Science & Nature

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...

Weathering is one of the major processes of denudation, the wearing away of rock. While some of its constituent phenomena may be subtle and hard to see, all mountains are being worked upon by...

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...

Citrine is a variety of quartz. It is yellow, orange or brown in color, and it is commonly used in jewelry. It is rare but composed of the earth's most abundant mineral.

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...

Calcium is a silvery, gray metal found in rocks, bones, leaves and shells. Humans have been using calcium, in the form of limestone and gypsum, for thousands of years. Calcium carbonate is a...

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...

Water as an element is not destroyed. But, the costs of treating water for safe use are the same whether the water is used for drinking or is wasted through leaking faucets. Wasted water has...

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.

Quartz is one of, if not the most, common minerals on the Earth. They've been used for spiritual purposes for centuries, and large chunks of it can be found in any New Age shop. Quartz crystals...

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...

Climate, the long-term weather pattern over a geographic area, affects rocks and soil exposed to the elements. The amount of precipitation, the daily temperature, and the fluctuation in...

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....

Zircon is a semiprecious brittle stone found around the world that is located in metamorphic, sedimentary and igneous rocks. It is used in the gem business and for industrial purposes.

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...

Every living thing needs energy in order to survive. Humans and other animals get energy from the food they eat, but what about plants and trees? Green plants use energy from the sun to create...

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...

Weathering refers to the erosion of rock by mechanical or chemical means through the weather. Mechanical erosion refers to fracturing and abrasion. Chemical weathering is distinguished by its...

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....

Weathering refers to mechanical or chemical erosion of rocks due to weather. Fracturing and abrasion are the two broad types of mechanical erosion. Chemical methods include hydrolysis,...

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...

Pheromones are chemicals released from the bodies of insects and other species for communication purposes. These potent chemical messengers are carried by wind over great distances. During the...

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...

Instant ice packs are a good first aid solution to sprains, strains, and other minor injuries and thus are included in most first aid kits available today. But the way that ice packs generate cold...

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...

Potassium nitrate, also known as saltpeter (saltpetre), niter (nitre) or nitrate of potash, forms naturally as deposits in caves where damp conditions combine with alkali, decaying organic...

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.