Zinc is the transition metal of the week.
For years I have heard people prescribe zinc for cold prevention in the for of lozenges or added to vitamin C packets. It is interesting to think that it is a metal harvested from the surface of the earth.
I found info. on the International Zinc Association website, which prior to this week end I had no idea existed.

Zinc is essential for the proper functioning of plant, animal and human life.
Zinc can be obtained from a host of animal meats and various cereals and vegetables.
As with many other essential trace elements too much zinc can be cause problems as can a zinc deficiency.

Zn

Atomic number= 30
30 protons
30 electrons
35 neutrons

According to the International Zinc Association, zinc has the strongest effect on the immune system. It helps the immune system by supporting the T cells.

Neptune's Medicine Chest
It seems that the scientific mind is always looking for the magic bullet cure. Why is it so hard for us to see our own shadow?
We can't continue to pollute the air, land and sea and then turn to look for the cure to all our ignorance.
Yes it is wonderful that this particular gentleman is isolating active ingredients that can make his university or investors lots of money but we cannot close our eyes to the environmental devastation that we are causing concurrently. This is what I mean by shadow. Let's admit the wrong we are doing while also attempting to do right. Hate to always be a contrarian but I feel like the point must be acknowledged before we can proceed.

So in regards to green chemistry links, yes, we must reduce the amount of pollution byproducts of chemical processes. Our survival depends on it. I love the idea of a cradle to cradle mentality, we plan further than the next quarter's profits when we design and conceive of products. So if we make products with planned obsolescence in mind, lets make products that we know can degrade in an ecological way. The twelve principles of green chemistry seem like excellent guide lines with which to proceed. If we can split atoms and destroy all life on earth, we can definitely find a way to make 100% clean products.

Thank you.

Elements, Compounds & Mixtures
  

This link was the first one I clicked on and I 'm glad for that because other links seem like a bit of foreshadowing. This link how ever is plain as day obvious. I like this. Leaving less room for interpretation. If we are studying building blocks of matter and life, I guess we must make sure we get it right.
 But now.... I must further digest the other links
:-) 

In regards to class discussion on W. Virginia chemical spill and we should all be drinking filtered water.
Chemical spills and the ingestion of toxic by-products is happening all around us and these are considered by some to be externalities.

I see this acute flair up to be symptom of a more chronic condition. Would hope to explain it away as business, wall street or simple greed but I fear it is possibly human nature. Which perhaps can be molded perhaps, shaped like clay.

Not sure that despite all these toxic by products of modern life we are much happier, content or connected.


"Doesn't matter how fast your going if your headed in the wrong direction", a friend once said. Ok, it was actually Ghandi but he would have been my friend I just know it.

:-)

Hello,

My element of the week is Carbon.
I am told that carbon is the very basis for life to be constructed. My actual knowledge of carbon would consist of.

Atomic number= 6, that's 6 protons and 6 electrons.
Symbol= C
Atomic mass= 12, 6 neutrons

C= 6 so that is 1s2, 2s2, 1px1, 1py1

Is that right?
Hope so then I understand in correctly.

I am interested in seeing how carbon fits in with the rest of the world.
Anything else I would say about carbon would be plagarism. Thank you.

Still thinking about reducing consumption in regards to carbon neutrality and last weeks class.
It seems that we become habituated to a certain degree of pleasure and then it becomes Status Quo.
Considering what truly brings me joy and inspiration. I hope it will be things that are inexpensive and eco-friendly:-)

1. Classify the following as either a chemical or physical change. 

Burning wood-The burning of a substance is a chemical change.

Crushing a rock-The crushing of a rock is a physical change.

Dissolving sugar in water-If the water is evaporated, the sugar will be recovered, therefore this is a physical change.

The rusting of iron-This is a chemical change.

 2. Classify the following as to whether or not they are pure substances or mixtures.

milk- mixture

table salt- mixture

sugar- pure substance

steel- mixture

3. A cup of black coffee is considered to be __?__ and a/an __?__ substance.



 Homogenous-Impure

4. The boiling of water is considered to be a __?__ change and the temperature at which water boils is considered to be a __?__ property.

Physical-Physical

BioMio

Hello All,
 Been living in the Bay area for about the last year after spending two years living in Taipei, Taiwan.
New to this blog-eat-blog world so don't know exactly what to say.
Spent four years at the Academy of Oriental Medicine at Austin and now need a couple Western science classes to sit for the California Acupuncture Board. Great to meet some local folks and be in a learning environment again! Peace.