alchemy

  • Bezoardicum (bezoar of) is a term used in alchemy and other practices

    Bezoardicum (bezoar of) is a term used in alchemy and other practices

    Bezoardicum (bezoar of) is a term applied to multiple substances used in alchemy and other practices. Bezoardicum joviale, or bezoar of Jupiter, is a regulus made by melting three ounces of regulus of antimony and two of block tin. This is then powdered and mixed with six ounces of corrosive sublimate, and distilled off in a kind of butter. It is then dissolved in spirit of…

    Read more...

  • Chemistry: A Volatile History

    Chemistry: A Volatile History

    Chemistry: A Volatile History is a 2010 BBC documentary on the history of chemistry presented by Jim Al-Khalili. It was nominated for the 2010 British Academy Television Awards in the category Specialist Factual. Episode 1: Discovering the Elements Introduction Only in the last 200 years have we known what an element is – a substance that cannot be broken down further by chemical reaction. The Ancient Greeks,…

    Read more...

  • Calcination

    Calcination

    Calcination is thermal treatment of a solid chemical compound (e.g. mixed carbonate ores) whereby the compound is raised to high temperature without melting under restricted supply of ambient oxygen (i.e. gaseous O2 fraction of air), generally for the purpose of removing impurities or volatile substances and/or to incur thermal decomposition. The root of the word calcination refers to its most prominent use, which is to remove…

    Read more...

  • What Is Nitrophenol? (Besides Something Mentioned in ‘Scientific Opinion on the Re‐Evaluation of Aspartame as a Food Additive’)

    What Is Nitrophenol? (Besides Something Mentioned in ‘Scientific Opinion on the Re‐Evaluation of Aspartame as a Food Additive’)

    Nitrophenols are compounds of the formula HOC6H5−x(NO2)x. The conjugate bases are called nitrophenolates. Nitrophenols are more acidic than phenol itself. Wikipedia Mono-nitrophenols with the formula HOC6H4NO2. Three isomeric nitrophenols exist: o-Nitrophenol (2-nitrophenol; OH and NO2 groups are neighboring; CAS number: 88-75-5), a yellow crystalline solid (m.p. 46 °C). m-Nitrophenol (3-nitrophenol, CAS number: 554-84-7), a yellow solid (m.p. 97 °C) and precursor to the…

    Read more...

  • The Real Philosopher’s Stone: Turning Lead into Gold

    The Real Philosopher’s Stone: Turning Lead into Gold

    Dolor purus non enim praesent elementum. Faucibus turpis in eu mi bibendum. Sit amet tellus cras adipiscing enim eu. Cursus eget nunc scelerisque viverra mauris in aliquam sem frin

    Read more...