MS-PS1-2
Analyze and interpret data on the properties of substances before and after the substances interact to determine if a chemical reaction has occurred.
- Math
Why some icicles become scallops not spikes
The newfound — and at times quirky — shapes reflect the density of water surrounding submerged ice.
- Earth
Widely used pesticides may threaten Earth’s ozone layer
Data show a major class of long-used “eco-friendly” copper chemicals unexpectedly react with soil, making gases harmful to Earth’s protective ozone layer.
- Chemistry
No, organic molecules alone don’t point to life on Mars
These carbon-based molecules, found in a meteorite, may reflect merely a mixing of water and minerals on the Red Planet over billions of years.
- Materials Science
Let’s learn about glass
Unlike the atoms in other solids, the atoms in glass don’t exist in an orderly crystal structure. They’re more jumbled up, like the atoms inside liquids.
- Chemistry
Snail slime + gold could boost the power of sunscreens and more
These two strange ingredients could make skin-care products that are better for both our skin and the environment.
- Chemistry
Explainer: What is a metal?
Metals can bend and pull without snapping, and conduct electricity. The reason: Their atoms tend to lose electrons to neighboring atoms.
- Chemistry
A new way to make plastics could keep them from littering the seas
Borrowing from genetics, scientists are creating plastics that will degrade. They can even choose how quickly these materials break down.
- Microbes
Genes point to how some bacteria can gobble up electricity
A new study shows how some microbes absorb and release electrons — a trait that may point to new fuels or ways to store energy.
- Chemistry
Scientists Say: Oxidation and Reduction
Oxidation and reduction are two parts of a chemical process in which one atom steals electrons from another.
- Chemistry
Explainer: What is an electrode?
An electrode’s name depends on the circumstances. Confused? It may help to consider which electrochemical reaction is natural — and which is not.
- Chemistry
Explainer: Ions and radicals in our world
When atoms get an electric charge, they act very differently. Now called ions, these are behind many aspects of chemistry, including acids and batteries.
- Chemistry
Sleep-friendlier lighting is on the way
Chemists have created a new glowing material for LEDs. It should lessen how much near-bedtime lighting impairs your ability to nod off.
