Diamonds are a Girls Best Friend

Diamonds are sometimes called a girls best friend, but how are they made? It all started deep in the earth, around 150-200 kilometers. At this depth carbon-containing materials are subjected to high temperatures and pressures. The diamonds are then thrown out from the eruption of a volcano. Synthetic diamonds are made in molten metals within the volcano, metals that diamonds can be made in are iron or nickel. The diamonds are crystallized in these metals. Unlike the other form of the elemental carbon, graphite, diamond can be stable under higher temperatures and pressure. If a diamond is pure then it is colorless and if there is any color, it is due to the fact that the imperfections were trapped inside when the diamond was made. This should not be confused with any color that the diamond gives off when it is put up to light. Diamonds conduct heat and thus they feel cool to the touch. Some diamond experts can tell a real diamond from a fake by putting it on his/her tongue. If it is real it should be cold, kind of like a metal in your mouth.

Diamonds are great. I never new that they were made in a volcano. Although diamonds may be a girls best friend, I've always heard that they were not actually a rare diamond. That they were actually common, but most of the worlds supply is controlled by one person and that is why they are so expensive. Needless to say, I will probably still buy one at some point in my life. Not I know what to look for when I am buying a diamond. I will make sure to stay away from the fakes.


Baird, Colin. Chemistry in Your Life. 2nd Ed, W.H. Freeman and Company, New York. 2006. (195-196)

The Formation and Color of Diamonds

The article in Chapter 5 from section 5.13 is titled “The formation and Color of Diamonds”. The article explained how diamonds are formed 150-200 kilometers deep in Earth’s mantle from carbon-containing material that is subjected to high temperatures and pressures. The diamonds are taken from the Earth’s mantle along with rock, usually by erupting volcanoes. The article also explains that synthetic diamonds are produced by subjecting carbon-containing substances to very high pressures and temperatures in a molten metal such as nickel or iron. Although the diamond is not real it still crystallizes in the molten metal. This works efficiently because although graphite is stabler than diamond under moderate conditions, diamond is stable even at high temperatures and pressures.
Some new concepts that I did not know before reading this article is that real diamond is colorless. And that any permanent color that a diamond displays is due to impurities that were trapped in the crystal when it was forming. Another concept that I learned is that diamonds do not conduct electricity well, but they are good heat conductors. Finally I learned that experts can distinguish a real diamond from a fake one by placing it on their tongue. The real diamond feels cool like a metal.
I am very surprised as to how it is possible to make synthetic diamonds, and how easy it is for our own body to be able to tell the difference from a fake one. It is almost as if our bodies were designed to be able to distinguish some of the most treasured objects in the world.

Baird Colin, “The Formation and Color of Diamonds” Chemistry in Your Life. Second edition. W.H Freeman and Company, New York.

The Issue of Nuclear Waste

In the Baird text it is mention in Chapter 17.12 that while there are several proposals on how to solve the problem of nuclear waste, the issue currently is still unresolved in finding the best method of disposing the waste. One of the methods in disposing of nuclear waste is by vitrifying the waste or turning into glass where it can be buried underground. A second known method is is to cover it in Pu02, better known as plutonium dioxide and mix it with a uranium oxide to create a mixed oxide fuel that can be used in nuclear power plants. However, there is still no currently accepted ultimately decided method as to disposing of nuclear waste.

Some terms I found interesting in this portion of the text was the oxides used in the second method of waste disposal as I personally think that this method of waste disposal is probably the most practical and realistic due to it having a way of recycling energy. I also think it is very important that we find some other more effective way of solving the waste problem as the dumping of nuclear waste can be a severe health hazard to the communities that surround areas where waste is dumped. But in the meantime if we still have no currently accepted method then at the very least I think we should focus on the mixed oxide fuel method as we can also recycle energy in the process. But ultimately we must find a method sooner or later or we will certainly face the risks of health hazards in many surrounding areas where waste is dumped.

Baird,Colin, Chemistry in Your Life,2nd ed. ,pg. 638

The Recycling of Plastics: The Price of Cheap

The inventor of plastic products could not have foreseen the repercussions of his creation. Landfills across Europe are filling up, and our landfills here aren't looking too good either. We need to find a way to recycle the plastic we consume, since limiting the levels of consumption is out of the question.

The recycling of plastics seems logical, but it is still an issue that is causing great controversy. One of the biggest arguments against the recycling of this material is that virgin plastic is cheap, and remaking it into reusable material is expensive. The cost of this manufacturing would cause a level of accountability to those producing and consuming the plastic in the first place. But the producers and users of plastic don't want to be held accountable for what they're doing to destroy the planet if it means it will cost them something.

Some in the plastics industry argue that it would be better to just burn the plastic and use the heat energy provided. It sounds logical, since we already use energy from burning other forms of fossil fuel such as oil. This argument sounds viable as well, since the presence of plastic makes other garbage burn cleaner. One thing is wrong with this argument, however. The burning of some plastics, such as PVC, lets a number of toxic chemicals into the atmosphere. With current events pointing to the destruction caused by global warming, the last thing we need is to put more toxins into the air.

All we can hope for is that the majority of the developed countries, and undeveloped countries, will follow the benefits that recycling plastics bring.

'The Recycling of Plastics is a Controversial Issue.' Baird, Colin. Chemistry in Your Life. W.H. Freeman and Company. New York: 2006. pgs. 190-191.

Diamonds are a girls best friend...

This article discusses how diamonds are formed and the way in which they get their color. Diamonds come from almost 200 kilometers deep in the earth. Natural diamonds are made from carbon-containing material that experience high temperatures and pressure. Volcanoes help eject the diamonds from the Earth’s mantle. Humans make diamonds by increasing the heat and pressure exerted on carbon-containing materials in molten metal. This is where the diamond crystallizes. Diamonds are very stable at high temperatures and pressures, and that is how they are made. A pure diamond has no color even though we often see colored diamonds. The color on these diamonds comes from impurities that get trapped inside the diamond during formation. Iron oxide causes a yellow color for example. Diamonds can also reflect light very well. Other characteristics of diamonds include good heat conduction, poor electricity conduction, and cool to touch and to taste.

Diamond: a carbon containing material in which all the carbon atoms are bonded to four others in a specific, reoccurring pattern. The structure consists of six-membered rings with each ring also fusing to neighboring rings.

I have always wondered what is so special about diamonds and why they are so expensive. I can see that natural diamonds that come from the earth’s center must be really hard to come by and are worth a lot, but I still do not see why making synthetic diamonds is so fancy and expensive. I have heard a lot about the “blood diamonds” in Africa and I am still a little puzzled on why it is so violent in Africa when it comes to diamonds. I also always thought that colored diamonds were really rare and special, when in actuality a pure, perfect diamond does not have any color because it contains no other materials or impurities. Section 5.12 also helped give me a little bit of an insight on the structure and bonding of diamonds as well. Since Diamonds are bonded together so tightly they are the hardest substance on earth. Diamonds can scratch other materials but not themselves.

Colin Baird. “The formation and color of diamonds”, Chemistry In Your Life. 2nd ed. 2006. 195-196

Colin Baird. “Diamond: Its structure and bonding”, Chemistry In Your Life. 2nd ed. 2006. 194-195

Can a special diet really improve Autistic symptoms?

Scientists have witnessed a steadily growing correlation between certain gastrointestinal dysfunctions and Autism. One particular theory states that perhaps one cause of Autism includes the fact that some children’s digestive systems can’t digest certain elements (whether due to genes or not), and thus a child develops Autism. In addition to improperly working digestive tracks, recent studies have shown that gluten and casein from a child’s diet can help improve their behavior, speech, and therefore mental abilities. “Gluten and gluten-like proteins are found in wheat and other grains, including oats, rye, barley, bulgar, durum, kamut and spelt, and foods made from those grains. They are also found in food starches, semolina, couscous, malt, some vinegars, soy sauce, flavorings, artificial colors and hydrolyzed vegetable proteins. Casein is a protein found in milk and foods containing milk, such as cheese, butter, yogurt, ice cream, whey and even some brands of margarine. It also may be added to non-milk products such as soy cheese and hot dogs in the form of caseinate.” Gluten and casein form peptides in the body, which in turn can alter a person's behavior, perceptions, and responses to his/her environment. It is also thought that peptides trigger an unusual immune system response in certain people. Research in the U.S. and Europe has found peptides in the urine of a significant number of children with autism, signifying that proteins are not being digested properly. Although not every Autistic child has gastrointestinal problems, many of them do. The gluten-free casein-free diet has shown to be helpful in many cases whether the Autistic individual has digestive problems or not.

Peptides- substances that act like opiates in the body.

Paul Shattock and Dr. Paul Whiteley say: “The hypothesis may appear 'off the wall' in many respects, there are a number of pieces of evidence, which seem to support them. The ideas are compatible with virtually all the accepted biological data on autism and are therefore worthy of consideration. The dietary method must still be considered as experimental and no positive results can be promised or are claimed for every person." This shows very productive research in the search to getting closer the cause and treatment of Autism. My cousin Kyler has Autism, he has been on the GFCF diet for over a year now, and significant results have become of it. When gluten and casein are removed from his diet, Kyler has less tantrums, can interact with people more often than usual, and he sleeps better. At times, it is more difficult to get Kyler to like foods that are GFCF diet approved, and the diet can be a pricey one, but it is well worth the efforts. Although this diet may not prove hopeful for other cases of Autism, is still has proven more than beneficial for others.

http://www.autismweb.com/diet.htm

China is our e-waste dumping ground

This article talks about the effects of electronic waste that goes from the United States to China. 80% of the electronic waste produced by Americans gets shipped to China. That is enough “to cover a football field and go a mile high”, this is only for one year! Why? One motivation would be that this way empty vessels that carry merchandise for Wal-Mart do not return empty to China. There is one city in particular that has a higher concentration on e-waste, Guiyu. This town several hours away form Hong Kong is lined up by many small “scavenger enterprises” that called themselves the “recyclers.” Guiyu is so greatly overwhelmed with e-waste that reeks with fumes and other toxics. Among some of the toxins are mercury and lead. These toxins gets into the citizens body and over a short or long time of exposure it turns into either lead or mercury poising or any other toxin. 82% of the kids six years or younger have some degree of lead poisoning. Lead poising, like other toxins, have many effects on the body. Kids, for example, develop problems in their reproductive systems. Other effects of poising include, respiratory problems and damage to the brain.
This should not be a surprise to anybody since the United States is one of the main contributors of electronic waste in the world because of the populations constant upgrading and purchasing of electronics. There are good civilians that “recycle,” however although they have done their part, recycling plants do not follow on their part of the deal. 90% of the claimed recycled electronics actually ends up on the grounds of electronics waste. This is also obvious due to the fact that we do not see any electronic dump sites around the states.