Scientific experts are undecided on whether nanotechnology is beneficial or potentially dangerous. At the nanoethics discussion in Canberra, Australia at the Centre for Applied Philosophy and Public Ethics, this particular issue was discussed by experts in the field, who brought up questions like nanotechnology's implication on privacy problems caused by current technologies. According to Dr. Peter Binks of Nanotechnology Victoria, "Nanotechnology is just part of the general march of technology and we don't want to see it treated as anything different." However, physical chemist Dr. John White of the Australian National University in Canberra saw it differently, citing nanotechnology's supremely small scale as a possible concern. One example of this is tiny radio-frequency tags implanted in Mexican government workers to control access to the attorney general's office. Yet like all controversy, it will stimulate conversation and debate which will lead to understanding and compromise in the future.
I thought that the idea of a privacy invasion to be particularly interesting since I had never thought about the small size in that sense before. It is interesting to think about unwittingly ingesting some sort of unwanted material into your system, and what the implications of an industry unregulated in the area would be. Obviously much more government regulation and simple precautions need to be taken before any kind of nanotechnology becomes commercially used.
Salleh, Anna. "Nanotechnology Ethics on the Table", The Australian Broadcasting Corporation Website. July 2004. http://www.abc.net.au/science/news/stories/s1160631.htm. Accessed December 3, 2007.
Monday, December 3, 2007
When They Begin Smoking
Taylor Atchison
Chemistry and Your Future
December 3, 2007
When They Begin Smoking.
In this article, “Adolescent Cigarette Smoking,” the main question is why and when do teens begin smoking. The answer is surprisingly young. More than 70 percent of children who have tried smoking smoke it before they are fifteen. And ninety percent who have tried smoking smoked it before they were 17. The fact that it is at such a young age astonishes scientists today. Not only are they trying it before adulthood but they are obtaining it before they can legally use it. The reasons why they begin to use include parent usage, relieve stress, curious, to look cool, and pleasurable.
This article is important information because we need to pinpoint the use of cigarettes at the source. If we can figure out a way to prevent more adolescents and teens from smoking the less likely they will become smokers later in life. More than two thirds of those who are daily smokers senior year of high school are daily smokers eight years later. It also said only five percent of those daily smokers believe they will be smoking later on. In order to reduce the supply of smokers to the tobacco companies we must deter children with different tactics from smoking.
Johnson, Roberta. “Adolescent Cigarette Smoking.” National Opinion Research Center. 2000. 3, Dec. 2007.
Chemistry and Your Future
December 3, 2007
When They Begin Smoking.
In this article, “Adolescent Cigarette Smoking,” the main question is why and when do teens begin smoking. The answer is surprisingly young. More than 70 percent of children who have tried smoking smoke it before they are fifteen. And ninety percent who have tried smoking smoked it before they were 17. The fact that it is at such a young age astonishes scientists today. Not only are they trying it before adulthood but they are obtaining it before they can legally use it. The reasons why they begin to use include parent usage, relieve stress, curious, to look cool, and pleasurable.
This article is important information because we need to pinpoint the use of cigarettes at the source. If we can figure out a way to prevent more adolescents and teens from smoking the less likely they will become smokers later in life. More than two thirds of those who are daily smokers senior year of high school are daily smokers eight years later. It also said only five percent of those daily smokers believe they will be smoking later on. In order to reduce the supply of smokers to the tobacco companies we must deter children with different tactics from smoking.
Johnson, Roberta. “Adolescent Cigarette Smoking.” National Opinion Research Center. 2000. 3, Dec. 2007.
Recycling of Tires
Tire recycling is an increasing problem in our modern society. They are similar to plastic, both representing a consumer commodity. An average of one 10-kilogram rubber tire per person per year is later discarded, whereas a total of one-third of a billion tires are annually disposed. Their flammable material consists of oil which if ignited, tends to produce smoke, carbon monoxide, and toxins and hold tight air pockets, making it difficult to extinguish. There have been attempts where tires could be recycled and reused for fuel or filter for asphalt, however only 10% of the tires are consumed for those purposes. Although it is quite early to tell whether or not the rubber of tires will be completely resuable, chemists at the GoodYear Tire and Rubber Company have found a way to remove sulfur added to rubber in vulcanization, so that the rubber maybe reused. Pyrolysis is also a process where researches have practiced the reprocess of shredded tires. So far recycled rubber tires have been used to build homes, which are filled with dirt and covered with stucco or adobe. Currently, they have also been appearing in the use of doormats and footwear.
It's too bad that this is a problem that is continously progressing, due to the fact that there are increasing productions and manufacturing of cars which encourage consumers to dispose of their previous ones. However, it is good to know that there are certain uses of recycled rubber tires that are safe. Since chemists of the GoodYear Tire Company have began to find ways to reuse tires almost completely, there is hope that one day it will be commercially viable.
Terms:
1. Pyrolysis-the process of thermal degradation of a material in the abscence of oxygen, where the resulting products are low-grade gaseous and liquid fuels, along with char, can be further treated and converted into activated carbon.
2. Char-a mixture containing minerals and a low-grade version of carbon black.
3. Adobe-sun-dried brick made of clay and straw, in common use in countries having little rainfall.
Baird, Colin. Chemistry in Your Life: 2nd Edition. “Recycling of Tires.” W. H. Freeman and Co. New York. 2006. Pg. 203-204.
It's too bad that this is a problem that is continously progressing, due to the fact that there are increasing productions and manufacturing of cars which encourage consumers to dispose of their previous ones. However, it is good to know that there are certain uses of recycled rubber tires that are safe. Since chemists of the GoodYear Tire Company have began to find ways to reuse tires almost completely, there is hope that one day it will be commercially viable.
Terms:
1. Pyrolysis-the process of thermal degradation of a material in the abscence of oxygen, where the resulting products are low-grade gaseous and liquid fuels, along with char, can be further treated and converted into activated carbon.
2. Char-a mixture containing minerals and a low-grade version of carbon black.
3. Adobe-sun-dried brick made of clay and straw, in common use in countries having little rainfall.
Baird, Colin. Chemistry in Your Life: 2nd Edition. “Recycling of Tires.” W. H. Freeman and Co. New York. 2006. Pg. 203-204.
Steroids
On the DEAs website on steroids, they provide a large amount of information about anabolic steroids as well as different ways in which people use them. They discuss how they can be taken orally, intramuscularly, or simply rubbed on the skin. The site then goes on to discuss how many people who take anabolic steroids take more than one type of drug thinking that different drugs will target certain areas of their bodies. Some people also take steroids for a period of time, stop for a short while and then begin taking the drugs again. This is a popular method for taking anabolic steroids and is known as cycling. Another method for taking the drugs is known as pyramiding in which the athlete gradually increases the amount of steroids throughout the cycle and then eases back down towards the end. This information is very interesting to me because I think that most people do not realize how serious steroids are. The people who take these drugs have very specific things that they do, and routines that they follow. Steroids are a very serious matter and have tremendous effects on the human body both positively and negatively so I guess in a way it is good that those who use the drugs have a regimented system for what they do. On the other hand I highly doubt that pumping yourself full of different types of steroids is the best decision for one’s health but I guess if you are going to cheat you better make sure you are being safe.
Steroids. 2006. 3 Dec. 2007. http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/concern/steroids.html
Steroids. 2006. 3 Dec. 2007. http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/concern/steroids.html
Plutonium is a radioactive element
Plutonium is not a naturally occurring element. It is only produced as a product through the fission of other elements. For example, during the fission of uranium, Plutonium-239 is produced, an alpha-particle emitter with a half-life of 24,000 years, which is very long.
After 1000 years, used fuel rods will be giving off radioactive waves. Most of these waves will be as a result of plutonium. Almost all the other chemicals in fuel rods have half-lives of less than 1000 years and so have decayed by that time. Therefore, to reduce long-term radioactivity from these rods, [they] could start making fuel rods without using plutonium.
I think there must be a reason plutonium and other heavy elements with longer half-lives are used in fuel rods. Because of that I think there may be a problem with trying to remove these chemicals from the rods. Also, since the plutonium-239 is fissionable, it helps contribute to power output from the reactor (636). Lastly, while there is a process to chemically remove the plutonium called reprocessing, there are always the worries of health effects and safety from just handling plutonium.
Terms:
Reprocessing – The process of removing plutonium from other elements by exploiting the differences in the solubility of their salts.
Breeder Reactors – Nuclear power reactors that are designed to maximize the production of by-product plutonium.
Reactorgrade plutonium – Contains more of the other isotopes of plutonium and other elements, it’s used in bombs.
Works Cited:
Baird, Colin. Chemistry in Your Life: 2nd Edition. “Plutonium is a radioactive element.” W. H. Freeman and Co. New York. 2006. Pg. 636-637
After 1000 years, used fuel rods will be giving off radioactive waves. Most of these waves will be as a result of plutonium. Almost all the other chemicals in fuel rods have half-lives of less than 1000 years and so have decayed by that time. Therefore, to reduce long-term radioactivity from these rods, [they] could start making fuel rods without using plutonium.
I think there must be a reason plutonium and other heavy elements with longer half-lives are used in fuel rods. Because of that I think there may be a problem with trying to remove these chemicals from the rods. Also, since the plutonium-239 is fissionable, it helps contribute to power output from the reactor (636). Lastly, while there is a process to chemically remove the plutonium called reprocessing, there are always the worries of health effects and safety from just handling plutonium.
Terms:
Reprocessing – The process of removing plutonium from other elements by exploiting the differences in the solubility of their salts.
Breeder Reactors – Nuclear power reactors that are designed to maximize the production of by-product plutonium.
Reactorgrade plutonium – Contains more of the other isotopes of plutonium and other elements, it’s used in bombs.
Works Cited:
Baird, Colin. Chemistry in Your Life: 2nd Edition. “Plutonium is a radioactive element.” W. H. Freeman and Co. New York. 2006. Pg. 636-637
Nuclear Waste Disposal Problem is Unsolved
Nuclear energy has extremely good potential, but as we all know, it has very bad and destructive potential as well. Most people are aware of the dangers of nuclear bombs and missiles because of the after-math from World War II and the scares of the Cold War. But many people don’t know that nuclear energy also posses’ dangers that are outside of war. One way nuclear energy can harm us is through radioactive disposal sites. Scientists and politicians still are uncertain as to what to do with and how to dispose of Plutonium, but one thing is not uncertain, and that is the potential damage that could occur if disposed of improperly. One way to dispose of radioactive substances though is to cool spent fuel rods in water for several decades until the radioactivity is reduced. Then the fuel rod can be stored in a dry storage like a concrete canister.
Vitrify: convert something into glass or a glasslike substance, typically by heating it.
I find the nuclear realm of things to be extremely interesting partly because of movies and TV shows. But I also find it interesting because of the amount of people nuclear energy can affect, especially when the substances that give off the energy are so small. Also, three years ago I had the opportunity to go to Japan and for one day I got to visit Hiroshima and the memorial museum that is in the city.
Chemistry in Your Life: Second Edition. By: Colin Baird. Pg. 638-640
Vitrify: convert something into glass or a glasslike substance, typically by heating it.
I find the nuclear realm of things to be extremely interesting partly because of movies and TV shows. But I also find it interesting because of the amount of people nuclear energy can affect, especially when the substances that give off the energy are so small. Also, three years ago I had the opportunity to go to Japan and for one day I got to visit Hiroshima and the memorial museum that is in the city.
Chemistry in Your Life: Second Edition. By: Colin Baird. Pg. 638-640
Sunday, December 2, 2007
“Soap is Manufactures from Fats”
Soap is a very common household product used every day for hygiene purposes. Soap used to be a commercial invention during the Middle Ages, used by the Romans. However, the way in which they made soap was very corrosive to the skin as it contained some of the unreacted base. The soap used during these days was created from natural minerals which include animal fat, consisting of glycerol with three fatty acid molecules. The glycerol and the three fatty acids can be split by using high temperatures, high pressure or by reacting it with a basic substance. 1 The base is made up from a mixture of sodium and potassium carbonate which can also be formed by mixing water with wood ashes. The base therefore converts the free fatty acid into a sodium or potassium salt which is known to be salt. The basic reaction produced is:
Fat + Base → Glycerol + Fatty Acid
Fatty Acid + Base → Soap
Salt is then added to the product created which allows the soap and glycerol to separate from the basic, alkaline solution. The soap then separates further from the glycerol solution and begins to sink to the bottom. The glycerol made from this reaction is also used as a by-product of the soap-making process.1
The same process is used in today’s society using saponification, yet the base used is very pure so that it does not damage people’s skin. Also, before the product is sold, most of the glycerol is removed. Most of the soaps sold are sodium salts of specific fatty acid mixtures. 1 The soaps used in shaving lather and liquid soaps are called soft (semisolid) soaps and they are generally made from potassium salts. Most of the soaps have other substances added to them, such as perfumes, creams, oils and dyes allowing the manufacturers to have a better retail product.
However, water contains magnesium and calcium ions caused by limestone rock found in rivers, lakes and wells which is consisted of calcium carbonate or a mixture of calcium carbonate and magnesium carbonate. So, as water flows through the limestone rocks, calcium and magnesium carbonate ions dissolve in the water resulting in hard water. When the magnesium and calcium ions react with soap, it forms an insoluble compound that is separated from the solution which causes a dilemma on both a domestic and industrial scale. Consequently, most people prefer to wash their hair or dishes in soft water as no residues from the soap remains. This is why people from the Middle Ages used to collect rain water to wash their hair and clothes because it is soft water.
I think that it is very clever that without the knowledge of science, people from the middle ages were able to create such valuable things that we still use today in our society, without realizing what they have created. Many of the products we use today come from some sort of creation that were used during the days when technology was not about.
Saponification – the production of soap by treating fats (triglycerides) with heat and a base to form soap and glycerol.
Soap – the sodium and potassium salt of a long-fatty acid.
1 Braid. Chemistry in Your Life. 2nd ed. New York, USA: W.H.Freeman and Company; 2006. pp 505-506.
Fat + Base → Glycerol + Fatty Acid
Fatty Acid + Base → Soap
Salt is then added to the product created which allows the soap and glycerol to separate from the basic, alkaline solution. The soap then separates further from the glycerol solution and begins to sink to the bottom. The glycerol made from this reaction is also used as a by-product of the soap-making process.1
The same process is used in today’s society using saponification, yet the base used is very pure so that it does not damage people’s skin. Also, before the product is sold, most of the glycerol is removed. Most of the soaps sold are sodium salts of specific fatty acid mixtures. 1 The soaps used in shaving lather and liquid soaps are called soft (semisolid) soaps and they are generally made from potassium salts. Most of the soaps have other substances added to them, such as perfumes, creams, oils and dyes allowing the manufacturers to have a better retail product.
However, water contains magnesium and calcium ions caused by limestone rock found in rivers, lakes and wells which is consisted of calcium carbonate or a mixture of calcium carbonate and magnesium carbonate. So, as water flows through the limestone rocks, calcium and magnesium carbonate ions dissolve in the water resulting in hard water. When the magnesium and calcium ions react with soap, it forms an insoluble compound that is separated from the solution which causes a dilemma on both a domestic and industrial scale. Consequently, most people prefer to wash their hair or dishes in soft water as no residues from the soap remains. This is why people from the Middle Ages used to collect rain water to wash their hair and clothes because it is soft water.
I think that it is very clever that without the knowledge of science, people from the middle ages were able to create such valuable things that we still use today in our society, without realizing what they have created. Many of the products we use today come from some sort of creation that were used during the days when technology was not about.
Saponification – the production of soap by treating fats (triglycerides) with heat and a base to form soap and glycerol.
Soap – the sodium and potassium salt of a long-fatty acid.
1 Braid. Chemistry in Your Life. 2nd ed. New York, USA: W.H.Freeman and Company; 2006. pp 505-506.
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