23Apr 2019 by Vincent Summers 1 Comment

Chemical Indicators for Advanced Homeschool From Flowers and Spices

Chemistry, Education
[caption id="attachment_24335" align="alignright" width="480"] Tautomers of curcumin found in turmeric.[/caption] "And the leaves of the trees were for the healing of the nations.” -Revelation 22:2c While the above quote is not intended as a discussion of home remedies, people have converted roots, leaves, flowers, and stems to teas, emoluments, and powders for the purpose of healing for many, many years. Of greater interest to us, you can use flowers and spices in much the same way a chemist uses commercial indicators in chemical titrations in the laboratory. A titration is the measured addition of a solution of known concentration into an another solution of unknown concentration with which it reacts, with the goal of reaching a proper end-point. And how does one know when the end-point has been reached? By…
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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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