Recent developments in atomic-force microscopy have enabled researchers to apply mechanical forces to individual molecules to induce chemical reactions.
Condensed Matter
Aug 1, 2017
0
21
Unlike the rigid plastic models from chemistry class, real chains of molecules can bend and stretch, like beads on an elastic cord. Some polymers, like DNA, are especially stretchy, a characteristic that can complicate attempts ...
Polymers
Aug 1, 2017
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16
Charged surfaces submerged in an electrolyte solution can sometimes become oppositely charged. This nonintuitive phenomenon, known as charge inversion, happens when excess counter ions adsorb, or adhere, to the surface. It ...
Materials Science
Jul 12, 2017
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336
Imagine being able to see the entire Statue of Liberty and a small ant on its nose simultaneously. The drastic difference in size between the two objects would seem to render this task impossible.
Materials Science
Jun 26, 2017
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1
Glow sticks, like those brandished by trick-or-treaters and partygoers, light up due to excited electrons of the molecules in the contained fluorescent dye. Electrons accept the exciting energy from a chemical reaction that ...
General Physics
Jun 20, 2017
0
6
The scientific community has known about the existence of electrons for over a hundred years, but there are important facets of their interaction with matter that remain shrouded in mystery. One particular area of interest ...
General Physics
Jun 13, 2017
0
205
Chemical reactions necessarily involve molecules coming together, and the way they interact can depend on how they are aligned relative to each other. By knowing and controlling the alignment of molecules, a great deal can ...
General Physics
Jun 13, 2017
0
315
The solubility of any given substance—the measure of how well the substance dissolves into another substance referred to as the solvent—depends on basic properties like temperature and pressure, as well as the chemical ...
Condensed Matter
Jun 6, 2017
0
237
A cell's plasma membrane forms a protective barrier, separating its inner contents from the outside environment. There is a pressing need to better understand the complex lipid bilayer that makes up this membrane, which limits ...
General Physics
Jun 6, 2017
0
19
In molecules, there are certain groups of atoms that are able to rotate. This movement occurs under the influence of random stimuli from the environment, and is not continuous, but occurs in jumps. It is generally believed ...
Quantum Physics
Jun 1, 2017
0
32
