Want to Know it? Answers to life's questions » uses http://wanttoknowit.com Want to know it? This blog has a little bit of everything to keep you entertained, challenge your mind and find answers to life's questions. Wed, 23 May 2012 00:58:07 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 Uses of Phosphoric Acid http://wanttoknowit.com/uses-of-phosphoric-acid/ http://wanttoknowit.com/uses-of-phosphoric-acid/#comments Thu, 03 May 2012 00:34:08 +0000 Want to know it http://wanttoknowit.com/?p=4587 Phosphoric acid is mineral acid which molecules that can combine themselves in a number of different ways. These different combinations are referred to as phosphoric acids. Phosphoric acid is a white solid that melts to form a colorless, viscous liquid. High concentrations of the liquid are corrosive. Phosphoric acid is non-flammable and non-toxic. Let’s examine what phosphoric acid is used for in the world today.

Uses of Phosphoric Acid

  • Phosphoric acid is used as a rust converter. When the solution in liquid or gel form is placed directly on rusted areas of steel, steel tools or steel surfaces, the rust is converted from the red oxide to a black ferric phosphate. This is common when pickling steel. After the rust has been converted to black ferric phosphate it can easily be scrubbed off.
  • Food grade phosphoric acid is used to carbonate beverages such as cola. The phosphoric acid creates a tangy or sour taste.
  • Phosphoric acid is used in dentistry as an etching solution. It cleans and roughens the surface of the teeth when applying dental apparatus such as braces or when applying fillings.
  • It is also used in teeth whiteners to eliminate the plaque on teeth prior to the whitening process.
  • Phosphoric acid is also commonly used in over the counter anti-nausea medication.
  • Another common use is in pH balancing. It is used in plant fertilizers, nutrient solutions, in cosmetics and skin-care products to create the correct pH for the plants or skin. It is also used to neutralize the pH of water sources particularly aquariums.
  • Phosphoric acid is also used as a cleaning agent in the construction industry as its corrosive, non-toxic properties allow it to be used to removal mineral deposits, cement smears and hard water stains. Some household cleaners also use a safer and less strong chelant of phosphoric acid. Some detergents also make use of phosphoric acid as a dispersing agent.
  • It is used as an electrolyte in phosphoric acid fuel cells and when combined with distilled water in oxyhydrogen generators.
  • When heated it is used as an etching material to etch silicon nitride.
  • Phosphoric acid is used by hobby welders as a flux to aid in soldering.

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]]> http://wanttoknowit.com/uses-of-phosphoric-acid/feed/ 0 Uses of Quinine http://wanttoknowit.com/uses-of-quinine/ http://wanttoknowit.com/uses-of-quinine/#comments Fri, 27 Apr 2012 12:15:24 +0000 Want to know it http://wanttoknowit.com/?p=4556 Quinine is a naturally occurring white crystalline substance that is found in the bark of the cinchona tree. It has fever reducing, antimalarial, anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties. Quinine has a bitter taste and is found in very small quantities in tonic water. When exposed to direct sunlight quinine becomes florescent. For many years the main use of Quinine was to treat malaria, let’s examine what quinine is used for in the world today.

Uses of Quinine

  • Quinine is no longer the primary medicine for malaria treatment. However, it is still used in areas where other synthesized malaria drugs are not available, such as third world countries. It is still sometimes used in extreme cases of malaria.
  • Quinine was also formally used as a treatment for night time leg cramps. While this is no longer recommended by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) a doctor may still prescribe this treatment in some cases.
  • Quinine is used to flavor tonic water and bitter lemon carbonated drinks in many countries in the world. Quinine is used in both France and Italy in bitter alcoholic beverages that are served with meals. In France, quinine is an ingredient of an aperitif known as quinquina. In Canada, quinine is an ingredient in the carbonated chinotto beverage called Brio. In the United Kingdom, quinine is an ingredient in a beverage known as Irn-Bru. In South Africa, quinine is an ingredient in the carbonated drink brand Schweppes. In Australia, quinine is added in McDonalds Sprite beverage.
  • Quinine is used in photochemistry due to its fluorescent nature and its stability. It is the standard by which fluorescence is measured.
  • In some cases it is used as a cutting agent in illegal drugs such as cocaine or heroin.
  • Quinine is used as a treatment for a condition known as cryptocaryon irritans, which is an infection contracted by aquarium fish.

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]]> http://wanttoknowit.com/uses-of-quinine/feed/ 0 Uses of Silk http://wanttoknowit.com/uses-of-silk/ http://wanttoknowit.com/uses-of-silk/#comments Mon, 09 Apr 2012 12:35:51 +0000 Want to know it http://wanttoknowit.com/?p=4455 Silk is a natural fiber that is used to create materials. It is obtained from the cocoon of the mulberry silkworm which is reared in captivity. Silk is also made by a variety of other insects that undergo metamorphosis and some insects such as spiders that are web spinners. Silk has a triangular prism structure and reflects light in different directions giving it a shimmery appearance. It is lightweight, smooth and considered to be one of the most luxurious materials available. Let’s examine the most common applications of silk in the world today.

Uses of Silk

  • Silk is mainly used in the manufacture of clothing such as dresses, ties, shirts, trousers, pajamas, underwear and folk costumes. It is also used in skiing garments because of its ability to keep body warmth contained and because it is lightweight.
  • Silk is also used to make silk comforter or duvets which are lightweight and hypoallergenic. It is also used as fabric for upholstery, curtains, rugs and bedding such as sheets.
  • Silk is sometimes used in the construction of parachute materials and cords, though it is more common for parachutes to be made from nylon.
  • It is also occasionally used to make the casing of bicycle tires; cotton and nylon are also used for this purpose.
  • Silk thread is used as a non-absorbable surgery sutures.
  • Silk has been used to make disposable cups and tableware.
  • Due to its refractive nature holograms have been made using silk material.
  • It has been used to create capsules for drug delivery.
  • Spider silk was once used to create the cross hairs in instruments such as microscopes and telescopes. Spider silk is still used in the field of optics to create fine diffraction patterns need in optical communications.

Did you know?
Silk underwear is manufactured for adults and children with eczema because it does not cause irritation to the skin.

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]]> http://wanttoknowit.com/uses-of-silk/feed/ 0 Uses of Ruthenium http://wanttoknowit.com/uses-of-ruthenium/ http://wanttoknowit.com/uses-of-ruthenium/#comments Mon, 02 Apr 2012 17:46:54 +0000 Want to know it http://wanttoknowit.com/?p=4413 Ruthenium is a rare silvery-white metal that belongs to the “platinum group” of metals, which means that it is not very chemically reactive. It is the 44th element on the periodic table and is represented by the symbol Ru. It was discovered in 1844 and is found in ores that contain other metals from the platinum group. It is estimated that there are only 5,000 tonnes of ruthenium on Earth and about 12 tonnes are obtained each year, mostly as a by-product of copper and nickel mining. Despite its rarity, ruthenium has many important applications.

Uses of ruthenium
One of the main uses of ruthenium is in alloys with platinum, palladium or titanium. It hardens the platinum and palladium, which makes it useful for making durable electrical contacts. When used with titanium it increased the corrosion resistance of the metal. It is also alloyed with gold to make gold jewelry more stable. It may also be used in some superalloys, which are most commonly used in the aerospace industry. Alloys containing ruthenium may also used in the nib of a fountain pen.

Ruthenium dioxide is used in creating thick film chip resistors, which are used to produce many electronic devices such as integrated circuits and sensors.

The isotope 106Ru is used in radiotherapy treatment of some eye tumors. Complexes of ruthenium are also being tested for anticancer properties.

Ruthenium is used in mixed-metal oxide anodes, which are used to protect submerged structures and to generate chlorine from salt water.

It is also used in some optical sensors to measure oxygen.

Ruthenium red is a stain used to study certain molecules with a microscope.

Ruthenium is an important catalyst and is used in many different industries.

It is also being tested for use in solar energy conversion and data storage.

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]]> http://wanttoknowit.com/uses-of-ruthenium/feed/ 0 Uses of Platinum http://wanttoknowit.com/uses-of-platinum/ http://wanttoknowit.com/uses-of-platinum/#comments Sat, 24 Mar 2012 12:37:05 +0000 Want to know it http://wanttoknowit.com/?p=4373 Platinum is a chemical element with an atomic number of 78 and the chemical symbol of Pt. It is a dense, pliable, precious metal with a gray-silver luster. Platinum is one of the rarest elements in the Earth’s crust and is mostly mined in South Africa. Platinum usually contains some nickel and copper ores and is generally non-reactive. It is corrosion resistant even at high temperatures and is considered to be a noble metal. Platinum has many uses in the modern world. Let’s examine some of those used in this article.

Uses of Platinum

  • Platinum is used in vehicle emissions control devices (catalytic converters). It is used as a catalyst in a chemical reaction that combusts dangerous exhaust products into carbon dioxide and water vapor.
  • Platinum is used as a catalyst in a number of other chemical reactions as well and is particularly useful in the petroleum industry.
  • Platinum is being used in the new fuel cell in electric cars as a catalyst that causes hydrogen to produce energy.
  • It is also used in spark plugs as the electrode material. This is due to its high level of corrosion resistance.
  • Platinum is widely used in jewelry due to it hardness and resistance to rust, scratches and oxidization. It is hypoallergenic and is popular with people who have allergic reactions to gold alloys.
  • It is also used in the creation of sensors that are used in a variety of medical equipment. It is also used together with silica to produce thinner optical sensors for thermocouple devices that measure temperature accurately.
  • Platinum is commonly used in wires and electrical systems that will be exposed to high voltage or are used in highly corrosive environments.
  • It may also be used as the magnetic component in high density hard disk drives and some new optical storage systems.
  • Platinum is used in fiberglass construction due to its high density and high melting point. It is resistant to the scratching and corrosive effects of molten glass materials. It has also found a use in the telecommunications industry with the glass fiber optics containing the metal.
  • Many items that are used in scientific laboratories are also made of platinum and these items may include electrodes, pans and supports. This is due to its non-reactive nature.
  • Platinum is also used in the medical arena. It is used to create pacemakers as it does not corrode inside the body and is hypoallergenic.
  • Platinum is also used in a variety of drugs and research is underway to show its effects on cancerous tumors.
  • Platinum is used in dentistry fillings and for creating artificial teeth and crowns.
  • PtO2 is used as a hydrogenation catalyst in vegetable oil.
  • Platinum is an important catalyst in many chemical processes and nitric acid, fertilizers and synthetic fibers all require platinum to be produced. The metal also acts as a catalyst to convert hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen gas.

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]]> http://wanttoknowit.com/uses-of-platinum/feed/ 0 Uses of Hydrochloric Acid http://wanttoknowit.com/uses-of-hydrochloric-acid/ http://wanttoknowit.com/uses-of-hydrochloric-acid/#comments Fri, 16 Mar 2012 12:11:14 +0000 Want to know it http://wanttoknowit.com/?p=4307 Hydrochloric Acid is a highly corrosive chemical compound comprised of hydrogen chloride and water. Hydrochloric acid is also known as spirits of salt or muriatic acid. It is colorless and has wide ranging uses and applications. Hydrochloric acid is a natural part of gastric acid in humans and animals. It is non-flammable, but is extremely corrosive and toxic in high concentrations. Hydrochloric acid was first discovered in the 13th century by European alchemists and by the 16th century free hydrochloric acid was formally described by Libavius. Let’s take a look at some of the most common applications of hydrochloric acid.

Uses of hydrochloric acid
The main use of hydrochloric acid in industry is in the process of pickling steel. The acid removes any rust or iron oxide scales from the steel prior to processing.

It is also used in the mining industry, particularly in oil wells where it is injected into rock surfaces to corrode them to allow greater access to the oil well underneath. Other mining operations use hydrochloric acid to separate precious metals such as gold or silver from ore.

Hydrochloric acid is also used to create organic compounds such as vinyl chloride and dichloroethane. These are used in the creation of PVC. Other organic compounds include bisphenol A, for use in polycarbonate, activated carbon and ascorbic acid. Numerous other organic compounds are made from Hydrochloric acid for use in pharmaceuticals.

Hydrochloric acid is used to create inorganic compounds such as iron chloride and polyaluminium chloride (PAC) . These are used as water treatment chemicals and coagulation agents for paper production. Other inorganic compounds are also created with hydrochloric acid, such as calcium chloride (used for salting roads), nickel chloride (used for electroplating), and zinc chloride (used for battery production and galvanizing).

In the food industry hydrochloric acid is used to regulate the pH of solutions. High-quality hydrochloric acid is used to control the pH of water streams. It is also used to create food additives such as aspartame, fructose, citric acid, lysine, hydrolyzed vegetable protein. It is also used in the creation of gelatin.

Hydrochloric acid is used in the process of removing ions such as sodium and chloride from water. It is used to demineralize water for use in industry, food and pharmaceuticals.

It is also used to neutralizing waste water and sanitizing swimming pools.

Hydrochloric acid is also used for leather processing, household cleaning agents and purification of common salt.

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]]> http://wanttoknowit.com/uses-of-hydrochloric-acid/feed/ 0 Uses Of Palladium http://wanttoknowit.com/uses-of-palladium/ http://wanttoknowit.com/uses-of-palladium/#comments Mon, 12 Mar 2012 00:50:09 +0000 Want to know it http://wanttoknowit.com/?p=4273 Palladium is the 46th chemical element on the periodic table, represented by the chemical symbol Pd. It is a shiny silver metal, which is often found in an alloy with gold or platinum. The most common commercial source of the metal is in nickel-copper deposits. Over 200 tonnes is produced each year for the various important applications of this metal.

Uses Of Palladium
The vast majority of palladium is used as a oxidation catalyst in catalytic converters, which is a device that converts harmful exhaust gases from a vehicle into less harmful products. Palladium is also used as a catalyst in organic chemistry for speeding up a variety of different reactions.

Palladium is also used in electronic devices in a specific type of capacitor, where palladium-silver alloys are used as electrodes. In addition to this palladium may also be used in consumer electronics as connector plating. It may also be used in soldering and electroplating electronic components.

Palladium is also used in the purification of hydrogen to produce a high purity gas. It is being studied as a potential way to store the volatile gas.

It is also used in carbon monoxide detectors and can be used for removing mercury from industrial gas.

Palladium is also important to the jewelry industry where it is used as a precious metal. It is most commonly used as an alternative to platinum when making white gold.

Palladium salts have been used in the photographic industry to produce fine-art black-and-white prints.

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]]> http://wanttoknowit.com/uses-of-palladium/feed/ 0 Uses of Nitric Acid http://wanttoknowit.com/uses-of-nitric-acid/ http://wanttoknowit.com/uses-of-nitric-acid/#comments Sat, 25 Feb 2012 12:22:32 +0000 Want to know it http://wanttoknowit.com/?p=4184 Nitric acid is a highly corrosive acid that is made up of oxygen, nitrogen and hydrogen. Nitric acid is usually colorless, but can become yellowish if stored for a long period of time. It is used in the laboratory for many purposes and it has many other important applications as well.

Uses of nitric acid?
The largest use of nitric acid is in the manufacture of fertilizer.

Commercial grade nitric acid is used in the explosives industry to manufacture certain types of explosives.

It is used together with hydrochloric acid to form aqua regia. This highly corrosive acid mixture is used to dissolve and purify gold and platinum. It can also be used to produce chloroauric acid, etch metals, perform experiments and clean glassware in the laboratory.

Nitric acid is also used in liquid fueled rockets as an oxidizer.

Dilute nitric acid is also used in elemental analysis of water samples, sludge samples and solid samples.

It is also used, together with sulfuric acid, in the chemical process of nitration.

Nitric acid is also used in the woodworking industry to give the appearance of age to new pine and maple. Its corrosive qualities are also used to etch metals or to dissolve them.

It is also used together with phosphoric acid to clean food equipment to remove magnesium and calcium compounds.

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]]> http://wanttoknowit.com/uses-of-nitric-acid/feed/ 0 Uses of Citric Acid http://wanttoknowit.com/uses-of-citric-acid/ http://wanttoknowit.com/uses-of-citric-acid/#comments Thu, 16 Feb 2012 00:22:55 +0000 Want to know it http://wanttoknowit.com/?p=4132 Citric acid is a natural acid that exists in many fruits and vegetables, but is well known for high concentrations in some citrus fruits such as lemons and limes. Citric acid can also be produced by feeding sugar to a certain type of mold called Aspergillus niger. This technique was discovered in 1917 and is still used today to produce citric acid. This acid has many important applications and more than a million tonnes are made each year.

Uses of citric acid
The most common use for citric acid is as a preservative and flavoring in beverages and food products. It has a strong sour flavor, which is utilized in many sour candy products. It is also used to balance the pH level of certain food coloring agents. It is also added to products such as ice cream where it prevents the fats from separating. It is used in cheap wine to produce the required sour taste. It may also be used in the manufacture of cheese and sourdough bread.

Citric acid is often used together with sodium bicarbonate in products that are designed to effervesce. This includes bath salts, bath bombs and in various other products.

Citric acid is also important to the cleaning industry where it can be used to clean grease, remove scale and remove certain stains. It is also used to soften hard water and it is for this reason that it is added to many soap, detergent and household cleaner products. It is also added to some shampoos because it has the ability to remove wax and coloring from the hair. Citric is also a common ingredient in many other cosmetic products.

It can also be used in the developing of photographic film where it is used in a stop bath. This bath is used to quickly neutralize the developing agent and stop it from developing the photo.

Citric acid is used as an ingredient in antiviral facial tissues.

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]]> http://wanttoknowit.com/uses-of-citric-acid/feed/ 0 Uses of Rhodium http://wanttoknowit.com/uses-of-rhodium/ http://wanttoknowit.com/uses-of-rhodium/#comments Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:32:11 +0000 Want to know it http://wanttoknowit.com/?p=4085 Rhodium is a chemical element represented by the chemical symbol Rh and the atomic number 45. It is a hard silvery-white metal and is classified as a transition metal from the platinum group. It is a rare element that is only found in platinum ore or nickel ore, from which it is obtained commercially. It is extremely resistant to corrosion and this characteristic makes it viable for a number of different applications.

Uses of rhodium
The largest use of rhodium, about 80% of the world’s production, is as a catalyst in three-way catalytic converters. A catalytic converter is a device fitted to vehicle to convert toxic exhaust emissions into safer substances.

Rhodium is also used in the jewelry industry where it is often electroplated onto platinum or white gold to produce a reflective white surface in a process called rhodium flashing. It is also used as a coating for sterling silver to reduce the chance of tarnishing. Plated rhodium is sometimes used for optical instruments.

It is also used in some alloys containing platinum and palladium for hardening and to provide increased corrosion resistance.

A specialist device called a rhodium neutron detector is used to measure the neutron flux level in nuclear reactors.

It can also be used as an electrical contact material.

Did you know?
A rhodium-plated disc was given to singer-songwriter Paul McCartney by the Guinness Book of World Records to commemorate his achievement of becoming the all-time best-selling songwriter and recording artist.

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