7
votes
Accepted
Why doesn't sodium bicarbonate dissolved in water spontaneously effervesce when carbonic acid does?
When sodium bicarbonate is dissolved in water, it produces $\ce{HCO3-}$ ions. These $\ce{HCO3-}$ ions can react with acidic ions in water, and produce some $\ce{CO2}$, as described in your question. ...
- 29.5k
7
votes
I left scented candles in a polypropylene container. How do I remove the smell?
The answer depends on (1) how patient you are (how much time you have), (2) how low a concentration of the offending substances you need to obtain, (3) whether you have someplace you can leave the box ...
- 22.7k
7
votes
Accepted
Why don't oils use plastic droppers?
It is (not always but often) about mutual chemical/physical compatibility.
Glass vessels/accessories are generally used
as general long term storage material
in analysis of trace amounts of organic ...
- 43.3k
6
votes
Accepted
Could an airborne swarm of small insects explode?
A single insect can explode -- no swarm necessary. The bombardier beetle can do this multiple times sans rapid unscheduled disassembly (RUD); it emits a controlled "explosion" to deter ...
- 34.8k
6
votes
Removing carbon matter from molten beeswax
Hydrogen peroxide as suggested will possible just bleach the particles, not remove them. I think also, that the miscibility with an aqueous solution and wax may be a problem here. There are probably ...
- 829
5
votes
Accepted
About whitish layer that formed on chocolate bar
It is solid cocoa butter, that may get "sweated" to the surface and solidified later. It can be caused by long term temperature fluctuations, or just effect if time.
So it is mainly the ...
- 43.3k
5
votes
Mechanism of adhesion of particles on solid surfaces
The general adhesion of particles on surfaces has three major mechanisms:
Mechanical adhesion
This applies mainly to fine, flying dust particles, often categorized as fine particulate matter (PM2.5, ...
- 43.3k
5
votes
Accepted
Why did it take so long to figure out what made Roman concrete so durable?
Tl;DR: Researchers who were investigating on this topic didn't consider a key component in the concrete mix. They were also puzzled by the mixing technique. These two reason caused the delay in ...
- 26.5k
4
votes
Reviving Li-ion battery in freezer?
The idea of putting a Li-ion battery in the freezer as a method to revive it is a popular myth. It sounds like the perfect solution given its simplicity and cost-effectiveness. However, putting a Li-...
- 6,781
4
votes
Point group of trimethyl borate $\ce{B(OCH_3)3}$
Depends on what conformation you're talking about. It can be $C_1$, $C_\mathrm{s}$, $C_3$, $C_\mathrm{3h}$, or $C_\mathrm{3v}$. This particular conformation that you provided the image, with $\ce{H-C-...
- 283
4
votes
Accepted
Non-toxic alternative to borax for use in slime chemistry?
Boron's toxicity depends on how much you're making, and how you would dispose of it.
There's some naturally-occurring boron in the environment, and boron is a necessary for many green plants. Borax is ...
- 34.8k
4
votes
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?
In a 1965 paper [1], researchers from Sinclair described the properties of the gasoline additive nickel isodecylorthophosphate. In their words
The outstanding performance features of this nickel ...
- 10.4k
4
votes
I left scented candles in a polypropylene container. How do I remove the smell?
The search terms I'd suggest are "accelerated off-gassing" and "plastic deodorization". Here is a search result that looks relevant: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/...
- 337
4
votes
Accepted
Why does pectin/agar jelly taste sweet, if they stay solid at 36.5 °C, entrapping sugar?
The word "gel" means that part of the material is liquid already (gas for aerogels) and the rest is nanostructured solid network. This liquid enables diffusion similar to that in ordinary ...
- 252
4
votes
Accepted
Why is the Molar mass of CO2 different than the weight of the sum of its particles?
This is a really interesting question actually! I'm new to answering questions on this site but I'll explain as best I can.
As others have said, the difference in this particular calculation comes ...
- 131
3
votes
Removing carbon matter from molten beeswax
I'm not sure how to induce agglomeration of the burnt particles to speed up their sedimentation.
I'd try one or both of the following:
Maintain the wax in its molten state longer without stirring, ...
- 92
3
votes
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?
Another newspaper advertisement tells us the US Patent Number 2,937,992.
The patent tells us that the nickel compound is an oil-soluble nickel dithiophosphate:
A particularly suitable nickel ...
- 4,824
3
votes
Developing aluminum mirrors, similar to tollens reagent but with Al instead of Ag
Aluminum cannot be produced as a metal from and aqueous solution, because $\ce{Al}$ reacts chemically with water, producing $\ce{Al(OH)3 + H2}$, due to the rather negative value of the $\ce{Al}$ redox ...
- 29.5k
3
votes
Accepted
What are these plates in LixC6?
The three "dies" (if you refer to the graphite planes on the left side of the picture that you provided) are just a convenient way to represent the graphite crystallographic lattice, see the ...
- 576
3
votes
Accepted
How to neutralize the stink of decomposed fish?
The difference between fish hydrolysate and synthetic NPK is the world of plant beneficial microbes you are culturing and adding to the soil. Have those microbes work for you to reduce odour during ...
- 46
3
votes
Why don't oils use plastic droppers?
Some plastics are attacked or degraded by certain oils, which might ruin the dropper or make the oil unsafe by leaching chemicals into it. Glass is used because it's inert - the only chemicals that ...
- 200
3
votes
Accepted
Amination of 2,4 dichloroquinazoline - role of dioxane as solvent and required temperature
To take you last question first - the first amination goes in easily because the pyrimindine ring is doubly activated with 2 electronegative groups (the 2 chlorines). Once one is replaced by an ...
- 22.7k
2
votes
Are acids effective in removing soap scum?
I conducted an experiment where I collected soap scum by shaving it off the glass using safety blades. Our water is very light, almost like distilled water. I divided the material into different ...
2
votes
Reaction between sodium bicarbonate (baking soda), isopropyl alcohol, and acetic acid (vinegar)?
My initial hypotheses (on a 7-year-old question!) would be:
Little to no mixing between isopropyl alcohol ("IPA") and the saturated aqueous bicarbonate solution. IPA is fully miscible with ...
- 151
2
votes
What happens when isopropyl alcohol expires?
Isopropyl alcohol is well-known for its stability. That said, the extent to which it retains its properties after it expires is largely contingent upon the conditions under which it has been stored. A ...
- 6,781
2
votes
What chemical makes the ‘smoky’ flavour in smoked paprika?
The National Institute of Health has provided a good list of chemicals found in "smoke" flavoring. Here are just a few:
...
- 34.8k
2
votes
What liquid mixture has largest negative excess volume?
A quick glance at the graph $V^\mathrm{E}$ vs $x_1$ for the system water+ethanol typically show a minimum of around $\pu{-1.2 cm3 mol-1}$ at ambient temperature. This means that when we mix them, then ...
- 3,704
2
votes
Is there not a strict definition of what naphtha vs petrol represent?
As matt_black commented, “petrol” (gasoline) and naphtha are not pure compounds and represent variable mixtures of compounds with similar properties.” Thus, there isn't really a strict definition of ...
- 41.2k
2
votes
Oxygen bleach discolored white tablecloth
Bleaches are often alkaline. The coloring material of wine, a pH-sensitive anthocyanin, like those in red cabbage, blueberries and hydrangeas, is an indicator of pH (acidity or alkalinity), and in ...
- 34.8k
2
votes
Classification of elements into strictly anions and cations
There are no elements that only form one type of ion. In your words, there are no elements that "strictly" form only one type of ion. However, by comparing their ionization energies and ...
- 469
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible