ChemE
Book Smarts
Book Smarts
This thermodynamic cycle performs work to remove heat, consisting of an evaporator, compressor, condenser, and expansion valve
Refrigeration cycle
Oh, the joy of nonstick pans! These manmade "forever chemicals" from many consumer goods have been detected virtually everywhere, even in public drinking water ...
PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances)
This process of yeast converting sugars into ethanol and CO2 has been used to make biofuels from the carbohydrates in corn
Fermentation
This technique refers to the growth and maintenance of eukaryotic or prokaryotic cells in controlled, physiological conditions outside of their natural environment
Cell Culture
This material-inspired phrase is used to describe something very transparent or easy to understand
Crystal Clear
These are the two types of solid solutions, which form depending on the size of the solute and solvent atoms
Interstitial and Substitutional
The air quality index is a 0 to 500 scale measuring pollutants such as carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and this substance denoted 'PM'
Particulate Matter
This is the process of extracting natural gas or oil by drilling into rock formations such as shale and pumping fluids at high pressure. Beware of potential earthquakes!
Fracking (or hydraulic fracturing)
This technique is used to characterize the structure, phases, and lattice parameters of crystalline materials
X-ray diffraction (XRD)
This process involves removing atmospheric CO2 formed from power generation or industrial activity
Carbon Capture
This device converts light energy into electrical energy, operating like a reverse LED
Photovoltaic cell (or solar cell)
Known as the most commonly manufactured polymer, this plastic used for food packaging and bottles is a key source of microplastic pollution in marine environments
PET (polyethylene terephthalate)
This process of cooling cells, tissues, or embryos to extremely low temperatures allows for the safe, long-term storage of biological samples
Cryopreservation
This optical technique measures the size distribution of small particles (10-1000 nm) in suspension
Dynamic light scattering (DLS)
This part of a car's exhaust system converts harmful pollutants into less harmful compounds via the action of metal catalysts. Don't let valuable palladium get stolen!
Catalytic Converter
This mixture of two or more liquids boils at a single temperature and can not be separated by distillation
Azeotrope
The production of this class of ozone-depleting compounds, used widely in aerosol propellants and as refrigerant coolants, was banned globally by 2010
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)
This process involves compacting materials by pressure or heat without melting them to the point of liquefaction
Sintering
Relying on the interactions between atomic nuclei and magnetic fields, this technique can be used to study RNA, DNA, and other macromolecules as well as image subtle details of tissues and internal organs
Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Spectroscopy
This research field uses computer methods to simulate and predict chemical and biochemical phenomena. It's much safer than reacting things in the lab!
Computational Chemistry
This relationship for incompressible fluids with steady-state flow relates static, dynamic, and hydrostatic pressure
Bernoulli's Equation
Banned since the 1970s, this heavily-used pesticide of the post World War II era was once believed to be relatively safe before literature emerged about its harmfulness to wildlife and human health
DDT (dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane)
Literally meaning "splitting apart with fire", this is the process of chemically decomposing organic materials at high temperatures in the absence of oxygen
Pyrolysis
This technique measures the amount of heat released or absorbed by a sample during heating or cooling, allowing for temperature measurements of phase transitions, the glass transition, fusion events, etc.
Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC)
With uses as catalysts, these compounds consist of a central metal atom attached to a large molecule, called a ligand, in a cyclic or ring structure
Chelate Complex