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What is silica?

Silica is a white or colorless insoluble solid that has characteristics similar to glass. It helps form cristobalite, which is a white mineral found in volcanic rocks. Silicon dioxide forms quartz, which is present in most of Earth’s rocks, but particularly in granite and sandstone. Chert contains a variety of silica in the form of microcrystalline quartz. Flint, once used for arrow and spearheads, contains opaque silica. Lechatelierite is a colorless glass that is made of nearly pure silica. Tridymite is a mineral form of silica, and silex is pure, finely ground silica.

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What causes Brownian motion?

Brownian motion was first noticed and described by botanist Robert Brown in 1827 while observing the movement of pollen grains in still air. His initial thoughts were that the movements were caused by some self-powered movement of the plant sperm, but later experiments showed that the motion occurred with dead and even inorganic particles. Robert Brown never came up with a satisfactory explanation for the motion.\nThe current explanation was first offered 50 years later with the kinetic theory of heat, which stated that heat was actually the random vibration of the atoms and molecules that com..

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How is the ideal gas law used in everyday life?

The ideal gas laws give the relationships between pressure, temperature and volume for any mix of ideal gases. Unfortunately, only the noble gases such as helium and neon are actually close to ideal, but the ideal gas law is still a close enough approximation for many purposes.\nIn any environment where the intake of oxygen and the release of carbon dioxide is likely to be insufficient for the number of people inside, some type of ventilation must be installed. This ventilation must be lesser or greater depending on the number of people and their level of activity. In sealed environments such ..

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What is a complexation reaction?

The Chemistry Learning Center explains that complexation reactions form chemical complexes due to the increased concentration of reactive elements that result in flooding. The resulting ion is called a complex ion, and it features a noticeably brighter shade of color.\nChem Wiki describes complexation reactions as being divided into four categories, including: catalysis, enzymes, chain reactions and ionic mobility, and electrophoresis. Catalysis reactions are some of the most important complexation reactions due to the fact that they cause reactions between other substances to occur. Chem Wiki..

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How many degrees does the sun move each day?

The sun appears to drift in a circle around the same 12 constellations, also known as the zodiac constellations, over the course of a year. Scientists have termed this path the ecliptic. The sun does not actually make this path, which is actually a projection of the Earth's orbit around the sun. While on this journey, the Earth is tilted at an angle of 23.5 degrees, which is what causes short days in the winter and long days in the summer.

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What are the disadvantages of the hanging drop technique?

There are other disadvantages of using the hanging drop method. It is not a safe method to use when one is dealing with extremely pathogenic organisms, as humans can easily get an infection. Setting up the apparatus needed for the hanging drop technique takes time, and the cavity slides used are expensive. The coverslips, which are one part of the apparatus, are quite fragile, and handling them can pose a challenge.\nAnother method used for observing tiny organisms is the wet mount technique. The difference between the two is that the wet mount technique dries out more quickly than the hanging..

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What information is provided by FEMA floodplain maps?

FEMA's Flood Insurance Rate Maps show areas subject to flooding. The information shown on the maps is based on historical, meteorological, hydrologic, and hydraulic data. FEMA conducts engineering studies in flood-prone areas to determine the extent of flood risk. The information collected in these studies is used by FEMA engineers and cartographers to create flood maps.\nFlood maps do not all follow the same format, however, there are two basic formats. The "Flat Flood Map" consists of one or more 11-inch by 17-inch pages with a cover. The "Z-Fold Flood Map" is a larger map with multiple..

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What is inherited variation?

Many types of traits and features pass along through generations. These characteristics include hair color, eye color and the shape of facial features, like noses and ears. Inherited variation occurs when egg cells divide. Each egg and sperm cell contains approximately half the genetic information necessary for producing individuals. Upon fertilization of the egg, individuals acquire certain traits from parents, and have unique traits and looks. Inherited variation produces differences in human eye color, such as blue, green and brown. It also creates a difference in skin color in the human po..

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What is charcoal made of?

Charcoal almost always has some impurities, though sugar can be mixed with sulfuric acid to produce nearly pure carbon. To produce charcoal briquettes or lumps, the original organic matter must be processed. Charcoal lumps are made from sections of hardwood that are heated for several hours in an oxygen-free furnace to prevent combustion as the impurities are cooked off. The material that emerges from the kiln is mostly molecular carbon, with some ash, that is ready for use in a grill.\nBriquettes are more complicated to produce than lumps. The manufacture of briquettes begins with charcoal th..

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What are some interesting facts about Jupiter?

Jupiter has a diameter of nearly 89,000 miles and a mass of about 8.6 x 10 to the 23 power pounds. It is the fifth planet from the sun. It is just over 459,000,000 miles from the sun at its perigee and almost 506,000,000 miles from the sun at its apogee. A Jovian day is equal to almost 10 earth hours.\nThe major components in Jupiter's atmosphere are hydrogen and helium. The planet's atmosphere also contains much smaller amounts of methane, ethane, acetylene, water vapor, tetrahydride, carbon monoxide and phosphene.\nThe most distinguishing feature of Jupiter is the Great Red Spot. T..

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