Vincent Summers, Author at Quirky Science

16Sep 2015 by Vincent Summers 8 Comments

Are They Alive? DNA, Viruses, Gametes

Biology

[caption id="attachment_7797" align="alignright" width="380"] Varicella (chicken pox) virus. - Image CDC by Palmer and Bartin.[/caption] Some things may be associated with life, but the question remains: are they alive? Without turning this into a deeply scientific or philosophical discussion, an interesting question to ask in the proper context might be: Are they alive? We will consider a few examples of when this question might be appropriate. Is DNA alive? Do viruses live? Are an egg and a sperm alive before conception? Arguing the Case: One The DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) molecule is a complex chemical species that varies considerably, but shares a basic commonality in whichever life form it constitutes a part. Thus the DNA of a frog is similar to the DNA of an ox, is similar to the DNA…

11Sep 2015 by Vincent Summers No Comments

Do Double Bonds Flip? Does Electron Density Move?

Chemistry

[caption id="attachment_7788" align="alignright" width="440"] 1,3,5 Hexatriene - NIST Image[/caption] How do double bonds flip, and what is the significance? The shorthand drawing of a double bond looks like an equal sign between two atoms. The double bond between the two carbon atoms of ethene gas, H₂C=CH₂, well illustrates this. Some organic compounds possess conjugated (alternating) double bonds. A simple example of this is 1,3,5-hexatriene. [caption id="attachment_7785" align="alignright" width="340"] Fig. 1. 1,3,5 Cyclohexatriene.[/caption] What If? But what if the ends of that 1,3,5 hexatriene are joined, with the loss of two hydrogen atoms, to make a ring one might be tempted to call 1,3,5-cyclohexatriene? In fact, such a molecule, if flipped left-to-right, is seen to be identical with 2,4,6-cyclohexatriene! The numbers can be dropped and the molecule can simply be named…

11Sep 2015 by Vincent Summers 1 Comment

Exposing Kids to the Opera

People

[caption id="attachment_7776" align="alignright" width="480"] Barber of Seville by Gioachino Rossini[/caption] So I wanted to impart a little taste of musical culture to my grandkids. The best defense is a strong offense. I would head the bad guys off at the pass. An aria from Giacomo Puccini’s opera Turandot, namely “Nessun Dorma” (sung by Pavarotti), would be an excellent choice. If you think not, listen to the video below and see if it does not play a chord on your heartstrings. Opera for Kids 3 & 6? This decision would prove illuminating. Kids can teach their grandparents things, too. What do you think was the result? Think back to when you were a little child (mine were aged 3 and 6 years). The next day, my three-year old grandson said, “I…

09Sep 2015 by Vincent Summers 2 Comments

Comparing Hemoglobin and Chlorophyll

Biology, Medicine

[caption id="attachment_7766" align="alignright" width="440"] Hemoglobin tetramer ribbon CC-by-SA3.0 Zephyris[/caption] Are there similarities between the plant and animal world, for instance, between hemoglobin and chlorophyll? In nature, one can expect many parallels. Many animals have four feet. There are apes, lions, camels, and tortoises. Are all these related? Not really. Again, nearly all animals have two eyes in their head. Is there significance beyond the fact that this enables stereoscopic vision along an excellent line-of-sight? And so we come to the two substances most closely associated with life processes: the chlorophyll of plant life and the hemoglobin of animal life. Chlorophyll produces the food plants need for survival. Hemoglobin carries nutrients and oxygen essential to animal life. Although animals and plants are different, there are interesting parallels to be seen in…

04Sep 2015 by Vincent Summers No Comments

Fat, Fatty Acids, and Omega Fatty Acids

Health

[caption id="attachment_7752" align="alignright" width="440"] Fish are rich in 3-omega fatty acids.[/caption] "Pretty young things” run around uttering words the media have injected into their vocabulary, including among them the expression omega fatty acids. But, in fact, most of them have no idea what an omega fatty acid is. Let’s go a step further on that. They don’t know what any kind of fatty acid is. In fact, ask them to define what fat is, and they will only be able to describe it and tell you where you can obtain some, not they haven’t a clue as to what it actually is. But that is OK. One doesn’t need to know every aspect of a subject to be able to function. You needn't know the workings of a computer to…

02Sep 2015 by Vincent Summers 1 Comment

Important Differences between Lime and Limestone

Chemistry

[caption id="attachment_7743" align="alignright" width="480"] Lime stripes on football field.[/caption] I feel certain everyone has heard, whether in the realm of gardening or in the realm of sports, the words lime and limestone. Perhaps without even consciously thinking of it, these two words have been considered by many to be synonymous. Yet they are by no means synonymous. Lime Lime is used in delineating the zones and yard lines of a football field. Lime is a fine white powder. It is occasionally spread thinly over lawns as well. What is lime chemically speaking? It is calcium oxide, chemical formula CaO. By slaking lime with water, one obtains, naturally, slaked lime! Slaked lime has the chemical formula Ca(OH)2. The slaking of lime is written, in shorthand, CaO + H2O → Ca(OH)2 +…

28Aug 2015 by Vincent Summers 5 Comments

String Genealogy and My Connection to Actress Clara Bow

Genealogy, People

[caption id="attachment_7729" align="alignright" width="440"] The truly beautiful actress, Clara Bow.[/caption] Clara Bow was a (let's call a spade a spade) gorgeous silent movie actress who suffered an unusually difficult upbringing. Her father Robert though a capable man never prospered. As a result, the family was poor. Her mother Sarah, injured in a fall, suffered brain damage that severely affected her personality and behavior. Sarah was cared for by her daughter, even though Sarah had at one time, nearly murdered Clara. Her Career Although she had been picked on as a child, she was surpassingly successful in her role as actress, making 46 silent films and 11 talkies. Called the “It” girl because of her appearance in a film having that title, she was viewed as a sex symbol of the…

28Aug 2015 by Vincent Summers 9 Comments

The Difference Between Mohandas & Mahatma Gandhi

History, philosophy

[caption id="attachment_7716" align="alignright" width="380"] Mohandas K. Gandhi in 1909.[/caption] You've noticed it for years, but never understood why. What's the difference between Mohandas and Mahatma Gandhi? It's all very simple. What's in a Name? Mohandas Gandhi Both Mohandas and Mahatma Gandhi refer to the very same person. Mohandas is a name. Mahatma is a title. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (1869-1948) was the man who led India to independence from Britain. In the process, the land was divided in two: Muslim Pakistan, with the remainder becoming the new Hindu-dominated India. What's in a Title? Mahatma Gandhi He employed peaceful means to accomplish this end, and so came to be revered among the people. The reverence is reflected in the title Mahatma, which is defined as a revered person or sage who, some…

26Aug 2015 by Vincent Summers No Comments

Water Coolant in Internal Combustion Engines

Physics

[caption id="attachment_7705" align="alignright" width="440"] Most internal combustion engine radiators use water as coolant.[/caption] Automobile manufacturers almost invariably design their automobiles to use radiator cooling. Within the radiator, the fluid of choice is water coolant. A few additives in small quantities help minimize the formation of rust and reduce the freezing point. Why do they use radiators, and why is water the liquid of choice? As you might expect, it is the physical and chemical properties of water that dictate its use. What properties? Fluid Choice Common fluids include free moving solid-particles, liquids, and gases. As an example of fluid solids, black molybdenum sulfide is a solid lubricant used on certain moving automotive parts. That gases can cool should be intuitive. One blows on a forkful of hot food to keep…

17Aug 2015 by Vincent Summers 2 Comments

The Dipolar Molecule Water – Mickey the Dipole

Chemistry

[caption id="attachment_16242" align="alignright" width="440"] The bent water molecule manifests uneven charge distribution. Image by Qwerter CC-by-SA 3.0.[/caption] Mickey the Dipole? Everyone knows H₂O is the chemical formula for water. H stands for hydrogen. O stands for oxygen. The water molecule is made from two atoms of hydrogen and one atom of oxygen. Hydrogen atoms have one proton and one electron. Ordinary oxygen atoms have eight protons and eight neutrons and eight electrons. For the purposes of this discussion, we can forget the protons and the neutrons. Oxygen has a thirst for electrons. Hydrogen is "happy" to give up its electron. The reaction of hydrogen with oxygen (each of which exist as a pair) is, 2 H2 + O2 → 2 H2O The hydrogen parts are positive (H⁺). The oxygen part…