ChemCafe — science, chemistry and physics made simple

What Causes Chemical Bonds? Chemical bonds form due to the lowering of energy when atoms share or exchange electrons, leading to more stable arrangements. Atoms achieve stability by creating bonding...

Homemade Iron Supplement (Theoretical) Creating a homemade iron supplement involves complex chemical and safety considerations, requiring pharmaceutical-grade materials and expert formulation to ensure efficacy and safety. Attempting to make such...

Usage of Glycerin and Dish Soap When Working with Silicone Dish soap and glycerin serve distinct roles when working with silicone, with dish soap aiding in spreading and release, while...

What Happens When Acetone Dissolves Plastic (Chemically)? When acetone dissolves plastic, it does not cause a chemical reaction but instead physically dissolves the plastic by disrupting its matrix, preserving the...

How to Generate Small Amounts of Carbon Monoxide for Testing Household Detectors Generating small, controlled amounts of carbon monoxide (CO) to test household detectors can be done safely by alternative...

Former Harvard Professor Convicted Over China Ties Joins Tsinghua University Charles Lieber, formerly a Harvard professor convicted of misconduct related to his ties with China, has accepted a position at...

Is Water the Only Thing That Evaporates at Room Temperature? Water is not the only substance that evaporates at room temperature; in fact, all liquids evaporate to some degree at...

Water Electrolysis Without Salt: Understanding the Process and Challenges Water electrolysis without salt is technically possible but highly inefficient because pure water has very low electrical conductivity. It requires a...

Why Is Energy in Food Measured in Calories Instead of Joules? Energy in food is measured in Calories instead of Joules largely because of historical origins, practical chemistry reasons, and...

How to Raise the pH of a Liquid Without Making It Taste Salty and Keeping It Edible Raising the pH of a liquid without imparting a salty taste involves selecting...