Vincent Summers, Author at Quirky Science

27Sep 2016 by Vincent Summers 2 Comments

Thumbnail Mystery 2: How the Bee Doth Sting

[caption id="attachment_15570" align="alignright" width="340"] By Chocolate Horlicks - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0[/caption] It was the beginning of August, the peak of Summer and it was stifling; there was no breeze. If there had been a breeze, the humidity would only have made matters worse. Some had left Chicago because of it. You see, it was the fifth day of an unprecedented power failure. Despite that, the trial was in full swing. The prosecution's key witness was sequestered in the federal building's second floor from the top. Despite the building's state of the art design, because of the power failure, the windows were wide open. Malachi "Ky" Haworth was lone witness to a high-profile assassination. Left unguarded, he'd have been dead before his next breath. The Final Night Ky asked…

19Sep 2016 by Vincent Summers 2 Comments

What Is the Difference Between Table Salt and Other Salts?

Chemistry, Food

Nice try, but “s” is not the correct answer. There is a difference and there is no difference between them. Both are correct. There is a difference and there is not a difference between table salt and other salt(s). Difference Between Table Salt and Salts Table salt, chemical name sodium chloride, is written NaCl. Yes, we call it salt and we sprinkle it on our food. It enhances flavor to the palate. But to the chemist, it is merely one of thousands – millions of salts. So what is a salt to a chemist? It is one of two products (the other ordinarily water) of an acid-base reaction. Consider an example. An Example of a Salt Formation Calcium hydroxide plus sulfuric acid produces calcium sulfate plus water. Ca(OH)2 + H2SO4…

19Sep 2016 by Vincent Summers 3 Comments

What Is the Difference Between an Orbit and an Orbital?

Astronomy, Physics

[caption id="attachment_15523" align="alignright" width="440"] A 5-D atomic orbital, m=5[/caption] Although words can have multiple meanings, we will consider only the difference between an orbit and an orbital, the path of planets and that of electrons in atoms. Planets (and other astronomy objects) travel in orbits. Jupiter and Haley’s Comet orbit the Sun. Electrostatic forces and selection rules hold electrons in specific atomic orbitals. What is an Orbit? Orbits are generally elliptical in shape. Ellipses are circles that are stretched out along one axis. The degree of stretching is termed eccentricity. The greater the stretch, the greater the eccentricity. Consider the figure below for comparison. The object doing the orbiting travels strictly in the path of the orbit. It does not deviate. In this respect, orbits of astronomical objects are different…

18Sep 2016 by Vincent Summers 2 Comments

Guadeloupe or Creeping Cucumber – Weed or Food?

Food, Plants

Perhaps you enjoy cucumbers in your garden salad, or in some other form, say dill or sweet pickles? If so, you may be surprised that one form of cucumber—the Guadeloupe or creeping cucumber is not considered by most to be a food item at all, but a weed. This 'cucumber' predominates in the southeastern quadrant of the United States, although it is also found elsewhere in the world. The Guadeloupe or Creeping Cucumber Some would beg to differ as to its being inedible. While it remains obviously green (resembling a small watermelon) they readily consume the tiny fruit. However, as it darkens, turning black, they avoid it, considering the creeping cucumber an intense laxative. [caption id="attachment_15504" align="alignright" width="300"] Melothria pendula flower - CC-by-SA2.0 by Jacopo Werther[/caption] The creeping cucumber is…

01Sep 2016 by Vincent Summers 1 Comment

Acids, Bases, Salts: Can An Oxide Be A Salt?

Chemistry, Education

[caption id="attachment_15469" align="alignright" width="440"] Aluminum chloride, hexahydrate. - Image Victor Claessen CC-SA 3.0.[/caption] Acids, bases, salts: Can an oxide be a salt? Let’s find out. Combine an acid and a base and you often get back a salt and water. This should be no surprise. It is high school chemistry. Assume we have a most simple acid, H-A. Too, we have a most simple base, B-OH. If we react the two, we expect the reaction mechanism to be written, H-A + B-OH → B-A + H2O H2O is, of course, water. B-A is the expected salt. Is An Oxide a Salt? Let us consider an example that deviates from the above simple concept—aluminum. Metals tend toward cationic (+) behavior. Non-metals act in opposite fashion, tending toward anionic (-) behavior. Aluminum…

31Aug 2016 by Vincent Summers 2 Comments

Thumbnail Mystery: Mike Rubino – Music to Die For

Entertainment, Logic

Thumbnail Mystery: No one truly liked Mike Rubino. Oh, he had his circle of “friends” and he believed in them. But they all had their reasons to be nice to him. You’d think he’d realize that, but he didn’t. Mike had redeeming qualities. It’s just they were overpowered by the “other” kind. “Hey George, c’mere.” When Mike called, you came. “What? What do you want?” The ‘party of the second part’ was George “Big Nose” Hamlin. One finger or the other was always up-it. George was the closest thing to an actual friend Mike had. Mike viewed George as his “right-hand man.” Uh, yeah. Let's not go there... The catch is, this wore on George’s nerves—George, get this—George, get that. In a low voice Mike said, “D’ja hear from Eddy?”…

31Aug 2016 by Vincent Summers No Comments

Corncob Destructive Distillation: Hemicellulose to Xylose to Furfural

Chemistry, Manufacturing

What does corncob destructive distillation produce? A most interesting product—furfural. What is it? What is it good for? What is Furfural? Furfural is an interesting organic compound, possessing a five member ring structure with a heterocyclic atom (oxygen) and several functional groups built in. It is an ether, a diene, and an aldehyde. What is the Reaction? Corncobs1 are rich in hemicellulose. Hemicellulose can be broken down to produce the five-carbon sugar—xylose, C5H10O5. Xylose can react further to produce the heterocyclic aldehyde furfural, IUPAC2 name furan-2-carbaldehyde. Corncobs (hemicellulose) → C5H10O5 → furfural (see diagram) The steps can be combined. The resultant reaction process is termed destructive distillation. Corncob Destructive Distillation The corncobs may be dried and chopped into tiny bits the size of a grain of corn or smaller. These…

30Aug 2016 by Vincent Summers 2 Comments

Tongue Stuck to a Silver Spoon Eating Ice Cream?

Food, Physics

Ice cream consists of several ingredients. The best ice cream contains cream, milk, flavorings, and sweetener. Most of these ingredients contain water. Water provides fluidity unless the ice cream is frozen solid. Do you enjoy ice cream? You can eat ice cream with a plastic spoon, a stainless spoon, a silver plate spoon, or a sterling spoon. Sterling is solid silver, not a thin layer of plate. If the ice cream is very cold and you eat it with a sterling silver spoon, you may experience a tongue stuck to a silver spoon. With A Plastic Spoon Eat ice cream with a plastic spoon and you will never experience your tongue stuck to it. Most plastics are not only good electrical insulators—they are good thermal insulators as well. Heat is…

29Aug 2016 by Vincent Summers 4 Comments

Black Knot Tree Fungus on Fruit Trees – Development and Health Issues

Biology, Health

[caption id="attachment_26968" align="alignright" width="440"] Image Bon McNeish, Edit Jonas Korte.[/caption]Black knot tree fungus (Apiosporina morbos) produces swellings on branches, limbs, and even trunks of fruit trees that can appear smooth to grainy to pebbly, depending upon the size of the knot. Photos in this article feature large specimens. Note the texture in the black knot close-up. Black Knot Tree Fungus on What Trees? Black knot tree fungus favors trees of the genus Prunus growing in a temperate zone. This genus falls within the Rosaceae or rose family of plants. This includes such fruit trees as plum, cherry, apricot, and peach. Interestingly, the almond tree is also a member of Prunus. These trees (yes, even the almond tree) feature showy flowers and fruits with large seeds, many of them called stones.…

25Aug 2016 by Vincent Summers 6 Comments

How Schuyler, Home of John-Boy Walton, Got Its Name

History, People

[caption id="attachment_15352" align="alignright" width="480"] Walton Mountain Museum[/caption] The much loved fictional TV series The Waltons was based on author Earl Henry Hamner’s real life family. The name of the community in which Hamner’s family resided is Schuyler. It is located in Nelson County, Virginia and neighbors Scottsville, Virginia. Today, apart from its connection with The Waltons, Schuyler goes largely unnoticed. Yet historically, it was a vibrant locality. It was inextricably linked to the Alberene Soapstone Quarry. The question arises, how did Schuyler get its name? How Schuyler Got Its Name Schuyler, with its current population of some 300 persons, was once the home of thousands. It was originally named Walker’s Mill, after William H. Walker and his family. Walker’s son S. G. Walker is listed in the 1880 U.S. census…