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.