Isotope

X-rays were discovered in 1895 by Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen, a Professor at Wuerzburg University in Germany. While working with a cathode-ray tube in his laboratory, Roentgen observed a fluorescent glow of crystals on a table near his tube. In the past, people were unaware of how harmful x-rays are, because they are invisible. Scientists and researchers working in the radiography field were not aware of the effect on the body after continuous exposure. When radiography was in its infancy, it was…

element name given is Phosphorus, it is symbolized in on the periodic table as a P. Its atomic number is 15 and the atomic mass is 30.974 (which is a rounded number). Group number the element is apart of on the periodic table is 15. Phosphorus’ listed isotopes are P-31 (stable) and 23 others and its electron configuration is [Ne]3s2 3p2. Physical properties of the element are varied depending on which allotrope of the element you are talking about. White Phosphorus has a melting point of 44.2…

Baleen whales undergo the longest annual migrations of any animal (Rice and Wolman 1971, Stone et al. 1990, Rasmussen et al. 2007). The function has generally been accepted as an evolutionary response to the need to feed in colder waters and reproduce in warmer waters (Corkeron and Connor 1999, Learmonth et al 2006). The location of feeding and breeding grounds along migration routes were initially inferred from stomach contents of stranding data and whaling logs (e.g., MacKintosh 1945, Scammon…

work on the Manhattan Project by his former mentor after the military denied him entrance. He worked with the Ames Project, which produced purified uranium. Massie would spend three years researching. His task was to find a way to convert uranium isotopes into liquid. After the war, Massie taught at the Naval Academy as a professor of chemistry. His research focused on anti-bacterial agents, malaria, cancer, and more. Massie and several other scientists patented a drug used to treat…

The current standard for the kilogram is the International Prototype Kilogram. The International Prototype Kilogram, also known as Le Grand K, is a platinum-iridium bar made in the 1880’s. This official Kilogram is kept in a vault in Paris under two glass domes. The reason it is under 2 glass domes it to prevent dust from obstructing from the weight of the Kilogram. However according to Sandia National Laboratories, a government organization under the Department of Energy, “Of the seven units of…

The Nuclear Power industry claims to be emission free, but has a routinely process of venting 100 cubic feet of radioactive gases into the atmosphere every hour. The process of venting is made by taking gases and storing them temporarily until isotopes decay, and then allowed to escape into our atmosphere through holes in the roof made by…

will let fresh air enter the house and allow the stale air to exit. Focus Questions How do the chemical properties of radon gas allow it to pollute indoor air? Originally, radon gas is formed during the radioactive decay chain of uranium 238, an isotope of uranium that is naturally found in the rocks and soil. The radioactive decay chain in which uranium 238 decays to form radon 222 is shown below in Figure 2. Figure 2: Uranium 238 radioactive decay chain and half-life (Source: (NEW MEXICO…

The Global Climate Change Debate - how do I know what to believe? Climate is defined by the Oxford Dictionary (University, 2015) as the average weather conditions prevailing in an area in general or over a long period. It includes patterns of temperature, precipitation (rain or snow), humidity, wind and seasons (Adelsman, 2012). When there are changes in long-term averages of daily weather this is called climate change. Scientists believe that climate change is linked to the increasing…

I n 1898, the radioactive elements Radium and Polonium were found by Marie and Pierre Curie. Thus the concept of treating cancers was born. The Curie’s work on radiation led to the possibility of cancer treatment, but also provided a better understanding of the atom. That is that an atom has a nucleus at its centre with surrounding energy shells which consist of negatively charged electrons. The electron was discovered in 1897 by J.J. Tomson, and was the first proved element of the atom. The…

The monarch butterfly, also known as Danaus plexippus, is recognized as America’s state insect with a wing span of 4 inches and 10 centimeters long – the longest wing span ever recorded within the monarchs’ insect population (Conant, 2012). Monarchs are notorious in the United States because of their spectacular migration across Canada and the United States to the overwintering sites in central Mexico – and back again. In this case, monarchs migrate between 2,000 to 3,000 miles every single year…