Chemistry

For hybridization to occur, must electron always be promoted? Is it possible for hybridization to occur without the promotion of an electron? Secondly, if electrons DO need to be promoted, must there be at least one completely empty orbital in the shell it is being promoted to? For example, say an electron is promoted from 2s to one of the 2p orbitals. What if every 2p orbital already had 1 electron? (a configuration such as [math]{2s}^{2},{2p}^{3}[/math]). Would an electron still be promoted to one of the p orbitals to make a configuration like [math]{2s}^{1},{2p}^{4}[/math].. (my problem lies in the fact that after promotion (if it does occur) that there will be …

I was discussing the future of cars and breaking out dependence on oil with a friend, and fuel cells came up. I thought that fuel cells would be a major breakthrough because they are more efficient than combustion engines, and hydrogen is a lot easier to get than fossil fuels. He claimed that fuel cells would not increase efficiency because you would still need electricity to power the car, to carry out the reaction of the hydrogen that would give energy. I'm sure he is mistaken, or else fuel cells would be worse than a straight up electric car, but I was shaky on my understanding of fuel cells so I couldn't successfully rebut him. I believe I am correct that…

I have an interesting situation in which I need to find out how to immobilize calcium but retain its activity. Google just pulls up Sodium Algenate and Calcium Chloride is used in the last step to harden the beads. That's not going to work. I'm wondering if I could possibly charge calcium onto a sheet and have it stay there in water or if someone knows of a method I could try that would allow me to reuse the calcium.

What does it mean when a messenger RNA has several A's on the 3 prim end? ie. AAAAAA

How does supercritical drying work?

Hi all. I'm trying to do some research for some final coursework that is long over due. I have two questions:- 1. What is the name of the devise that can suck the air/oxegen out of an object?? i.e. a beaker... (For the life of me I cant think) 2. Does this reduce or increase the Atmospheric Pressure inside the object??

As we know, the colour of a CuSO4 solution is light blue, I got a green colour in my cuSO4 solution. I suspect that some impurities may have mixed but when i re crystaly it, normal CuSo4 crystels formed. Any ideas?

How can I find the scale of what temperature water heats up to in relation to the pressure within a unit being reduced or increased?

And it was awesome! I am still shaking from joy

Hello. I have just registered as a member here minutes ago, so that I can ask this question... I was about to discard a pile of old "AA" and "AAA" alkaline batteries of assorted brands, that I have allowed to accumulate over the last few years. They were absolutely not useable when tossed into my "bad battery" collection. I didnt throw them out because I think they should be disposed of properly but didnt know where to take them. So the pile just grew, got moved around, got left on the shelves for a few years. Now, as I was just re-checking them to look for any still useable batteries, (I'm cheap - I wanted to try to use them up) I measured them with a volt…

Put briefly: what effect would the use of a full molar equivalent of catalyst have on a reaction, broadly speaking? One the great advantages of catalysis is that the catalyst only has to be used in a small amount. I'm intrigued as to what effect the use of a full equivalent would have on a reaction - particularly with regard to metal catalysts rather than acid/base or organic catalysts, which would presumably undergo more conventional reactivity at higher concentrations.

Can you explain why zinc reacts with oxygen more readily than iron because of it's electronic configuration? EDIT: If you want to check the electronic config of both metals search google for "dynamic periodic table" and follow the first link.

Hello, Sometime ago I did read somewhere that some liquid caused plastic or rubber to expand to a considerable larger size. But I can't remember where I read it... So does anyone know which liquid ( a solvent ?) this is and what material it causes to expand? Thanks in advance Rob

Our latest chem video, just because it's the reaction everyone asks for!!! (and we didn't enhance it with explosives, unlike some!!!)

Plastic is almost everywhere ranging from plastic chairs, plastic wires, plastic pens, plastic loudspeakers etc etc. So many things are made of black plastic. My question is: Why is plastic black? Is it because it contains carbon?

I like these suggestions from Professor Poliakoff... Any thoughts?

the B batteries can be built http://www.instructables.com/id/Building_a_quotBaghdad_Batteryquot/ and to create a potential and isolate Hydrogen and Oxygen from Water; to recombine them and you can create light. some time back after seeing a carving on the wall of an egyptian tomb i noticed what looked like 5 B bats in series that had a lead going into a larger one and from that 'light' now in the deep tombs, the oxygen is so low that lighting a lighter (bic) is tough but with electrolysis both the H and O are available and if the B bats are offering the potential for the electrolysis, then PERHAPS they were for 'light'............ (any thinking folks …

Hi, I was wondering whether anyone new if it was possible to create a hot plasma from air in a small chamber? Also, if possible around what temperature could the Plasma be? Thanks in advance!

just wondering is the site http://www.hobbychemicals.co.uk/ safe? anyone used them?

Bros.. Could anyone please tell how to obtain elements...(I mean whatever element) easily in home..... I hav a collection of chemicals n elements (Sulphur,Cuso4,H2SO4,Na,and some NaCl ) So guys i needa know... how to get some elements which are in I and II class metals.......Coz im some kinda interested in BOOMS!! :D

I dropped an old, cheap max/min thermometer, which shattered; the organic-smelling liquid splashed into my open fridge. The smell is gut-wrenchingly awful, and the drops of liquid have attacked and melted in spots the hard plastic of my fridge shelves. I have Googled unsuccessfully to find what the liquid might be. It is clear, not tinted. It is certainly not ethyl alcohol. The smell is reminiscent of bonfires and tarry smoke, with overtones of TCP (disinfectant containing halides). The smell is proving almost impossible to remove from the fridge. Can anyone suggest what liquid we might have been exposed to, please? TIA. Apollonicon.

what do you get when you add sodium hydroxide to urea? what is the equation?

Hey all, I'm not sure exactly where I should post this, so my apologies if it is in the wrong area of the forum. I am going to be taking physical chemistry next year and I was wondering how the material is? So far, everyone i've asked said it was: 1. tough 2. lots of physics 3. lots of chemistry Thank you for your input. -A grateful chem student

A quick question about spring cleaning. If one inhales the odor of household bleach (at <%5 but >%4 strength) without dilution, is it harmful? Or is the odor of full strength bleach just benign and yet irritating? thanks P.S. (no mixing with ammonia or the such involved, just straight household bleach)

Here's my problem: At the start of a membrane equilibrium experiment, the first compartment contains 1.0 L of solution with an NaX concentration of 0.10 mol/L, where X- cannot pass through the membrane. The second compartment has 2.0 L of 0.030 M NaCl. Find the concentration of Cl- ions in the first compartment after equilibrium is established. okay. i usually know how to solve this type of problem if the volume of the solutions in the first compartment and second compartment are equal. Our professor said that for a donnan equilibrium it is important that volume of the solutions are equal. However, in the given problem, it is not equal and now, i do not know what …