About Azareal

Azareal
I’m About.com’s Guide to Chemistry. In the case of my site, pretty much everything you see written there was written by me. I live in Myrtle Beach, SC. Although I mainly write about chemistry, I have a wide variety of interests.

18 Comments Add your own

  • 1. melinda B.  |  May 13, 2008 at 2:49 pm

    Hi Azareal,
    Thank you for all the chemistry information.I am a 37 yr old and have a very poor math background in math and science but I am of average intelligence and hope to be able to learn them starting with basic algebra. I am trying not to let negative comments like “oh you needed to have learned math and science when you were a child”, “it’s too difficult to learn as an adult!”. Your articles have inspired me so please wish me luck!.
    Sincerely,
    Melinda

  • 2. kyle  |  May 13, 2008 at 11:45 pm

    I wanted to know why does the combination of Heet and boric acid make a fire turn green i saw it and im curious

  • 3. azareal  |  May 14, 2008 at 12:25 pm

    The green comes from the emission spectrum of heated boron. Heet is methanol… it makes a good fuel for green fire in part because it doesn’t contain sodium. Sodium has a bright yellow emission that would drown out the green color from the boric acid.

  • 4. Chris  |  May 14, 2008 at 3:07 pm

    Re your piece on Cherry Pit Toxicity.

    I recently saw a recipe for cherry pit ice cream on a food blog, suggesting that cooking the ground inner pit (which is mixed with sugar) and added to the cream, which is heated to 180. The recipe calls for the inner part of 60 or so pits for one batch of ice cream. Thoughts?

    Thanks!

  • 5. JK  |  May 20, 2008 at 9:04 am

    Dear Mrs. Helmenstine,

    I’m currently a student in Chemistry AP, and I came about your About.com article on making ferrofluids.

    (http://chemistry.about.com/od/demonstrationsexperiments/ss/liquidmagnet.htm)

    One of the ingredients necessary in the article is oleic acid. I was wondering if using Canola Oil (57% oleic acid, but wikipedia says only 0.5%-2.5% is actual free acid) would work, or if 100% oleic acid is needed. Would the oleic acid still react with the ammonia?

    Thank you very much for your time.

    Sincerely,
    JK

  • 6. Kay Morrison  |  May 20, 2008 at 9:17 pm

    I am making a smoke bomb for science class and could not find the potassium nitrate. I have potassium chlorate and would like to know how much baking soda I should add to 1.5 cups potassium chlorate and 1 cup sugar. Do you cook this recipe or is the chlorate totally different?

  • 7. mohamud  |  June 4, 2008 at 11:20 am

    sister, i want to teach a chemistry can i have a cd”s of chemistry by vitual learning becouse i stay in somlia.

  • 8. adam  |  June 7, 2008 at 4:51 pm

    I am a cultural anthorpologist investigating the myth of red mercury in relation to alchemy and ancient beliefs and traditions. i have been surprised finding out that its related to terrorism as well.
    i need to ask you to clearify to me whether there is any ancient red mercury used in ancient alchemy and modern red mercury used for other purposes might be related to terrorism….
    thank you
    yours
    a. el masri

  • 9. sara karimi  |  June 16, 2008 at 9:37 am

    Dear Mrs. Helmenstine
    hi
    i need help beacause i have cancer and my mother is sick i dont have any money for visit ing doctor i dieing after3 month doctor said
    i have 18 year old and i wish make crystal and get money for visitng doctor because my mom dont have money help me plz

  • 10. qamar  |  June 16, 2008 at 1:50 pm

    Dear Anne,
    I am very inspired from you. I am very thankful to you for news letter. I m chemistry teacher and teach classes 11th and 12th.
    May you more and more success in your life.
    Qamar

  • 11. qamar  |  June 16, 2008 at 1:54 pm

    we have hand pump in home and EC of water is 1200ppm, which is not good for drinking. Can you suggest some ways to make it portable.
    Thanx

  • 12. Boris korey  |  June 18, 2008 at 5:04 pm

    Dear Anne Since i discovered your webside, i enjoyed your lessons. I am a lover of chemistry and biology. Last week i took my entrance in a private university to start my courses in a medical department.

    I will always read from your lessons and use them to review and improve my knowledge in my beloved topics.

    I will apply your guides to become a good scientist.Thanks so much for your motivations.
    boris korey

  • 13. Gregory H. Robinson  |  June 24, 2008 at 8:16 pm

    I find it disappointing that in your listing of “famous black chemists” you note Mae Jameson (who is not even a chemist, but is a “retired mediccal doctor”), and mostly deceased chemists (save for one entry). I would refer you to Dr. Joseph Francisco (Perdue University) and Dr. Isiah Warner (Louisiana State University). Drs. Francisco and Warner certainly are “famous” and are successful practicing chemists.

  • 14. Giovanni Danieli  |  June 30, 2008 at 11:36 pm

    Dear Ms Anna Marie,
    I am a simple teacher in upper school for chem. and biol. .
    But a friend of mine asked me : ” Do You know how works the light” , I am sure, not the light, but the stick that emit flourescent light, the same You can buy at the Luna Parck.

    So can You help me to give him an answer.
    ( I am sorry for my poor Enghlish.)

    I wisch You all the best

    Giovanni Danieli
    ITALY

  • 15. sundar  |  July 6, 2008 at 5:52 pm

    madam,

    i want to make boric acid gel. at what temperature i should heat to get it. is any other method available other than heating boric acid powder?

    kindly reply.

  • 16. elyfe  |  August 5, 2008 at 9:39 am

    _hi.,.
    _your site is a nice site to have a reference…:)
    _just like to ask if you have a book or workbook that you have published or have done…may i know the title..??
    _thanks very much!
    _have a good day ahead…:)

  • 17. Mark O' Brien  |  August 7, 2008 at 8:59 pm

    Hi, I am an Industrial Biochemistry student in Ireland, I have been getting your emails now for quite some time! They are very interesting! Thank you so much for putting the Chemistry & Biochemistry I learn into everyday perspective! I also wish to achieve Ph.D someday!

    Thanks again,

    Mark

  • 18. Rahul Bose  |  August 10, 2008 at 6:10 pm

    Hi there!!!

    I am a student from India studying in the IIT.
    I was wondering if you could give me some information about p pi-p pi backbonding in Boron Triflouride(BF3).
    I need the information ASAP. It would be very kind of you, if you could help.
    Thanking you once again.

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