16Apr 2013 by Vincent Summers No Comments

Termite Methane Generator

Biology
[caption id="attachment_3662" align="alignright" width="440"] Termites - ARS, US Gov't.[/caption] Clearly the world cannot function forever using "fossil fuels" in the way it currently uses them. Society recognizes the need for alternative fuel sources. But could it be that methane gas could be used in some new way as fuel? At present, methane gas is not viewed in too favorable a light. But sometimes a bane can be turned into a boon, depending upon how one deals with a matter. Methane is disparagingly referred to as a “greenhouse gas.” This is due to its being released into the atmosphere by biological sources, where its excess promotes global warming. Of these, we will address two main sources: cattle methane and termite methane. Better Out Than In The National Geographic News web site…
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15Apr 2013 by Vincent Summers 2 Comments

Pyrophoricity: How Does It Work?

Chemistry, Physics
[caption id="attachment_3651" align="alignright" width="440"] Pyrophoric ferro-cerium striker[/caption] A substance exhibiting pyrophoricity (including certain metals) reacts quickly with oxygen, producing heat, and bursting into flames. Alkali metals are pyrophoric, but there are other pyrophoric metals as well, given the proper conditions. Otherwise, they are stable and may be put to a number of uses without fear of bursting into flame. The overall principle is a simple one: metals are electropositive. Oxygen is electronegative. Almost all metals will react with oxygen to some extent. As a metal oxidizes, the reaction releases a little heat energy. If the heat cannot dissipate, it builds up. This speeds further oxidation, increasing the heat yet more. The metal may burst into flames. Those “Other” Metals Some alkaline earth metals such as calcium, and a few other…
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12Apr 2013 by Vincent Summers No Comments

Arrival of Spring: Pay Attention to Little Things

Plants
[caption id="attachment_3634" align="alignright" width="380"] Pennsylvania Bittercress - Image: USGS[/caption] Will there ever be a spring? After a blistering summer comes fall. The fall often begins with a sharp break in temperature, while there remains a low level of precipitation. Then comes October and its beautiful colors. If temperatures are mild and the rains don't pick up too severely, those colors may last for sometime. November is blustery, gray, chilly, and morose. Yet, November has an upside. December follows, January, and finally February. Winter’s death draws near. March approaches. Actually, the tail end of February can be the earliest harbinger of spring, but certainly by March, one should be paying close attention for the tiny signs of spring. Look at your lawn. It will speak in little ways that you are…
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01Apr 2013 by Vincent Summers No Comments

The Hydrolysis of Acetonitrile or Methyl Cyanide

Chemistry
Hydrolysis of acetonitrile (the adding of water to its triple bond) is a useful synthetic procedure. Alkali metals such as sodium (Na) and potassium (K) attached to the cyanide group (carbon and nitrogen joined by three bonds, ‒C≡N or -CN for short) is deadly poisonous. One factor making it so poisonous is most inorganic cyanides ionize in water. Dissolving cyanides separates the cation (for example, Na⁺) from the cyanide ion, ‒CN⁻. When an organic group is attached to ‒CN, the group is not ionized, even if the organic is water soluble. In such a case, the compound is called a nitrile. Nitriles are generally much safer to handle.* What some might call methyl cyanide, CH₃CN, is more accurately acetonitrile. Why acetonitrile? Hydrolysis of the ‒CN group produces acetic acid. Hydrolysis…
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01Apr 2013 by Vincent Summers No Comments

Early Signs of Virginia Spring Flora

Plants
[caption id="attachment_3603" align="alignright" width="440"] Dead Nettle - GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 by Daniel J. Layton[/caption] A special event - the appearance of the spring flora, is dear to my heart. I’m not one of those thrill-seeking lovers of wintertime sports. Although I love to be outside in the fresh air in a good, deep, dry snow in wintertime, nearly inhaling the tiny crystals as they fall, I rue the time that must follow when the white turns gray, and the snow becomes ice and slush. I hate the shoveling and the power outages. I hate the indoor cold and the outside damp. Here in Virginia, as soon as all of that is over, and the last of the snows melt in late February or early March, I look…
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20Mar 2013 by Vincent Summers No Comments

Straight Chain Alkanes: Predicting Properties

Chemistry
Straight chain alkanes are compounds with a non-branched backbone of carbon atoms. In addition, as many hydrogen atoms as possible are attached to each carbon atom. Straight chain alkanes are “saturated” hydrocarbons, which means they are completely filled up with hydrogen. See Figure 1 for examples of straight chain, branched chain, saturated, and unsaturated hydrocarbons. Methylene With the exceptions of methane and ethane, straight chain alkanes differ in the number of methylene groups (CH₂) each contains.  Thus the first five hydrocarbons, methane, ethane, propane, butane, and pentane are written, CH₄ CH₃CH₃ CH₃CH₂CH₃ CH₃CH₂CH₂CH₃ CH₃CH₂CH₂CH₂CH₃ Another method of writing straight chain alkane chemical formulas for the butane and pentane structures above is, CH₃(CH₂)₂CH₃ CH₃(CH₂)₃CH₃ General Formula From this, we can formulate the rule for the formula of a straight chain alkane…
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18Mar 2013 by Vincent Summers 1 Comment

Locating Missing Persons

Genealogy, People
[caption id="attachment_8367" align="alignright" width="440"] Is your puzzle missing a piece?[/caption] Although such may not always be the outcome, I have good success locating missing persons I knew using methods discussed here. For the following family it took me perhaps two days to locate them and verify a favorable outcome. Please grab a cup of coffee and follow along as I reveal how I find missing persons (in this case, missing neighbors) even 58 years after parting. Who? As much as I’d like to use the real surname, I do not feel it is my right to do so. Therefore, I offer no last name. I do present actual first names. The game of locating missing persons is afoot! Won't you please join me? In addition to sharing my experience, it…
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11Mar 2013 by Vincent Summers No Comments

Distance, Velocity, and Acceleration

Mathematics, Physics
[caption id="attachment_3512" align="alignright" width="440"] Porsche 911 image - CCA 2 Generic[/caption] Do you know the relationships between distance, velocity, and acceleration? In learning about a matter, the primary obstacle is likely to be understanding the concept of it. For instance, as a young teen, I was introduced to algebra. Algebra is the first form of mathematics that contains not only numbers, but letters as well. Numbers are constant (after all, 3 is three), but letters are used to indicate variance in value, i.e. they are variables. Distance The concept of distance is so very simple, it is taken for granted. But should it be? Some young ones may not fully comprehend the concept of distance. That being said, we will assume here that the reader and his or her pupil…
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26Feb 2013 by Vincent Summers 1 Comment

On the Nature of the Chemical Bond

Chemistry
[caption id="attachment_3393" align="alignright" width="440"] Proline - Ball and Stick Model CCA 2.5 by Peter Murray-Rust.[/caption] Atoms combine to form molecules. Atom A approaches atom B and cohesively attaches to it. Molecule AB is held together by a chemical bond.¹ That bond is written A–B,  or in the case of multiple bonds, A=B, A≡B, etc. Factors in Bond Formation The primary bonding agency is electrostatic force. This is the force between electrical charges. A positive charge is due to a lack of one or more electrons, producing cations. A negative charge is due to an excess of electrons, producing anions. One of the simplest examples is the formation from sodium (Na) and chlorine (Cl) of ordinary table salt, sodium chloride (NaCl).² We write, Na – e⁻ → Na⁺ Cl + e⁻…
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20Feb 2013 by Vincent Summers 1 Comment

Mysterious Saint Elmo’s Fire

Physics
[caption id="attachment_3371" align="alignright" width="330"] Coronal discharge in plasma - www.Lucnix.be[/caption] Saint Elmo's Fire is far from being a variety of combustion associated with a heaven bound Muppet. Rather, it is an historic phenomenon observed by sailors at sea, and is named after the supposed patron saint of sailors, Erasmus.¹ Saint Elmo's Fire has also appeared to pilots in connection with aircraft wings. Rarely, it is seen elsewhere. The single feature each of these occurrences shares in common is sharp or pointed surfaces. The Nature of the Beast Such surfaces do not provide fuel to some conflagration. In fact, they are generally metallic, and are not consumed at all. Saint Elmo's Fire is an electrical and atmospheric phenomenon. It comes about because of a coronal discharge of electricity that leads surrounding…
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