Chemistry news, research and opinions | Chemistry World
WEB6 September 2024. On your best behaviour. Nicotine analogues emerging in e-cigarettes to evade regulations. Search for UKRI chief executive starts afresh. The science education programme partnering with people in prison. US government scientist union scores latest contract win. Force-sensitive molecule pulled apart to create highly reactive aryne.
Explainer: Why is mixing cleaning chemicals such a bad idea?
WEBApr 23, 2020 · Chlorine gas is toxic, forms acids on contact with wet surfaces, such as home plumbing but also living tissue, such as the lungs. Heating or contact with metals can also cause bleach to decompose via a different route. 2NaOCl → O 2 + 2NaCl. Mixing hypochlorite with ammonia would see the breakdown of the hypochlorite to generate hypochlorous ...
Explainer: The science of alkyl nitrites aka poppers
WEBSep 16, 2021 · Inhaling alkyl nitrites feels like becoming instantly drunk according to some users, although the effect lasts for only a few minutes. Also known as poppers, these chemicals have been taken recreationally since the 1960s. Although they are sold openly, usually in small brown bottles with enticing brand names such as ‘liquid gold’, their ...
Hydrothermal vents and the origins of life - Chemistry World
WEBApr 16, 2017 · In 1977, the first deep sea hydrothermal vent was discovered in the East Pacific Rise mid-oceanic ridge. Named ‘black smokers’, the vents emit geothermally heated water up to 400°C, with high levels of sulfides that precipitate on contact with the cold ocean to form the black smoke. This was followed in 2000 by the discovery of a new type ...
Explainer: The chemistry of farts | News | Chemistry World
WEBDec 21, 2016 · The men farted between two and 53 times a day, with an average of 12.7, while women farted between once and 32 times a day, with an average of 7.1 times. The number of farts was higher when people ate more fibre. The study shows farting is normal, Stanton says. ‘I hope that has translated to people …
What it takes to make a new element | Feature | Chemistry World
WEBNov 30, 2016 · Results of fusion reactions were decreasing sharply as the atomic number grew higher. The cause was the high excitation energy (40–50MeV), which increased the chance of the element breaking up. To create new elements, the excitation energy needed to be minimal, or ‘cold’.
Can acid dissolve a body? | Opinion | Chemistry World
WEBJun 16, 2017 · The annals of crime are filled with gruesome tales of using chemicals for body disposal. In the mid-to-late 1940s, one of England’s most notorious killers, John Haigh, used sulfuric acid to dispose at least six victims’ corpses – a method that led to him being dubbed the ‘acid bath killer’. The Arellano-Félix Organization, a real-life cartel that inspired a storyline in the 2000 ...
Elusive ‘supersolid’ phase observed in experiments
WEBJan 25, 2024 · By probling the manegtocaloric effect observed in NBCP, Li’s team uncovered evidence of the supersolid phase transition. The cooling effect actually helped the researchers to reach the ultralow temperatures needed – 1K for the spin supersolid phase transition and 100mK for the neutron experiments. The …
The chemists’ war | Feature | Chemistry World
WEBAug 9, 2015 · The first world war, fought from late July 1914 to November 1918, pitted the industrial might and armies of the Central Powers, notably Germany, against the industrial might and armies of Britain, France and other Allied Powers. It was the first industrial world war and has been called the Chemists’ War.
Explainer: The chemistry that keeps swimming pools clean and safe
WEBAug 4, 2022 · Chloramines can form in various ways in swimming pools. One of the simplest is the reaction of ammonia-like compounds, such as urea from swimmers, with hypochlorous acid. This leads to the formation of mono-, di- and trichloramines. Chloramine formation: R 2 NH + HOCl → R 2 NCl + H 2 O. These toxic chloramines then evaporate, producing the ...