All Questions
Tagged with everyday-chemistry metal
42 questions
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What household objects are made of metals with a high degree of purity?
I've looked into this briefly and from what I've understood, the kind of copper that's used to make electric copper wire is generally of a high purity (well above 99%). What are some other household ...
- 113
4
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0
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80
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Why do vessels get a better shine when tea-leaves are soaked overnight in it before washing?
The other day I dumped consumed tea leaves into a brass utensil because I needed the tea-pan urgently. The vessel with the tea leaves didn't get around for cleaning until the next day. Ergo, the tea ...
- 904
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0
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208
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I have tried to remove oxidation from a metal scraper using vinegar, now the metal looks and smells burnt, what went wrong?
I have recently tried to remove some oxidation from a metal scraper spatula by using vinegar. After leaving it there for a couple of hours I was left with a burnt smell (with a hint of burnt candle ...
- 31
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1
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What's the difference between Zinc Ascorbate and Zinc Gluconate?
I've been looking at a dental product for pets, called MAXI/GUARD Oral Cleansing Gel and it states it uses zinc ascorbate/taurine, however in the ingredients I found elsewhere it instead lists zinc ...
- 49
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2
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Rust on stainless steel caused by salt solution
I am not a chemist and I could really use some help for a practical case.
I am fermenting vegetables (cabbage, onions, carrots, etc.). I recently switched from glass and ceramic vessels to stainless ...
- 11
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1
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188
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Why does the rusting process start from the bent/squeezed portion of iron?
I have noticed that the rusting of iron starts from the squeezed or bent parts of iron piece.
I want to know what is the peculiar reason for the observation that rusting starts from bent or irregular ...
- 41
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1
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What are we seeing in this AC salt-water copper-wire experiment?
There's a highly watched video on YouTube by "ElectroBoom" on the effects of passing AC (not DC) current through salt water. The water gets cloudy and at the end of the video we can see one of the ...
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Why does copper jewelry & wire smell bad - even when I'm not wearing it? [duplicate]
I make jewelry by weaving a frame from copper wire for a gemstone, then making copper coils or spirals, etc for further decoration. Even 'on the roll', the copper wire smells bad - and the smell ...
- 21
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Is the flint used in disposable lighters toxic?
Especially the sparks that result when using them. I heard this from a friend and can't seem to find an answer on Google.
- 51
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2
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nickel-copper fabric: shielding viability after being subjected to weathering
I know the solution can be as simple as a well-sealed garbage can, but I am contemplating making a more malleable fabric based faraday-cage-esque contraption. The plan is to use nickle-copper fabric ...
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Aluminum and aluminum oxide
I have a new grain mill that I am hesitant to use because the rollers are anodized aluminum. As I understand it the anodized aluminum is actually aluminum oxide and supposedly non-toxic. I realize ...
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2
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Materials used in cooktop heating element, and reason for black appearance
I have been interested in the structure of heating elements/coils used in cooktops. I am referring to something such as in the following picture:
I have a cooktop at home with such elements, and at ...
- 21
9
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1
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380
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Does 95.8% silver tarnish as fast 92.5% silver?
I've been trying to find out whether 95.8% (Britannia silver) would tarnish as fast as 92.5% (Sterling silver)? I haven't been able to find much on tarnish for Britannia silver.
Given that both ...
- 265
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Why does a pickled gherkin glow only at one end when a current is passed through it?
I recently saw this Periodic Video.
The Professor (Martin Polyakoff) notes that,
The Gherkin normally glows only at one end due to excitation of $\ce{Na+}$ ions.
The end which glows can either be ...
- 211
3
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1
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292
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What metal is under the stainless layer when it wears of?
I have this belt for several years now and the belt buckle is naturally subject to wear and tear.
On the most exposed spots the outer layer is now completely worn of and I wonder
Is this an example ...
- 141
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4
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309
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Protecting elemental Li from the atmosphere
I would like to make a small decorative object out of lithium, and keep it in an ordinary household (indoors) atmosphere.
The making itself aside, what can I do to protect it long-term from reacting ...
- 171
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3
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4k
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Mercury metal: Not toxic?
Now I (and most of us here, I guess) have grown up around "Mercury's toxic! Avoid handling it! Do NOT screw around with this thing, if you value your life" and other equally heartening pieces of ...
- 18.8k
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Which side of an aluminum foil should I put in contact with food?
Aluminum foil has two sides: a matte one, and a shiny one.
My question is: which one should I put in contact with food?
Criteria are the lowest risk of toxicity and best qualities for food ...
- 265
1
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1
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583
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Powdering aluminum chemically?
I need a fine aluminum powder for many reactions/experiments. Could I dissolve the metal in an acid and then drop it out of solution using a base, or vice versa? What would be the best chemicals/...
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1
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Removing aluminum "corrosion?"
I have some aluminum alloy, possibly 6063 or 7050 (no clue really) which has corroded. The finish might be silver-anodized but I doubt it due to the high polish, could be urethane. The item is a ...
- 143
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What causes metallic objects to ring?
If I use a iron rod to hit a 3" × 12" iron plate there is the distinct sound of a metallic ring.
What is the cause of this distinct sound? Is it the crystal structure of iron or that iron is a ...
- 199
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0
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710
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What is the patina formed on copper pennies?
I'm currently taking high school chemistry and I don't quite understand my results from my experiment.
I had two pennies where both were put into a mixture of salt and vinegar. One of the pennies ...
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4
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What is the difference between galvanization and sacrificial protection?
If we use zinc in both methods, then the same process occurs: zinc corrodes in preference to iron, and eventually zinc has to be replaced. So what's the difference?
- 441
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How to test for heavy metal in water?
Is there a way to test if water has toxic heavy metals. Samples to both the water and people who drink it are available. Preferably, it should be done with at hold materials. I could also borrow ...
- 221
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6k
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Does a gold detector exist?
I see many sites that claim to sell working gold detectors but I am not convinced that they work. Also, does a metal detector detect gold?
2
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3
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381
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protecting contact between aluminium and copper wires
The quarters in which I live has both aluminum and copper household wiring. This results in corrosion of the contacts and can lead to sparking, overheating, and even fire.
Is there any way to ...
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Why dishwashers are corrosive to aluminum?
When I put aluminium parts into my dishwasher, they get tainted and they are sometime covered with white dots similar to salt.
I don't think it is aluminium oxide.
What are the chemical reactions ...
- 613
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1
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6k
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Could milk rust a steel teaspoon?
Recently, while cleaning a neighbour's fridge (turned off for a few weeks), I came across a cup (closed with a lid). Inside the cup was, to my olfactory horror, congealed milk, with a steel (iron) ...
user15489
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2
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1k
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How to detect lead paint on a bicycle?
Recently I started renovating a bicycle. The frame has been painted probably over 30 years ago, and despite holding well, big patches of rust are showing. So it's time to give the bike a new paint job....
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Separate precious metals from catalytic converter
I am looking to separate the small quantities of platinum and palladium in a catalytic converter. However since these are very inert metals I am unsure how to proceed about doing so. Melting the ...
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What is the product of a copper and vinegar reaction?
I put a copper wire through a hole in the cap of a water bottle, filled the water bottle ~ half way full with vinegar, and left it over night. The part of the wire inside the bottle that wasn't in ...
- 268
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Why does the black powder that comes off aluminum pans behave the way it does?
When I wet an aluminum pot or cookie sheet and then dry it with a towel, it creates dark gray marks on the towel. This happens more if the aluminum is a little rough. It seems that there's a fine ...
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Will isopropyl alcohol dissolve the coating/paint of a notebook?
The notebook is a Dell Inspiron 6400 and the coating/paint is the silver on the palmrest and back cover.
It says 99,4% on the container of the isopropyl alcohol.
- 23
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Painting metal, does it matter if all rust is removed before?
In the context of automobile repair work, assume a metal surface has rust on it. Does it matter if all of the rust is removed before the metal surface is painted? If it does matter, then why?
It ...
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4
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7k
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Which electrodes do not corrode at all?
I had used spare pieces of metal to perform electrolysis. They all had the disadvantage that they corrode when used as anode - and some of the oxides are toxic (copper, chromium).
I've found that ...
- 2,538
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Does a patina on a knife prevent rust?
Before I begin, I think it's worth mentioning that I know little about chemistry and even less about knives.
My question is this, having seen many people talk about how patinas work and the best ...
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What is the smell of 'burning' metal?
When a pass a construction site where someone is welding two pieces of metal together there is a very distinct smell that I associate with 'burning' metal, although I am not quite sure it is burning ...
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240
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1
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Why can we smell copper?
If I can smell an object, it means that molecules of it are getting separated from it, so they can reach my nose. As far as I know, metals don't sublimate, especially not in room temperature. However, ...
- 2,794
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How can silver work as a disinfectant in a bathtub if precipitates in the presence of chloride?
I use a silver based disinfectant in my hot tub. It is in the form of silver nitrate beads. There is chlorine in the tub that I presume becomes chloride ion. Why doesn't the silver form a precipitate ...
- 325
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If copper has started to corrode, can it stop?
I've recently obtained a couple of electronics units which have suffered corrosion on their copper inductor coils. They were operated in conditions of intense humidity/heat and were placed near the ...
- 73
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1
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112
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Alloy-component weight based on desired molecule
I'm a gold smith and I want to start experimenting with non-standard metal-alloys. Now high school is a long time ago for me so while I think I've got this right, I'm just not as sure as I should be ...
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Galvanic corrosion between nickel brass nut and stainless bolt
I am planning to install something on a boat that will be in salt water, and my question is, will the nickel plated brass fastener not corrode if I connect it to stainless steel?
I looked it up on ...
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