Questions tagged [everyday-chemistry]
Applications of chemistry to reagents, reactions and processes of everyday life. Use this tag for question on chemistry in an out-of-laboratory/class context. DO NOT use this tag merely because the question is about simple chemistry.
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Can Na2CO3 remove temporary hardness of water?
This was asked in my test and I remembered that all compounds that can remove permanent hardness of water can remove temporary hardness of water also. But my teacher marked it wrong and I cannot find ...
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Cat litter crystals causing toxic smell upon rubbing and pouring out of the package, safe?
I am under-educated in terms of chemistry hence the question and assumptions.
Basically, for our cats, we are using what seems to be the latest scientific achievement in litter sand - the litter ...
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Storing alcohol in a thermos bottle
My thermos bottle's instructions say:
Füllen Sie keine kohlensäurehaltigen Flüssigkeiten oder Trockeneis in das Produkt. Füllen Sie keine alkoholischen oder öligen Flüssigkeiten in das Produkt.
...
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Reaction between sodium bicarbonate (baking soda), isopropyl alcohol, and acetic acid (vinegar)?
I observed this reaction by playing around with vinegar and baking soda and I do not completely understand it.
Everyone knows that baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) and vinegar (acetic acid) go crazy ...
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What happened to this 10 year old unopened plastic bottle?
A colleague of mine found this unopened Aquarius bottle (non-carbonated drink) that was 10 years past its expiration date.
The bottle was collapsed inward which would suggest that the pressure in ...
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Why does pectin/agar jelly taste sweet, if they stay solid at 36.5 °C, entrapping sugar?
When we eat pectin jelly(fruit jelly) or agar jelly, they taste sweet.
This should imply that sugar entrapped in gel network is somehow exposed and dissolved to saliva.
However, pectin and agar gel ...
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What causes the old book smell?
I have a collection of old books (all 80+ years old), recently, I received a British Chemistry text from 1903 (intro page below) - this being the oldest book of my collection (112 years old at the ...
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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.
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Is the reaction product favoured in this equilibrium: H2(g)+I2(s)><2HI(g) when K=45? [closed]
Is the reaction product favoured in this equilibrium: H2(g)+I2(s)><2HI(g) when K=45?
or is the reaction reactant favoured? because I remember that if K>1 then the product is favoured. I am ...
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Is there not a strict definition of what naphtha vs petrol represent?
If you search for information about fractional distillation of petroleum, many sources place petrol above naphtha, while others do the reverse.
Is there not a strict definition of what these compounds ...
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Why don't oils use plastic droppers?
As shown in the picture, most cosmetic oils and serums make use of glass droppers. However in the chemistry lab, scientists often also use reusable plastic droppers as well. My question was that, ...
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How can I make sure my oil do not contain salt
Vacuuming slightly wet wood with my vacuum pump resulted in making a mayonnaise with my pump oil - which turned out surprisingly stable. I mixed salt saturated water with it in order to break the ...
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What made my solution cloudy?
I may know, but I would like an expert opinion and a possible solution?
I had an ethanol product from molasses, brown sugar and yeast which was clear. I then added (and feel all information is ...
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I left scented candles in a polypropylene container. How do I remove the smell?
I left scented candles in a polypropylene container, for many weeks.
How do I remove the smell?
I've tried:
Hand wash with Dish Soap (a few times)
Hand wipe with Isopropyl Alcohol (a few times)
...
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what off the shelf chemicals break the factory adhesive bonding paper gaskets to a steel plate in an automatic transmission? [closed]
The adhesive chemical is unknown. This part is constantly exposed to temperatures from -20F to 300F, and is submerged is transmission fluid. The exact steel that the gaskets are bonded to is unkown, ...
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A solution is cloudy at lower concentration and becomes clear at higher concentration. Why?
This might be just an "everyday life science" question. I am a university professor but not in chemistry so please educate me. Today I was adding some floor cleaner formula to water as ...
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Repairing acetone damage and discoloration to plastic
I used acetone on the back of my monitor to get rid of old stickers from LED strips. However it severely damaged my monitor. Anyway to undo this or repair it?
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Could an airborne swarm of small insects explode? [closed]
I know that fine-grained organic matter such as flour or pollen can be quite explosive if ignited. It also seems logical to me that the explosiveness of such an organic powder is determined by many ...
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Removing carbon matter from molten beeswax
In my candle manufacturing process, I melt down used candle stubs, filter the molten wax (heated to ~ $\pu{75^\circ C}$) and use this to create new candles (in addition to fresh beeswax). I'm ...
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What happens when isopropyl alcohol expires?
My isopropyl alcohol has expired. What happens when it expires? Does it break down into something else? Can I still use it to clean or sanitize?
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About whitish layer that formed on chocolate bar
I noticed a whitish layer on the surface of a chocolate bar that I ate yesterday. I looked at the pack where it was mentioned that,
"Temperature and humidity changes may cause product to develop ...
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Purpose of sulphuric acid in archaic matchboxes
The first attempts at instantaneous matchboxes usually included some sort of oxidizer, usually potassium chlorate and an initiating fuel (first sugar was used then they moved on to $\ce{Sb2S3}$ etc.) ...
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How did Sinclair Oil put "liquid nickel" into gasoline, and what were the chemical mechanism(s) by which it was supposed to reduce engine wear?
The April 22, 2022 Veritasium video The Man Who Accidentally Killed The Most People In History is worth a watch, and was the basis for the question Why would tellurium + sodium hydroxide have worked ...
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Why would tellurium + sodium hydroxide have worked as a good anti-knock gasoline additive (if it wasn't so smelly)?
The April 22, 2022 Veritasium video The Man Who Accidentally Killed The Most People In History mentions several aspects of the historical use of tetra-ethyl lead in gasoline, the resulting widespread ...
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How would you test for ppm of lead in a powder?
Looking to test the ppm for lead in a powder that is a food item.
No experience in chemistry.
Possibly may need to test for other heavy metals.
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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, ...
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Creating resilient (non-brittle non-water-soluble) verdigris (blue-green copper patina)
First off, I checked and there are indeed a number of questions on copper patinas, but none which deal with resilience.
Context
I own a number of copper writing utensils, which I'd like to get a nice ...
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Why doesn't sodium bicarbonate dissolved in water spontaneously effervesce when carbonic acid does?
It's well known that if you put carbonic acid $\ce{H2CO3}$ into water it will dehydrate into carbon dioxide $\ce{CO2}$ and water $\ce{H2O}$. Indeed this is how modern fizzy drinks generate their fizz. ...
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Oxygen bleach discolored white tablecloth
My white polyester tablecloth got stained with red wine. Stains were about the size of a quarter.I proceeded to launder it several hours later. I used Chlorx2 ColorSafe Bleach and as per ...
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Does saltwater damage electronics?
newbie here.
I'm asking a question that is related to hygrometer calibration.
I read in sensitive digital hygrometers, it is stated that saltwater test should not be used to calibrate as it will ...
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Developing aluminum mirrors, similar to tollens reagent but with Al instead of Ag
Is there a chemical process to deposit an aluminum mirror onto a surface similar to the tollens reagent process for silver? I should add that any liquid process would satisfy my curiosity, it does not ...
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Making Sodium Citrate
I've been trying to make Sodium Citrate and I've seen online people saying just react sodium bicarbonate with citric acid in water (with correct ratios) and boil off/remove water once the reaction has ...
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What liquid mixture has largest negative excess volume?
Math teacher here. I’m trying to teach about types of sets that when you add them together, their sizes don’t add (called non-measurable sets). I came across the chemistry experiment where you mix 50 ...
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How to remove color from bromostyrene/dibromostyrene
Distillation under low heat can remove color (excess bromine) but this is time consuming and there is a danger of bromostyrene polymerization even with added TBC.
In aqueous, sodium thiosulphate can ...
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Mechanism of adhesion of particles on solid surfaces [closed]
What is the mechanism of adhesion of particles on solid surfaces?
How does anything stick to anything, for that matter?
Why does cigarette smoke stay so stubbornly on our bodies?
Why does perfume also ...
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Point group of trimethyl borate $\ce{B(OCH_3)3}$
What's the point group of trimethyl borate $\ce{B(OCH_3)3}$.
The answer that my teacher gave is $D_{3h}$ but I'm struggling to see the n perpendicular $C_2$ axes and the horizontal plane of reflection....
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What is "super" in superphosphate?
This question is inspired from a previous question(marked unclear). I don't know the context of that question but I was intrigued by a statement:
Superphosphate is used instead of just phosphate ...
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Using Hydrogen Peroxide to clean toilet
I want to use lysol hydrogen peroxide multipurpose cleaner for cleaning my toilet. Is this a dangerous course of action?
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Why can potassium hydroxide not be used to remove atmospheric carbon dioxide?
As we know that $\ce{KOH}$ absorbs $\ce{CO2}$, then why can't it be used to remove the excessive $\ce{CO_2}$ present in the atmosphere?
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Why did it take so long to figure out what made Roman concrete so durable?
I'm no chemist, but it feels like there should have been more than enough motivation to discover the recipe for strong concrete and it should have been discovered ages ago. Why were the details only ...
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What are these plates in LixC6?
I'm completely new to chemistry. I can’t personally figure out the basic issues myself, so I’m asking for your help. I became interested in how lithium-ion batteries generally work. As a result, I ...
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Mixing bleach and ammonia?
I know that the two should not be mixed, but i want to know that if the two become mixed in a contained unit, does it build pressure? Or can you seal the container safely untill it can be disposed of ...
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Best ingredients for a homemade desinfectant
I am trying to determine the best recipe/ingredients for a homemade desinfectant/germ killer. I've been researching these as of now:
Isopropanol (or even Ethanol)
White vinegar
Borax
H2O2
Specific ...
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What chemical makes the ‘smoky’ flavour in smoked paprika?
I really detest ‘smoky’ flavours eg smoked paprika. It tastes like fumes to me. What chemical/ substance do these contain that causes this please
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How does adding lemon juice to sugar make better caramel?
It's a common cooking advice: if you want a somewhat softer caramel, add some lemon juice to the sugar:
To help prevent the caramel from crystallizing, you can add an acid to the sugar before you ...
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How to neutralize the stink of decomposed fish?
Recently I discovered for myself an interesting way to easily produce home made plant fertilizer that is quite effective (tested myself on the plants). It's fish emulsion (so can be used also in a ...
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Sodium hypochlorite bleach and chromium mop handle [closed]
I have been using sodium hypochlorite bleach as a cleaning method in my house. During a two week period when I was at home I left the mop handle in the bucket with bleach in it. I did not know it was ...
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When it rains, it puddles. Spilled salt cycles between wet and dry with humidity. Is this akin to a phase change?
I have some spilled un-iodized table salt (NaCl). It is very humid where I live, and when it gets very humid for a few days, the salt absorbs so much water that it becomes a puddle of (probably) ...
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Why does hot water eventually turn cold, and why does cold water eventually turn hot? [closed]
I get cold water from my tap and put it in my water bottle. Over the day as I drink it, the water looses it coldness and slowly becomes warmer.
On the other hand, if I get hot water (maybe I'm sick ...
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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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