20Aug 2014 by Vincent Summers 6 Comments

Cesium Auride – Relativistic Electrons?

Chemistry
[caption id="attachment_7305" align="alignright" width="440"] Imagine relativistic electrons.[/caption] Strange isn't the word for cesium auride. Gold in liquid form? Indeed, yes! Discovered more than a half century ago, the properties of this cesium and gold compound are not yet fully understood. There are all sorts of curios in chemistry. Chemists love them dearly. I still remember one particularly strange molecule. It was affectionately named hexamethyl bathroom tile. Free Lectures Recently I listened to some free online chemistry lectures. They were produced by MIT under its OpenCourseWare program. One of those lectures spoke of an alloy of cesium and gold that acts like a salt, cesium auride. Key to its forming is the difference in electronegativity between cesium and gold. It is roughly the same as the difference between sodium and iodine!…
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20Aug 2014 by Vincent Summers No Comments

What Happens at Absolute Zero?

Physics
[caption id="attachment_7397" align="alignright" width="440"] Bose-Einstein condensate at billionths of a degree. Image by NIST[/caption] Classical physics suggests that at absolute zero, particles cease all motion. But what about quantum mechanics, the science of the very small? Ah, therein lies the rest of the story. From Gas to Frigid Solid It is well established fact that heated gas atoms or molecules move with great vigor. In fact, gas expands as energy increases, due to increased particle momentum. The reverse is also true. Cool a gas and it shrinks. Particle motion decreases. Particle momentum decreases. The atoms or molecules come closer together. At some point a liquid forms. Cool the liquid further and the result is a solid. Keep cooling the solid, and in theory it is possible to reach the coldest…
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18Aug 2014 by Vincent Summers 3 Comments

The Ammonia Flip, Quantum Tunneling and Oscillations

Physics
[caption id="attachment_25040" align="alignleft" width="400"] Image U..C. Davis[/caption]Unexplained by classical mechanics, the ammonia flip occurs when an ammonia molecule flips like an umbrella... Quantum mechanics explains how some phenomena occur which are not part of everyday experience. The ammonia molecule can flip when ordinary logic suggests it should not be able to do so. When most people think of ammonia, they think of a household cleaner. Actually, ammonia is a gas. The household cleaner is a dilute solution of that gas in water. Chemists would call that ammonium hydroxide. Ammonia has the very simple chemical formula, NH3. That's the formula; but what's its structure? How would you draw it? Would you draw it like an airplane propeller with the nitrogen being the hub and the tips of the three blades the…
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18Aug 2014 by Vincent Summers No Comments

Factors that Complicate Atomic Mass Determination

Physics
[caption id="attachment_8319" align="alignright" width="440"] Nucleus - CC-SA-3.0 by Marekich[/caption] Modern chemistry depends a good deal upon accurately knowing the atomic mass of each of the elements. What factors complicate determining those values? Each of the approximately 90 different natural-occurring elements possesses a nucleus or central core of protons and neutrons, in addition to electrons that orbit around the nucleus. It is important to the chemist or physicist to know the total mass of each element. Can correct values be obtained simply by summing the weight of individual particles in an atom? After all, each of these particles has a precisely known mass. The answer is, No! Such calculations disagree with experimental measurement. An example illustrates the point. Consider Helium-3 An atom of helium-3 has two protons, one neutron, and two…
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28Jul 2014 by Vincent Summers 4 Comments

Dust Storms on the Moon

Astronomy
The solar winds blow, shaping earth's magnetic field. What happens on the moon when it encounters the magnetotail? Can dust storms on the moon be affected by earth's magnetic field? Apples and Oranges The earth's magnetic field receives constant bombardment from the sun's solar wind. This forces back the flux lines into a long extended tail on the side of earth opposite the sun. This extended stream is referred to as a magnetotail. The Moon's Time of the Month Most of the month the moon is not under the influence of earth's magnetotail, but is exposed to the solar wind. Yet, part of each month the moon does cross into earth's magnetotail. This occurs over a period of about six days, three days before the moon enters its full phase…
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24Jul 2014 by Vincent Summers No Comments

Acetylene and Acetylides

Chemistry
Acetylene and acetylides are easy to make and simple to understand. Acetylene (ethyne) is one of the tiniest organic compounds. Its formula is C₂H₂. The two carbon atoms share a triple bond. Its structure is HC≡CH. Acetylides are produced from acetylene by replacing one hydrogen atom. Acetylene is a useful fuel. Despite this, acetylene can form acetylides that are extremely dangerous, explosive! Making Acetylene Making the gas is simple. Mixing calcium carbide with water makes acetylene. CaC₂ + 2 H₂O → Ca(OH)₂ + C₂H₂↑ Calcium Carbide Where does calcium carbide come from? Lime and coke are combined at temperatures ranging from 2000 to 2100 degrees C in an electric arc furnace. CaO + 3C → CaC₂ + CO↑ [caption id="attachment_16272" align="alignright" width="280"] Calcium carbide[/caption] Triple Bond What is the origin of…
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08Jul 2014 by Vincent Summers No Comments

Thalia and Melpomene: Comedy, Tragedy

History
[caption id="attachment_7319" align="alignright" width="440"] Masks based on Thalia and Melpomene[/caption] Who are Thalia and Melpomene? Born in the 40s, I watched black and white movies. They had few special effects. Still, they offered top notch acting. Some of the movies were from the 20s. Some were older. These were the silents. Silent Movies To convey emotion, gestures and facial expressions were exaggerated. Today, this would be overacting. Many scenes were filmed at a distance, but directors soon realized audiences wanted closeups of their favorite actors. Ancient Greeks used different means to gain audience engagement. The Stage and Back to Greek Drama In the 19th and early 20th century, entertainment featured live performances. The faces of actors were not readily seen. Greek theater with its large audiences, used contorted facial masks.…
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03Jul 2014 by Vincent Summers No Comments

Privacy Statement for Quirky Science

People
If you require any more information or have any questions about our privacy policy, please feel free to contact us by email at vsummers@gmail.com. At www.quirkyscience.com/, the privacy of our visitors is of extreme importance to us. This privacy policy document outlines the types of personal information is received and collected by www.quirkyscience.com/ and how it is used. Log Files Like many other Web sites, www.quirkyscience.com/ makes use of log files. The information inside the log files includes internet protocol ( IP ) addresses, type of browser, Internet Service Provider ( ISP ), date/time stamp, referring/exit pages, and number of clicks to analyze trends, administer the site, track user’s movement around the site, and gather demographic information. IP addresses, and other such information are not linked to any information that…
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12May 2014 by Vincent Summers 3 Comments

Buttercups Glow at Night

Biology, Plants
Believe it or not, buttercups glow at night. Before bed, I take our rather large dog for her nighttime walk so there will be no “accidents.” I am old and weigh 300 lbs., so I take the direct route, along the driveway. There are margins of grass and weeds on either side. In late summer, for about the past several years, I have seen these tiny lights glow, then fade, glow then fade. When I first spotted them, I hustled back to get a flashlight so I could see what the little accordion-like creatures. Turns out they were glowworms. Sing with Me Now Of course the song Glow Little Glow Worm by the Mills Brothers came immediately to mind. But imagine my surprise when, one night in mid-spring I saw a…
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07May 2014 by Vincent Summers No Comments

The Iron Sandwich Compound Ferrocene

Chemistry
[caption id="attachment_6151" align="alignright" width="440"] Ferrocene - an Iron Sandwich Compound[/caption] Who doesn't love a ham and cheese sandwich? Or a peanut butter and jelly sandwich? Well, there are special chemical substances that resemble sandwiches. There is, for example, the sandwich compound ferrocene, (C₅H₅)₂Fe. It consists of an atom of iron "sandwiched" between two cyclopentadiene molecules. Sandwich Compound The classification of such metallic organic compounds is metallocene. D-orbital electrons in the iron atom add to the pi-electrons of two cyclopentadiene molecules. This stabilizes the structure, since the cyclopentadienyl anion (-1 charge) has aromatic properties. The iron atom adopts, in effect, a ferrous (+2) electrical charge. Other Metallocenes In general, metallocenes have mostly been of laboratory interest. Some do exhibit a marked level of importance. One application is in catalysis. Other metallocenes…
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