Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Jan 20

Element of the week: Tellurium

Tellurium is a non - metallic substance with an atomic number of 52 and an atomic mass of 128.
Tellurium is found along side silver and gold deposits and is a bi-product of copper and lead production.

Ozone: The misunderstood element
Nobody I spoke to had a complete understanding of ozone. It was however, unanimously considered a good thing that protected us from the dangers of sun exposure. Some believed its lack to be a problem of the past, while others believed it to be an ongoing issue. There was one person who understood its presence to be a problem but they were unsure about the science behind it. Nobody I spoke with was aware that it was a byproduct of industry.

Orbitals, not orbits
I found this article very clear and illuminating of this aspect of atomic life. It would be a little too symmetrical, or just too odd, if each atom of our bodies had a configuration like those of the planets orbiting the sun or like the moons that encircle their planets. This discovery is much like the rest of the quantum word - a bit out of our grasp and leaves me in a state of awe when I consider its workings.


No comments:

Post a Comment