Avogadro, Moles, & Barium -- #56

The site about Avogadro's Hypothesis was an effective reminder of how vital the mid-to-late nineteenth century was in terms of European Chemistry. I also generally like these multi-disciplinary science sites, with interactive questions, engaging articles and images... even if some are hokey.
The site on Understanding the Mole concept brought to mind my high school chem honors class project designed to help us conceive of the vastness of a Mole. Our teacher explained Avogadro's number and how to use it similarly to the way we discussed in class, then our final project for the semester challenged us to demonstrate our understanding in a pretty cool way. We each had to pose a question whose answer would somehow involve Moles of something, then we had to do the math to demonstrate the problem, and make some kind of graphic presentation. My question was: How long would it take for the city of Las Vegas to use a Mole of lightbulbs?

BARIUM
My experience with Barium was similar to several classmates' impressions of calcium as a chalky, white substance. When I've had radiography performed on my upper GI system on a couple of occasions I had to drink absolutely gross Barium Sulfate mixed with Tang (in 1992) and some other flavoring a few years ago. It turns out that Barium is radioopaque, so on an x-ray it shows up, demonstrating to technicians where strictures or other troubles appear in the esophagus, stomach and duodenum. Although Barium can be toxic, it is not absorbed by the digestive tract as it is not water soluble, and so is completely eliminated by the body following this kind of diagnostic test.
Barium is also used in the petroleum industry, apparently, as an ingredient in "drilling mud" which is basically injected into to earth to ease the drill's pathway.
Barium Carbonate is an ingredient in rat poison.
So far this post seems to be giving Barium a bum-rap, but this alkaline earth metal, (which is highly reactive with air and therefore doesn't appear in its elemental state) does us a lot of good as well.
For example, the fact that it burns easily in air led to Barium Nitrate's use for green colored fireworks. Barium peroxide is great for welding, and Barium Titanate was recently proposed as a possible substance for use in next-generation electric car batteries.

Chikyu Update!

Iodine -- #53

Of the halogens, Iodine is the very least reactive. While that may be the case, in very brief research I came to find a bunch of surprising information about it, varied enough to suggest that Iodine might be making up for its lack of reactivity by getting involved with random hobbies, including medicine/health, photography, and recreational drugs.

Iodine does not occur elementally in nature, but it can be found in large concentrations in the ocean. Several iodine compounds are commonly used by society - as a tincture with ethanol, iodine is useful for treating wounds and sanitizing water. Combined with silver, it is used in developing film. As iodine compounds are used by some in manufacturing methamphetamines, the police might have something to say if they catch you with significant amounts.

It is the heaviest element necessary to life, playing an important role in our thyroid hormones. I was interested to find out that human consumption of iodine is much higher in Japan (thanks to a diet rich in seaweed and sea creatures). Iodine deficiency is apparently a major cause of hypothyroidism, and can lead to all kinds of health problems. In some countries, iodine is regularly added to table salt (that's what they mean by "iodized") which has curbed the trouble caused by lack of the element in the diets of many, but the problem persists in many parts of the world. The Iodine Network strives to "support national efforts to eliminate iodine deficiency in a sustainable manner by promoting collaboration among public, private, scientific and civic organizations."

Here's a link to Oregon State University's page on Iodine as a micronutrient

Magical Science... Scientific Magic... Scagic?

I've had alchemy on the brain lately. Recently the novels of Neal Stephenson were brought to my attention and I'm about halfway into his Baroque Cycle trilogy.

An extended metaphor in the series is made wherein seventeenth & early eighteenth century European politics/economics/science are all likened to alchemy. Frequently Stephenson pulls out surprising figures, and circumstances to evoke the slippery nature of mercury and the elusiveness of formulae for solving ultimately irreconcilable differences between ideologies and groups.

Isaac Newton is a prominent member of the ensemble cast in the books, and the alchemy undertaken by him along with a host of other important Natural Philosophers is viewed in several ways. I read the message of Stephenson to be admiring of the search for purity, but I still feel a bit uneasy with European Enlightenment Alchemy.

Combining materials to find out what happens naturally appeals to individuals who prize observation and recording data for the purpose of nurturing living, growing collective human understanding. On the other hand, the lofty goal of this alchemy is part and parcel with a sense of superiority among those who practice it, which is off-putting. Beyond the occult nature of the secret activities, one may suspect a scientist who operates with the kind of eschatology indicating they are entitled to an exclusive aberration from the laws of nature.

Neon -- #10 & Colors in my kitchen

NEON

#10 on the Periodic Table, trace amounts of this noble gas can be found in our atmosphere (it makes up 0.0018% of our atmosphere), although it's much more abundant in other parts of the universe. Its name comes from the Greek word neos, or new. Neon is used in combination with helium in lasers, and has become ubiquitous in the eye-catching advertisements and signs that are actually outlawed in the small town of Carmel, California. In its liquid state, Neon can be used in cryogenics, or long-term preservation at extremely low temperatures.
One source mentioned that diamonds have a high concentration of Neon.
Here's a pretty great tongue-in-cheek timeline about the public's love-affair with Neon

Colors in my kitchen

We've been eating based on color for a while, indirectly I guess. Shopping at farmers' markets in the city has made it easy to assess a week's worth of food based on ensuring a good representation of most parts of the color spectrum. I was surprised to find (especially as Autumn is upon us) a lack of orange in my food supply. Fruits like citrus accented my diet in the summer, and when persimmons come in, I'll be glad, but for now that's the most lacking hue, it seems -- time to make some pumpkin pies!

Red:
tomatoes, nectarine, swiss chard, canned whole cranberries, red onion
Orange:
squash
Yellow:
squash, bananas, apple sauce, corn chips, honey
Green:
chard, lettuces, zucchini, string beans, avocado, cilantro, frozen peas
Blue, Indigo and Violet:
frozen blue berries, black beans, wine
White/Beige:
Turkey, cheese, milk, yogurt, hummus, fish, rice, lentils, mushrooms, dried coconut, garlic