The Daring Book for Girls - Andrea J. Buchanan [44]
WHAT DO THE ABBREVIATIONS AND NUMBERS IN EACH BOX MEAN?
The top number is the relative atomic mass, or how heavy the element is.
This is measured in atomic mass units, or amu’s. One amu weighs about one trillionth of a trillionth of a gram.
The letters are the atomic symbol, or abbreviation, of each element.
B stands for Boron.
The atomic number, at the bottom, tells how many protons are in the nucleus.
WHAT DO THE COLUMNS AND ROWS STAND FOR?
Mendeleev observed that some of the elements behave similarly. He organized the elements into columns, according to eighteen family groups, such as gas or metal. He organized the rows according to the pattern of atomic numbers, or number of protons, known as the seven periods.
Vimeiar and Baking Soda
SCIENTISTS across the globe have studied and debated the concept of acid-base reactions since the 1700s. This chemical reaction can get quite complicated, but it’s easy to understand the basic idea and use your knowledge straightaway for everyday projects. All you need is a stand trip to the supermarket (or your own pantry) for two ingredients: vinegar and baking soda.
ACID-BASE BASICS
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Acids corrode and dissolve things. They work by releasing hydrogen bubbles. Vinegar is a medium acid. On the pH scale, which measures the “potential of Hydrogen,” it ranks 3 or 4 on a scale of 1-7.
Bases cancel out acids. Another word to know, science-wise, is alkali, which is a base that can be dissolved in water. Baking soda is a base, or at least it acts like a base, which is good enough for us. Together vinegar and baking soda, acid and base, can tackle many a small task—and some bigger projects, too.
EVERYDAY VINEGAR USES
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Vinegar corrodes and dissolves, it has a repellent smell, and it counteracts things that act as a base. Use it to:
Treat skin irritations. Certain itches, like poison ivy and mosquito bites, and pains like jellyfish stings and sunburns, act as bases, so vinegar will counteract them. Mix vinegar half and half with water and spray directly on skin, or soak in towels for compresses. (Apple cider vinegar smells a bit better than white, if you prefer.)
Get rid of rust. Take rusty hand shovels and other items, dip them in a bowl filled with vinegar, and leave overnight. You can do this to shine pennies, too.
Remove sticky goo. For stubborn stickers or the like, soak a cloth in vinegar, then drape it over the sticky area for a few hours.
Repel mosquitos and ants. Apply it to your body with a cotton ball as a mosquito repellent. Leave a cup of it open to persuade ants to camp somewhere other than your family kitchen.
Counteract stink. Put smelly things in a half-andhalf mixture of water and vinegar overnight. Or, if something stinky happens in your family car, leave a bowl of vinegar in there overnight to capture the smell.
EVERYDAY BAKING SODA USES
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Baking soda neutralizes acidic things, and can act as an abrasive for scrubbing. You can use it to:
Soothe bee stings. Apply a baking soda and water paste to a bee sting (which acts as an acid) to neutralize it. Now, if your sting is from a wasp or yellow jacket (which actually act as bases), you’ll want to treat those stings with vinegar on a cotton ball.
Remove stains. If you get food coloring on your hands, scrub them with baking soda and water. However, if that food coloring gets onto your clothes, you’ll want to soak those in vinegar.
Calm animal smells. If you’re stink-sprayed by a skunk, mix hydrogen peroxide (available at all pharmacies) with baking soda and some liquid dish soap—that works like a charm. Similarly, if your dog smells, sprinkle her all over with baking soda, rub it in, and brush through her hair.
Brush teeth. Mix baking soda with water into a thick paste (without the unnecessary extras in toothpaste).
Extinguish fires. Baking soda, when heated, emits carbon dioxide, which can smother small flames. That said, if you see fire, shout quickly for the nearest adult, and call 911 immediately.
WASHING THE