Eco friendly light bulbs

Light is almost a must have in every household. It allows us to see what is in front and around us. The bad part about light though, is that it wastes energy, and money. Incandescent light bulbs have been used for over a century since they were invented. They never improved much, not allowing for much help. CFL light bulbs have been recently invented to save energy, and money. CFL stands for compact fluorescent lamp. CFL light bulbs use 75% less energy, and last 10 times longer! Many people though, have not switched due to the iconic shape of the light bulb. New CFL bulbs have been replicated to look like the iconic shape, AND save energy and money. All the more reason to buy one, or more! Go and save the world and live luxuriously!

Soap

Soap is what we all use to clean our bodies and hands everyday (hopefully). It's been used for a very long time. The question is, how did we come up with the idea? It was actually presented to us. A long time ago, when sacrifices were still welcomed, animals were sacrificed by a river. They were burned, and tossed into the river. The women that came to wash their clothes in the river noticed that water became sudsy, and the clothes were cleaned better. They correlated the sudsy water to the burning of fat, creating soap. Soap is made from fats being broken apart by heat. You start off with a fat and a sodium hydroxide or a potassium hydroxide. When you break off the glycerol, you end up with a crude soap. Then you can make it all pretty and add scents to make it smell good. Soap truly works to make water more runny for lack of a better term. The soap bottles that say "kills 99.9% germs" are lying. They get rid of the germs by rinsing them off of your hands and body.

Stoichiometry

Stoichiometry is a branch in chemistry that essentially deals with the "math" of chemistry. For instance, take photosynthesis. 6H2O + 6CO2 = C6H12O6 + 6O2. That's the stoichiometric formula for photosynthesis. 6 water molecules plus 6 carbon dioxide molecules makes one sugar molecules with an extra 6 oxygen molecules. The plant uses the sugar molecules for itself and gets rid of the oxygen molecules for us to breathe. We take the oxygen and the carbon dioxide, and we breathe out the carbon dioxide for the plants to take. It's a big circle. That formula for photosynthesis is basic stoichiometry. The chemistry and math go together. For a simple math problem, there is a simple stoichiometric problem. For a hard math problem comes a hard stoichiometric problem.

Spectroscopy

Spectroscopy is the study of the interaction between matter and radiated energy. Basically, it's the study of the correlation of matter and light. The largest experiment that ever took place in spectroscopy was shining a light at a prism. The light that went to the prism was, obviously, white. It ended up coming out the other side looking like a rainbow. A large array of colors. Rainbows are a very good example of spectroscopy. Light from the sun is shined down on earth, but there is still water particles lingering. The light goes through each water particle, and each particle acts as the prism, showing up as a rainbow on the other side. In this sense, you can't go "over the rainbow" like Dorothy could, since light is everywhere. You'd have to go above the water particles. Spectroscopy is a very hard and complex science that can't even summed up in one blog. I encourage everyone to take some time to read about it, as it is a very interesting topic.

Catalysis

Catalysis is the rate of change of a chemical reaction using a catalyst. A catalyst is unique, as it is not consumed by the chemical reaction itself, allowing for other chemical reactions to be done with one catalyst. A catalyst participating in the speed up of a reaction is called a positive catalysts. Catalysts that slow the chemical reaction are called inhibitors, or negative catalysts. There are four types of catalysis: Heterogeneous, homogeneous, electocatalysts, and organocatalysts. Heterogeneous catalysts usually are solids acting on liquids or gases. Homogeneous catalysts are usually dissolved in the solvent. Electrocatalysts are solely correlated with electricity. Oganocatalysts deal with carbon and carbon based molecules.

Chemical reactions

A chemical reaction is when to chemicals come into contact, and some type of reaction happens. To classify as a chemical reaction, a chemical change MUST occur. You start with one compound, and end up with another. For instance: iron (Fe) rusting, silver tarnishing, paper burning, these are all chemical reactions. For the rusting, when the iron comes into contact with the oxygen in the air (O2) and they combine, creating the rust. Reactions can include ions, molecules, or just pure atoms. Single reactions happen usually in a larger chain of reactions. Take, moving your arm. The contraction of your arm requires muscles, which require sugar, which have to be metabolized, which requires proteins...need a breather yet? Chemical reactions can take a lot more than just that. That sentence is smaller than a period in the sentence of other chemical reactions. There are infinitely many chemical reactions, each resulting in something totally different. Some chemical reactions with fire can change the color of fire. This is called the spectrum. Each element, or chemical has a different spectrum, but that's a whole different story.

Diet coke and mentos

We all know and love the soda bottle rockets. When you get a liter of diet coke, a roll of mentos, you don't only have yummy foods, you have a rocket. When you put the mento in the coke, the soda shoots high into the air. Have you ever wondered why? The mythbusters did. If you look at a mento close up, it has a surface like the moon. It has craters. When you put into contact with carbonation, the CO2 catches in the craters and forms into a gas. That, along with the carbonation that's already formed, allows the drink to shoot up into a beautiful, sticky soda column.

Light from light savers

All hard sugar-based candies emit light when chewed. Wint-0-green life savers emit the most light. The effect is called triboluminescence, similar to the electrical charge-up of lightning. Triboluminescence is the emmision of light, which results from something being smashed or town. Lighting results from clouds smashing together. The friction is what truly creates the light, the banging is what creates the sound. The crushing of, in this case, sugar molecules, forces some electrons out of an atomic field. These electrons bump into nitrogen molecules in the air. When they collide, the electrons give energy to the nitrogen molecules, causing vibration. Now, the nitrogen molecules have so much energy they need to get rid of it (just like Alexis). They depart the energy by emitting light. That's why light comes from life savers when you chew on them. I won't say "don't try this at home" because you can! Go in your bathroom, close the door, turn out the lights, let your eyes adjust. Now, put the lifesaver in your mouth and bite...HARD. It may take a few times, but you'll see it in the mirror soon enough. Have fun!

Chemoreceptors

We, as humans, have 5 senses. Sight, sound, touch, and the two that I will be talking about today, smell and taste. Smell and taste are the only two senses we use that requires a chemical. Chemoreceptors, also referred to as chemosenses, require a chemical stimulus in the environment. The tongue has these little bumps on it called tastebuds. Each bump holds several nerves that are chemical sensitive. There are different spots on the tongue that can taste different chemicals. The tip of the tongue tastes sweet, The tip and front sides tastes salt, the back sides taste sour, and the back tastes bitter. The nose has olfactory (smell) receptors high in the nose, right between the eyes. There is mucous which must interact with the given scent. This scent is then precieved by the brain which then says "this is sweet" or "this smells like flowers". Taste and smell are both senses that allow for survival, way back when. Now that we live in a community that doesn't require taste and smell as vital senses, we don't truly need them, therefore they are now a luxury. Auroma therapy is a large luxury that can help sooth the mind and body both. Sweet foods are what make us want to eat more.

Developing film: an ancient art

Way back in the day, when technology was at its minimum, cameras took pictures in the form of film, not pixels. There are multiple chemicals involved. These include: Ilford Ilfotec HC film developer which converts salts into a metallic silver, Ilford indicator stop bath which is an acid neutrilizing the alkaline stop bath, Ilford rapid fixer which "deactivates" the sensitivity of your film to light, Heico permawash which removes fixer from your film, and photo-flo which prevents water spot marks. The stop bath is an opposite to basic matter, causing the basic matter to dissolve with the stop both. The photo-flo is an opposite to water, also dissolving the water as well as itself. Chemicals chemicals! When do they stop? This is just a few of what's used. There are other forms of these, and there are other chemicals all together. I bet you didn't know photography had anything to do with chemistry, did you?

Fake snow

It's christmas! The time to be jolly, happy, and...scientific? We do live in Arizona, so we need some form of snow, obviously not natural. Luckily, we have science! Chemistry shows us that artificial snow can be made easily. Here's how: find some sodium polyacrylate (commonly found in diapers, or as crystals in a gardening center). Once you have a good amount, mix it with some water. Add as much water as you want and keep mixing until it is "slushy" enough for you. If you want a realistic "cold" snow, you can refrigerate or freeze it, as it will be only slightly cold alone. Let it snow! In Arizona!

Fluoride: the deadly cleaner

Fluoride is commonly found in toothpaste, and tap water. It is well known to fight cavities. What you may not have known is that it was once used as insecticide, and rat poison. Yummy! This tooth helper is a body killer! If it's found in both toothpaste and tap water, then you're probably consuming a lot! Fluoride is a by-product of copper, iron, and aluminum manufacturing. The way the thought to properly dispose of it, was to put into the water systems. This would hep fight tooth decay. Another problem is, based on a study on 34,000 students, fluoride doesn't even help tooth decay! Good time to start thinking about the money you may get if you sue the fluoridation companies. The irony of the idea of fluoride: too much consumption leads to discoloration of teeth and crumbling. Don't worry about that though. That's nothing compared to the other effects of fluoride! Fluoride hightens chances of absorption of aluminum in the brain. Too much aluminum leads to alzheimer's disease. A few other fluoride effects include, but are deffinately not limited to: bone fracture, damage to musculoskeletal and nervous systems leading to joint imobility, ligament calcification, muscular degeneration, and neurological deficits. Really starting to love the thought of fluoride right? Me neither. The biggest problem is, there's nothing you can really do. I wouldn't worry too much though, as it would take a fair amount of fluoride to cause the worst of results.

Embalming

Embalming is the preservation of a body, commonly known and reffered to by the ancient egyptians embalming mummies. Typically embalming fluid contains a mixture of formaldehyde, methanol and other solvents. Embalming fluid kills bacteria, and allows the regeneration of cells to keep its process (Only works for the skin). This may be a do it yourself project, but you will deffinately look weird, so I don't recommend doing it yourself. If you choose to, you will need recently dead tissue (preferably not a human) and the need fluids. The fluids must be injected into the veins/arteries of the tissue. You may wrap the tissue in "mummy wrappings" if you choose, but that will only be for looks. Have fun...?

7 Interesting health facts about coffee

Here are some surprising health facts on coffee.

1. It can ward off depression: Study shows that women who drink coffee have a 20% lesser chance of depression than non-coffee drinkers.

2.It may promote a healthy weight: When you drink coffee after a meal, it cause your body to more slowly process the food.

3. It may boost fertility in men: Studies have shown that sperm morality is higher in coffee drinkers than non-coffee drinkers.

4. It can harbor bacteria: When we think of the germiest place in our house we normally think our sink and such, the truth is the coffee machine can be a large place for mold growth.

5. It can reduce risk for skin cancer: Women who drank more than three cups of coffee a day had a 20% lower risk for basal cell carcinoma, and men had a 9% reduced risk.

6. It is not addictive: Some say that they cannot go one day without at least one cup of coffee, but the truth is it is not all that addictive, people who drink coffee and skip for a day do not experience physical and psychological problems as opposed to those who take drugs.

7. It dose not cause stomach pain: people have often blamed a cup of Java for giving them indigestion, the truth is coffee has never really been proven to cause indigestion. However it has shown to cause heartburn symptoms.

Resource: yahoo.com

I find it to be very interesting, I never knew coffee could do these things and I'm sure it gives insight to those who do drink coffee.

Water addiction

So, you know my last blog? Here's a counter blog. Be afraid...very afraid. It is possible to be addicted to water, and it's also possible to OD. Water can be expensive when you're addicted and want more...and more...and more... Water may be good for your body, but only until a certain point. That point, however, is far from what you probably drink in about 3 days. Excessive consumption leads to hyponatraemia (yes I had to go back and forth between windows to spell the word). Hyponatraemia (water intoxication) is a condition in which levels of sodium in the blood become dangerously diluted leading to convulsions, coma, and death. Water addiction is serious, but very rare. Water OD is also serious, but even more rare. There have been 5 known situations where someone has ODd into coma and/or death.

Benefits of water

The human body is made of 75% water. It can be hard to believe, but most of our body is liquid, and/or moistened. There are a many benefits of water. 1. Loss of weight. Water flushes the by products of fat breakdown, reduces hunger, plus, water has zero calories. 2. Water is a natural suprecent to headaches. Headaches can often be caused by dehydration. 3. Younger appearance. Water allows for a healthier more natural skin. Water can increase skin elasticity. 4. Better productivity. Your brain is made of 90% water, so the more water you take in, the brain you add. 5. Better excersize. Water allows for a better energy rate, and replenishing your muscles. 6. Helps with digestion and constipation. Water allows the digestive tract to have better elasticity, allowing better digestion and...well, you know. 7. Less cramps and sprains. Water keeps your joints and muscles lubricated. 8. Less likely to get sick. Water can greatly improve your immune system. 9. Relieves fatigue. Water is used to flush out toxins and stuff, so if you don't have water, your heart needs to pump harder, tiring you quicker. 10. Good mood. When your body feels good, you do too! 11. You won't die in 3 days!!!!! We all know that if you don't drink water, you'll die in 3-4 days, so you might want to go get some of that tasty water! (I know it tastes so plain, but still, get some!)

Why do we hallucinate on "shrooms"?

Mushrooms, aka magic mushrooms, shrooms, and a others, can cause hallucinating. Hallucinations are when your mind sees different things than what are truly there. psilocybin is the chemical in mushrooms that cause the hallucinations. This chemical is found in mushrooms, but not strong. The mushrooms must grow, typically in cow feces. The feces allows for the psilocybin to multiply and the effects strengthen. ODing on "shrooms" is a rare occasion, usually needing to consume the amount of weight in mushrooms as you weigh yourself. This can prove that psilocybin is not deadly. Psilocybin can slowly kill brain cells on the other hand. Mushrooms may sound like a good and fun idea, but they can still be dangerous, mostly by the actions they can make you do.

The Eye

The eye is a sensory organ found in most living creatures. The simplest of eyes can be used just to tell if the surrounding area is light or dark, whereas the more complex grants the sense of vision. Light is what allows us to see. The human's eye works differently than some others. It projects light to the retina, which depicts the image and precieves it into the true image that is there. It is typically spherical (unless there is some problem) and has a liquid, informally called eye jelly. It contains a muscle called the iris, which expands and contracts to allow a certain comfortable amount of light to pass through the pupil. The human eyes are placed in the front of the head, allowing only forward sight. A horse's eyes, among others, are placed on the side of the head, allowing a much wider range of sight, but not 4 feet in front. The horse must rear up to see what's in front of them, but can see very well on the sides. A human's eyes are uniocular, meaning they see only one image that the brain can precieve. A horse's eyes are bincular, allowing them to precieve the image taken by both eyes. The human eyes can turn towards each other to see a certain object to look like it is one thing. They can diverge from each other to see something farther away. This is often called cross-eyed viewing. Have you ever gone cross-eyed from reading too long? That's because the muscles get so used to looking close that it takes time for them to relax. Just like when you're working out. Your bisceps start to stay tensed for a short period of time. There are 2 types of light viewing molecules in your eyes. Rods and Cones. Rods are responsible for low light vision and black and white vision. Cones are responsible for high light vision and colored vision. The eyes are wonderous things in which allow us to survive. Thank them for being your friend, as they will do anything to keep you alive!

Keratin

Nails are a part of the human and animal body. They tend to grow at the tips of the hand on feet. On humans, at the fingers and toes. Horses, the hoof is one big nail, etc. Nails are made of keratin. Keratin is dead, hardened skin usually used for protection. If, for instance, you touch underneath your nail, it can cause extreme discomfort. It lines the outer skin layer as well, and lines hair follicles and horns. The cells that harden into keratin go through a process called keratinization. Keratin protects us from cuts, and pressure. If we had no keratin, we would have to live a much more careful, secluded life.

Skin Color

Humans and animals alike come on such a wide variety of colors. Not just white, black, and brown. There are so many different shades in between, all accessable. There is: Light, dark, plain, or freckly skin; black, brunette, blonde, auburn, red, and white hair; and blue, green, hazel, amber and brown eyes. All colors that deal with the body are due to melanin. Melanin is solely a pigment, which is derivative of the amino acid tyrosine. There are 3 types of natural melanins: eumelanin, pheomelanin, and neuromelanin. Both chemical composition and physical properties differ between the 3. As melanin affects humans hair and skin, it affects and animals fur and skin. The more melanin present, the darker the color becomes. For instance, a dog with brown eyes, black fur, and brown skin, has a lot of melanin. A dog that has blue eyes, white fur, and light skin, has little melanin present. The sun, or ultraviolet rays increase the number of melanin cells. That is why we tan. The condition where there is absolutely no melanin cells present in the body is albino. The skin is white, and the eyes are pink, and the body can burn easily. Most albino beings don't live very long, especially horses. Albino horses will die within one week of birth.

The octet rule

The octet rule is just a rule of thumb stating that molecules "like" to have 8 electrons in their valence shell. This would give them the same structure as a noble gas. The easiest way to see this is lewis dot structures (see left). As you can see in the diagram, the nitrogen, N, has 5 electrons in it's valence shell. The Flourines, F, have 7. Each wants 8 electrons, so they all bond to form an 8 electron alliance with each other. With these bonds, it will be hard to break the bonds. That is the octet rule.

How Electricity Works

Electricity is a marvelous thing. It's everywhere we go. Even if we're off the grid, it helps our bodies. Electricity is energy, and energy is motion, therefore, electricity is technically motion. We move, and so we have electricity within ourselves. Electricity can be a very dangerous thing, yet so helpful. For instance, when you're struck by lightning, your chances of living (based on where struck) can be slim. A phone charger on the hand, as but a blunt weapon that cannot shock you to death. Many people don't quite grasp what electricity is though. One interesting fact about electricity is as follows. When you rub a balloon against your head, and touch it to the ceiling, it stays. This is electricity at work. Electricity is the attraction of a positive charge to a negative charge. Wait, wait, that's magnetism right? Yes, but electricity plays a part as well. Electricity wasn't truly started until the electron was found. The protons, well, they don't like the electrons, but the electrons like the protons, so the electrons push and push to get to the protons in an atom, but they can't, and this causes movement. That's why electrons move around the nucleus (containing the protons). Electricity contains a few different units. Voltage (V), current (I), and resistance (r). V is measured in Volts, I in amps, and r in ohms. No, there is no meditation involved. A nice analogy is plumbing pipes. The voltage is equivelant to the water pressure, the current equivelant to the flow rate, and resistance is like the pipe size. The equation is I=V/r. Electric power is measured in watts (P). P=VI. That's electricity! Enjoy your new found knowledge, but don't electricute yourself, your doctor would wonder if you need mental help.

Titanium

Resource: http://education.jlab.org/itselemental/ele022.html

The element of Titanium is a metal on the periodic table. The atomic number is 22 and atomic weight is 47.867. The melting point is 1941 K and boiling point is 3560 K. Titanium was discovered by Reverend William Gregor in 1791. It was first produced by an American metallurgist named Matthew Hunter in 1910. Titanium is strong and light. It is as strong as steel and twice as strong as aluminium. Also, it is 45% lighter than steel! It is also very resistant to corrosive elements. It is used in parts that are exposed to water on boats which would take much advantage on the resistance it has. Titanium and titanium alloys have been used for airplanes, missiles, and rockets where the high temperature resistance and low weight can be useful. Also, it is used for artificial limbs.

Titanium is a very important metal and when given a job, it will get it done most of the time. The problem with titanium is the high cost for it, so it can't be used widespread. It only the 9th abundant element in the earth's crust, but it is still difficult to make it to the point of usage. Titanium is a game changing metal that could possibly be used in the future more widespread

Drinking Too Much Water?!

Resource: http://chemistry.about.com/cs/5/f/blwaterintox.htm

Drinking water is an essential thing we need to do. I found it interesting to see that we can actually get intoxicated by water and hyponatremia. This rare happening of drinking too much water will usually happen to infants of under six months of age or sometimes athletes. The body tries to fix this in two ways. The first is the one that leads to hyponatremia. The tissues will swell up with the water and it must be maintained like everything else in your body. Sodium is drawn out of the cells to try and fix this imbalance. Soon, the sodium concentrations will drop and it will create a lack of sodium. Another way this goes is to regain electrolyte imbalance from the outside and inside of the cell. The water will go through something called osmosis. Osmosis basically is, "Move the water over here, there just too little. Let's spread the wealth!!". The water will then moved into the cell to balance the inside and outside and the cells can burst! Its a pretty crazy process.

Here your probably thinking, "I'm never drink too much water ever, and I will make sure of it.". Like I said, it was a rare thing to happen. It's not necessarily how much water we drink, it's how fast we drink it. If we don't drink like we just got out of some intense desert when we really aren't, then its best to don't overkill on the water.

Burning Money?!

Resource: http://chemistry.about.com/od/demonstrationsexperiments/ss/burnmoney.htm

Who would've thought to even want to burn money?! Well I might try it with this trick. The trick to burn a bill is pretty simple. First of all, the bill is usually more like a fabric than paper. To start off, make sure the dollar bill is damp. Use water to dampen it. Or it can be put in an alcohol-water solution. Light the bill on fire and see what happens!! The bill will actually light on fire since the alcohol is flammable. This burns off all the alcohol off the dollar bill and it just ends up you have a damp bill.

I think this is an amazing trick. I never knew it before I read the article above. I going to end up testing this at some point and it is going to be awesome! How about you give it a try yourself?

A Healthy Life

Resource: http://stay-healthy-enjoy-life.blogspot.com/2007/11/avoiding-harmful-chemicals-in-food-and.html

Eating healthy is one part of having a healthy life in a person's life time. We are exposed to many natural toxins and poisons in our food and environment. The human does an exceptional job at getting rid of these natural toxins, but more artificial chemicals or toxins are becoming more and more frequent. This means we ourselves can't take that much of toxins and we may suffer from consequences. Many of these toxins are nutrients that are only needed for a tiny bit of concentration, but it turns harmful in higher concentrations.

These toxins can dangerous to our being. It would be very helpful to know what to avoid. It would be best to start eating organic foods and non commercial products. Try to avoid processed foods since they may contain undesired chemicals. It is also important to not that artificial addictives are also another danger if had too much. If you really want to be in a healthier state, it would be best to take these tips.

Electronic Waste

Resource: http://ewasteproject.blogspot.com/

I find this very funny that I'm doing a blog which i had sparked interest from another blog. I find it very ironic, but here it goes. Electronic waste to put simply is all the high tech stuff we may put in the trash. The problem here is that E-waste is not really that biodegradable. This means that it will stay there until someone is willing to clean it up or not even throw out in the wrong trash. The thing is that this only started about twenty to thirty years ago. It started with Japan and United States since they were the most developed nation. E-Waste continues to be created by all the high tech devices such as computers and I-Pods. Eighty percent of these devices go to landfills and only twenty percent get sent to be recycled. The recycled material are instead sent to India since it only costs $2 to perform the process there. In India, the working environment is not as safe as the U.S. tries to make theirs. This puts a threat to another country for our garbage since some of the high tech devices can be hazardous to human health. This means that we are creating danger for another country.

We as humans overall should take responsibility for the E waste. This kind of waste is dangerous and we need to recycle more and more. Let's put the electronics in the recycle and m be we can change those percents in the landfills. The more developed nations would do a lot of this work, but many nation should work on it as well.

Facts about Bleach

Resource: http://chemicalland21.com/industrialchem/inorganic/sodium%20hypochlorite.htm

Bleach is an everyday item we us people we use we very frequently. The real name to bleach is sodium hypochlorite. This chemical's formula is NaOCl. The molcular weight of this chemical is 74.44. Some other facts are that the color of the chemical is either clear to yellowish liquid with a Chlorine like odor. The melting point is 25 C and the boiling point is 101 C. It's ph rests around 12- 13.

These facts can be helpful to possibly create the substance. This information would be very useful for any chemistry class such as ours if we ever needed this information.

What is Ammunition made of?

Resource: http://www.madehow.com/Volume-2/Ammunition.html#b

Guns are like the "sword" of our time. Modern times require all modern armies to employ guns and advanced technologies to help their troops and win any battle they are put into. Ammunition is one of these things we as human being will need to use a gun. A bullet would be an incorrect term for those who do use weapons. The bullet is only one part that is called the projectile. The real components to a cartridge is the bullet, case, primer, and propellant or gunpowder. Each of these components is made separately and then assembled together. The bullets are made of a lead alloy that contains tin or antimony. Some ullet will have a thick jacket of copper on the outside to improve performance. Cases are made of brass, steel, or aluminium. Brass is the most common one of all these options. Although, shotgun shells are mostly made with a polypropylene. Primers are made of copper or brass alloy cup with a brass anvil and are filled with an impact senstive lead styphnate ignitor.

Modern weapons will always need the help of ammunition. I'm a fan of swords, but I still love guns. I believe that knowing how to make a cartridge may be useful for people who love guns since one person may want to make their own.

How to Make a Katana Blade

Resource: http://www.ehow.com/how_4601898_build-a-katana.html

To begin the process one must forge two blades out of Japanese black sand. The steel is called "tamahagane" and it has no equal on Earth. Heat the steel, then fold it and hammer it. Repeat this process thousands of times. This will pound out the impurities and evenly distribute the carbon throughout the blade. This will make the katana very strong. Fold one of the blades more than the other. This will makes one hard blade and soft blade. Then, you have to bend the harder balde in a U shape. This process is followed by inserting the softer blade into the U shape. Pound them together so it becomes one blade. Continue to craft the katana blade so that it will start looking like a sword. Sharpen the point and hard edge then narrow the end to prepare for hilt. Then cover the blade with clay. Spread a thin layer on the blade edge and a thick layer on the rest. This will make different parts of the katana blade cool at different rates of time when it is heated. Also, the thin layer on the blade edge with make it even harder. Heat and cool the weapon. Then place the blade in a fire then dunk in a water. The mud will make the blade begin to bend backwards since it was placed unevenly. Repeat the heating and cooling process until the katana has it's characteristic curved shape we all know and love. Then remove the mud and polish the katana. Craft any artistic ridges on the sword. This process is done with special Japanese polishing stones.

The katana was one of the best or is the best sword of all time. It is considered legendary and since most people will know what a katana is, it did a great job at making a name for itself. The blade takes a long and tedious process, but It has given one of the best outputs to the sword world. This process also proves that with hard work comes great rewards! Go Swords!!

How to make a smoke bomb

1) Pour about 3 parts potassium nitrate to 2 parts sugar into the skillet (5:3 ratio is also good). Measurements don't need to be exact, but you want more KNO3 than sugar. For example, you can use 1-1/2 cups KNO3 and 1 cup sugar. If you use equal amounts of KNO3 and sugar, your smoke bomb will be harder to light and will burn more slowly. As you approach the 5:3 KNO3:sugar ratio, you get a smoke bomb that burns more quickly.

2) Apply low heat to the pan. Stir the mixture with a spoon using long strokes. If you see the grains of sugar starting to melt along the edges where you are stirring, remove the pan from the heat and reduce the temperature before continuing.

3) Basically you are carmelizing sugar. The mixture will melt and become a caramel or chocolate color. Continue heating/stirring until the ingredients are liquefied. Remove from heat.

4) Pour the liquid onto a piece of foil. You can pour a smaller amount onto a separate piece, to test the batch. You can pour the smoke bomb into any shape, onto an object, or into a mold. The shape and size will affect the burning pattern.

5) If you aren't going to clean your skillet immediately, pour hot water into the pan to dissolve the sugar (or else it will be harder to clean). Clean up any residue you may have spilled out of the pan, unless you want mini-smoke bombs on your stovetop.

6) Allow the smoke bomb to cool, then you can peel it off the foil.

Now that you've made your smoke bomb, it's time to light it...

~I'm going to be needing a smoke bomb for the upcoming video project anyways so I figured, 'why not?'

Resource: About.com

Smoke bombs: in general

The smoke bomb you would purchase from a fireworks store usually is made from potassium chlorate (KClO3 - oxidizer), sugar (sucrose or dextrin - fuel), sodium bicarbonate (otherwise known as baking soda - to moderate the rate of the reaction and keep it from getting too hot), and a powdered organic dye (for colored smoke). When a commercial smoke bomb is burned, the reaction makes white smoke and the heat evaporates the organic dye. Commercial smoke bombs have small holes through which the smoke and dye are ejected, to create a jet of finely dispersed particles.

~Smoke bombs are going to have a spot on the chemistry video, so this will be useful.

Resource: About.com

Meth

Resource: http://drugabuse.gov/drugpages/methamphetamine.html

Obviously we all know that drugs are a terrible thing. Drugs are nothing to mess with. Meth is one of these very dangerous and terrible drugs. Meth's full name is methamphetamine. Meth is a very addictive stimulant. It lasts very long and toxic to dopamine nerve terminals in the central nervous system. Meth is a white, odorless, and bitter tasting powder either taken orally or by snorting or injecting. The rock crystal can also be heated and smoked. Some street names for methamphetamine are meth, speed, chalk, ice, crystal, or glass. Some of the effects of meth are, "wakefulness and physical activity, produces rapid heart rate, irregular heartbeat, and increased blood pressure and body temperature.". Long term use of meth may lead to mood disturbances, dental problems, violent behavior, and confusion. All the users though, especially ones who inject are at risk for HIV and hepatitis.

All drugs are really bad for you and shouldn't be touched anyway, but its best to know what will happen to you if you do. First of all, drugs are illegal, so it may just make your life change forever if you ever get caught. I believe there should be more drug avoidance programs to help people get over addictions and never try them at all. The more informed someone is about the subject, the more will probably get peer pressure off their back.

Marijuana and Effects

Resource: www.abovetheinfluence.com/_pdfs/drugfacts/ATI_DrugFacts_MARIJUANA.pdf

Marijuana is another abused drug. It may come naturally and can have medical purposes, but once it is abused it will never be used for what it was necessary for. It can have many effects that may last life long on a developing brain. Marijuana is, "a green and brown mix of dried flowers, stems, seeds and leavess from the hemp plant, Cannabis sativa.". The main active chemical is THC. It moves very quickly through the bloodstream and other organs. It is a mild halluinogen that can act as a depressant or a stimulant. The risks of this drug at a young age are the potential of inflicting long lasting negative impact on ones brain. It can lead to structural or functional deficits of the brain. It could lead to develop weaker verbal and communication skills, lowered learning capabilities and shortened attention span. Some long term effects may be it is the gateway drug. This may be the beginning of your journey into drugs and it may lead to more and more use on harder drugs.

Marijuana really starts the is it safe or not argument. The drug itself can be used for medical purposes, but it really shows the consquences of abusing something. The drug used when young may lead to terrible deficits. The more informed someone is on this subject, the better it will be for them to avoid it.

Water Treatment Process

Resource: http://water.epa.gov/learn/kids/drinkingwater/watertreatmentplant_index.cfm

Water is a necessity for humans and for life. The water we drink if we live in the high standards of America are very much clean when we get drinking. The first part of the water treatment is coagulation. Coagulation removes the dirt and other particles still contained in the water. Alum and other chemicals are added to water to form little sticky particles that attract the dirt particles. This step leads to the completion of the next stage, sedimentation. Sedimentation is when the heavy particles with the dirt and chemicals settle to the bottom and the clear moves on to filtration. Filtration is when the water will pass through filters. Some of the layers are made of sand, gravel, and even charcoal. They even remove smaller particles. This is can described as the man with the white glove act. Next comes disinfection, a small amount of chlorine is added and other disinfection methods to kill any bacteria that may be in the water. Storage is the final stage and it is when water is finally placed in a closed tank where water will begin to flow into our pipes which will lead to our usage.

Water is one of life's greatest creations. Without we would not exist, so its give water a big high five. Its great that we have this awesome filtration system to help us drink our necessary water without dirt or getting some disease. Thank you to the genius that help make this process.

Hazardous Waste and Types

Resource: http://www.epa.gov/superfund/students/clas_act/haz-ed/ff_01.htm

Hazardous waste is a by-product of a manufacturing process or material left after the products are made. For example, some basic items that are hazardous waste are old batteries, spray can, or even paint thinner. Hazardous waste must be properly disposed or it may be a danger to people and the environment. There are some types of hazardous waste that represent dangerous properties such as corrosive, ignitable, reactive, or toxic. Corrosive is the type of material that can corrode or completely destroy a substance. Most acids can be described as corrosive which can eat through metal, burn skin on contact, and give off vapors that may burn the eyes. Ignitable is a material or substance that can easily burst into flames. It is a fire hazard and it may possibly irritate the skin, eyes, and lungs. Gasoline and paint are two ignitable substances. Reactive is another type of waste. The reactive material can explode or release a poisonous gas when combined with other elements. For example, ammonia and chlorine bleach are an example. Toxic materials are a poison to people and other life. It may causes illnesses or death if swallowed or absorbed though the skin. Pesticides or weed killers are are toxic.

This is very helpful if you want too be careful of what you may be holding or interacting with during the day. Informed citizen are always going to be safer if they read this. Luckily we precautions and safety measures so any of the types of waste may not effect the environment and people.

Explosions

Resource: http://news.softpedia.com/news/The-Most-Powerful-Non-nuclear-Explosives-in-the-World-58104.shtml

There many types of explosions that aren't nuclear. Nuclear weapons are something that everyone nearly knows about. One type of an explosions is TNT. TNT is an easily used explosive material. It can handle many things for example like being insensible to shock, friction, and most mechanical influences. TNT is still considered the standard power of strength compared to other explosions. Dynamite is another common explosive. It is usually mistaken for TNT. Dynamite's difference is that, "is a specific chemical compound, dynamite is an absorbent mixture soaked in nitroglycerin that is compressed into a cylindrical shape and wrapped in paper.". This is considered a high explosive. This means that it detonates, the energy starts an initial decomposition which would lead to detonating the surrounding fuel. This explosive has been mostly used for destroying anything that is described as a structure such as building or anything which looks big and can be taken down. Another explosive which if you play Call of Duty you should know is C4. Composition 4 is only one variety of a plastic explosive. The basic idea for a plastic explosive is a combination of explosive chemicals with a plastic binder material. The binder allows to handle the explosive safer and to coat the explosive material. To illustrate how powerful this explosive can be, it can kill several people with less than a pound of C4.

Explosives is another weapon made and advanced through the years of warfare. The terrible thing about weapons is that it will always be capable of getting in the wrong hands. Plastic explosives for example has been used by terrorists and it has caused many deaths. I myself like weapons, but when used for the wrong purpose, it will never be good.

History of Fireworks

Resource: http://www.pyrouniverse.com/history.htm

Fire is one of nature's greatest gifts. Now add some "works" then you get fireworks!! Well that was a bad joke. Fireworks are some of the funnest things to watch in our life. Especially on the Fourth of July. The fireworks are just extravagant. Here's a question, where did fireworks originate? Why do we have fireworks? Thank the Chinese. The Chinese had first touched up on the subject in about 200 B.C. where there wouldn't be any gun powder at that point. The first type of Firecracker was roughly around this time. It was technically a fire cracker, but when they just threw bamboo into a fire. The bamboo cracked and popped like no one had ever heard. They called this bursting bamboo. Through time in China, Alchemist were working on how to make special substances of many kinds. The explosive kind for example. Alchemists basically had led to gunpowder, and It was soon that the first fireworks had been made. This pretty much made a great impression on the Chinese, but with every country comes war. They used gunpowder in lances that had fuses that would launch objects at high velocity or put simply, it shot things. The first fireworks were brought to America in the 1600's. This would obviously lead us to what we have now. I think we all deserve the Chinese a nice thank you for this awesome invention.

Fireworks are one of the most beautiful things in the world. The colors just really can make anyone impressed if done well enough. Obviously without the Chinese, we wouldn't have had fireworks. Also, thank the alchemists too. Alchemists really looked hard for any kind of truth and it lead us to a wonderful time in the world in the way of colors.

Brightest Gamma Ray Ever!

A new gamma ray has been created. It is more than a thousand times brighter than the sun!!! Thats very bright. Physicists have discovered that ultra-short duration laser pulses can interact with ionised gas to give off beams that are so intense they can pass through 20 cm of lead and would take 1.5 m of concrete to be completely absorbed. The ray has plenty of helpful uses for the medical field, mainly for xrays. Radiotherapy and radioisotope production for PET (positron emission tomography) scanning. It also has the ability to monitor the intesity of nuclear waste. the laser pulses are short enough, lasting a quadrillionth of a second, to capture the response of a nucleus to stimuli, making the rays ideal for use in lab-based study of the nucleus.

Alchemy

Resource: http://www.alchemylab.com/history_of_alchemy.htm

What are alchemists? Well, picture whatever you think an alchemist might be. Unless you actually know what alchemist specifically are, then you probably pictured some unusual robed dude over some ritual circle of some sort and making some kind of enchantment or something around that. Alchemy is truly an art or a science and people will look pass that. Alchemy was founded much before time in Egypt and had spread to many places which in fact made men and women ready to make any goal possible with alchemy. What is the motive behind alchemy? What made these kinds of people have the patience to look pass the impossible? These are great questions to ask. The people behind alchemy believed in spiritual things, they wanted man to like a God-like person, to avoid all the dangers and make man better than ever. There are many countries that had made alchemy an art, for example China and Egypt. Alchemy practically originated from China and Egypt, and they also were very spiritual unlike somethings that may be heard about alchemy.

Alchemy is a crazy subject! It has held history in the palm of its hand. Basically, it is apart of history no matter how you look at it. Alchemy is an interesting subject and it can inspire people to become more open minded like the people who really believed in Alchemy.

Global Warming

Resource: http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/science/topics/globalwarming/index.html

Global Warming! We are all going to die!! Well, actually we aren't going to die of some intense heat if we start changing our ways now. Researchers had found that global warming truly is a real threat. Global warming in later decades will begin to effect our world terribly if we don't slow down find some alternative solution. A convention was held where it involved many countries to all together help slow down the process we are causing to our planet. The EPA in America has already put regulations to help die down the threat of global warming and take its part in helping our earth from dying. Barack Obama has also vowed to help climate change and environmentalists. The conference spoke about cleaner ways to help our planet, but there always comes the problem of paying for it. The conference was left unresolved though and now we continue are left of promises that can be easily blown off.

Saving the planet is extremely important. Without our planet, we wouldn't be here. I believe we should find a cleaner energy source while trying to keep it productive. This would solve many problems, but these news must get somewhere and I hope to find the world is willing to help our earth survive.

Buffer Solutions

Resource: http://www.chemguide.co.uk/physical/acidbaseeqia/buffers.html

What is a buffer? Well, anyone who has played a Final Fantasy game or any video game in general can probably come up with something around giving stat that do something to a character. I play video games and I understand what is meant with this, but it is extremely incorrect. An actually buffer is a solution that resists changes to a pH level by use of a small amount of acid or alkali. An acidic acid is a pH level of less than 7 and will usually contain a small quantity of an acid and some kind of salt. Alkaline buffer requires a weak base and a salt, and the pH level will be over 7 pH. The way buffers will work is that the buffer solution must contain things which will remove any hydrogen ions or hydroxide ions that might add to it. This resists the the pH level from getting higher or lower.

I decided I would look into this subject more since next week we will be performing experiments on it. The web page felt very much like gibberish, but I'm sure when we truly learn about it I'll understand so much better. This website though would be a good start for a review If I ever needed it.

Coca Cola: Worst soda for you

Coca Cola: One of the most wanted and loved drinks all around. It is the McDonalds of soda, in just about every way. It tastes amazing, but it is terrible for you. One of the grossest things about it, is that it rots your teeth. I have done an experiment, using chicken bones, and coke. I put a chicken bone in a glass of coca-cola, and left it for a few days. The next week, I took the chicken bone in my hand and immediately noticed that it was rubbery. After a month, I noticed it was gone. This may seem, not unimportant, small, but a lot of people tend to drink a lot of coke. Imagine what coke can do to your stomach if it dissolves bone! Don't drink coke. It's terrible for you.

Fish Flu

Ever heard of the fish flu? Well you might here soon. Researchers have found that the Infectioud Salmon Anemia Virus (ISAV) will get larger. Surprisingly, there is already a vaccine for the flu. The medical field is getting very advanced in this time... Scientist studied the RNA of the human being to get a good idea of what they were dealing with. Sadly, another flu is coming... It seems like every year there is a different flu that is trying to scare us, such as the pig flu and the bird flu. Now they are never heard of like they just die off.

Hydroponics

Resource: http://www.simplyhydro.com/whatis.htm

Who needs soil these days? Hydroponics is the way to go! Hydroponic is the beautiful art of growing plants without soil. Hydroponics is an art that people have wanted to make the best out of and the awesome thing is there are countless ways to work with hydroponics. You should try doing this because this can have much more potential than the use of soil. Its actually more simple than you might think. The proof being that if you give a plant exactly what it needs, when it needs it, in the amount that it needs, then the plant will be as healthy as genetically possible. Hydroponics makes these tasks much easier than soil would ever. Hydroponics allows the plant to easily suck up all the nutrition needed to grow and survive. The inert growing medium and a regulated pH level can make the plant easily take in nutrients, these are the things that make up hydroponics. First of all, a growing medium is the material where the roots of the plants are growing. A growing medium can be everything from a variety of substance like gravel, sand, and even rockwool. The inert substance doesn't supply the plant with anything other than the ability to to better regulate the plant's food given and growth overall. The pH is another important component of Hydroponics. Actually, it is extremely important because the plants will lose their ability to absorb nutrients when the pH varies. The ability to control pH levels much easier with Hydroponics is a huge advantage over the dirt gardening.

Hydrponics actually interests me a little bit. The fact that we can create plants that can grow more effectively and overall better can be done without soil. I found this an interesting article and it gave loads of information important to learning what Hydroponics is. I think this could spark interest in people who could possibly want a new way to work with plants. This could spark interest and open peoples minds to another way of planting.

Nuclear Power

Resource: http://www.howstuffworks.com/nuclear-power.htm

First of all, do you agree with nuclear power? It comes with a great risk, but it is open to many great opportunities for a possibly safer energy source that can easily power over great ranges. What really happens in those nuclear reactors? Is it really safe and secure? Well, you could say it's safe with all the right "parts". These part include radioactive material and water in the reactor core. To put it simply, the water helps control or keep control over the radioactive material in the core reactor. This specifically prevents it from over heating or having a nuclear meltdown and I'm not talking about when your mom figures out that you got arrested and she had a nuclear meltdown, but its pretty similar I guess. The world relies on this nuclear power and yet it can cause great harm. Some countries have over half their supply of power from a nuclear power plant. It is a pretty dangerous innovation.

I think this can improve a person's view on nuclear energy. Specifically speaking, it will help people become more informed as citizens should be. I believe this could spark interest in readers and possibly lead them on to a new job opportunity.

Energy Drink Ingredients

Resource:http://www.energyfiend.com/energy-drink-ingredients

Energy drinks aren't exactly the healthiest drink to have in the world, but it does taste good at times and it will give you energy. Here are a few ingredients put into energy drinks in general. Caffeine is the most common in energy drinks. Energy Drinks will have about 150-200mg of caffeine in regular sized can or bottle. The main purpose of an energy drink is to stimulate the nervous system to give the body a sense of alertness. It also raises heart rate and blood pressure while dehydrating the person. Caffeine is one of the most used drug in the planet. It can found in many things we drink. Try to look for it and I'm sure you'll find it. Another ingredient is Taurine which is naturally produced in the body. It helps regulate heartbeat, muscle contractions, and energy levels. The body usually makes enough to not have the need for supplements. It is thought to help us regulate ourselves since our brains are more stimulated, but it can help with excitable brain states. Another ingredient is ginseng. Ginseng is a herb that is known to increase energy, can possibly relieve stress, and increase memory. It is thought that the herb is used to stimulate the hypothalamic and pituitary glands which secrete a chemical called adrenal corticotropic hormone. Energy drinks usally only have a little of this herb in the mix.

This is a good article to figure out what you really are drinking in those energy drinks. This can really help someone become more informed in what they are drinking. Energy drinks are being known for being completely terrible for you and this helps more people become more informed citizens.

Top Five Commonly Used Metals

Resource: http://ezinearticles.com/?Five-Most-Commonly-Used-Metals&id=4569518

Metals are pretty useful even in today's world. We may be using plastic and polymers, but metals are used frequently to make structures and even our utensils we eat with for dinner. One of the most used metals is iron. Iron is naturally abundant and it can be found in humans, so it can be used for medicinal purposes. The main reason that iron is the most used is the need for steel. Steel is a strong alloy and it can be made stainless. Iron also contains a heating property known as even-heating. Aluminum is another commonly used element. It is also abundant in the earth's crust. The main reason aluminum is used for is the corrosive resistance and low density. It is used for normal household items like tin cans or to industrial use like aircraft. Copper is another metal used. Copper conducts electricity and heat very well, so it can be used for wiring and piping. Copper is mostly used as an alloy since the pure form is too soft to work with. Although, it is ductile and easy to work with. Zinc is also another metal in the top five. Zinc is hard and brittle by nature. It is an anti corrosive and as an example used for coating metals like steel or iron. The last metal commonly used it Titanium. Titanium is known as the space age metal. It has the highest strength to weight ratio compared to all the metals. Titanium is also seen as stronger, more durable, and corrosive resistant than steel. The problem is the difficult mining process that is needed for it. This is used for jets or space aircraft based on its properties.

Metals can one intriguing subject. This list of the top five used metals really was made will enough to explain the basis of the metal itself and its uses. Its a spark for more research on the subject especially on titanium. I believe this could spark interest into metals and how they work.

Steel

Resource: http://www.caffreyknives.net/content.htm

Steel is not found on the periodic table. To a more accurate stand point, it is a metal alloy or a combination of other elements. The primary make up of steel is iron. Iron is commonly found and it is found as iron ore which is then smelted and put into a cast iron. The cast iron is then refined with other minerals that is desired for the finished alloy. The most common element that affects the hardness is carbon. It will not only increase the hardness, but it will or possibly will make it more brittle. The effect of a low carbon content is that the blade might be extraordinarily strong, but it will be unable to hold a sharp edge. The opposite of would be more of a brittle blade and possibly hard. A fun little fact is the element content is signified as a point. A point is 0.01 percent of an alloy. For example, a 7 point carbon alloy will have about 0.07 percent of carbon. A couple common elements used in a metal alloy are Carbon and Manganese. Carbon has the most influence than other element used. Steel for example couldn't exist without carbon. Carbon will altar the strength and hardness dramatically by the slightest changes. Manganese is normally present in all steel and functions as an deoxidizer. Deoxidizer is really an interesting way of saying to remove oxygen. It also gives strength and responsiveness to any heat treatment.

I believe this article is very important to anyone wanting to be a blacksmith. The information is only important to specific audience like myself who is interested in metallurgy, but it may serve a guide in blacksmiths or people who want to become a blacksmith. The article also gave much information and I found it very interesting.

Neon Signs!!

Resource: http://peachtron.hubpages.com/hub/How-Do-Neon-Signs-Work

Neon signs are very eye catching. Before I explain how they work, its best to know why they are used. Its usually used for businesses which is good since they catch a lot of attention. Who doesn't want to see something wonderful like numerous colors like a neon sign? Well, I could imagine some people are boring, but the majority usually gets attracted to it. They are also good for setting a mood like in bars for sports games. The way these bright eye catchers work is semi-complicated, but I can put it simply. First of all, Neon is a inert gas. It is very structurally sound, but to put it in technical terms, they tend to keep their molecular structure. They show very little effect to chemical reactions, but electrodes can be a different story. To put it simply, the neon signs are one of the ways to actually make use of the inert gases. Electrodes sends a voltage into the tube the gas is held in. This increases the kinetic energy and once this kinetic energy reaches a peak it ionizes. This causes the electron to jump the next orbital and it gives it a positive or negative charge. The electrons that had become excited drop down to their normal energy level which results in a light or photon emitted. Also, even though it is called neon signs, not all the signs use neon. There are different elements that will create different colors. For example, Mercury could be used to make a light blue color and Argon mixed with phosphor will create a yellow glow.

Elements can be really fun when you know what to use it for. This article really shows that and I think it answered many frequently asked questions that may come from curious people. The page also may help people to be more informed about neon signs and there's nothing better than knowing more.

Better Batteries!

Batteries are really scientific, especially the new ones coming out. The new Lithium-ion could keep your cell phone alive for a week and fully charge in 15 minutes! These lithium batteries get there charge from a chemical reaction on each end of the battery, known as the anode and cathode. When being used, energy transfers from anode, to electrolyte, to cathode. But when being recharged, it goes the opposite direction, from cathode to electrolyte, to anode. Researchers predict that these batteries will hit the shelves in the next 3 to 5 years.

Accidental Blue

Just like a lot of other Chemists nowadays, they are trying to make a new element. At Oregon State University, they were trying to bash Manganese Oxide, a black element, with other chemicals at heated temperatures. The Professor was shocked of the turnout of one mixture." I was shocked, actually," states Dr. Subramanian. In the 2000 degree furnace, a crystal object was formed. The Manganese Oxides ions took in the red and green light and showed a different kind of blue.

Methane Mystery on Mars

Resource: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/23/science/space/aboard-mars-curiosity-rover-tools-to-plumb-a-methane-mystery.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Planetary scientist are very confused of one thing. There seems to possibly have methane in the dead atmosphere of Mars. What could this mean? Many organisms including cows make methane and even some creatures that have been found on Earth not to breath oxygen produce methane. Also, this methane couldn't have been produced long ago since the rays of the sun would've already erased traces of it. This means there could possibly be life on Mars. Based on this accusation, it could possibly be true. Although, this is very controversial since there is no major evidence supporting it. They will be sending an SUV sized rover to try and collect signs of methane. Although, this rover won't give nay major hints to any kind of life on Mars. It is only a small test and nothing major will come of it. This only pushes it to be more controversial.

The article I had read had given all the key facts and evidence on both sides for why should we and why we shouldn't. I believe this may lead to more excitement to find life on Mars if methane signs are found. It would possibly lead humans to finding life and able to live on Mars as most people would for. This could possibly lead to something much bigger.

How Glass is Formed.

Most glass is a mixture of a large amount of silica that comes from fine white sand or pulverized sandstone, combined with smaller amounts of an alkali like soda (sodium bicarbonate) or potash to lower its melting point, and lime (from limestone) to help stabilize the mixture and ultimately make the glass stronger and water-resistant. These elements are naturally occurring throughout North America.

The silica, soda and lime are fused together at extremely high temperatures. By adding other substances during the process, the properties of the glass can be altered, including its color, how reflective it is, how brilliant or sparkling it looks, how well it acts as an insulator and more. Bits of old or broken glass from previous manufacturing, called ‘cullet’ is usually recycled into the mix. However, it is not just these additives alone that affect the final piece of glass, but also the way in which it is heated, cooled and formed.

-I've always understood that glass was made at extremely high temperatures, but I was unsure of the 'what' rather than the 'how'.

Neon signs

We've all seen neon signs before in cities late at night, mostly in Las Vegas. When you think of neon signs the first thing that pops into our head is that they are filled with neon gas; that is not the case however as neon can only produce a red color. The colors in order of discovery were blue (Mercury), white (Co2), gold (Helium), red (Neon). Then there were more colors made possible thanks to argon, mercury, and phosphor.

For more information follow this link: http://inventors.about.com/od/qstartinventions/a/neon.htm

-There will be a spot on neon tubes in the class project I am in, expect to see this information in the video coming up, possibly even more details, much more details.

Teeth's Pal, Toothpaste!

Toothpaste
There we once many ways of how humans would clean their teeth, they’d chew on frayed twigs, rub their teeth with cloth, swab their teeth with vinegar, and then at about 100 B.C. the Egyptians produced what may have been the first toothpaste and it’s contents were powdered pumice (a porous rock formed after volcanoes erupted) and vinegar. Since then science has surely, and obviously, expanded and now we have new ingredients in our toothpaste that some would have never dreamed, but we had created, and use to clean our teeth. Oral bacteria and the products of bacteria are what is commonly known as plaque or the build up that rests on our teeth with food particles. If it’s not removed the bacteria digest the new sugars and foods we in-take and turn it into acids( Acid? As in a chemical related thing, yes), that soon erodes our teeth enamel ( the hard outer coating). Mainly we brush to stop the plaque from turning into a Tartar. A Tartar, also known as calculus, is a hard mineral substance that is similar to the tooth enamel and forms along our gum line during the time that calcium salts in our saliva go chill with the dead bacteria in plaque. Ew, gross, yuck, yes all words that could easily describe my opinion on this! Tartar above the gum line just turns our teeth an icky color, on the gum line it could eventually lead to the loss of teeth. Flouride compounds and compounds that fight against tartar are common things found in our toothpaste today, along with the flavoring, coloring, sweeteners, abrasive, detergent, thickener, moisturizer, water, and occasionally baking soda. Baking soda and the other abrasives in a toothpaste prep and ready themselves for their fight on plaque. The chemicals vs. the bacteria to keep our teeth clean and healthy through their reactors. We do this for a hygienic reason and honestly we do it for a cosmetic reason too. I mean, who doesn’t want white teeth? So thank chemistry for welcoming us the chemical reactions that can help our teeth and smiles. (:


Resources:http://science.howstuffworks.com/chemistry-in-a-tube-of-toothpaste-info.htm

Glow Sticks

Glow Sticks
Bring some color into the dark with glow sticks! We have come to use glow sticks as party favors, in ‘raves’, as bracelets, around glasses, necklaces, headbands, and so much more. However, there is a chemistry behind it and I took a look further into it. The glow stick contains a chemical mixed in it’s glass vial, along with a fluorescent dye to give it it’s color. As well as another chemical in it’s plastic tube. The chemical that is within the glass vial is Diphenyl Oxalate- which is: C14H10O4 and is a solid ester with oxidation products that are responsible for the chemiluminescence of the glow stick. The plastic tube contains the chemical of Hydrogen Peroxide- which is 2(HO) and is the most simple peroxide and an oxidizer that is a clear liquid. A chemical reaction takes place when the peroxide is mixed with the phenyl oxalate ester, that yields two molecules of phenol and one molecule of peroxyacid ester. The peroxyacid with turn into carbon dioxide once it decomposes spontaneously to release the energy that excites the dye which will then soon relax by releasing a photon, in more easy to understand words, it’d be releasing the glow. The wavelength of the glow (the color emitted) depends on the structure of the dye that was used. By adjusting the concentrations of the two reacting chemicals, the manufactures can produce either a glow stick that glows brightly for a short amount of time or a glow stick that grows more dim but for a longer amount of time. Then as time passes, the color and emission does too, and slowly the glow stick will “die”. The life of the glow stick: The plastic tube with a glass vial inside, a chemical between the vial and tube, a chemical within the vial and the dye, then when we bend the glow stick-breaking the glass vial-the chemicals react, the photon is emitted, then the glow stick lives it’s life in a portion of our lives, and then sadly enough-like all living things- it dies and fades.

Resources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glow_stick#Chemistry

Potassium (:

Potassium
Our body needs potassium, yes, and we can get it from a banana. What about the more chemical related stuff to potassium? Sure Potassium and fire turn the flames purple but Potassium is also a metal and it is extremely active and does not do well with oxygen and water in air. It reacts in a rather violent matter! Oxygen and potassium create potassium peroxide. Water and potassium create potassium hydroxide. The reaction with potassium and water is dangerous and ends with hydrogen gas being released! Potassium and water, it is violent and sufficient exothermic in character. Hydrogen can then again react with the atmospheric oxygen that reacts and leaves water lingering that can then react with the remaining potassium. Due to this, potassium and it’s liquid alloy (NaK) are strong and effective that remove moisture which can be used as a dry solvent prior to distillation. Potassium and water in air are so sensitive that it’s reactions can only be possible in atmosphere that is inert, such as in argon gas using air-free techniques. Hydrocarbons tend to not even get a reaction from potassium, so things like mineral oil have no reaction with potassium. Ammonia can have potassium readily dissolve in it if the potassium is up to 48g and the ammonia is at 1000g at 0 degrees C. Slowly it reacts and produces KNH2, but can be accelerated by metal salts in minute amounts of transitions. The Rieke method see’s potassium as something that reduces the salt to just metal. Where it see’s potassium as a reductant when preparing to finely divide metals from their salts. Potassium can be combined with other things to become a compound. Potassium’s beginning history all started around the 1700s and mainly by Humphry Davy, when more was being learned about potassium. A interesting thing about our element potassium (K) is that it is an essential thing in plant fertilizer. It finds ways to react with numerous things in numerous ways. Some good, some bad. However, I personally enjoy potassium very much not in bananas but because of it’s firey show.


Resources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potassium#Chemical

History of ink

In the ancient times, ink was comprised of various colored juices and exotic extracts including alizarin, indigo, pokeberries, cochineal, and sepia. In the late eighteenth century, the first patent was issued in England for making colored inks. In the 19th century, chemical drying agents appeared, giving rise to a wide variety of pigments. Then things got complicated. At the beginning of the 20th century, ink-making became a complex chemical-industrial process. The manufacture of modern ink takes into account dozens of factors, including "color, opacity, transparency, brilliance, lightfastness, surface hardness, pliability, wettability, purity, and odourlessness." Inks for low-speed letterpress printing are made up of of carbon black, a heavy varnish, and a drier to reduce the drying time. Most pen inks incorporate those three main ingredients in different ratios. Intaglio inks are composed of petroleum naphthas, resins, and coal-tar solvents.

-I'm sure a lot of people are curious as to see what makes up ink.

Magnetism

magnetism, force of attraction or repulsion between various substances, especially those made of iron and certain other metals; ultimately it is due to the motion of electric charges.

Magnetism gets it's name from the term magnesia, a region in Asia Minor where loadstone, a naturally magnetic ore, was located in ancient times. Magnets are set up with two poles: a north pole and a south pole. It is commonly known that opposite poles attract and like poles repel, but an interesting fact is that if you break a magnet, the side with the north pole will have another south pole from the one it lost, vice versa for the side with the original south pole. Common metals like iron, nickel, and cobalt are easily magnetized.

For mor details follow the link, http://www.factmonster.com/ce6/sci/A0831162.html

Sugar vs. High Fructose Corn Syrup

Much debate has been sparked about the differences between sugar and high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). Most of the debate is around whether sugar is a much healthier choice than HFCS. The truth is while HFCS is not a really healthy choice, neither is sugar.

HFCS is a number of corn syrups mixed together to increase it's fructose content. The reason it is used in most sodas and cookies is because it is relatively cheaper than sugar and has a higher shelf life (similar to the relationship between paper and plastic). It is been shown that HFCS can make soda 10 times more richer in harmful carbonyl components; one study shows that carbonyl opponents can be a major cause to diabetic disorders such as, foot ulcers and eye/nerve damage. But this dose not mean that sugar is a healthier option, both have been proven to cause obesity, liver damage, and heart disease.

For more information follow this link, http://www.thegoodhuman.com/2007/09/10/high-fructose-corn-syrup-vs-pure-sugar-is-one-worse-than-the-other/

-It always wondered me if HFCS was any worse than sugar or not.

Chemistry in video games 3: the gas cloud

While playing an expansion pack for my game "Fallout: New Vegas," there a great chemical hazard during game play; a toxic gas cloud that engulfed and preserved an entire casino. The cloud is a blood red toxic smog that covers the game play zone known as the Sierra Madre casino.

The exact components of the cloud is never actually mention but there are clues that it contains heavy metals, primarily copper and sulphur.
The cloud is not a natural occurrence, but an artificially made biological weapon made before the nuclear apocalypse of 2077, its testing ground was at th Sierra Madre for some reason but the owner had no idea whatsoever.

The cloud struck me with question on it's contents and origin, it is amazing how much fun gameplay can be created with a knowledge of chemistry from the creators.

Periodic Table Expands!!!

Scientists have decided to add two more elements to the periodic table. These elements do not have a name, so they are recognized as elements 114 and 116. They were created by a group of chemists and physcists by basically smashing two atoms together. You will not be able to see these elements in any way because element 114 disinigrates in seconds and element 116 stays for a fraction of a second. Now there are 114 elements in the periodic table. Elements 113 and 115 are still being worked on and are not official.

Most Dangerous Venomous/Poisonous Organisms on Our Planet

Resource: http://sciencebasedlife.wordpress.com/2011/04/12/the-most-poisonousvenomous-animals-in-the-world/

Let's be honest. Humans aren't the only living and thinking organisms that have learned how to make a living being die within seconds or make it the most agonizing death of all time. One of these wild killers are the Box Jellyfish. The Box Jellyfish is so crazy venomous that if you are stung by it, you can pretty say, "Goodbye cruel world.". To put it sadly this would be true. There had been also been about five thousand deaths that they had caused. If there are survivors though, rather unlikely, you will be feeling for weeks or months to come. Another dangerous animal that has harnessed the power of chemical warfare is the King Cobra. The King Cobra's venom when ejected into a blood stream of an adult male will kill him by fifteen minutes. The venom injected is more than the Black Mamba's which is around more than six hundred mg of venom. The venom is even capable of killing a full grown elephant within thirty to forty-five minutes. This is a pretty big deal seeing as the elephant is ginormous and the snake is most likely around eight times smaller. Size doesn't matter? I'm not sure how to put to it.

These animals are pretty dangerous and I think its much a benefit to know what they are capable of. I hope this article gets to many readers since it was well written and it was very interesting to learn about these deadly killers. I hope people can be more informed on this subject so to know where not to go on vacation.

Cigarettes are Terrible!

Resource: http://www.quit-smoking-stop.com/harmful-chemicals-in-cigarettes.html

I hope you had already learned that cigarettes or smoking is bad in general. There over 4,000 chemicals in cigarettes and 50 are confirmed to cause cancer. There are a few important chemicals in cigarettes that we can all relate to. Cigarettes are also one of the few products capable of selling that has been led to cause cancer and kill people over time. One of the chemicals is Benzene. Benzene is a colorless cyclic hydrocarbon from coal and petroleum. Another chemical is formaldehyde. It is a colorless liquid that is used to preserve the dead. The chemical is highly poisonous and yet it is found in cigarettes. Ammonia is found as well, and it is mostly found in dry cleaning liquids. They use it as a flavoring. Another related chemical is Acetone. Acetone is found in nail polish remover. Another important chemical, possibly the most important is nicotine. It is used as insecticide and one of the most addictive chemicals known to man. It can be used medically or a deadly poison, and it is what causes the addiction.

I believe this is an informative web page. I think it gives the known or related chemicals someone could easily relate to what everyday product. I believe a more informed citizen is a better citizen, I think this is a good article for the internet.

The Chemistry Behind Red Bull

Red Bull
Red Bull, no not a male cow that happens to be unexplainably red. I’m talking about the energy drink, the one that gives you “wings”. Most people don’t put much thought about what they’re in-taking when they drink this drink, but there is a chemistry behind it and I’m going to tell you what it is! C12H22O11, sugar, is a content of this drink, 27 grams of it to be exact. It’s a pretty common thing for sugar to give you that boost, but there’s more to Red Bull and it’s wings than just that. Another chemical in it is one that your body can produce, it’s called Glucuronolactone and has a chemical formula of C6H8O6 (600mg per can). It is a precursor of the next thing in Red Bull, Taurine, which has a chemical formula of C2H7NO3S (1000mg per can). The Taurine can actually help hypertentension, that is being learned and studied, and also is lowering blood-pressure. There is also caffine in this drink, about 80mgs of it per every can. That itself gives us a little boost. Then we mix in the B6Vitamins. All of its chemical ingredients are either already found in our body helping us stay awake and reactive or have been tested on their own to help keep things alert and ready. However, mix them together in an apple flavored drink, you get Red Bull. One of the most popular energy drinks yet. When the chemicals are mixed together amongst the caffeine and B6 Vitamins, there’s a reaction, safe for us to drink, and bonded together to give us a good wake up call and keep us going. However, at some point most of us all do suffer a crash from this jittery boost of energy. A dysfunction in the chemical structure and reactants? Or is it just something our body can’t handle? There’s also more to what this Taurine in it does for us, it can reduce the urinary tract infections and helps build and maintain muscle mass. This group of chemicals that we can consume, is a well choice, more beneficial from the taurine than soda or coffee, so maybe soon doctors will encourage us to take it. Just not too much of it. Too much of anything, isn’t always a good thing.



Resource: http://scienceblogs.com/retrospectacle/2006/06/pop_science_the_chemisty_behin.php

Chemistry in video games 2: copper chloride

There is normally fire present in a video game, in the video game "Fallout: New Vegas", there are also fires. There is a certain item in particular that is more associated with this theme: a flame thrower, or as it is commonly revered to in the game: "the flamer". A normal flamer is like any other flame thrower, it spits fire; but there is a special type of flamer available in the game inventory: "the cleansing flame" a flame thrower that spits blue fire! In real life blue flames can be created by adding copper chloride solution, it can be implied that the fuel use in the cleansing flame contains copper chloride as it spits blue flames.

-I used the cleansing flame in the game and thought that the blue fire was really cool, but when I was attacked by assassins set out to terminate me I use the weapon but it wasn't very affective, I would've died if I hadn't switched to another one of my special weapons, but it was still cool to see blue fire.

Chemistry in video games 1

There can be many references in video games as the designers need inspiration, one inspiration that can be found in numerous games is chemistry. One such game is the story of a man working a job as a bike courier who was caught in a massive explosion and survived, the game inFAMOUS. He later found out that he could control electricity, or in chemical terms, nitrogen dioxide. The man's name is Cole Mcgrath, a conduit of nitrogen dioxide who uses nitrogen dioxide to lessen a criminal's oxygen supply or at tact innocent beings that are 75% H2O (depending on the choice of the player). A man who is dependent on nitrogen dioxide or else he will grow weak and possibly die, a man who is capable of summoning a huge bolt of nitrogen dioxide from the sky and tear apart the metals of the earth

-This is a very interesting game that brings about the possibility of super powers.

Most Dangerous Element??

Resource: http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/askasci/chem99/chem99367.htm

There are a few dangerous elements that this source points out. One of them is plutonium. Plutonium used to make a nuclear bomb is put into a fine dust. It creates alpha radiation and a tiny bit of this dust is enough to give someone lung cancer when inhaled. It is handled with a gigantic amount of care. Another element that is dangerous is mercury. If you work in chemistry, people may run into it. Mercury at room temperature becomes an extremely deadly vapor that can cause long term brain damage. This is a reason thermometers are cleaned up quick. A deadly element that can be put in circulation is most likely lead. It can found in leaded gasoline and it can cause brain damage in children.

I believe this article only gave a few examples and should give more. It didn't satisfy me in a knowledgeable stand point. I think it was an average grade type of article. I also believe an informed person is better than a clueless one. This could be one way to help the public avoid anything extremely dangerous that people may have forgotten.

Coke/Soda Kills Urban Legend

Resource: http://urbanlegends.about.com/library/blcoke.htm

To start this blog. What do you think? Does a food industry want to poison all their customers to lose business? Yeah it wouldn't particularly make sense. Also, this won't kill us, but for sure it has no nutritional value. One of the things that will confuse a consumer to this little rumor is a certain chemical. This chemical is usually mixed up with Ethylene Glycol, which is toxic and is used as an anti-freeze. The real chemical used is propylene glycol which is used as an anti-freeze as well. The major difference is that propylene glycol is not toxic. Another rumor is the acidity in Coke. The estimate shown is ph 3.4, this is high enough to dissolve bones. The interesting thing is that we have a digestive system that helps the soda from actually touching most of our bones. Fruits will also have this kind of acidity as well. It's really not that big of a deal, and we really can't hold soda in our mouths for a whole week because then we would have some problems. Also, to an uninformed citizen, knowing that phosphoric acid in Coke would probably scare someone away. Well, be scared of most beverages because that chemical is present in many items we consume. It doesn't hurt us nor does it affect. I conclude that Coke will not kill anybody.

I believe this is a wonderful analysis of a viral email going around. This is very much helpful to anyone that was affected by this stupid trick. This can change what people think about Coke and conspiracy theorists can learn that there is nothing that major in Coca Cola.

Miniature Powerhouse?!

Resource: Science Illustrated September/October 2011

Ever seen a tiny generator before? I have and its one awesome powerhouse. A new type of battery has been made by Toshiyuki Ueno of Kanazama University in Japan. This battery is battery vibration -driven generator the size that measures less than an inch. This battery can deliver twenty times as much energy as itself. It consists of two pieces of magnetostrictive material galfenol, with weights added. It is influenced by weak vibration, the weights are displaced, affecting the galfeno pieces and generating power.

This article was very small. I believe more information should have been put. I would grade this a low C if put in grading letter terms. Also, I think this could replace energy sources for small electronical devices.

Radio Waves can lower Blood Pressure

Resource: Science Illustrated: November/December 2011

Blood Pressure can really be lowered by radio waves! There was about 50% of people who couldn't get their blood pressure lower and people were chosen to test this way of treatment. The treatment involved the disarming of some nerves. In people with high blood pressure, it also had more involved nerves or more activity in the nerves. The liver is connected to brain by some sympathetic nervous system. The radio waves would then be used to disarm or stop some of the nerves, so it can lower blood pressure. This proved to be successful in the people chosen and is very effective.

This article was short, but informative. I believe it was very interesting that radio waves may affect the blood pressure of a person. I think the article should have been more detailed, but it was an alright article. People being able to use this technique may be able to find a better solution than others. This technique can be used even more if presented well enough

Metals Used Today

Resource: http://www.crockhamhill.kent.sch.uk/teachers/science/materials/metal/metal_use.htm

Today, metals are encountered everywhere and is useful for many things. Iron is a strong element that is used to build structures like bridges for example. Steel is made by iron and is even stronger than iron. Steel is used much of our building today, but it can be found in knives, kitchen ware, or even weapons like swords. Although, Iron and steel may get rusted when wet, so it must be protected by a layer of paint. Copper is another element used. It is easy to bend, so it can be used for many items that may take different types of shapes. For example, it may become a water pipe of wire for a light bulb. Another type of metal is aluminium. Lead is a very heavy metal, but it is also very soft. Today is it used for plant troughs possibly and used to be used for water pipes until it was found poisonous.

The website was very informative and relate able. I liked the point where it gave me real world examples, but the website or info itself was very simplistic. This may be a good or bad thing, but I think it was an ok source for information. This website may open or give knowledge to people who know little to none about metals.

Diet Coca-Cola and Mentos

Resources: http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn14114-science-of-mentosdiet-coke-explosions-explained.html
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vk4_2xboOE
Many of us know about the explosions that Mentos and diet Coke make. However, how many of us know just exactly why it happens? This explosion can shoot up to 7 meters when the Mentos is whole, but when it's crushed and dropped into it, it can only go about 30 centimeters. What a huge difference! A good portion of people probably assume it's how the gum candy reacts with the caffeine. You'd be wrong. The caffeine shows no difference in the explosion and the reaction. Crossing caffeine out of play. So what exactly is it?
The ideas of what causes the chemical reactions was tested by Mythbusters and then others got interested. After testing their theories of the reactants, we were able to narrow out things that didn't work. Though there is still some mystery to this explosion we have come to the conclusion that chemicals responsible for the reaction are gum arabic and gelatine in the sweets, potassium benzoate and aspartame in the Coke. Also, the tension of both the liquid coca-cola and the surface tension on the mentos cause bubbles. The tension on the mentos disrupts polar attractions in the water molecules. So, when dropped fast it sinks to the bottom and other bubbles push another up causing the rocket of soda.
Middle School teachers everywhere are taking their kids on the field and giving them the amusement of learning with some fun added. My friend and I had done this experiment once, and it truly was a load of fun and a supplier of laughter, all at the same time of learning. This explosion is still with some mystery of how exactly everything works. So, try it with other variables to test the theories that are left and see if they can be changed or altered. Have fun with it(: