Category: Engineering

Specific Yield

Specific Yield

Specific Yield

04/18/26

“How can we quantify how much water we can extract from a saturated medium?”

Groundwater exists in the pores of saturated soils and rocks. We cannot extract all of the groundwater from the pores, some will stay stuck. We can quantify the groundwater extraction potential by taking a sample of the medium and dividing the volume of water that drains freely from gravity by the total volume of the soil or rock, resulting in the Specific Yield. The specific yield plus the volume of the remnant water, called the Specific Retention, equals the porosity of the medium.

Fugitive Particulate Matter

Fugitive Particulate Matter

Fugitive Particulate Matter

04/16/26

“What’s special about particulate matter that directly enters the atmosphere?”

Picture particulate matter emissions. You’re likely visualizing emissions from a stack or duct. However, particulate matter can also be released from industrial operations, agricultural practices, and construction sites as fugitive particulate matter. Infrastructure operators have to design fugitive particulate matter control plans.

Biosparging

Biosparging

Biosparging

04/14/26

“How can we treat groundwater without removing it from an aquifer using compressed air?”

Microbes use air to consume organic matter. By injecting air into contaminated water, we can spur microbial growth that consumes pollutants. We can even do this to groundwater in aquifers. Biosparging is an in-situ groundwater remediation process that uses compressed air to achieve biodegradation.

Galvanic Series

Galvanic Series

Galvanic Series

04/13/26

“Is there a list that sorts how likely a metal is to corrode?”

Two metals with significant enough anodic index differences will corrode. But is there a list that sorts metals based on their anodic index differences? Well, this comes in the form of the Galvanic Series. The lower on the list, the more protected against corrosion a specific metal is, and the higher the more vulnerable to corrosion.

When To Use Enthalpy Values for Heat Calculations

When To Use Enthalpy Values for Heat Calculations

When To Use Enthalpy Values for Heat Calculations

04/11/26

“When should we use enthalpy 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-pressure processes, phase changes, chemical reactions, or in flow volumes,  we can use the change in enthalpy values for calculating heat transfer. This is When To Use Enthalpy Values for Heat Calculations.

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.

Settling (Liquids)

Settling (Liquids)

Settling (Liquids)

04/09/26

“How do particulates move to the bottom of a liquid and become sediment?”

Particulates may enter liquids by several means. Over time, the particles will move downwards in the fluid and collect into larger sediment. This Settling process is how processes like sedimentation happen.

Terminal Settling Velocity

Terminal Settling Velocity

Terminal Settling Velocity

04/08/26

“How do objects reach their maximum velocity while settling in a fluid?”

Solid objects denser than a fluid will settle in them. Just like with terminal air velocity, objects in liquid fluids will reach a Terminal Settling Velocity when the drag force opposing their motion equals their weight dragging them down. 

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.