generic function is written y = f (x). This reads y equals a function of x. See the illustration for some examples of functions. Cartesian Coordinate System In the Cartesian system, two variables, often x and y, are assigned their own line, one horizontal (x), one vertical (y). The intersection between the two axes is called the origin, and is assigned the value (0, 0). The value of x is the value written on the left in the brackets;…
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11May 2017 by Vincent Summers No Comments

Sphere Reciprocal? Not Inside Out, But Equation Inverse?

Education, Mathematics
One way of mathematically representing a very simple sphere in 3D space is, r2 = x2 + y2 + z2 where r equals a radius of the sphere. Solving in terms of x, y, and z, we get, x = √(r2 — y2 — z2) y = √(r2 — x2 — z2) z = √(r2 — x2 — y2) A Sphere Reciprocal Now a sphere may be the most aesthetically pleasing of the simple geometric curves. So it is natural to wonder, concerning a sphere, what if…? So what if we convert the equation into an equation for a sphere reciprocal? No, not turn the sphere inside out. Rather an inverse of the equation of a sphere? What is the graph of, r2 = 1/( x2 + y2 + z2)…
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03May 2017 by Vincent Summers No Comments

Calculating Quantities for Stoichiometric Chemical Reactions

Chemistry, Education
[caption id="attachment_17791" align="alignright" width="380"] Image CCA-SA3.0 Unported by Lord Mountbatten[/caption] Exam time approaches and you realize your teacher is likely to write down some equations and expect you to fill in the blanks. So you would like to consider a few problems ahead of time to prepare you in advance. We will demonstrate two. The second problem is just a bit tricky. See if you can anticipate what gives! Problem 1: We will first consider the reaction of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) plus hydrochloric acid (HCl) to yield sodium chloride (NaCl) plus water (H₂O). NaOH + HCl → NaCl + H₂O Only one molecule of each reactant is needed to produce one molecule of each product. 1 NaOH + 1 HCl → 1 NaCl + 1 H₂O The atomic weights for…
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30Apr 2017 by Vincent Summers 2 Comments

Our Year-Round Indoor Red Wiggler Earthworm Farm

Biology
[caption id="attachment_17753" align="alignright" width="400"] Eisenia fetida or red wiggler.[/caption] About 35 years ago, a friend and I decided we would raise red wiggler earthworms for gardening and for fish bait. Not simply for personal use, we decided we’d raise hundreds of thousands and possibly millions, for commercial sales. Friend Huey was already immensely successful growing garden produce for his wife and twelve kids. He enjoyed reading publications by the Rodale Press that showed him how to achieve success. But he also was an avid reader of publications penned by red wiggler enthusiast Earl B. Shields. Shields promoted raising earthworms outdoors. Our Take Times were tough. Work was hard to come by. We were in a position to devote time to developing our own red wiggler business. At first we were…
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26Apr 2017 by Vincent Summers 2 Comments

Benzene from Coal and Lye?

Chemistry, Education
[caption id="attachment_17736" align="alignright" width="480"] Coal and Lye[/caption] As a youth, I read whatever chemistry books I could get hold of. One made reference to an obscure synthesis of the liquid aromatic compound benzene from coal and lye, by means of heat. This reaction would seem to be an improbable one. Can a stoichiometric equation be written for such a synthesis? The answer is, Yes. This in itself does not guarantee the reaction can actually take place. 6 NaOH + 9 C → 3 Na2O + C6H6 + 3 CO I learned of this synthesis from an old book, possibly published in the 1800s. Coal and Lye - What Conditions? Such a reaction strongly suggests isolation. The reaction required considerable heat. Also, air was to be excluded, since carbon would react…
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25Apr 2017 by Vincent Summers 3 Comments

Is Fish Really Brain Food?

Food, People
[caption id="attachment_17712" align="alignright" width="440"] A lovely, healthful salmon dinner. Maybe add a small baked potato.[/caption] It’s been years since I’ve heard anyone describe fish as brain food. But they did. And there was no disproof that the saying was correct. So what’s the verdict? Is there any validity to the idea that fish is good for the central nervous system and specifically for the brain? Fat and Cholesterol Fish is low in calories. Fish is low in fat, especially saturated fat. The varieties of food fish highest in fat contain no more than about 15% fat. In fact, fish is rich in Omega-3 fatty acids. Most fish are relatively low in cholesterol. The overall conclusion is that fish is a suitable dietary addition for those who wish to reduce their…
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20Apr 2017 by Vincent Summers 2 Comments

Cuprous Sulfate: A Disagreement with My High School Chemistry Teacher

Chemistry, Education
[caption id="attachment_17698" align="alignright" width="440"] Classroom[/caption] As a kid, I was excessively shy and retiring – except when it came to matters of science and math. When it came to them, I was generally quiet but I could become quite outspoken if the occasion arose. During senior year, I approached my math instructor and told him an entire chapter in our textbook was wrong. He was reluctant to hear me out, but when he did, he acknowledged I was correct. On one occasion during junior year, I was listening to my chemistry teacher attentively when he spoke of cuprous sulfate. For those who are unacquainted with terminology, this would have been the old name (the name I still use) for copper(I) sulfate. I informed Mr. D’Alesandro that the only existing copper…
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19Apr 2017 by Vincent Summers 2 Comments

I Follow Dmitri Mendeleev’s Recipe for Chromyl Chloride Preparation

Chemistry, History
[caption id="attachment_17682" align="alignright" width="380"] Chromyl chloride. - Image by W. Oelen CCA-SA3.0 Unported[/caption] When I was young, I’d sign out chemistry books from three libraries. One of these was the local public library. Another was my high school library. Yet another favorite library was the one at Franklin Institute in Philadelphia. A special favorite book was a thin, early volume featuring the writings of Russian chemist, Dmitri Mendeleev (1834-1907). That volume was published in the late 1800s. Its pages were old—its recipes enticing. One of those recipes was for the making of a compound of the element chromium, a red-brown volatile liquid. A chromyl chloride preparation! I would learn first hand what it was like. But I needed some specialized laboratory equipment and supplies. I needed a retort, a burner,…
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