28Nov 2014 by Vincent Summers No Comments

Surface Area and Adsorption

Mathematics
[caption id="attachment_6504" align="alignright" width="480"] Activated Carbon - CC-2.5 by Ravedave[/caption] Surface area? What's that? And how does it affect physical properties? There are two similar words in the English language: absorption and adsorption. While they are related, they are at the same time distinctly separate. Absorption, simply put, is sucking into the interior or volume of something. Water, for instance, is sucked into the volume of a sponge. The water is held throughout the sponge. Adsorption Adsorption is a surface phenomenon. A substance that is adsorbed is adsorbed onto the surface. It does not enter into the interior or volume of the adsorbing agent. The difference in these physical processes determines the most efficient form the absorbing or adsorbing agent should assume. [caption id="attachment_15070" align="alignright" width="340"] Zeolite Materials for Methane…
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28Nov 2014 by Vincent Summers 3 Comments

Most Efficient Shape for Holding Liquids

Mathematics
[caption id="attachment_6496" align="alignright" width="440"] Spherical Bottle.[/caption] We store liquids in a bottle. So what is the most efficient shape that uses the least glass to store the most liquid? The volume of a sphere divided by its surface area represents the greatest ratio possible of any geometrical object. We want to use the least material to construct the vessel, while it holds the most. How shall we determine what best meets our requirements? Most Efficient Shape We determine what best meets our requirements by logic supported by mathematics. V/S (sphere) = 4/3пr3/4п€r2 = r/3 Use, for purposes of comparison and illustration, a cube, whose dimensions are "a" on a side. Then, since its surface area is the area of its six sides, V/S (cube) = a3/6a2 = a/6 Now since…
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03Dec 2012 by Vincent Summers No Comments

Why Balloons Blow Up Round

Physics
[caption id="attachment_13619" align="alignright" width="440"] Balloons.[/caption] When you blow up latex balloons and build up some pressure in them, unless they are especially made to become some other shape, they tends toward roundness—they assume a spherical shape. Balloons blow up round! Why does it do that? Let’s look at the simple math and physics of the thing. Stretching Requires Force Take an ordinary piece of burst balloon and pull on it with your fingers. It takes a definite force to accomplish that, doesn’t it? And the task becomes more difficult the more you stretch it. We call the exertion “force.” It takes force to stretch the rubber. Since the required force becomes greater the more you stretch the skin of balloons, it is clear the more air you blow into them,…
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