Sciencemadness Discussion Board - Help for a young scientist

Help for a young scientist

elliephant - 6-3-2018 at 22:21

Hello,
I'm still in high school, but am hoping to start doing some chemistry of my own at home. I've tried to follow some of the threads on this website, but I'll admit it's a little intimidating. Anyway, I was wondering if any of the fellow science nerds out there could suggest to me some websites/youtube channels to give me more ideas for experiments, and whether you had any advice for me as to obtaining/making chemicals and lab gear at no cost? Finally, I've started up an element collection at home, so if you have any tips as to how I might cheaply get some of the more obscure elements I would be eager to hear them.

aga - 6-3-2018 at 22:49

Hi and Welcome to ScienceMadness !

This site has some great info for beginners :-
http://woelen.homescience.net/science/chem/misc/homelab.html

This thread has some info about what you can get OTC
http://www.sciencemadness.org/talk/viewthread.php?tid=16691#...

j_sum1 - 6-3-2018 at 22:50

Welcome.
You have asked some good questions. I'm happy to help but won't attempt to write too much from my phone.
In the mean time I am sure that someone else will come along with ideas and suggestions.
If you let us know your location that will help. Over-the-counter chemicals and regulations vary a lot from place to place and this will undoubtedly impact the kind of things you attempt. Alsk useful to know... Is there any particular kind of chemistry that interests you? Or do you even know the answer to that question? What kind of workspace and equipment do you have?

VSEPR_VOID - 6-3-2018 at 23:01

I am also in High School and began being an amateur chemist in middle school. My advice to you is never stop reading. Buy a text book at a thrift shop, it does not need to be new anything this century will do, and read it. There are several good books in the Science Madness library about various topics. After you have the basics down read up on basic organic chemistry.I recommend Organic Chemistry - 8th Edition (2017). The first few chapters are all about bonding. You can torrent it or I can send you a copy if you send me your email over U2U. If you are like me and prefer physical books use this site: https://www.thriftbooks.com

YouTube Channels
https://www.youtube.com/user/NurdRage (The Chemistry God)
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiU1dHvZObB2iP6xkJ__Icw
https://www.youtube.com/user/TheRedNile (A prophet of Nerd Rage)
https://www.youtube.com/user/theCodyReeder
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvFApMFo_AafXbHRyEJefjA
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUeAg0dV9Xhauf0VF-CqbVg
https://www.youtube.com/user/DougsLab (one of my favorites)
https://www.youtube.com/user/Gooferking (A very good friend of mine for many years)
https://www.youtube.com/user/bkraz333 (a chemistry god)

I recommend starting with copper chemistry. Find old pennies from the 70s which are made of copper, strip old copper wires, or find bits of copper metal to use.
Copper II acetate (cupric means II basically so cupric acetate)
Copper II Sulfate
Copper II Chloride
Basic copper II carbonate
Tetramine copper complexes
Copper II nitrate
Basic copper II nitrate
Copper salicylate

These are all good places to start

Equipment you absolutely need:
A ventilated place to work (a bench outside or even the ground is fine)
gloves
a cheap scale off ebay (digital and can weight out to .1g)
a lab book (a composition book will do. I can not stress how important this is! You must write down everything you do. The only difference between screwing around and science is the lab book) https://www.training.nih.gov/assets/Lab_Notebook_508_(new).pdf

Ebay is the best place to get glass for the most part

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1Set-Low-Form-Glass-Beaker-5-10-25-...

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Karter-Scientific-Erlenmeyer-Flask-...

PgAAOSwMmBVnr0t

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Scientific-Glass-Graduated-Cylinder...

https://www.ebay.com/itm/2-NEW-OUT-OF-PACKAGE-Scoopulas-Spat...

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Norpro-Plastic-Funnel-3-Piece-Small...

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Ph-Paper-Test-Strips-1-Litmus-14-In...

The most important reagents are
Sulfuric acid - drain opener
Hydrochloric acid - pool acid
Sodium hydroxide
Sodium bisulfate (sodium hydrogen sulfate) -a pH lowering chemical
Potassium Nitrate - look for it in stump removers
copper sulfate - cheapest online
sodium bicarbonate (sodium hydrogen carbonate)- baking soda
aluminium - foil, cans, scrap metal
potassium permanginate
magnesium sulfate - Epson salt

Remember to purify anything you get OTC (over the counter) and to recrystallize everything. Never assume what you have is 100% pure or anhydrous.

Make sure to read the MSDS on every chemical before you buy it. Chemistry is a cheap body (relative). A hundred bucks goes a lot further than in electronic engineering or painting.

As for free stuff that is hard to find. Befriend local labs, if there are any near you, and teachers. I scored a giant crate full of glass ware when a lab was shutting down near me and a local school couldn't take it. I have heard some users have luck dumpster diving at colleges, universities, and labs. Just remember; its legal to take if it is by the curb!.

I spend a lot of time reading about chemists of the past (mostly the German ones, they make the best chemists) and nearly all of them started off mixing things together at home. If there is a hobby the produces greatness it is this. It also produces lots of burnt fingers as well.

elliephant - 6-3-2018 at 23:32

Quote: Originally posted by j_sum1

Welcome.
You have asked some good questions. I'm happy to help but won't attempt to write too much from my phone.
In the mean time I am sure that someone else will come along with ideas and suggestions.
If you let us know your location that will help. Over-the-counter chemicals and regulations vary a lot from place to place and this will undoubtedly impact the kind of things you attempt. Alsk useful to know... Is there any particular kind of chemistry that interests you? Or do you even know the answer to that question? What kind of workspace and equipment do you have?

I am located in Sydney, Australia. I am interested in all types of chemistry, but am of course limited to those chemicals I have found and the limited improvised equipment I have. Finally, my workspace is just an unused room in the house, with the only equipment being some safety goggles, glass jars for beakers, protective gloves, and some small corked glass vials.

elliephant - 6-3-2018 at 23:52

In response to VSEPR_VOID's post (too long to quote):
Thanks for all the advice. I will begin my research into finding chemistry textbooks, and possibly get my older brother (who does some quite advance extension chemistry) to tutor me too. The youtube channels are a big help- I'd already started working my way through a few of them, but the majority are new to me. Sadly, living in Australia my supply of copper from U.S pennies is somewhat limited (I've got about ten or so), although I've got two rolls of 50 old Australian 1c and 2c coins which are apparently 97.5% copper (2.5% zinc). The equipment you list I think I can manage (using the kitchen scales for the time being), although the lab notebook idea is novel to me and seems like a good idea. I hesitate to buy equipment at over 5USD, so might hold off on the glassware; I've salvaged a metal spatula from a nice old chemistry kit I had and have found and can find pH paper and a funnel around the home. I have most of the chemicals you list as essentials except for potassium permanganate (I have potassium permanganate (where is this found?), sodium bisulfate, magnesium sulfate and sulfuric acid. I've been meaning to get some sulfuric acid for a long time, but never managed it- the drain cleaner we use at home is HCl.

elliephant - 7-3-2018 at 00:11

Also, does anyone have any advice when it comes to cooking using science? I've seen the classic liquid nitrogen icecream, but not much else.

VSEPR_VOID - 7-3-2018 at 00:15

You can buy KMnO4 online or as a water purification chemical. I dont know the law in Australia but I do know shipping is very expensive. In that case you should either find a local supplier, another user near you you can buy from or share with, or save up your money to buy everything at once. If you are in high school I imagine you will be getting a job soon. That would help cover the cost.

j_sum1 - 7-3-2018 at 00:33

Buy potassium permanganate OTC from any pharmacy in Australia -- usually $9.95 for 50g. You probably won't find it on the shelves: they usually tuck it away buy will hand it over without question if you ask for it.

NedsHead - 7-3-2018 at 01:21

I wonder what other goodies us Aussies (and j_sum1

) have access to from behind the counter at the pharmacy, if anybody has a list I would like to see it

[Edited on 7-3-2018 by NedsHead]

VSEPR_VOID - 7-3-2018 at 02:00

Can you buy reagents from pharmacies in the United States?

RawWork - 7-3-2018 at 04:05

This guy is from Australia too and he has profile on this forum too. He replied to my 50 questions and even made one video for me.
https://youtube.com/user/toothpick993

Sulaiman - 7-3-2018 at 04:10

Welcome:
some random thoughts;

An enormous range of chemistry can be investigated at home with no special equipment,
so unless you are rich (few here are) build up your stock and equipment as you go along.

Joining this forum is (in my opinion) a really good start,
there are some very clever chemists here,
more importantly they are willing to guide, assist and WARN.
It is a good idea to ask about any experiment that you plan on doing that you are unsure of,
genuine questions rarely go un-answered.
But if you want spoon-feeding then you're in the wrong place.

Occasionally, someone here will upset you, ignore it, we are all human with good and bad days, so try not to take offence personally.

Essential equipment needed : Goggles
Gloves are useful for preventing stains that you would otherwise have to explain to everyone that you meet.
Working in clothes that are 'expendable' is a good idea, some members use lab-coats or similar.
Always consider safety, in advance, think what MAY go wrong - fire, spills etc.
and plan for that, fire extinguisher/blanket/hose, easy escape route, 'antidotes' such as;. vinegar to neutralise bases, sodium bicarbonate solution to neutralise acids, sodium thiosulphate solution for stains such as sliver nitrate, etc. etc.

Main hazards at your level;
. lack of knowledge and experience - this is normal - you have to start somewhere.
. staining or burning yourself, or worse, your kitchen/bathroom/living room - not a popular thing to do

This forum, the forum library, YouTube and Wikipedia have been my main sources.
When you find a specific area that interests you then you can start some real research.

I find things that go flash-boom exciting, but I can't do that due to my environment,
having an older sibling with chemistry knowledge is good,
you parent(s) will worry less, and maybe you could work together sometimes,
more fun when more than one person and you will bond a little more (or kill each other)

Have fun and stay (mostly) safe.

DrP - 7-3-2018 at 04:10

Quote: Originally posted by elliephant

Also, does anyone have any advice when it comes to cooking using science? I've seen the classic liquid nitrogen icecream, but not much else.

Apparently there is some kind of reaction that takes place when you fry your onions with aniseed or star anise pods. When frying the onions the addition of star anise can produce/add an 'umami' taste to the dish. This works well in Italian style dishes like Lasagne and other pasta sauces. Not sure what the exact reaction is, but it does seem to work. :-)

Akhil jain - 7-3-2018 at 04:23

You can subscribe my channel too . I show how to make inorganic compounds by using chemicals easily available to us. My videos are in english except the one in which I have told the common names of chemicals and where to buy them.

Rhodanide - 7-3-2018 at 06:20

Well, you came to the right forum, that's for sure.

Reboot - 7-3-2018 at 07:06

Quote: Originally posted by VSEPR_VOID

Can you buy reagents from pharmacies in the United States?

A long time ago, pharmacies could be a decent source for common things, but as the business model shifted from compounding things on site to selling more complex pre-made substances, they carried fewer and fewer raw materials. At the same time, the drug war and terrorism have increased suspicion (and liability risks) about supplying hobby chemists, so it's rare to find much at the pharmacy any more.

RawWork - 7-3-2018 at 08:20

Quote: Originally posted by Sulaiman

This forum, the forum library, YouTube and Wikipedia have been my main sources.

And if you use wikipedia too often like me, and do not use internet so much, you can download whole wikipedia. Size for my country version was only below 1 GB, and english version is 59 GB only, unlike i expected it to be few TB. Just use kiwix app to view that file. Compatible with all operating systems and devices.
http://wiki.kiwix.org/wiki/Content_in_all_languages

elliephant - 7-3-2018 at 17:29

Wow. Thanks for all the help! Focusing down on an area of science to begin experimenting in, I wondered if any of you could advise me on how to separate the elements of the periodic table from more everyday substances? That way I can learn more science whilst growing my element collection.

j_sum1 - 7-3-2018 at 20:30

Ok. I'll step in here.

H - electrolysis of water just for the fun of it. Or NaOH drain cleaner and Al foil. No real storage solutions and not much good to display but a good exercise. A good sample can come from a tritium glow in the dark fishing lure or key-chain fob.
He - impure helium can be found in party balloons. gases and colourless ones in particular are problematic for collectors.
Li - extract from an AA energiser battery. Procedures all over youtube.
Be - get a beryl. Don't bother attempting extraction. Or buy a sample.
B - MrHomeScientist has a great video showing how to get B via a thermite reaction. This is good fun. Follow up video more recently points out problems with the procedure and the low purity level.
C - graphite lubricant, pencil lead, buy graphite blocks off ebay, make charcoal or carbon black, buy synthetic or natural diamond or diamond powders off ebay (look up lapidiary)
N - can be made. Or settle with a jar of air. No one will notice the 20% O2 present.
O - again electrolysis of water - I have a good apperatus to build - send me a U2U for details.
F - problematic. I have a piece of antozonite. For your collection you could also use some teflon plumbers tape or a fluorite crystal (calcium fluorite), both cheap.
Ne - small neon bulbs can be bought online. They work out being only a few cents each.
Na - A good synthesis as you build up confidence. Just don't expect purity or a large amount or for it to last. Electrolysis of NaOH or reduction of NaOH using magnesium
Mg - Magnesium firestarters from a camping store, some pencil sharpeners, buy a block or some ribbon off ebay, ask your teacher for 10cm of ribbon
Al - foil, cans, wires, window frames...
Si - can be synthesised from sand via a thermite reaction. Procedure is a search away on this board. Or buy some.
P - scrape the edge of some matchboxes for a few micrograms of impure red phosphorus. Wet with acetone first to soften the glues. Wash with acetone if you wish.
S - available from hardware stores and garden supplies at about $12 per 500g. I have found it reasonably pure but dissolving in warm xylene, filtering in a coffee filter and recrystallising is a good simple exercise.
Cl - easy to make with hardware store HCl and trichlor pool chemical or pool shock (TCCA or Ca(OCl)2). If you do it, go for small quantities (1g) at first and do it outside on a windy day. Take a photo and don't try to store it.
Ar - Dan Murphys sells cans of argon for preserving wine. Bunnings sells cylinders in the welders' suplies area. You can burp it from some light bulbs by cracking them underwater into a zip-seal plastic bag. I managed to get a small argon bulb - it glows a pretty blue colour.
K - good luck. There is a procedure on this board and about 85 pages of discussion. It is kind of a mission to get this to work. Doable but requires perseverence.
Ca - buy it. No short cuts.
Sc - expensive. Buy a sample when you get to it.
Ti - Look around - you occasionally find it used in odd places such as hiking cutlery or corrosion proof fasteners. Ti rod or strips can be bought online. Ti powder is surprisingly cheap. I recommend this. React some with some HCl to get a TiCl3 solution and have some fun with interesting complexes.
V - keep your eye out for some ferrovanadium. Or screwdriver bits typically contain 0.5%. (Extracting this is a current project of mine. The bits are still dissolving. I'll check them in a few months.) Or buy a sample.
Cr - look for anything chrome plated. Stainless steels contain a minimum of 12% and this can be a source for making dichromates. Or buy a sample online.
Mn - Also available in metallic form online. MnSO4 can be bought from Bunnings in the fertilizer aisle. Look among the specialist additives. Around $13 for 500g. Mn is also found in carnon zinc batteries. Extracting it is a great exercise and you will learn a lot. The last step is a thermite reaction which will boil off all of your Mn at high temperature unless you take steps to avoid this.
Fe - available everywhere. I have not yet got a really nice chunk for my collection - I am thinking of railway iron or something. But I do have some high purity foil. Nails will do but sand the tin off first if you want only iron.
Ni - Nickel plated stuff is around - but probably not pure. If all you want is to display the colour then look for cupboard knobs or the like. Get a US nickel from a collector (check the date). Extract from Aus coins. Or buy a sample. Nickel strips, wire and sputtering targets are available.
Co - not easy to find in pure form and not really common in OTC items. Some Li batteries contain cobalt compounds but it is hard to tell.
Cu - the best source of high purity copper is electrical wiring. Plumbing pipe will also do as a display sample. Or get some old 1c or 2c coins. I bought a 2000 year old copper coin for about $6
Zn - lots of things are made of zinc. Perhaps the easiest to get is from a zinc carbon battery.
Ga - expect to pay around $1 per gram if you buy a small amount of it online. Most of it is mined in Australia but it seems you cannot buy it here easily.
Ge - Used in some old (think 1950s) electronics. Horifically overpriced because it is in high demand by retro audiophiles. And then you can't actually see your piece anyway. Buy a sample.
As - I suspect this is not high on your wish-list. Buy a properly sealed sample and don't play with it.
Se - Selenium buttons are available online. Se copounds are in trace amounts in some anti-dandruff shampoos. Reda the labels.
Br - fun to synthesise but do your research first. Unfortunately NaBr is hard to find in Aus. There is an extraction procedure beginning with a spa chemical.
Kr - some specialist light bulbs. You will probably need to buy online.
Rb - good luck.
Sr - samples are not expensive - stored under oil. Strontium carbonate is available from potters' supplies if you are interested in the chemistry. The flame test is awesome. Take a photo of that for your collection.
Y - I bought a sample online. It has specialist applications but I know of nothiong OTC or cheap.
Zr - cubic zirconias are actually quite cheap. Or you can shop around for Zr wire.
Nb - another one you are unlikely to find OTC. Sometimes commemorative coins are struck in Nb
Mo - the wire that is used to remove phone screens is made of Mo. It can be bought for a couple of bucks on ebay or you could simply ask at one of the phone repair stands in the mall. Some old light bulbs have Mo for holding the filaments. Mo chemistry is fun - especially of you like yellow.
Tc - not available anywhere. You can probably work out why.
Ru - buy a sample.
Rh - wait until you get rich and buy a sample.
Pd - can be extracted from catalytic converters but this is a mission with low yield.
Ag - easy to purify from an Ag salt. If you find pre-1960 australian coins they contain quite a lot and you can purify it. The hardest part is melting it into a single lump at the end. Or get a silver necklace adjusted and ask the jeweller to keep the spare links.
Cd - can be found in old rechargable batteries. I don't know about getting it out. It is toxic so go carefully and do your reading first.
In - expensive. Used in phone screens in really small amounts and demand exceeds supply. You might need to buy some.
Sn - surprisingly difficult to find in Aus. Found on dressmakers pins and "bright" nails. But these are not good sources. I bought mine online.
Sb - an impurity in anything made of lead. I don't know how feasible extraction is. As a lump it looks really stunning with big bright crystals. I would buy a piece and early on in your collection process.
Te - similar to the comment for Sb. It is not hard to find online but I don't know of any OTC sources. It looks really pretty.
I - can be bought online. This is actually easier and cheaper than going for an iodine salt. It can also be extracted from iodine tinctutres and ointments. Tincture is easy. Betadine is more difficult.
Xe - found in small quantities in so-called xenon bulbs (car headlights). But minimal Xe is actually present. Ditto if you find a strobe-light bulb or some camera flashes.
Cs - can be extracted from cesium salts, but you have to buy these. Not for the faint-hearted or inexperienced.
Ba - if you find an old TV or similar with valves, the silvery bit inside the valves is Ba. Check out antiques. Ba compounds can be found at pottrey suppliers but getting the metal is problematic. Actually, potters' suppliers are good for all sorts of interesting oxides and carbonates. Not that you can do much with them generally, but there are some surprises sometimes.
La - a solution of LaCl3 is sold to precipitate phosphates in swimming pools. Costs about $20 for a litre. Getting the La is another matter altogether.
Ce - CeO2 is sold as a polish and finds its way into some products. Ce and a whole lot of other lanthanides are found in the "flint" of cigarette lighters.
Pr - No OTC products as far as I know.
Nd - used in magnets but it is a compound and not pure.
Pm - See Tc
Sm - Your best bet is to buy a sample - as with most of the lanthanides.
Eu - used in one of the dyes in Euro notes. Also found in the phosphors of old TVs. But no good way of isolating it.
Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu - see Sm
Hf - used in some spark plugs but you will need to search hard
Ta - Specialist applications as a refractory metal but not easily available\
W - can be obtained as the filament in old light bulbs.
Re, Os, Ir - really expensive and hard to get.
Pt - expensive and useful. You can buy wire for about $10 per cm. You could ask a jeweller to set aside some "scrap" but you will need to pay for it. Some contact lens cleaning systems have plastic discs coated with Pt dust. Or you could mine it from roadside gravel as Cody (from cody's lab) did.
Au - the cheapest way to get a good looking sample is gold leaf - used by artists and chocolatiers. It is available OTC and online but be careful. There are many inferior substitutes passing as gold.
Hg - old thermometers, look for a sphygmomanometer (blood pressure meter) in antique stores. Or you can buy mercury tilt switches brand new online for about 50 cents each.
Tl - Go to a Sydney cemetary and dig up some bodies from a particular family. They contain a surprisingly high quantity of the stuff. The matriarch of the family was eventually found out and put behind bars. They used to sell it as rat poison.
Pb - lead fishing sinkers, wheel weights, window flashing, lead-head nails, lead-light windows... not too hard to find although most is really impure. Expect to pay about $10 per hundred grams if you are buying it in any form.
Bi - Americans put it in their antacid tablets but it is not readily available here. It is also used in envoronmentally friendly shotgun shot. It can be bought in Aus but not OTC as far as I know.
Po - Don't bother
At - ditto
Rn - ditto
Fr - there is like 1.5 grams of the stuff on the planet at any given moment. You won't ever see any.
Ra - Pre-1960 glow-in the dark clocks, watches and other dials. If it is older than 50 years then don't expect it to still be glowing brightly and older than 80, not at all. But the radium is still there. (If it is glowing brightly you have something else.)
Ac and upwards... All radioactive and unavailable. You might be able to eventually track down some depleted uranium or some uranium ore but these are fiercely regulated and basically illegal to ship around. Your best bet is if you know you are in an area with uranium in the rocks, pick up a piece for yourself.
Am - get a button from a smoke detector. It contains a tiny quantity of americium oxide. But don't try to get it out - you will not obtain anything actually visible.

Hope this helps. (And helps any other element collectors.)
Finally, if element collecting is your thing, pick up a copy of Theo Gray's book, "elements". I last saw it for $35 from QBD.

Amos - 7-3-2018 at 21:54

This sounds so much like me when I had just started. Welcome aboard!

My start was with copper chemistry, and I'm still going strong with that. I think it's a fantastic element to focus on for inorganic chemistry. Simply obtain a good source of copper (ideally a water-soluble compound in pure form, like the copper(II) sulfate we buy as root killer over here in the states) or some of the metal and a strong acid to dissolve it in to make the salt precursor. I've been working on it for years and always looking to incorporate some compound I've synthesized or purchased into a new copper species for my collection. It's a great way to familiarize yourself with acid-base chemistry, redox reactions, coordination compounds, and even organometallic chemistry.

Some of the safer and often easier organic chemistry that is still complex enough to be fun is preparing or extracting compounds from biomass. It's a good way to start learning a bit more about organic reactions, polarity/solubility trends, and techniques like distillation and extraction, too. Things you could try are:

-steam distillation of essential oils (herbs, spices, fragrant leaves, or anything you find in nature)
-potassium carbonate from wood ashes or banana peel ash(better)
-caffeine from coffee or tea
-piperine from white/black pepper (this can further be processed to other chemicals, but some are on watch lists as drug precursors, so tread lightly)
-cinnamaldehyde from cinnamon (this can be oxidized to cinnamic acid and you can make delicious-smelling esters with it)
-destruction of sugar with aqueous acid to produce levulinic acid
-distillation of corncobs with aqueous acid to produce furfural

Internet searches are your friend. In the organic realm, I would certainly look at prepchem and orgsyn in addition to the abundant knowledge here in the forum.

[Edited on 3-8-2018 by Amos]

elementcollector1 - 7-3-2018 at 22:17

Additional notes:

Pr, Gd - actually some of the impurities in larger Nd magnets, depending on your source. Separation is tricky.
Se - supplementary vitamins contain selenides (in very low quantities). Also, some pottery glazes may be CdSe (I couldn't get it to react, but maybe you'll have better luck if you find some).
Ru - used as plating on some high-end jewelry. It's expensive.
Rh - see Ru.
Te - CdTe solar panels, but this would be expensive compared to buying a sample. Telluride minerals might also be worth looking into, if you're up for some rockhounding.

diddi - 8-3-2018 at 01:36

hooray for element collecting!
@ec1 and amos: could be a potential SMSG participant? but dont invite j_sum; we dont want any mods there

j_sum1 - 8-3-2018 at 02:11

It's ok. I can't get skype to work properly at the moment anyway. (Stupid Windows 10).

elliephant, I should mention that there is a bit of sharing and swapping of elements done here too. You should hit up diddi -- he has bigger element samples than anyone needs and will gladly break off a chunk of his promethium for you.

If you are after video channels, take a look at my subscription list on YT under the name j_sum1. It is nearly all chemisrty. I recommend The Home Scientist for some good projects that can be done at home. Shiva Chemist has some really solid inorganic chemisrty - most of it in test tubes and nearly all of it doable with quite common reagents. Thiosoi has some nice experiments and some good information on the elements. Periodicvideos is a classic and, while it has certain limitations (including occasional inaccuracies) if you are curious about a particular element you will find some interesting stuff. You can't help but learn there. Take a look and see what else you like.

diddi - 8-3-2018 at 12:34

i have skype working on Win10
version 12.1807
the earlier version which i much prefer would not install

@elliephant. i would hit up j_sum - he gets his elements from Secret Santa

DraconicAcid - 8-3-2018 at 12:49

Quote: Originally posted by j_sum1

V - keep your eye out for some ferrovanadium. Or screwdriver bits typically contain 0.5%. (Extracting this is a current project of mine. The bits are still dissolving. I'll check them in a few months.) Or buy a sample.

Pottery supply stores have V2O5 cheap like borscht. I have not yet tried to isolate the metal from it.

Texium - 8-3-2018 at 13:20

Quote: Originally posted by diddi

@ec1 and amos: could be a potential SMSG participant? but dont invite j_sum; we dont want any mods there

Too late!

[Edited on 3-8-2018 by Texium (zts16)]

j_sum1 - 8-3-2018 at 14:09

Quote: Originally posted by DraconicAcid

Quote: Originally posted by j_sum1

Pottery supply stores have V2O5 cheap like borscht. I have not yet tried to isolate the metal from it.

I have looked but never located pottery-grade V2O5.
MrHomeScientist has a great thermite reaction with the stuff if you do find it. Good luck getting any metal though. It is a pretty vigorous reaction.

elliephant - 8-3-2018 at 22:18

Quote: Originally posted by Sulaiman

Welcome:
some random thoughts;

Always consider safety, in advance, think what MAY go wrong - fire, spills etc.
and plan for that, fire extinguisher/blanket/hose, easy escape route, 'antidotes' such as;. vinegar to neutralise bases, sodium bicarbonate solution to neutralise acids, sodium thiosulphate solution for stains such as sliver nitrate, etc. etc.

I'm interested by this idea of 'antidotes'. Are there any others you would recommend I keep around?

elliephant - 8-3-2018 at 23:05

Another thing: I am working on a book looking at the science behind everyday objects as a project at school and at home. Given all the obvious expertise available on this site, I was wondering whether one of two of you might be able to mentor me through this process, maybe with a monthly skype call? And if anyone has any ideas as to how I might track down other people with expertise in areas of physics and maybe electronics specifically that would also be appreciated.

Melgar - 8-3-2018 at 23:15

Quote: Originally posted by elliephant

I'm interested by this idea of 'antidotes'. Are there any others you would recommend I keep around?

Make a water solution of ammonium ascorbate. Ascorbic acid, neutralized with ammonia, but go heavy on the ammonia so you can still smell it well. It's a weak acid and a weak base, so if you squirt it on a strong acid, you'll get an ammonium salt of that acid, plus ascorbic acid. Squirt it on a strong base, you'll get ammonia gas and the ascorbate salt of that base. Also, ascorbic acid is an antioxidant, which takes care of oxidizers like chlorine.

Really, water is good for a lot, and acetone or cheap alcohol for whatever that doesn't dissolve.

Ammonia is actually really good to have handy, because it'll neutralize a lot of invisible vapors that can be really harmful, and in doing so produces visible "smoke" looking vapors. I have a mostly-empty 28% ammonia bottle that I'll squirt air around from trying to see if chlorine vapors or HCl vapors are leaking somewhere.

Re: science of everyday objects

Learn your polymers! PETE is polyester aka polyethylene terephthalate. Polyester fabric is made from the same stuff as plastic water bottles. HDPE and LDPE are high and low density polyethylene, which are straight-chain hydrocarbons and not unlike wax. Others are significant too, like polystyrene, ABS, polypropylene, polycarbonate, etc. Polystyrene is stiffer than most plastics, but has an unfortunate tendency to dissolve in a bunch of different organic solvents, like acetone. The "S" in "ABS" stands for styrene, and so ABS has many of the same weaknesses. But it's a plastic that stays more or less the same size and shape when it's melted and then hardens. This means that parts can be molded without doing any calculation for what the shape will be once it cools. So it's used in 3D printing, and also for making a lot of stuff that has to be rushed to market. So a lot of electronics enclosure cases are ABS.

[Edited on 3/9/18 by Melgar]

diddi - 11-3-2018 at 01:19

elliephant what country are you in

j_sum1 - 11-3-2018 at 01:32

Quote: Originally posted by diddi

elliephant what country are you in

She said Aistralia.
https://www.sciencemadness.org/whisper/viewthread.php?tid=81...

diddi - 11-3-2018 at 18:29

well there you go. thanks supermod!