Category: Chemistry

When To Use Internal Energy Values for Heat Calculations

When To Use Internal Energy Values for Heat Calculations

When To Use Internal Energy Values for Heat Calculations

04/10/26

“When should we use internal energy values for heat calculations?”

People like you and me can calculate the heat transfer between two substances in a variety of ways. When we’re faced with constant volume processes, closed systems (no mass flow), bomb calorimetry, and non-constant pressure systems, we can use the change in internal energy values for calculating heat transfer. This is When To Use Internal Energy Values for Heat Calculations.

Flamability Range

Flamability Range

Flamability Range

04/07/26

“How is there a range of flammability in vaporous concentrations?”

Certain vaporous substances can cause combustion. However, these will need to be present in a certain Flamability Range above a minimum value and below a maximum. Safety regulations may require buildings to implement measures to reduce substances below the flammability range.

Lower Flammability Limit

Lower Flammability Limit

Lower Flammability Limit

04/06/26

“What is the lowest concentration of a fuel to be present for ignition?”

Fuels can combust within a certain range of concentration. The lower end of the concentration, where there is just enough fuel,  is known as the Lower Flammability Limit. The lower flammability limit is affected by the surrounding temperature and pressure.

Anodic Index

Anodic Index

Anodic Index

04/05/26

“How can we quantify an element’s strength against corrosion?”

Two metals in contact with each other can start a corrosion reaction if the metals are electrochemically dissimilar. Each metal will have a certain tendency to give or receive electrons in a galvanic reaction, quantified by the Anodic Index. Anodic indices are typically measured from a reference metal, such as gold. The larger an element’s anodic index is, the more likely it is to become an anode and corrode.

Effective Half-Life

Effective Half-Life

Effective Half-Life

04/03/26

“How long does it take for a radeonucleotide to diminish to half of its mass in a biological organism?”

Organisms may consume radionucleotides. The radionucleotide will lose mass to both radioactive decay and biological absorption. We can find the Effective Half-Life of the radionucleotide through the equation 1/(half-life_effective) = 1/(half-life_radiation) + 1/(half-life_biological).

In-Situ Groundwater Remediation

In-Situ Groundwater Remediation

In-Situ Groundwater Remediation

04/01/26

“How can we clean groundwater without removing it?”

Groundwater can become contaminated through a variety of means. Although it’s common to remove groundwater to clean it, wouldn’t it be great if we could separate toxins from groundwater while it sits in place? Well, what if we were to inject a cleaning agent or mechanisms directly into the groundwater? This process is known as In-Situ Groundwater Remediation, and it’s a growing field of study.

BOD Deoxygenization Rate

BOD Deoxygenization Rate

BOD Deoxygenization Rate

03/31/26

“How can we measure the rate at which microorganisms consume oxygen to remove organic matter?”

Microorganisms use oxygen to remove organic matter. The BOD Deoxygenization Rate, or the rate at which microorganisms use oxygen to remove organic matter, is proportional to the amount of BOD remaining. This is important for understanding if a wastewater body is going to become oxygen-deprived. 

Dimensionless Henry’s Law Constant

Dimensionless Henry’s Law Constant

Dimensionless Henry’s Law Constant

03/29/26

“How can we quantify whether a substance is likely to stay in water or escape as water?”

Some substances escape from water solutions quickly, like volatile organic compounds, while others stay contentedly in water. We can find this out by taking the ratio of the concentration in vapor to the concentration in water, represented by the Dimensionless Henry’s Law Constant. The dimensionless Henry’s Law constant is equal to the regular Henry’s Law Coefficient divided by the universal gas constant and the temperature.

The Hydroxyl Group

The Hydroxyl Group

The Hydroxyl Group

03/26/26

“What makes organic molecules covalently bonded with an oxygen-hydrogen pair so special?”

Functional groups come in many shapes and sizes. Any organic molecule covalently bonded with an oxygen-hydrogen pair is a part of The Hydroxyl Group. Hydroxyl group molecules are water-soluble, have high boiling points, and are often reactive.