Physical Science

The formal definition for an ion is an “atom or group of atoms with one or more positive or negative electric charges” (Encyclopedia Britannica). To explain the process of atoms forming ions, we must first consider the structure of the…
Read more

It is a misconception that we can add color to a flame. The flame that we see is the light emitted by various atoms as their electrons are excited by the heat energy of combustion. The wavelength (color) of light…
Read more

You’ll find four major categories of chemical names out there. Three of them are scientific, and have rules that are easy to follow (until you get to large, complex molecules anyway). The fourth are simply made-up names – either a…
Read more

The transition metals are those elements found in the “d” block of the periodic table. If you aren’t familiar with that terminology, looking at the periodic table, the “d” block is the section beginning with the third column from the…
Read more

Alum – potassium aluminum sulfate – KAl(SO4)2 is one of the more popular crystals to grow. This may be because it makes a nice octahedral crystal that is visually appealling, or because it isn’t terribly toxic. It probably also has…
Read more

The identification of chemical substances is both simple and complex. Every chemical, whether it is an element or a compound, has unique characteristics. It’s kind of a fun puzzle to identify what you might have when given a set of…
Read more

Spectroscopy is a branch of chemistry that uses emission and absorption of electromagnetic radiation in order to obtain information about the structure of atoms and molecules.  In addition, electromagnetic radiation can trigger changes in chemical bonds and can induce chemical…
Read more

Arsenic is one of the “bad boys” of the periodic table. It’s been called the “king of poisons” and the “poison of kings,” although it’s more likely to be used for rat poison than for regicide. While it’s true that…
Read more

When asked to list the individuals they believe have had the greatest impact on modern science, most people will undoubtedly list Albert Einstein.  He was, without a doubt, one of the most profound thinkers of the 20th century.  “Time” magazine…
Read more

Spectroscopy is the study of the relationship between light (electromagnetic radiation) and physical matter. In astronomy, this can be highly useful. The role of spectroscopy in astronomy is to analyze the light received from distant planets and interstellar phenomena and,…
Read more