"Wisdom begins in wonder" – Socrates
Category: Physics
Brine
06/19/19
“What happens when water has a super-high concentration of salt?”
It is hard for humans to digest water with salt mixed in. So when water has an ultra-high concentration of salt, it takes on interesting properties. The salinity of this Brine can be used for food-processing, de-icing roads and structures, and as a refrigeration fluid. Brine is one of the myriads of chemicals that allows our modern world to work.
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Brine from Desalination
06/16/19
“Why is Brine created from desalination?”
Desalination is one of the lifelines for many water-poor countries, whether it be in the Middle-East, South Asia, or Western North America. However, during the process of creating more drinkable water, a portion of brine is also created as a byproduct. One of the most pressing challenges for policy-makers, scientists, and engineers is to find out what to do with this Brine from Desalination.
Image credit media.wired.com
Laser Interferometers
06/14/19
“How do Laser Interferometers work?”
Laser Interferometers work as follows: A coherent laser beam will be emitted from a source. The beam will then hit a mirror at an angle to its wave of propagation, causing it to split into parts parallel and perpendicular to the original travel. These will be reflected by mirrors, and will head back to the original mirror where they will combine and interfere. This new wave will travel to a detector, where the interference pattern will be picked up and can be analyzed to measure small displacements.
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http://www.ligo.caltech.eduImage credit
Ramadan and Astronomy
05/06/19
“What does the holiest month in Islam have to do with astronomy?”
Every year, Muslims all around the world will fast and refrain from sin for one month to fulfill one of the five pillars of Islam. But did you know that there is a connection to Astronomy? Well, every year Ramadan begins on the sighting of a crescent moon, since the Islamic calendar is a lunar calendar. This is the relationship between Ramadan and Astronomy.
Ramadan Mubarak!
!رمضان مبارك
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Why Liquid Hydrogen in Vehicles Can Be Very Dangerous
04/03/19
“What are the dangers of liquid hydrogen fuel in vehicles?”
Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are a very hot research topic. However, liquid hydrogen vehicles present some strong dangers. Although sealed hydrogen is relatively safe, exposed hydrogen has some factors which can make it less so. First of all, hydrogen can catch fire really easily as it only requires 1/10th of the energy to combust compared to gas. Hydrogen flames are also nearly invisible and can displace oxygen in human lungs, making it a very silent killer. This is Why Liquid Hydrogen in Vehicles Can Be Very Dangerous.
Carbon Sequestration
04/01/19
“How can we remove and store carbon dioxide from the atmosphere?”
Climate change is one of the most if not THE most dangerous event happening right now. And much of this is driven by the increased levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. While most efforts are currently concentrated on limiting further emissions, there are currently efforts underway to actually remove carbon from the atmosphere. Known as Carbon Sequestration, this can be accomplished through a variety of methods such as increasing plant biomass or having large-scale fans suck up great amounts of CO2. If things become very drastic, then we may have to significantly increase the scale of carbon sequestration.
Why Tempered Glass is Used for Cooking Lids
03/17/19
“What type of glass is used for cooking lids?”
Cooking food is one of the most intricate parts of human life, whether it be meal-prepping for the week or dining with friends. And if one is using a pot then one of the most useful things is to see what is going on underneath. That way, we can monitor what processes are occurring and what to do if something goes wrong. Usually, translucent covers are made of glass. However, since cooking involves high changes in temperature and pressure, the glass needs to be extremely strong and sturdy. As a result, tempered glass with its thermal strength is used. This is why Tempered Glass is Used for Cooking Lids.
High-level Nuclear Waste
03/07/19
“What is the highest level of nuclear waste?”
During nuclear power generation, the energy in the fuel rods will become used up. Although it will no longer be effective in creating electricity, it will still be extremely radioactive. The most dangerous form of this is known as High-level Nuclear Waste. High-level nuclear waste must be carefully isolated in strong containers such as water entrapment systems to prevent any form of leakage.
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Quantum Dots for Solar Panels
02/25/19
“Why are quantum dots for solar panels so useful?”
Quantum dots are bringing a revolution into the world of semiconductors. And since semiconductors are the backbones of solar panels, things will be greatly changed for them as well. The extra emissivity offered by quantum dots means that two and possibly three electrons can be generated for every photon received, vastly increasing its potential! Quantum dot solar panels can achieve as much as 65% efficiency, nearly double of the theoretical limit of normal panels. This is why Quantum Dots for Solar Panels are so exciting.
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