Chemistry Facts

Why Does Cement Set?

Concrete has been known for literally thousands of years. It is a testament to the enduring strength of this material that concrete structures from those long-ago times are still standing strong ... Continue reading

Image of microstucture predicted from a NIST-developed model of cement hydration.

What Are Aerosols?

Aerosols are tiny particles suspended in the air. Most occur naturally, originating from volcanoes, dust storms, forest and grassland fires, living vegetation, and sea spray (Figure 1). Human ... Continue reading

Multiple fires are burning across the sourthern part of the African continent in September 2000, as shown by data from the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) on board the NOAA 14 satellite.

Knocking the NOx Out of Coal

Nitrogen is the most common part of the air we breathe. In fact, about 80% of the air is nitrogen. Normally, nitrogen atoms float around joined to each other like chemical couples. But when air is ... Continue reading

Air is mostly nitrogen molecules (green in the above diagram) and oxygen molecules (purple). When heated hot enough (around 3000 degrees F), the molecules break apart and oxygen atoms link with the nitrogen atoms to form NOx, an air pollutant.

Why Doesn't Glue Get Hard In The Plastic Bottle?

Glue, in its many different forms, is a very simple-to-apply sort of thing that represents a surprisingly complex amount of chemistry and physics. On the face of it, what could be simpler? Put on the ... Continue reading

More Chemistry Facts

Atmospheric Chemistry:

Chemical Composition:

Liquid Glass Is All Wet

Chemical Properties:

Chemical Reactions:

Elements and Compounds:

Food:

Medicine:

Take Two And Call Me In The Morning

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