Physical Science

Since it was Einstein’s German mentor that invented GA nerve agent in the first world war from some kind of insecticide concentrate, a kind of bug dope survival spray or lotion to neutralize various inhalant and topical chemical agents ought…
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A BRIEF HISTORY OF CHEMISTRY Chemistry is a central science that is part of every aspect of life from the materials we use everyday to the functioning of life on this planet. Before we enter into a discussion on the…
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Ions are electrically-charged atoms or groups of atoms. Atoms are made of protons, neutrons, and electrons. Protons have an electrical charge of +1 and a mass of one atomic mass unit. Neutrons have no charge and also have a mass…
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The Blue Bottle Chemistry Experiment (J.Chem.Ed., V75 N12, p.1580, December 1998) is one of my favorite chemistry or forensics class demonstrations. It is most effective if I have the flask sitting at the teacher demonstration table as the students enter…
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What is a carbocation? Well cations are positively charged ions and “carbo” come from carbon so carbocations are positively charged carbon ions. They are intermediates in chemical reactions involving organic compounds. Some older literature refers to carbocations as carbonium ions…
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Green fuels are of particular interest to us in the early part of the 21st century for two reasons – the traditional fossil fuels such as petrol (gasoline) and gas that we have used are running out and becoming far…
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An atom is the basic unit of chemical substances. All matter is composed of atoms. Dalton, the first scientist to define the atom on the basis of scientific evidence, thought that atoms were indestructible and not able to be divided….
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Envision that tremulous moment when little Bobby reached to place the nine-hundred thirty-second domino (with only sixty-eight remaining) just as the telephone rang. He twitched, and the tap from his finger sent the entire chain spilling dramatically in spirals and…
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Chemistry students at any level are confronted with a variety of laws that serve to explain the reactions of gases to various different conditions. In broad terms, these laws are the study of thermodynamics, and are vital to much modern…
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Activation energy and the rate at which occurs (chemical kinetics) are inversely related. While activation energy is not the only factor that influences reaction rates, it is generally true that increasing the activation energy of a given reaction slows it…
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