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The smoke bomb you would purchase from a fireworks store usually is made from potassium chlorate (KClO 3 - 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. Crafting this type of smoke bomb is beyond most of us, but you can make an effective smoke bomb quite easily. There are even colorants you can add if you want to make colored smoke. Let's start out with instructions for the easiest/safest type of smoke bomb you can make: Smoke Bomb Materials sugar (sucrose or table sugar) potassium nitrate, KNO 3 , also known as saltpeter (buy it online or you can find this at som...

Firecrackers are extremely easy and inexpensive to make yourself. You may want to make your own firecrackers because you are interested in learning how to make simple fireworks or it may be you are unable to obtain fireworks where you live. Fortunately, the materials needed to make your own firecrackers are very common. Homemade Firecracker Materials tape (e.g., transparent tape) toy gun caps (either the tape or the rings) or black powder fuse (you can make your own fuse ) pin or needle Toy gun caps are nice because the powder used in them is easy to work with. Here's how to get the powder out of the caps: Gently insert a pin or needle through the back of a cap through to the front. Remove the pin and re-insert it from the front, where you made the hole. Pry the powder out of the cap, tapping it onto a sheet or paper or plate or other working surface. Carefully work the pin around the edge of the cap to collect all of the powder. There is a very slight chance of popping t...

'm partial to smoke bombs , since they are easy to make and don't explode, but there are lots of other fireworks you can make for your New Year's Eve celebrati

Dry ice is the solid form of carbon dioxide, which normally exists as a gas. It is extremely cold (-109.3°F or -78.5°C), so you can get frostbite from touching dry ice... but what if you just want to poke it or touch it for an instant? What happens if you taste it? Here's the answer. Answer: When dry ice heats up it sublimates into carbon dioxide gas, which is a normal component of air. The problem with touching dry ice is that it is extremely cold (-109.3°F or -78.5°C), so when you touch it, the heat from your hand (or other body part) is absorbed by the dry ice. A really brief touch, like poking dry ice, just feels really cold. Holding dry ice in your hand, however, will give you severe frostbite, damaging your skin in much the same manner as a burn. You do not want to try to eat or swallow dry ice because the dry ice is so cold it can 'burn' your mouth or esophagus, too.If you handle dry ice and your skin gets a little red, treat the frostbite like you would treat a ...

The other day I mentioned a study that found the severity of a hangover is related to the color of the alcohol, which was a reflection of the chemical composition of the drink. There's more to hangover chemistry than just the color of the drink, however. For example, some people's biochemistry essentially makes them immune to hangovers. These people can detoxify the alcohol, acetaldehyde, and congeners quickly enough to escape most of the negative effects of alcohol consumption, except maybe the effects of dehydration, since the enzymes responsible for clearing the body of alcohol and its metabolites require water. If you are not a member of that lucky 25-30% of people who don't get hangovers, you can minimize your chances of suffering by avoiding deeply colored drinks, staying hydrated, and limiting your consumption. Keep in mind, some alcoholic beverages contain enough contaminants that it's not the alcohol that gives you the hangover, so even one drink might be eno...

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"For studies of the structure and function of the ribosome" Photo: MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology Credits: Michael Marsland/Yale University Credits: Micheline Pelletier/Corbis Venkatraman Ramakrishna Thomas A. Steitz Ada E. Yonath 1/3 of the prize 1/3 of the prize 1/3 of the prize United Kingdom USA Israel MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology Cambridge, United Kingdom Yale University New Haven, CT, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute Weizmann Institute of Science Rehovot, Israel b. 1952 (in Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu, India) b. 1940 b. 1939

Prize Announcement   Announcement of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry by Professor Gunnar Öquist, Secretary General of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, 7 October 2009 .         Interview  Following the announcement, Professor Gunnar von Heijne told senior editor Simon Frantz how the achievements awarded the 2009 Nobel Prize in Chemistry not only provided insights into life at the atomic level, but also provided insights into how to save lives.    

In 1901 the very first Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to Jacobus H. van 't Hoff for his work on rates of reaction, chemical equilibrium, and osmotic pressure. In more recent years, the Chemistry Nobel Laureates have increased our understanding of chemical processes and their molecular basis, and have also contributed to many of the technological advancements we enjoy today.

The Nobel Prize in Chemistry has been awarded 101 times to 157 Nobel Laureates between 1901 and 2009. Frederick Sanger is the only Nobel Laureate who has been awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry twice, in 1958 and 1980. This means that a total of 156 individuals have received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Click on each name to see the Nobel Laureate's page. Jump down to: | 1980 | 1960 | 1940 | 1920 | 1901 | 2009 - Venkatraman Ramakrishnan, Thomas A. Steitz, Ada E. Yonath 2008 - Osamu Shimomura, Martin Chalfie, Roger Y. Tsien 2007 - Gerhard Ertl 2006 - Roger D. Kornberg 2005 - Yves Chauvin, Robert H. Grubbs, Richard R. Schrock 2004 - Aaron Ciechanover, Avram Hershko, Irwin Rose 2003 - Peter Agre, Roderick MacKinnon 2002 - John B. Fenn, Koichi Tanaka, Kurt Wüthrich 2001 - William S. Knowles, Ryoji Noyori, K. Barry Sharpless 2000 - Alan Heeger, Alan G. MacDiarmid, Hideki Shirakawa 1999 - Ahmed Zewail 1998 - Walter Kohn, John Pople 1997 - Paul D. Boyer...

It's easy to make brilliant green fire. This cool chemistry project requires only two household chemicals. Green Fire Materials Boric Acid Medical grade boric acid can be found in the pharmacy sections of some stores for use as a disinfectant. It is a white powder. It's not the same chemical as borax. I used Enoz Roach Away™, which is 99% boric acid, sold with household insecticides. Heet™ Gas Line Antifreeze and Water Remover Heet™ is sold with automotive chemicals. Metal or Stoneware Container Lighter Instructions for Making Green Fire Pour some Heet™ into the container. How much you use will determine how long your fire will burn. I used about a half cup of Heet™ for approximately 10 minutes of fire. Sprinkle some boric acid into the liquid and swirl it around to mix it up. I used 1-2 teaspoons of powder. It won't all dissolve, so don't worry about some powder at the bottom of the container. Set the container on a heat-safe surface and ignite it with a lighter...

There are several branches of chemistry. Here is a list of the main branches of chemistry, with an overview of what each branch of chemistry studies. The science of chemistry is divided into several disciplines or branches of chemistry. Ryan McVay, Getty Images Agrochemistry - This branch of chemistry may also be called agricultural chemistry. It deals with the application of chemistry for agricultural production, food processing, and environmental remediation as a result of agriculture. Analytical Chemistry - Analytical chemistry is the branch of chemistry involved with studying the properties of materials or developing tools to analyze materials. Astrochemistry - Astrochemistry is the study of the composition and reactions of the chemical elements and molecules found in the stars and in space and of the interactions between this matter and radiation. Biochemistry - Biochemistry is the branch of chemistry concerned with the chemical reactions that occur inside living organisms....

These are the techniques and applications of molecular identification. Analytical chemistry lecture notes, laboratory exercises, organizations, journals, software, and additional resources are provided. Information is available for calorimetry, crystallography, electrophoresis, chromatography, and spectroscopy. Introduction to Qualitative Analys Identifying Anions and Cations Qualitative analysis is used to separate and detect cations and anions in a sample substance. In an educational setting, it is generally true that the concentrations of the ions to be identified are all approximately 0.01 M in an aqueous solution. The 'semimicro' level of qualitative analysis employs methods used to detect 1-2 mg of an ion in 5 mL of solution. First, ions are removed in groups from the initial aqueous solution. After each group has been separated, then testing is conducted for the individual ions in each group. Here is a common grouping of cations: Group I: Ag+, Hg22+, Pb2+ Precipitated in...

These are pretty straightforward and require no explanation. Although you don't use these on tests or anything, it's good stuff to know (not to mention our whole understanding of chemistry is based on this): Each element is made up of tiny particles called atoms. The atoms of a given element are identical; the atoms of different elements are different in some fundamental way or ways. Chemical compounds are formed when atoms combine with each other. A given compound always has the same relative numbers and types of atoms. Chemical reactions involve reorganization of the atoms--changes in the way they are bound together. The atoms themselves are not changed in a chemical reaction. These ideas form the basis of what a lot of AP Chem is all about; chemical reactions. It's nothing more than breaking some bonds and making some bonds, to put the atoms in a different order to create new things. Intro to Atomic Structure An atom consists of a nucleus and electrons orbiting around it...

As mentioned before, an element's mass is determined by its protons and neutrons. The electrons, having almost no mass, do no contribute to the mass of an element. An element is defined by the number of protons and electrons it has. The number of nuetrons an element has, however, can vary from atom to atom. Each possible atom is known as an isotope. (ex. Carbon-14) If you go look at a periodic table, you will notice that each element has a given mass. This mass is an average of its isotopes. This does NOT mean that all carbons will have 6 protons and 6 neutrons (don't worry about these calculations, they'll make sense in the next chapter). Just remember that an element can have different number of neutrons, which will change its weight.

Elements make up compounds, and are considered the basic building blocks of matter. You cannot break down elements into smaller parts, but you can classify the different parts within the element. Within the element are protons, neutrons, and electrons. The neutron, a chargeless particle, can be found in the nucleus along with the proton, which is a particle only slightly smaller than the neutron but positively charged. Electrons are negatively charged and are found circling the nucleus (much like the sun and the planets in our solar system). Within the atom, one can find a nucleus. The nucleus, which does not move around like electrons, contains both neutrons and protons. Both neutrons and protons have mass, and these two contribute almost 100% of the atomic mass of an element. Electrons, on the other hand, have almost no mass. Most calculations assume a mass of zero for electrons. Electrons, being so small, can move around very quickly around the nucleus. Protons and neutrons can also...

Biochemistry includes molecular, cellular, and organismal chemical activities. Metabolic pathways and enzymology, biochemical structures and sequences, and genome databases are included. Biochemistry is the study of the molecules of life, such as DNA. Ben Mills Biochemistry is the science in which chemistry is applied to the study of living organisms and the atoms and molecules which comprise living organisms. Take a closer look at what biochemistry is and why the science is important. What Is Biochemistry? Biochemistry is the study of the chemistry of living things. This includes organic molecules and their chemical reactions. Most people consider biochemistry to be synonymous with molecular biology. What Types of Molecules Do Biochemists Study? The principal types of biological molecules, or biomolecules are: carbohydrates lipids proteins nucleic acids Many of these molecules are complex molecules called polymers, which are made up of monomer subunits. Biochemical molecules are base...

Know the Standard State Conditions Values of thermodynamic quantities are commonly expressed for standard state conditions, so it is a good idea to understand what the standard state conditions are. A superscript circle is used to denote a thermodynamic quantity that is under standard state conditions: ΔH = ΔH° ΔS = ΔS° ΔS = ΔS° Standard State Conditions Certain assumptions apply to standard state conditions. Standard temperature and pressure commonly is abbreviated as STP. The standard state temperature is 25°C (298 K). It is possible to calculate standard state values for other temperatures. All liquids are pure. The concentration of all solutions is 1 M (1 molar). All gases are pure. All gases are at 1 atm pressure. The energy of formation of an element in its normal state is defined as zer

System Features Skid Mounted Turnkey Construction Minimal Installation Time NEMA 4X, UL 508 Small Foot Print State-Of-The-Art Controls pHASE pH Adjustment systems are designed to handle a variety of acidic and alkaline waste streams including concentrated discharges. Any acidic or alkaline stream, of any concentration from any source can be safely and effectively neutralized with a pHASE pH adjustment system. All systems feature state of the art instrumentation and control systems using our proprietary "Optimized Batch" pH adjustment technology. Completely automated operation requires no operator attention other than periodic instrumentation calibrations and maintenance. Remote monitoring via SCADA, building management, or dial-up link available. Standard Materials of Construction* Treatment Tank: Polypro, FRP Reagent Tank(s): Polypro, PE, XLPE Pump(s): CPVC, Polypro Piping System: PVC, CPVC, Polypro *Alternate materials of construction available MODEL Max Average Flow* (GPM)...

This is a collection of problem sets, lecture notes, articles, and labs for physical chemistry, thermochemistry, and thermodynamics. Laws of Thermochemistry Thermochemical equations are just like other balanced equations except they also specify the heat flow for the reaction. The heat flow is listed to the right of the equation using the symbol ΔH. The most common units are kilojoules, kJ. Here are two thermochemical equations: H2 (g) + ½ O2 (g) → H2O (l); ΔH = -285.8 kJ HgO (s) → Hg (l) + ½ O2 (g); ΔH = +90.7 kJ When you write thermochemical equations, be sure to keep the following points in mind: Coefficients refer to the number of moles. Thus, for the first equation, -282.8 kJ is the ΔH when 1 mol of H2O (l) is formed from 1 mol H2 (g) and ½ mol O2. Enthalpy changes for a phase change, so the enthalpy of a substance depends on whether is it is a solid, liquid, or gas. Be sure to specify the phase of the reactants and products using (s), (l), or (g) and be sure to look up the corre...

These are the structures for the twenty natural amino acids, plus the general structure for an amino acid.

If it isn't carbon-based, it's probably covered here. Of course, inorganic reactions of carbon are described, too. You'll find lecture and lab notes, molecular structures, journals, and study guides. Types of Inorganic Chemical Reactions Elements and compounds react with each other in numerous ways. Memorizing every type of reaction would be challenging and also unncecessary, since nearly every inorganic chemical reaction falls into one or more of four broad categories. Combination Reactions Two or more reactants form one product in a combination reaction. An example of a combination reaction is the formation of sulfur dioxide when sulfur is burned in air: S (s) + O2 (g) --> SO2 (g) Decomposition Reactions In a decomposition reaction, a compound breaks down into two or more substances. Decomposition usually results from electrolysis or heating. An example of a decomposition reaction is the breakdown of mercury (II) oxide into its component elements. 2HgO (s) + heat --...

Citric Acid Cycle - Overview of the Citric Acid Cycle The Citric Acid Cycle is also known as the Krebs Cycle or Tricarboxylic Acid (TCA) Cycle. It is a series of chemical reactions that takes place in the cell that breaks down food molecules into carbon dioxide, water, and energy. Narayanese, wikipedia.org The citric acid cycle, also known as the Krebs cycle or tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, is a series of chemical reactions in the cell that breaks down food molecules into carbon dioxide, water, and energy. In plants and animals, these reactions take place in the mitochondria of the cell as part of cellular respiration. Many bacteria perform the citric acid cycle too, though they do not have mitochondria so the reactions take place in the cytoplasm of bacterial cells. Sir Hans Adolf Krebs, a British biochemist, is credited with discovering the cycle. Sir Krebs outlined the steps of the cycle in 1937. The overall reaction for the citric acid cycle is: Acetyl-CoA + 3 NAD+ + Q + GDP + P...

This chemistry glossary offers definitions for terms which are commonly used in chemistry and chemical engineering. An engineering glossary is available, too. abrasive absolute error absolute pressure absolute temperature absolute uncertainty absolute zero absorbance absorption absorption cross section absorption spectroscopy absorption spectrum absorptivity accelerator accuracy acetate acid acid anhydride acid-base titration acid dissociation constant - Ka acidic solution actinides activated complex activation energy - Ea actual yield addition polymer addition reaction adhesive adsorption aerosol alchemy alcohol aldehyde alkali metal alkaline alkaline earth metal alkane alkene alkyl group alkyne allotrope alloy alpha particle alternating copolymer ammeter amorphous analytical chemistry anion androgen anisotropy annealing antiferromagnetism antioxidant aromatic compound aqueous solution Arrhenius rate equation astrochemistry atactic atom atomic mass atomic mass unit (amu) atomic num...

Soap is good at cleaning because it acts as an emulsifier, enabling one liquid to disperse into another immiscible liquid. While oil (which attracts dirt) doesn't naturally mix with water, soap can suspend oil/dirt in such a way that it can be removed. It's easy to demonstrate the action of an emulsifer. All you need are two immiscible liquids and a little dishwashing detergent or soap. Emulsifier Demo Materials water kerosene or oil dishwashing detergent or soap flask or clear glass Perform the Demonstration Add some kerosene or oil together with some water in a flask. Swirl the contents around to try to mix them. What happens? Add a squirt of dishwashing liquid. Swirl or shake the flask to mix the ingredients. How has the layer of kerosene or oil been changed? What could be easier, right?

As silver oxidizes it will tarnish. This layer of oxidation can be removed without polishing and scrubbing by simply dipping your silver in this non-toxic electrochemical dip. Another big advantage to using a dip is that the liquid can reach places a polishing cloth cannot. You can use chemistry to removethe tarnish from your silver without even touching it. Mel Curtis, Getty Image Difficulty: Easy Time Required: Minutes Here's How: Line the bottom of the sink or a glass baking dish with a sheet of aluminum foil. Fill the foil-lined container with steaming hot water. Add salt (sodium chloride) and baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) to the water. Some recipes call for 2 tsp baking soda and 1 tsp salt, whereas others call for 2 tablespoons each of baking soda and salt. Personally, I wouldn't measure the amounts... just add a bit of each substance. Drop the silver items into the container so that they are touching each other and resting on the foil. You will be able to watch the ta...

Here's a cute cartoon to brighten your day. Sulfur pentafluoride presumably binds with itself to make disulfur decafluoride, a chemical warfare pulmonary agent similar to your good old friend phosgene . Fun stuff. Disulfur decafluoride eventually decomposes into sulfur hexafluoride (which can be used as a sort of anti-helium in gas density demonstrations ) and sulfur tetrafluoride (which reacts with moisture in the air to form sulfurous acid and hydrofluoric acid). Incidentally, while I have no idea about the color of sulfur pentafluoride, I can tell you disulfur decafluoride is colorless and one breath can kill you in a day. It takes a while because its actually the acids produced by the sulfur tetrafluoride reacting with water that likely do you in.

One of my self-improvement projects has been to try to learn how to write legibly. It would be easy to blame my handwriting on being left-handed, but it probably has a lot more to do with trying to write quickly rather than neatly. So, I got a pen and some ink and have been practicing. Ink is one of the practical contributions of chemistry. You can make invisible inks and tattoo inks in addition to writing and drawing inks. Although ink recipes may be closely-guarded secrets, the basic principles of preparing ink are simple. You want to mix a pigment with a carrier (usually water). It helps to include a chemical which will allow the ink to flow fluidly and adhere to the paper (gum arabic). Here are some easy ink recipes to get you started ma Black Permanent Ink 1/2 tsp lamp black (which you can buy or can make by holding a plate over a candle and collecting the soot or from collecting other char) 1 egg yolk 1 tsp gum arabic 1/2 cup honey Mix together the egg yolk, gum arabic, and ho...

Here's an easy and colorful chemistry demonstration for you. Take a long glass tube and fill it with Universal Indicator solution. Add a few drops of 0.02M HCl to one end of the tube and seal it with a stopper. Add a couple of drops of 0.02M NaOH to the other end of the tube and seal it. The Universal Indicator will respond to the pH gradient by providing you with a lovely rainbow. You can invert the tube a few times to speed things up. You can get a similar result using home chemistry. Fill a clear straw with red cabbage juice . Add a little lemon juice or vinegar to one end of the straw. Add a few drops of baking soda or laundry detergent solution to the other end of the straw.

November 13 th is Edward Doisy's birthday. Doisy was an American biochemist who shared the 1943 Nobel Prize in Medicine with Henrik Dam for their work concerning vitamin K. Dam discovered the vitamin and Doisy identified, isolated, determined the structures, and synthesized of two different forms of vitamin K. Vitamin K is actually a group of vitamins named after "Koagulations-Vitamin" in German because they are required for processes of blood coagulation. They are also involved in the process of binding calcium during bone metabolism. Deficiency is rare in adults, but newborns have a higher risk, and an injection of vitamin K1 is recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics shortly after birth. Other research into the K vitamins is looking at links between vitamin K and bone health, Alzheimer's disease, and certain cancers.