Physical Science

In ancient times, philosophers and scientists did not have a clear view of the atom. From Democritus’s time to the 1800s, scientists  were unable to explain basic chemical reactions or understand the elements.  Then, came John Dalton, a schoolteacher and chemist, who…
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Dorothy Hodgkin, (nee Crowfoot) born on May 12, 1910, was a chemist who is credited with significant contributions to the field of protein crystallography. Born in Cairo, Egypt to British parents, she spent much of her early life in Egypt…
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The historic foundations of chemistry were mainly established by Asian chemists of the first millennium AD.  The centers for this intellectual and scientific development were primarily in the Middle East and in China.  These disparate schools drove the transition of…
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Chemical reactions are the basis of life on earth. As human beings, we are little more than the naturally abundant elements of which we are composed and the reactions between the compounds that they form. After all, how could life…
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Bioluminescence is the term describing the emission of light by living organisms as a result of various biochemical mechanisms involving a catalyzing enzyme. Although various species could have different processes in the production of light, the occurrence of bioluminescence will…
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Silent Death, that’s what carbon monoxide is known as. It sneaks up on you without your even being aware it’s there, you can’t hear it, see it, or taste it and yet, it can kill you. This poisonous gas is…
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The radioactive isotope, Iodine-131, has been in the news recently because of the disaster at the Fukushima power plant in Japan. One term that keeps arising is ‘half-life’. At its most basic, the half-life of an isotope refers to the…
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Emeralds are a type of hexagonal beryl crystal. Pure beryl, or beryllium aluminum cyclosilicate, is always colorless. Most beryls found in nature are not pure. The type of impurity determines the color of the beryl crystal. In emeralds, the impurity…
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John Dalton’s Atomic Theory is based on the facts known in 1808. The Atomic Theory states that all elements are made up of atoms. Atoms of an element are all alike. Atoms are not created or destroyed in chemical reactions….
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American Heritage Dictionary: “Carbon black: A finely divided form of carbon derived from the incomplete combustion of hydrocarbons and used principally in rubber, inks, paints and polishes.” Carbon black, also once commonly known as lamp black or furnace black, has…
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