Vincent Summers, Author at Quirky Science

27Apr 2016 by Vincent Summers 3 Comments

George Bucher Ayres: A Letter to His Niece

[caption id="attachment_14191" align="alignright" width="480"] The Man.[/caption] George Bucher Ayres (1829-1905) was neither an unknown nor an insignificant man. He is famous for having hand-painted photographs of Abraham Lincoln, originally taken by Alexander Hesler. You see, he had purchased the man's studios and found the glass negatives. But George Bucher Ayres was not a singularly talented man. He was an historian, a photographer, a newspaper editor, an author, so forth and so on. Search for him by name and you will learn a number of things about him. One of his most interesting adventures was when George Bucher Ayres booked Swedish Nightengale Jennie Lind (formerly employed by Phineas T. Barnum) to make a public appearance in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. George Bucher Ayres - Artistically Inclined Yes, George Bucher Ayres was also into…

22Apr 2016 by Vincent Summers 8 Comments

Saved from Cannibals by Captain James Ceronio

History, People

[caption id="attachment_26236" align="alignright" width="480"] New Guinea cannibals. - Image Library of Congress[/caption]Yes, some people were saved from cannibals by my distant relation. You see, he was a ship’s captain. He had been raised on the east coast of what would become the United States. But he didn't stay there indefinitely. James Montague Delare Ceronio was born 1782/1783. He grew up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He died December 6, 1860 in Chandernagore, India. This fascinating man was married 3 times. First to Elizabeth Beckford of Australia. Then to Mary Poles on November 15, 1811. Finally to Catherine Amanda Charters on March 1, 1823. How would he help some people be saved from cannibals? My distant cousin, Marilyn Long, writes: “I went to Chandernagore where James died in 1860 from fever as he…

20Apr 2016 by Vincent Summers 4 Comments

Does Glass Flow? Is Glass Liquid or Is It Solid?

Chemistry, History

[caption id="attachment_14158" align="alignright" width="440"] Old glass (top); new glass (bottom).[/caption] From childhood, I had been told (and believed) that glass is a liquid. Kids are so trusting! I never doubted what the grown-ups were telling me was gospel truth. Well, is it the truth? Is glass liquid or solid? The answer is (and I say this almost sadly) glass is a solid. Is Glass Liquid Kids may be gullible, but adults should not be. They should know better. So the idea that glass is a liquid—where did the adults get that from? On what evidence was it based? It came from the belief that glass flows. "Evidence" did seem to suggest it. What evidence? [sc name="MidArticleAdsense"] The evidence of the windowpanes. I’m not sure how easy this is to check…

19Apr 2016 by Vincent Summers 1 Comment

Eastern Tent Caterpillar Dissertation

animals, Biology

[caption id="attachment_14132" align="alignright" width="480"] Eastern Tent Caterpillar Nest by J.R. Carmichael[/caption] I have long known of two true pests that not only damage trees, but destroy their beauty. While the fall webworm is one of these pests, what I would like to do now is to interview the other. He is an eastern tent caterpillar. He and his family are, at the moment, engaged in their dirty work. The Interview Vince: It’s the middle of April, and I see you’re already pretty good-sized and busy at work. How do you start out? TC: Well, not many people know it, but our tiny egg pouches can be found laid along the branches where our nests will appear. A great example of an egg pouch is seen in this Michigan State University…

18Apr 2016 by Vincent Summers 3 Comments

Parametric Equations: I Corrected the Text Book

Education, Mathematics

A former fellow high school student, Ted L., recently contacted me. He wrote concerning our senior year, in which we shared a math course that included parametric equations. Ted Talks “I recall being in the advanced math class with Mr. Miller where I struggled quite a bit. In a discussion about solving some problem, you presented an alternative solution. Mr. Miller quickly dismissed your idea in a rather condescending fashion, shaking his head and stating, "No Summers, [you’re wrong]," with a tone that suggested your idea was rather silly, perhaps bordering on absurd. But you persisted, in a back and forth between you, that lasted for several minutes. During that discussion, I was completely lost, having no idea at all what either of you was talking about. After many gives…

18Apr 2016 by Vincent Summers 2 Comments

Ideal Gas Law Molecular Weight

Chemistry, Physics

Physics uses simplification to arrive at quick, moderately accurate answers for problems. Small friction sources and tiny masses may be discounted. In textbooks students are introduced to massless strings and frictionless pulleys. For chemists, there is no single equation that conveys the behavior of every gas. Still, the basic properties gases do share in common are combined to produce the simplistic equation of state. We will use this equation to determine the ideal gas law molecular weight. Deriving the Ideal Gas Law When we compress a gas, its volume shrinks. That is, the pressure is proportional to the inverse of the volume. P ∝ 1/V This has been known for hundreds of years as Boyle’s Law. In addition, as temperature increases, gas volume increases (think hot-air balloon). T ∝ V…

11Apr 2016 by Vincent Summers 10 Comments

Vanilla and Vanillin: What’s the Difference?

Chemistry, Food

[caption id="attachment_14041" align="alignright" width="440"] Drying vanilla beans.[/caption] Probably the average grocery shopper is unaware there are two sources of the flavor of vanilla. They are vanilla and vanillin. Are they the same? Are they different? If they are different, what is that difference? Vanilla and Vanillin Historically, our favorite ice cream flavor has been vanilla. To draw special attention to the use of natural rather than synthetic ingredients, some have added descriptors to their ice cream. They use phrases like natural vanilla or natural vanilla bean. The vanilla bean comes from an orchid, and is completely natural. The flavor extract made from it is called vanilla. Yes, the word that ends in an “a,” and not an “n.” We still have vanilla and vanillin. So what is vanillin? [caption id="attachment_17377"…

11Apr 2016 by Vincent Summers 3 Comments

Why Chocolate Truffle Centers Cool the Tongue

Chemistry, Food

[caption id="attachment_14026" align="alignright" width="480"] Yum! Chocolate Truffles.[/caption] A chocolate truffle may be a hollow sphere of hard chocolate filled with a special sort of chocolate filling. The filling inside melts in a unique way. When you put a truffle in your mouth, the inside chocolate cools your tongue. Is that really possible? Yes it is. It is not merely a psychological effect. Chocolate truffle centers really do cool the tongue. Chocolate Truffle Centers Cool the Tongue When the truffle is put into the mouth and the lips close around it, energy comes from the cheeks, the palate, and especially the tongue. The temperature of the tongue generally remains nearly constant and is higher than that of the truffle's center. The outer chocolate of the truffle dissolves away slowly. The center…

06Apr 2016 by Vincent Summers 1 Comment

Honeybee Swarm Caught on Film in Spring 2016

Biology

A family of friends of mine took a vacation in California, staying with family. They are the outdoorsy type and are into water events, although the water was very cold on this trip. It was the tail end of March. During their stay, they experienced a fascinating event. Grabbing a camera and laying on the ground, my friend memorialized the event. He took two snapshots. They are seen below, along with an image taken of the photographer himself. It was a spring honeybee swarm! [caption id="attachment_14002" align="alignleft" width="380"] Be careful, Guy![/caption] Honeybee Swarm Mechanism Like a plant that grows by producing an offshoot, a nest of bees may divide with a mature or older queen leaving the original nest, taking a large percentage of the worker bees with her in…

05Apr 2016 by Vincent Summers 2 Comments

The Truck Jake Brake – Quiet Helpful Technology?

Technology

[caption id="attachment_13981" align="alignright" width="480"] “Jake Brake” Image by Sierra Fournier - Jacobs Vehicle Systems[/caption] The time is 1:30 in the morning. My house is along a small highway that carries moderate traffic at certain times of the day. It is graded slightly for about a tenth of a mile and has a bend in the road a few hundred feet past my home. Trucks constitute perhaps 10% of the traffic. As a truck picks up speed due to the grade and enters a straight-away, the driver may notice that curve in the road. Brakes are quickly applied. Diesel trucks have a special means of slowing down in addition to their ordinary braking system. It is called a Jake brake. This name is now generic, but at one time referred to…