MJ101
Hazard to Self
Posts: 82
Registered: 14-6-2018
Member Is Offline
Mood: Always Sunny
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Just joined...Saying hello to everybody.
Hi,
Firstly, I'd like to say thanks for having me as a member here. My specialty is electronics and software development, but I've always had a passion
for chemistry. I'm currently retired, so I decided to start teaching myself.
TBH, I doubt that I will be performing any reactions. I live in a big city, and I know how dangerous that can be. For me, the fun is in learning how
the reactions work.
I hope that this post is in the right place.
Best,
:MJ
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Magpie
lab constructor
Posts: 5939
Registered: 1-11-2003
Location: USA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Chemistry: the subtle science.
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Welcome! There is a lot you can do in your kitchen or garage. I have a lab in my garage but some just use their kitchen for non-toxic or very small
scale experiments.
I retired 16 years ago. I'm a chemical engineer by training but do get into electronics, especially as applied to stepper motors for mixers. I just
bought an arduino so will be building the projects in their starter kit. I also hope to teach myself to program in the C language.
The single most important condition for a successful synthesis is good mixing - Nicodem
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aga
Forum Drunkard
Posts: 7030
Registered: 25-3-2014
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Hello and Welcome to ScienceMadness !
Many complex 'experiments' happen in kitchens all the time when food is cooked.
An easy one is to weigh a small amount (say 16 grammes) of baking soda in a small oven-proof dish.
Stick it on the hob or in the oven for a while, leave it to cool, then it should then weigh about 10g.
Chemistry in action !
(careful with the resulting sodium carbonate - treat it the same as lye)
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Dragonjack12
Harmless
Posts: 25
Registered: 24-5-2018
Location: Northern Minnesota
Member Is Offline
Mood: Chlorine trifloride
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welcome. I agree that it can be very interesting just to learn the formulas and what happens when they are mixed together, but it can become very
tempting to mix some NaOH and Al to float a balloon or make some fire collar packets. on that note if you take some copper, some vinegar and some
hydrogen peroxide mix it in a plastic cup. let it sit for month or so until it evaporates you will be left with copper acetate crystals. Start a small
fire and through them in and you will then have a blue green fire! This works with a lot of metals ( basically any metal that can displace H) anyways
welcome and happy science  
Jack place
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MJ101
Hazard to Self
Posts: 82
Registered: 14-6-2018
Member Is Offline
Mood: Always Sunny
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@Magpie: I'm fluent in C,C++, C# and Object Pascal. I haven't worked with the Arduino yet. (Been meaning to pick one up)
But I have done a bit of work with the Microchip PIC. (16f877,18f452)
So, if there's anything I can help with, please feel free to let me know.
@aga: Heating NaHCO3 yields CO2 + H20 (That pesky Dihydrogen Monoxide) and the result is NaCO3
I admit I had to look in Wikipedia, but I do remember washing soda from too many years ago.
When I cook, I mix the ingredients and apply copious amounts of love (TLC) to the reaction.
I suspect that Chemists do the same.
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Magpie
lab constructor
Posts: 5939
Registered: 1-11-2003
Location: USA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Chemistry: the subtle science.
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Thank you MJ101. I may very well need some help down the road.
Right now I just connected with a post-doc at a local university who teaches Mechatronics. I now have 3 stepper motors running off an arduino that he
programmed for me.
The single most important condition for a successful synthesis is good mixing - Nicodem
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aga
Forum Drunkard
Posts: 7030
Registered: 25-3-2014
Member Is Offline
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Shhhh ! Don't let the secret out. People think we all know everything already.
Depends on the quality of the Chemist.
Some of us just mix stuff up in a bucket and hope for the best 
I'm also a C programmer. Ditto on the help thing.
PICs are some of my favourite devices, although i always use assembler on 'em.
Adruino 'C' is a little bit different to what you're used to, but not much.
Certainly won't need a doctorate to get that 4th stepper running
[Edited on 14-6-2018 by aga]
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zed
International Hazard
Posts: 2277
Registered: 6-9-2008
Location: Great State of Jefferson, City of Portland
Member Is Offline
Mood: Semi-repentant Sith Lord
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Quote: Originally posted by MJ101  | Hi,
Firstly, I'd like to say thanks for having me as a member here. My specialty is electronics and software development, but I've always had a passion
for chemistry. I'm currently retired, so I decided to start teaching myself.
TBH, I doubt that I will be performing any reactions. I live in a big city, and I know how dangerous that can be. For me, the fun is in learning how
the reactions work.
I hope that this post is in the right place.
Best,
:MJ |
Well, hello to you too. You will revitalize your chemistry quickly here, but only if you want to.
Between this site and YouTube, it's like having a hundred chemists tutoring you.
The difficult, is accomplished immediately! The impossible, takes only slightly longer!
Hello, Hello!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_5r-Zd2i7I
[Edited on 15-6-2018 by zed]
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AJKOER
Radically Dubious
Posts: 3026
Registered: 7-5-2011
Member Is Offline
Mood: No Mood
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Before performing a new experiment or adding an ingredient not in the usual prep, please ask on SM what are the possible consequences!
Bad things can and do happen even for experienced chemists, so get an opinion as to potential unsafe experiments (like dangerously reactive to near
explosive, immediately toxic or long term potentially toxic, fire hazard,..). Note even preparing safe things in large quantities like H2, which has a
large range of possible mixes with air causing a room, house..., to explode on simply turning on a light switch, is a possibility to avoid. Also, even
N2 or CO2 generation may be problematic in a small room.
Some procedures could be wasteful in consuming expensive reagents, or perhaps otherwise performed better. For example, there may be a classical
approach to a synthesis, but there could be more recently reported a better and less costly photolysis or electrolysis path!
Also, even if you plan on buying lab related stuff, discuss it privately (U2U) or publicly as many items could trigger visits from the local
authorities depending on local laws and enforcement practices.
[Edited on 16-6-2018 by AJKOER]
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MJ101
Hazard to Self
Posts: 82
Registered: 14-6-2018
Member Is Offline
Mood: Always Sunny
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@zed: Thank you for your kind wishes.
@AJKOER: Thank you for your advice. It's good to know that I can ask here.
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JJay
International Hazard
Posts: 3440
Registered: 15-10-2015
Member Is Offline
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Greetings. I am also a programmer. I haven't done anything with PICs, but I know a few assembly languages. I have some basic electronics skills and
some basic chemistry knowledge.
I would suggest generally not buying anything that you aren't comfortable buying openly, but there are a few exceptions. I'm not posting on Facebook
for my 2000 friends about how excited I am with my new 500 mL bottle of chloroform, for example, but it's not exactly a secret that I have a lab.
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MJ101
Hazard to Self
Posts: 82
Registered: 14-6-2018
Member Is Offline
Mood: Always Sunny
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Hi JJay,
Thanks for the kind words and sage advice.
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