It is typical to find duct tape in most homes.The tape is used for various tasks, such as packaging, binding two surfaces together, and sealing. Some people even use it to protect against exposed electrical cables. But is the tape enough to block electric current? Is duct tape conductive? It’s an important question, and we…
Soil is the loose surface material that covers most parts of the land on Earth. It is present on the uppermost part of the crust and contains several inorganic and organic matter that is essential for life on Earth. One of the main uses of soil is that it provides basic structural support to plants…
Ever wondered about the chemical composition and properties while playing or working with sand? Though it might sound a bit technical, understanding its chemical backdrop is pretty easy. Using some easy comparisons and examples, you can very well grasp the category of sand. So, let’s contemplate if sand is a pure substance. Is it a…
When one first notices sand, on a beach, roadside or desert, the common observation is that it is much grainier and loose than other types of mud. The particles slip easily through fingers and differ in terms of color. This leads us to the question – are all these fragments unique, or is sand a…
Blood is an integral part of the human body. Many might not ponder the scientific nature of blood. However, if you do so, you will find it more interesting and the facts you learn might help to look at blood from a different perspective. That being said, one of the common questions surrounding blood is…
Baking soda or sodium bicarbonate is the common name for NaHCO3. It contains sodium (Na), hydrogen (H), carbon ( C ), and oxygen (O). Baking soda is mostly used for baking purposes and as a leavening agent to help raise your baked goods. Baking soda has a lot of other uses as well, such as…
Black coffee – a single word that is enough to send your body into an adrenaline ecstasy and is perhaps loved more by today’s youth than most other drinks. Black coffee is a version of coffee that is brewed without the addition of sugar, milk, or cream. It is for people that like their coffee…
Steam forms when water changes its state of matter from a liquid form to a gaseous state. The best example that explains the formation of steam is when we boil water. Masses of steam escape into the air and this has a larger use even in industries. However, to understand steam chemically, we may have…
Air is everywhere. We couldn’t imagine living on a planet with no air to breathe. Though it is not visible, it has so many chemical properties that are sometimes confusing. Understanding some of the common facts that define air is crucial to know its properties. This brings us to the all-important question. Is air a…
Alcohol is a kind of organic compound with at least one hydroxyl (–OH) functional group bound to a saturated carbon atom. The term is often used to refer to ethyl alcohol, which is the main ingredient of alcoholic drinks, but in chemistry, the term includes all compounds having the CnH2n+1OH formula. Consumption of alcohol, or…
Sulfur is a nonmetallic chemical element having the symbol S and atomic number 16. It belongs to the oxygen group (Group 16 [VIa]) of the periodic table and is one of the most reactive elements. Sulfur is the fifth most abundant element on Earth, and a vast amount of sulfur is produced every year to…
Magnesium is a chemical element having the symbol Mg and atomic number 12. It belongs to group 2 on the periodic table, sharing many physical and chemical properties with the other five alkaline earth metals: beryllium (Be), calcium (Ca), strontium (Sr), barium (Ba), and radium (Ra). Its name comes from Magnesia, a district of Thessaly…
Garnet is a large group of silicate minerals that have the general chemical composition of X3Y2(SiO4)3. Some of the species of garnet are pyrope, almandine, spessartine, etc. Garnet gets its name from the Middle English term gernet meaning “dark red”, which is the most common color of the crystal. Have you ever wondered if garnet…
Tourmaline is a silicate mineral group in which boron is compounded with elements like aluminum, iron, magnesium, etc. It consists of several minerals with similar crystal structures and physical properties, but they vary significantly in chemical composition. Its name is derived from the Sinhalese term tōramalli, which refers to carnelian gemstones. Have you ever wondered…
Larimar is the tradename of a rare blue variety of pectolite. It is an inosilicate mineral having the chemical formula NaCa2Si3O8(OH). The stone gets its name from one of its discoverers, Miguel Méndez. Mendez found the stone on a beach, so he took his daughter’s name “Larissa” and joined it with the Spanish word for…