Science

Dividing the process of respiration into two categories, internal and external respiration, can help clarify some of the complexities of this biologically important process. Together, the...

Hydrogen and sulfur are elements. The chemical formula for sulfur is S, which is the same as its symbol. Hydrogen's symbol is H; however, it forms a diatomic molecule in pure form so its chemical...

Potassium permanganate is a highly toxic chemical and strong oxidizer that requires careful handling and disposal. The chemical can be ordered only by laboratories with certification for its use....

The study of reaction speeds and mechanisms is called chemical kinetics. To increase the rate of a chemical reaction, you must increase the frequency at which particles collide. You can measure...

Chemical digestion occurs when acids, enzymes and other secretions break down the food we eat into nutrients. Chemical digestion starts in the mouth and continues in the stomach, but most of the...

Considered by many to be a miracle compound, baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) has a seemingly endless number of uses around the house. But you'll be surprised at how many everyday applications for...

When most of us think about respiration, we think about breathing, or the process of inhaling and exhaling. That's correct, but only partially so. Respiration involves both the acts of gas...

Hydrogen is a part of almost all biological matter on earth, and present in many different compounds. The hydrogen bonds, or the way hydrogen atoms bond to other substances between molecules, are...

The energy produced in cold packs is the result of a chemical reaction that occurs between a material, such as a gelling agent, and a liquid, such as water.

Saccharin is the oldest form of artificial sweetener discovered by Constantine Fahlberg, who accidentally spilled a chemical on his hand. While consuming bread at dinner, he noticed that the...

A cough-suppressing ingredient found in many OTC medications, dextromethorphan is absorbed through the gastrointestinal track, enters the bloodstream and crosses the blood-brain barrier. When it...

Glycolic acid (α-hydroxyacetic acid) has the chemical structure HO-CH₂-COOH. Alpha-hydroxyacetic acid is used in skin care products. It reduces wrinkles and improves other skin...

In chemistry class, sooner or later you'll have to learn to identify different types of chemical reactions. Why not get a head start and be ready to ace the exam? This article will give you a good...

A sensor is a device that measures a particular characteristic of an object or system. Some sensors are purely mechanical, but most sensors are electronic, returning a voltage signal that can be...

A versatile plastic, low-density polyethylene is used in numerous commercial products due to its affordability and wide range of applications.

Chemical etching, also known as metal etching, is a process of dissolving metals or glasses in acids to make them into a particular shape. There are two main types of chemical etching: the process...

You do not need to buy a fancy and expensive chemistry set to do many chemical experiments. Instead, you can use ingredients found in the home or some that are easy to find at a store. Most...

During photosynthesis, "producers" like green plants, algae and some bacteria convert light energy from the sun into chemical energy. Photosynthesis produces chemical energy in the form of...

Aluminum is one of the most common metals in the Earth's crust, but it does not occur naturally in its metallic form. Scientists must chemically extract it, but because of aluminum's many positive...

In an atom, valance electrons can be found in the outermost electron shell. They are the main point of interaction between one atom and another, and are very important for the formation of molecules.

Acetate is a chemical compound that is part of the acetyl group. It is commonly referred to as acetic acid, and is used in a wide variety of industrial and manufacturing applications. The word...

In general, the term chemical imbalance pertains to health conditions, particularly, to brain-related disorders. The exact cause and effect of chemical imbalance is unknown. However, advances...

Balancing chemical equations seems like a daunting process at first glance, but it's really just simple algebra, only this time it's actually describing how something works in the real world....

Every chemical reaction starts with one or more reactants. Atoms, molecules or free electrons can participate. They combine, swap atoms or decompose into the reaction's products. If a reactant is...

Also known as methylpentanoic acid and often abbreviated as "Leu" or simply "L," leucine is an essential amino acid, one of the unique chemical compounds that forms long chains that form different...

Hydroquinone, controversial for its use in cosmetics, is a substance used in a variety of applications. Over the last several years, hydroquinone has come under fire for its toxic or harmful...

Chemical reactions change molecules into different molecules. They do so by interaction of the outermost electrons of the affected atoms. There are millions of chemical reactions but underlying...

A chemical formula is a representation of the elements in a molecule. Although the word "formula" connotes an equation, chemical formula are not to be confused with chemical equations, which...

Chemical heat packs can be used to apply heat to specific areas on the body to help with pain and injury recovery. They are most popular in sporting events where athletes suffer from various...

Chemical reactions change molecules into other molecules. They don't change atomic nuclei, thus, they can't change elements into different elements. Instead, they affect the electrons in the...

Chemical formulas are one of the backbones of science. Knowing how to write them is critical to understanding key concepts in subjects such as chemistry and biology. Writing chemical formulas...

In physics and chemistry, an atom is a unit of matter that is irreducible by normal chemical means. Molecules can be reduced by chemical means, but atoms can't. Atoms have a positively charged...

The molecular chemical formula for glucose is C6H12O6, where the numbers are subscripts. There are several structural chemical formulas for glucose, partly because it comes in different forms.

The nucleus, being the nerve center of the cell, is the site of many intricate and essential chemical reactions. At the core of these are reactions involving DNA, the cell's genetic material....

A chemical formula shows the number and types of elements in a compound. It is a representation of a substance using symbols for its constituent elements. Such representations use one or two...

Citric acid is one of the most common types of natural acids in the world. Because it is found in many fruits and nearly every digestive system, citric acid can be added to foods and cleaners...

One meaning of the word "quick" is "living." Quicksilver refers to the silvery, ready-to-move (as if alive) liquid metal mercury. Indeed, another name for mercury is hydrargyrum, or "watery...

Chemistry is one of the most fun disciplines of science, mostly because it lends itself to a lot of easily observable phenomena that can be exciting. Just be safe as you try out just a couple of...

Chemistry projects make studying science lively and fun for all ages. Two standard experiments that are simple and reasonably safe to do, produce a lot of excitement and reward.

A chemical formula expresses the chemical composition of a compound using chemical symbols. This is done by assigning special meaning to subscripts and superscripts. Some molecules are so similar...

Though a nuclear power plant, a coal-fired plant, and a wind turbine may look different, they all make electricity the same way: by turning a generator. Electric energy comes from a handful of...

When the word "pyrithione" is used, two different understandings arise. One is the liquid chemical pyrithione itself, simply written C5H5NOS. More commonly, however, what is meant is the zinc...

Scientists get really excited whenever traces of water are found on another planet; newspapers will announce it somewhere on the front page. To the uninitiated this is perhaps confusing---water is...

A catalyst is a substance that alters the rate of a chemical reaction but that is chemically unchanged at the end of the reaction. Put another way, the catalyst speeds up a chemical reaction but...

Basic chemical formulas mostly use chemical symbols and subscript numbers. The common water molecule, for example, contains two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom and is written as H2O, with the...

Soda ash is a chemical compound that is commonly known as washing soda because it is the main ingredient used in most powdered washing detergent and dishwasher detergent. Its chemical formula is...

Silicone is a man-made chemical that is put to use in a staggering number of industries and applications. It is created by combining the naturally-occurring element silicone with carbon, hydrogen,...

Styrofoam peanuts protect goods all over the world while they are en route to their final destination. Air accounts for 95 percent of a packing peanut's volume.

Temperature is a key factor affecting the rate of chemical reactions. In general, as temperature increases, so does the reaction rate. This is the reason why food is stored in the refrigerator:...

Activation energy is a term used to describe how much energy is needed in a chemical formula for a particular process to occur. When two chemicals are combined and have activation energy, they...