Comments for Chemistry Hall

Comment on The Swern Oxidation: Mechanism and Features by Juozas Domarkas

Juozas Domarkas — Tue, 09 Apr 2024 14:50:19 +0000

There is one big inconvenience that I have encountered doing Swern oxidation – your DMSO needs to be really anhydrous. Seems evident, but considering how fast DMSO catches water if not under septa/inert gas, worth mentioning. In presence of water reaction does not work at all.

Comment on The 21 Most Dangerous Chemicals in the World (Steer Away!) by Goober Supreme

Goober Supreme — Mon, 25 Mar 2024 07:24:36 +0000

FOOF is such a funny name for a chemical, it makes me want to touch it. That would be a pretty bad idea though.

Comment on Cyclocarbon: The First Cyclic Carbon Allotrope by Paul Burbank

Paul Burbank — Tue, 12 Mar 2024 04:25:54 +0000

Yeah, what’s up with fullerenes these days? I worked under Harry Dorn an Don Bethune. And I certainly remembered Rick Smally. My area was in endohedrials with the Lanthanide group. I worked in the early 1990s on purifing them. So , have they gone anywhere? Are they used for any practical application: Superconductor apps, nonlinear optocs, delivery of cancer drugs?

Comment on How to Make Your Own Soap at Home (with Chemistry!) by Tolera

Tolera — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 11:50:47 +0000

Thank you for this important explanation. But i do have one request: Would you, please, send me the effect of each recipe on the soap property in terms of chemistry?

Comment on Neurotoxin vs. Cytotoxin: The Difference between Spider Venoms by Sal Ruiz

Sal Ruiz — Wed, 17 Jan 2024 22:41:37 +0000

I moved a 20-gallon pot but before I moved it, there was a black spot and a smaller red spot. I moved it with my foot and the spider, literally, vanished. I left the pot alone and told my wife as I knew black widow spider bites are no joke. So, how do I get rid of the spider? We need the pot for a big meal with relatives in about 3 weeks.

Comment on 100 Fun Chemistry Facts (With Awesome Explanations!) by M. Clark

M. Clark — Thu, 04 Jan 2024 14:37:55 +0000

Re:#46 Mercury is the only pure element that is a liquid metal at standard temperature and pressure. But it’s not the only metal that has that property. As #22 reminds us, alloys are mixtures of metals made to have desired properties, such as being a liquid at room temperature. As compound often has a lower melting point when impurities are present, some gallium alloys would be expected to have melting points below that of pure gallium.

Alloying gallium with other metals that have low melting points such as indium and tin, produces alloys that are liquid at room temperatures. For example Galinstan, an alloy of 68% gallium, 22% indium and 10% tin by weight, melts at a cool 11°C (51.8°F). Or Indalloy-46L, which melts at 8°C (46.4°F).

Galinstan, like other liquid metals, supercools very readily and often remains liquid to temperatures as low as -19°C. This is often mistakenly given as Galinstan’s freezing point. Like mercury, these metals are liquid at room temps. But unlike mercury, they aren’t particularly toxic.

Comment on Thin Layer Chromatography: A Complete Guide to TLC by Liffy

Liffy — Tue, 12 Dec 2023 03:46:23 +0000

Omg kind sir thank you so much for this wonderful and detailed guideline of TCL…You are literally my second favorite person on this planet right now. Seriously, I love you…I hope you are happy, safe and surrounded by love every moment of your life.

Comment on Can We See Real Atoms and Molecules? Electron Microscopy at a Glance by scott

scott — Wed, 01 Nov 2023 07:18:00 +0000

I’m confused still. Not a scientist but curious. Can we see an atom? Like we can see an object with our eyes but with the use of microscope? Not by inference but actually see the atom.

Comment on Bee vs Wasp Sting Venom: Truth and Chemical Myths by greg

greg — Tue, 17 Oct 2023 20:18:54 +0000

baking soda has always worked for me and kids/grand children. have used it for years

Comment on 100 Fun Chemistry Facts (With Awesome Explanations!) by Val Schmidt

Val Schmidt — Sun, 15 Oct 2023 22:34:27 +0000

This is terrific and I shared it with my daughter who is loving high school chemistry.

One correction, regarding why graphite rods are used as a moderator in a nuclear reactor. The answer stated that the graphite slows down the neutron release. This is not technically true, I don’t think. It slows the speed of the neutrons that are released, which in turn makes them more susceptible to interacting with other uranium atoms. This ultimately increases the number of neutrons released overall eventually creating a sustained reaction called “the point of criticality”. Source- former nuclear engineer

Comment on The Best Organic Chemistry Textbook [A Definitive Guide] by Rebecca V

Rebecca V — Thu, 05 Oct 2023 22:21:50 +0000

Can you comment on the best OER texts available?
How about for an organic lab manual?

Comment on Awesome Chemistry Experiments For Kids To Do At Home by Pasha K

Pasha K — Sat, 30 Sep 2023 16:58:39 +0000

Is the copper/vinegar/salt solution toxic? I wonder because I would like to use it – the solution – to shift the color in natural dyeing – but – am concerned about potential toxicity – vapours, contact with skin, or copper remaining in the cloth. Appreciate any insights.