"Wisdom begins in wonder" – Socrates
Carbonaceous Biochemical Oxygen Demand
02/11/26
“How can we represent the amount of oxygen bacteria use to break down carbon-based matter?”
Bacteria use oxygen to power themselves while they break down material. Sometimes, people want to know only the amount of oxygen for consuming specific materials. The amount of oxygen bacteria use to solely consume carbon-based matter is known as Carbonaceous Biochemical Oxygen Demand.
Superheated Water
02/10/26
“How can water stay in liquid form while hotter than its boiling point?”
Water at atmospheric pressure levels boils at 100 degrees celsius. But if water is subject to high pressures, it can become Superheated Water at higher temperatures. Superheated water is useful for a multitude of industrial applications such as cleaning and heating.
Flow Nets
02/09/26
“How can we visualize how water moves through soil?”
While it may not be obvious, water actually moves through soil. One way we can visualize this is to draw flowlines from the origin to the destination and then equipotential lines going through right angles at equal potentials. These Flow Nets are a great way to spatially describe how water moves through soil. You can use the ratio of the number of flow channels and the number of equipotential drops to estimate the flow through the soil.
Image credit: https://www.geoengineer.org/
Oxidation State
02/08/26
“How can we quantify the number of electrons an element is likely to have after it breaks all bonds?”
Chemical bonds may be broken. With bonds involving shared electrons, some elements may take all shared electrons with them. The number of electrons that an element is likely to take or give in a chemical breakup is known as the Oxidation State. Oxidation states range from +2 (alkaline earth metals) to -2 (oxygen).
Air Voids in Asphalt Pavement
02/07/26
“Why are air voids in asphalt pavement so important?”
Asphalt pavement is composed of many different components. Air voids found in this substance play a key role in its uses. Air voids allow for thermal expansion and water storage in asphalt. Asphalt with excessive air voids handles heavy loads worse, while asphalt with too few air voids is less flexible. Precast porous concrete panels have extra air voids to allow for more water seepage. These are the properties of Air Voids in Asphalt Pavement.
The Difference Between Suppressed and Contracted Weirs
02/06/26
“What’s the difference between suppressed and contracted weirs?”
Weirs control water flow heights and measure discharge. Just like there are all types of water flows, there are all types of weirs. Suppressed weirs are simple rectangular blocks that allow the flow to completely pass through them. These are typically used for simple hydraulic and measurement needs. Contracted weirs are like suppressed weirs, except they have two equal-length blocks on top of the flat crest. This forces water to narrow and go through the small opening. Contracted weirs are more commonly used for flows with limited space, given the smaller area needed. This is The Difference Between Suppressed and Contracted Weirs.
Image credit: https://watershapes.com/
Pavement Milling
02/05/26
“Why do we remove the surfaces of paved areas during some infrastructure work?”
Pavement becomes worn out over time and needs repairs. This might require Pavement Milling, where the top layer of the road is ripped out before repaving. Developers can reuse the milled pavement into the new surface.
Image credit: https://www.everpads.com/
Retaining Walls
02/02/26
“How can we keep sloped or elevated soil from falling over?”
Many human-built landscapes have soil rising steeply above the ground. If left to itself, this soil would fall over with wind, water, and/or gravity. So how can we prevent this? Well, what if we were to build a wall that would keep the soil back as a dam does to water? Well, this is the idea behind Retaining Walls. People must design retaining walls to resist the lateral pressure of soil and any inclement elements.
Leachates
02/01/26
“What happens when liquid picks up dissolved/suspended solids as it moves through a permeable layer?”
Liquids can move through permeable layers. Sometimes, the layer may have soluble or suspended solids along its journey and form what’s called a Leachate. Leachate properties are dependent on the liquid and its solvent. Leachates from stormwater landing on landfills can pollute nearby surface and groundwater.
Image credit: https://d2t3x0k5v8rzxl.cloudfront.net/
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