Matter and Quantitative Analysis Research Questions
Even though the water that we get from the tap is already purified at the local water purification plants, there are many people that choose to have additional water purification in their house. This can range from using something like a Brita which is a large pitcher that filters tap water through a filter as you pour it. Or much more expensive options that work for your entire house.
The reason why somebody might use their own purification system varies between people. Some people might live in an area that does not have a very efficient water purification plant, some might purify their water to get out any residual and undesirable particulate matter and to refine the taste and smell of the water and some people do it to ease their worry of getting sick from potentially contamination.
There are many different kinds of purification systems you can purchase. Some use the method of a filter cartridge through which you run the water. These filters typically use activated charcoal as well as carbon, iron and silver. Other purification systems use UV light.
The type of purification system you use will dictate what is being cleaned out of your water. Water purification systems that use a filter and rely on physical filtration can remove anything from rust, silt, mud, blue scale, grit, algae and other particulate matter that might be present. When using a UV light water purification system you can remove viruses and bacteria such as E coli, salmonella and legionella. There are even some water purification systems that can remove a large quantity of the chlorine and fluoride present. These water purification systems can vary in price depending on how it filters the water and how large scale it is. It is not uncommon for people to spend hundreds of dollars on water purification systems.
http://rainfresh.ca/product/whole-house-sediment-filter/#tab-product_editor_12294_tab
Fireworks are fun for the whole family and as a kid it always seemed like such a magical thing to witness. The secret behind fireworks is no magic but pure chemistry. The base of fireworks come from metal salts. These metal salts are what is responsible for fireworks' brilliant colours. There are many compounds that produce intense colours when they are burned but some are more ideal for fireworks than others. This might be because of safety or cost or accessibility of these chemicals. Below is a list of chemicals used in fireworks and what their role is. (After reading the list it is easy to understand why fireworks are so expensive. Some common chemicals used in fireworks are potassium nitrate, sulphur and charcoal. Chemicals like nitrates, chlorate and perchlorate provide oxygen for the combustion reaction needed to make the colors. A group of chemicals called dextrin, which is a carbohydrate, is added to fireworks as a starch to hold the mixture together. Chlorine can also be added to some colours to make them appear brighter. There are two mechanisms used in fireworks to produce the color. They are referred to as incandescence and luminance. Incandessence is the emission of light caused by something that is heated. Metals such as aluminum, magnesium and titanium burn at very high temperatures and are useful for increasing the temperature of fireworks. The temperature of a firework can be controlled with certain additives, which can manipulate what colour is produced. Luminescence is the emission of light by a substance that has not been heated. To create luminescence energy is absorbed by an electron causing it to become excited. This excitement causes it to become unstable. When the electron returns to a lower state of energy the energy is released in the form of a photon. The specific colour of the photon is determined by the chemical being used.
Aluminum creates silver and white flames and sparks
Antimony is used to create a glitter effect
Barium is used to create green in fireworks
Calcium salt produce orange fireworks
Carbon is used as a propellant and fuel in fireworks
Copper produces blue fireworks
Iron used to produce sparks and commonly used in sparklers
Lithium is used to produce red fireworks
Magnesium is used to produce white fireworks and added to other colours to make them brighter
Potassium helps oxidize fireworks
Sodium produces gold or yellow fireworks
Sulphur is used as fuel and a propellant
Strontium salts create red fireworks and is used as a stabilizer
Titanium produces silver sparks
Zinc is used to create a smoke effect
https://sciencemadefun.net/blog/fireworks-and-their-colors/
https://earthsky.org/human-world/how-do-fireworks-get-their-vibrant-colors/
https://www.thoughtco.com/elements-in-fireworks-607342
Organic Chemistry Research Questions
Over the counter pain medication is used everywhere around the world and by almost every age group. The two main companies for pain reliever medication, at least in Canada, are Advil and Tylenol. To be more scientific, ibuprofen and acetaminophen. Just between these two companies there are dozens of different types of pain reliever medication that they sell. They have slow-release, fast relief, liquid gel, sinus relief, children's pain medication, the list goes on. In the case of ibuprofen it can be used for various conditions such as headaches, dental pain, menstrual cramps, muscle aches and arthritis. It can also reduce fever and relieve aches in the body. Tylenol can reduce fever, relieve mild to moderate pain, back aches, headaches, sprains, arthritis and menstrual cramps. These medications are relatively very safe and the health risks are not generally talked about. In the case of Tylenol it can sometimes cause side effects like skin rash, allergic reaction, stomach cramps and nausea. Advil has some potential side effects such as stomach pain, heartburn, nausea, vomiting, gas, constipation and diarrhea. These are just a list of some of the common side effects and aren't usually something to be worried about. Like I said, these drugs are generally considered safe but when you take too much of anything there can be serious side effects. When you abuse pain relief drugs, even ones like Advil and Tylenol you can have serious health problems. Just for some extra context ibuprofen, which is the acting ingredient in Advil, is a type of drug called a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug. Acetaminophen, which is the active ingredient in Tylenol, is a type of medication called an analgesic which works by changing the way the body senses pain and cools the body down. Advil can be associated with gastrointestinal issues and with prolonged use gastrointestinal bleeding and a complication called peptic ulcer disease. Long-term and/or heavy use of Tylenol is associated with kidney disease, bleeding in the digestive tract, and the medication has also been linked to increased risk of heart attack, stroke and high blood pressure.
https://www.webmd.com/arthritis/features/pain-relief-how-nsaids-work
https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a681004.html
https://www.verywellhealth.com/about-advil-and-ibuprofen-risks-297181
Vulcanization An Environmental Concern: First we must begin by explaining what vulcanization is. Vulcanization is a chemical process used to make rubber harder and less elastic. It involves applying chemicals including sulphur to alter the physical properties of rubber. Rubber is used in many industries and has lots of applications. In its natural state rubber is rust, corrosion and mold resistant. Vulcanization can occur on natural as well as synthetic rubber. The chemical process involves having rubber, sulphur and other chemicals heated to 280°- 350° Fahrenheit in a pressurized mold. The heat and chemicals combined forces the rubber to retract and harden. Other chemicals involved in the Vulcanization process include peroxide, metal oxide, acetoxysilane and urethane. Some examples of objects that are typically vulcanized are o-rings, gaskets, seals and tires. One advantage of using vulcanization is it retains the original shape that the rubber was placed in. In addition to hardening the rubber, vulcanization also protects the rubber from future deformation (with some limitations). The process of vulcanization is permanent and cannot be reversed. This is the key reason why volcanization is causing a huge environmental problem. Because all products that have been vulcanized cannot be recycled or reused or disposed of, there are millions of tires and other rubber products that are sitting in landfills and waste sites. Some of these waste disposal sites burn the rubber and tires for energy but this simply creates more air and land pollution. As of right now there was no efficient ways to deal with all the landfills of vulcanized rubber. It is also important to keep in mind that for a final product of vulcanized rubber to be produced, there are a lot of steps beforehand that need to be done to get there. This also creates even more pollution and waste. You first have to collect the raw materials, then you have to mill the raw rubber. Next you mix it with chemicals. The next step is extruding the rubber through a sheeting machine to make it more manageable, this also ensures the chemicals that were just added are thoroughly incorporated into the rubber. Then you have to preshape the rubber, next is the vulcanization process. There is also a significant amount of electricity and water used throughout this process in addition to the harmful chemicals used. In the vulcanization process it seems in every area there are resources being wasted and more pollution being created. The harsh chemicals like sulphur that are introduced to the rubber in the vulcanization process eventually leach out and can go into water sources and soil and damage ecosystems. As useful as the vulcanization of rubber is, it is creating a much bigger problem that is beginning to outweigh its benefits.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/chemistry/vulcanization
https://monroeengineering.com/blog/how-vulcanization-improves-the-properties-of-rubber/
Electrochemistry Research Questions
Battery Basics: Let's start by explaining the basics of how batteries work. A basic battery has three main parts; electrodes, an electrolyte and a separator. There are two electrodes in each battery, an anode (which is negatively charged) and a cathode (which is positively charged). The basis of how batteries work is by performing what is called a redox or oxidation- reduction reaction. In a typical alkaline battery the anode is made of zinc, the cathode is magnesium dioxide and the electrolyte is potassium hydroxide. You want your electrolyte to contain lots of ions, this is needed for the redox reaction. A battery lights the light in a flashlight because it is the key piece that completes the circuit in the flashlight. The electrolyte reacts with the material that makes up the anode, creating a large amount of extra electrons. Because the cathode and anode have different charges, it creates a flow of electrons from the anode to cathode. In the example of a flashlight, the lightbulb sits in the middle of the circuit between the anode and cathode. This means all these free formed electrons must travel past the light bulb on its way to the cathode. This is why a separator is extremely important for a battery to function. It separates the anode and cathode, this forces the electrons to travel through the desired circuit to power an electronic device. When the electrons arrive at the cathode, it gains these electrons (becomes reduced). The anode is oxidizing during the chemical reaction because it is losing its electrons. The reason non-rechargeable batteries have a limited amount of hours they can be used for is because the batteries have a finite amount of ions in the electrolyte. If there is no reaction between the electrolyte and the anode the reaction cannot occur. Rechargeable batteries still rely on a redox reaction to produce electricity but they use slightly different materials that can be recharged. When a rechargeable battery is plugged into the wall to be recharged, the electrical current reverses the reaction between the anode and cathode. The anode is reduced which gives it more electrons while the cathode is oxidized which consumes any excess electrons. So when a battery is recharged, it really means the redox reaction is reversed. This resets the battery which allows it to be used over and over again.
There are several different types of rechargeable batteries. These include rechargeable alkaline batteries, lead acid rechargeable batteries, and nickel metal hydride batteries which have a cathode of nickel oxide hydroxide and an anode of hydrogen absorbing alloy. By far the most widely used rechargeable battery is a lithium ion battery. The anode in a conventional lithium-ion battery is carbon, the cathode is a metal oxide and the electrolyte is lithium salt in our organic solvent. Although rechargeable batteries are much more environmentally friendly because they do not need to be disposed of, non-rechargeable batteries often have a much lower discharge rate than rechargeable batteries. When a battery is just sitting on a shelf, a lesser version of a redox reaction is happening in the battery, even though it is not plugged into anything. This is why the efficiency of a battery goes down if it's not being used because the chemicals in the battery are slowly being used up. So non-rechargeable batteries can hold their chemicals better than rechargeable batteries. Non-rechargeable batteries are typically used for smoke detectors, flashlights and most remote controls. Rechargeable batteries can be used for car batteries and portable electronic devices including phones.
https://www.livescience.com/50657-how-batteries-work.html
https://courses.lumenlearning.com/introchem/chapter/other-rechargeable-batteries/
https://web.mst.edu/~gbert/BATTERY/battery.html
https://www.vynova-group.com/blog/powering-alkaline-batteries-with-potassium-hydroxide
Why Braces Don’t Corrode: Some people might find this question a bit silly but I think wondering why braces don't corrode is a great question! The reason braces and other orthodontic contraptions don't corrode is because of the carefully chosen materials. Braces today are made from titanium and surgical grade stainless steel. Let us first look at titanium, it is a type of metal that is highly reactive and is widely used for its desirable physical properties. It is more durable and stronger than steel but lighter and more flexible. It is used in chemical plants, airplanes, military and engineering applications and in the production of rifles and airguns. It can resist extreme temperatures and withstand exposure to saltwater. When titanium is exposed to certain environmental conditions titanium oxide is produced on the surface. The titanium oxide is extremely strong and durable. It creates an almost impenetrable barrier that protects the pure titanium underneath from further corrosion. Moving on to stainless steel which is more widely used than titanium in orthodontic braces. Stainless steel is made primarily from iron and carbon. What makes stainless steel so desirable is the added chromium and other alloys such as nickel. Similar to Titanium, the added alloys present in stainless steel such as chromium, nickel and manganese oxidize with the air and form a thin layer on the surface of stainless steel. This film prevents additional corrosion and acts as a barrier between potential oxygen, water and the stainless steel underneath. This film forms very quickly and has a very tight bond which makes it very hard for corrosion to form. The chromium is the main alloy responsible for the corrosion resistance of stainless steel as well as the signature shiny silver look. Chromium can make up anywhere from 10% to 30% of stainless steel. There are actually four main types of stainless steel that are used all with slightly different physical properties. Austenitic Stainless Steel is the most widely used type of stainless steel, while ferritic stainless steel is very good at corrosion resistance and crack resistance. Martensitic stainless steel is very hard and strong. Finally, duplex stainless steel is a composition of austenitic and ferritic steel making it both strong and flexible. Stainless steel is also temperature resistant to extreme temperatures, easily made, durable, easy to clean, it can be recycled and is very long lasting. This is why it is used for braces among other things.
https://orthodonticsinlondon.co.uk/blogs/do-braces-rust.html
https://www.sharecare.com/health/orthodontic-braces/orthodontic-braces-made-of
https://titaniumprocessingcenter.com/does-titanium-rust/
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-doesnt-stainless-stee/
https://www.thermofisher.com/blog/metals/what-is-stainless-steel-part-i/
Water Chemistry and Quality Research Questions
Chlorine is just one of the chemicals that is added to water during the purification process. The level of chlorine in water is closely monitored by testing plants and water treatment facilities. Too much or too little chlorine in the water can have very serious health effects. There are two types of residual chlorine that can be present in water; free chlorine and chloramines. Free chlorine is a residual material that consists of dissolved chlorine gas, hypochlorous acid and hypochlorite ion. Chloramines are a combination of chlorine and ammonia. Ammonia is added to the water in treatment plants to try and neutralize any excess chlorine to try and reduce the amount of trihalomethanes or THMs. Chloramines are not necessarily harmful when you drink them, the bigger concern is inhaling them. They pass through your lungs and elevate the chloramines levels in your bloodstream. Another concern is bladder cancer. Long-term exposure to high levels of chlorinated water can increase your chances of bladder cancer. If there are high levels of THMs in water your body's central nervous system, kidneys and liver could all be at risk. Another potential health risk of chlorine is that it removes the iodine in your thyroid.This results in hypothyroidism that has symptoms include hot flashes and weight gain. Chlorine can also kill antioxidants like vitamin E and A as well as mess with your hormone levels. Too much chlorine in water has also been known to kill good gut bacteria. As you can see there is a large number of potential health risks that can occur if large amounts of chlorine are found in water. According to the CDC chlorine levels up to 4 mg per litre is considered safe. Now what can happen if there is not enough chlorine in water is a much easier question to answer. Chlorine is very effective at killing bacteria as well as any small organism that may be present in water. It unifies the taste and smell of water so if there was not enough chlorine in water it might have an undesirable taste and/or smell. A large number of people would be getting very sick from the contaminated water. Here in Ottawa the water from the treatment plant is retrieved from the rivers which can contain harmful bacteria like e-coli. It is also common for bacteria and viruses to grow in the water pipes and storage facilities that store the water. The proper amount of chlorine would normally prevent the growth of that bacteria.
https://www.watertechonline.com/home/article/15535685/testing-for-chlorine-in-drinking-water
https://theberkey.com/blogs/water-filter/too-much-chlorine-in-drinking-water-can-be-dangerous
https://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/drinking/public/water_disinfection.html
If you've taken any type of medication whether it's an over the counter antihistamine or a more serious prescription drug from your doctor, dosage is an extremely important aspect of taking these drugs. Dosage is a measured quantity of medicine, nutrient or pathogen. The greater the quantity you take, the higher the dosage. Factors that affect the dosage of a medication include concentration and duration of exposure. The concentration of a medication means how much is administered of the active drug at once. Duration of exposure is also important because you need to understand what part of the medication is being absorbed and metabolized at different times. Certain medications are taken in small dosages multiple times a day over long periods of time including antibiotics. There are other medications you take in one large dose at once and infrequently. Another important factor is the route of administration, some drugs are ingested orally, injected through the muscle or the vein or absorbed through a mucous membrane. How a drug gets into your body is important because it determines how it will then be absorbed. Typically over-the-counter drug dosages are divided into three age groups; infants: 6 years and under, children: aged 6 to 12 and adults: which are people 12 years and older. Prescription drug dosages are typically based on body weight. Drugs come with a recommended dose of milligrams or micrograms per pound of body weight. Determining the safe dosage of a medication and being able to evaluate a patient's needs requires a lot of knowledge of medicine and biochemistry. Prescribing the right dose can mean a patient having the desired effect of a medication or potentially overdosing. It is extremely important to follow the dosage instructions for medication. They are there for a reason. To further demonstrate why dosage for medication is so important I will break down 3 commonly used medications that are relatively safe and explain what can happen if you take more than the prescribed dose. Ibuprofen, the active ingredient in Advil, can cause damage to the kidneys, low blood pressure, nausea, vomiting and even result in death. Benadryl, a commonly used antihistamine when taken in too high of a dose can cause blurred vision, increase heart rate, seizures, hallucinations and even coma. Iron is a very common vitamin supplement however if someone has iron toxicity it can cause fatal damage to the liver and brain and damage the gastrointestinal system.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dose_(biochemistry)
https://www.news-medical.net/health/What-Happens-if-You-Take-Too-Much-Iron.aspx
https://missouripoisoncenter.org/benadryl-overdose/
https://www.dignityhealth.org/articles/signs-of-ibuprofen-overdose
Air Quality and Electrochemistry Research Questions
Understanding where pollution comes from is the first step to trying to eliminate it. Whether something plays a large or small role in pollution, even a small improvement can make a big difference. There are many activities and lifestyle choices that affect both the water and air quality in your area.
Some ways of reducing your contribution to water and air pollution are; driving your car less, taking public transit or walk when you can, keeping your car in good condition, turning off your engine when you don't need it on, properly recycling plastic and paper, using the green bin, not having campfires, planting and caring for trees, reducing electricity consumption, opening the windows in the summer instead of using the air conditioner.
Some things that are more specific to contributing to water pollution would be; not using pesticides insecticides or synthetic fertilizers in your yard, properly disposing of personal hygiene products and other waste products instead of putting them in your toilet, not wasting water, using a high-efficiency dishwasher and clothes washer.
Some lifestyle choices you can do is; reducing or completely cut out meat consumption in your diet, buying second-hand clothes and furniture, using reusable containers and water bottles, not buying plastic water bottles and reducing garbage waste from food wrappers.
As you can see there are so many ways that we can help the air and water around us. People might not realize it but what we do in our everyday life, though we might seem small compared to 7 billion people, does affect the environment around us. If everyone made these changes to their everyday life the air and water quality would be significantly improved. Some of these changes take a lot of time and breaking of old habits but protecting the environment is worth it. Even just doing one of these at a time, changing a small aspect of your routine in your daily life can make a huge difference. Informing friends and family of how their activities can affect the environment can also make a huge difference. Many people do not realize how big of an impact they have on the environment around them.
https://www.pca.state.mn.us/air/what-you-can-do-about-air-pollution
For more ideas see my post at Banting Green Science and The Environment Plus Blog http://bantinggreen.blogspot.com/2021/05/frederick-banting-world-water-week.html
WHMIS, which stands for Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System, is a regulatory body used in Canada to provide workers with the safety and health hazards that may be associated with the materials or chemicals they use at work. WHMIS is used both municipally and federally across the country. You can access what are called Safety Data Sheets that are created by WHMIS to gather information on almost any chemical and material you can think of. Safety data sheets are free to access for anyone online and are provided to employees that work with dangerous chemicals and materials. Employers are required by law to provide their employees with adequate information and training about the chemicals and materials they will be working with. Some of the chemicals and materials that people work with can cause serious long term health risks when long term exposure occurs. This is why it's extremely important to be properly informed on what you might face in the workplace. Some common jobs that would need safety data sheets and WHMIS training are; construction, medical field, science labs, engineering facilities, electrician and factories. In addition to giving information on the chemicals and materials you may be working with, WHMIS provides and advises ways in which you can work safely with these chemicals and how to protect yourself. This includes what personal protective equipment you should wear as well as how to properly dispose of these harmful chemicals. They also tell you things like the physical properties of the chemicals and how to safely handle, store and transport the chemicals. Safety data sheets also include how to respond if you come in contact with said chemical. The four main goals of a safety data sheet are; the identification of products, the potential physical and health hazards, the prevention of any accidents and the response if accidents do occur. WHMIS provides vital Information that helps save peoples lives. They minimize environmental damage by explaining exactly what you need to do to properly dispose of chemicals. This reduces environmental waste and potential harm to ecosystems and wildlife. In addition they also provide safety for the workers that are risking their health and potentially their lives working with these hazardous materials. I will now provide an example of some of the basic information provided on a safety data sheet;
Acetone
Serious eye damage/ eye irritation
Specific target organ toxicity (single exposure)
central nervous system
Specific Target organ toxicity (repeated exposure)
kidneys, liver, spleen, blood
Health Hazards not otherwise classified
Prolonged or repeated contact may dry skin and cause irritation or cracking
Hazard statements
Highly flammable liquid and vapor
Causes eye irritation
May cause drowsiness and dizziness
May cause damage organs through prolonged or repeated exposure
Precautionary statements
Prevention
Keep away from heat, hot surfaces, sparks, open flames, no smoking
Keep container tightly closed
Use only non-sparking tools
Do not breathe dust, fumes, gas, mist, vapor, sprays
Use only outdoors or in well-ventilated areas
If on skin: take off immediately all contaminated clothing rinse skin with water / shower
If inhaled: remove person to fresh air and keep comfortable for breathing
If in eyes: rinse cautiously with water for several minutes, remove contact lenses if present and easy to do so
Disposal
Dispose of contents / container to an approved waste disposal plant
Personal precautions
Use personal protective equipment. Ensure adequate ventilation. Remove all sources of ignition. Take precautionary measures against static discharge.
Environmental precautions
Should not be released into the environment
Physical state
Liquid
appearance
Colourless
Ph
7
Melting point
-95°C
Boiling point
56°C
Solubility
Soluble in water
https://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/chemicals/whmis_ghs/sds.html
https://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/legisl/intro_whmis.html
https://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/chemicals/whmis_ghs/general.html
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