Wednesday, March 18, 2020
The Chemistry of How Borax Works as a Cleaner
The Chemistry of How Borax Works as a Cleaner What Is Borax? Borax (also known as sodium borate decahydrate; sodium pyroborate; birax; sodium tetraborate decahydrate; sodium biborate) is a natural mineral compound (Na2B4O7 10H2O). It was discovered over 4000 years ago. Borax is usually found deep within the ground, although it has been mined near the surface in Death Valley, California since the 1800s. Although it has numerous industrial uses, in the home borax is used as a natural laundry booster, multipurpose cleaner, fungicide, preservative, insecticide, herbicide, disinfectant, dessicant, and ingredient in making slime. Borax crystals are odorless, whitish (can have various color impurities), and alkaline. Borax is not flammable and is not reactive. It can be mixed with most other cleaning agents, including chlorine bleach. How Does Borax Clean? Borax has many chemical properties that contribute to its cleaning power. Borax and other borates clean and bleach by converting some water molecules to hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). This reaction is more favorable in hotter water. The pH of borax is about 9.5, so it produces a basic solution in water, thereby increasing the effectiveness of bleach and other cleaners. In other chemical reactions, borax acts as a buffer, maintaining a stable pH needed to maintain cleansing chemical reactions. The boron, salt, and/or oxygen of boron inhibit the metabolic processes of many organisms. This characteristic allows borax to disinfect and kill unwanted pests. Borates bonds with other particles to keep ingredients dispersed evenly in a mixture, which maximizes the surface area of active particles to enhance cleaning power. Risks Associated With Using Borax Borax is natural, but that does not mean it is automatically safer for you or for the environment than man-made chemicals. Although plants need boron, too much of it will kill them, so borax can be used as an herbicide. Borax may also be used as an insecticide to kill roaches, ants, and fleas. In fact, it is also toxic to people. Signs of chronic toxic exposure include red and peeling skin, seizures, and kidney failure. The estimated lethal dose (ingested) for adults is 15-20 grams; less than 5 grams can kill a child or pet. For this reason, borax should not be used around food. More commonly, borax is associated with skin, eye, or respiratory irritation. It is also important to point out that exposure to borax may impair fertility or cause damage to an unborn child. Now, none of these risks mean that you shouldnt use borax. If you do a bit of research, you will find risks associated with all cleaning products, natural or man-made. However, you do need to be aware of product risks so that you can use those products properly. Dont use borax around food, keep it out of reach of children and pets, and make sure you rinse borax out of clothes and off of surfaces before use.
Monday, March 2, 2020
First Meetings and Introductions in Japanese
First Meetings and Introductions in Japanese Learn how to meet and introduce yourself in Japanese. Grammar Wa ã ¯ is a particle which is like English prepositions but always comes after nouns. Desu 㠧ã â„¢ is a topic marker and can be translated as is or are. It also acts as an equal sign. Watashi wa Yuki desu. ç § 㠯ゆã 㠧㠙。 -  I am Yuki.Kore wa hon desu. ã “ã‚Å'㠯æÅ" ¬Ã£ §Ã£ ™ã€‚ - This is a book. Japanese often omit the topic when it is obvious to the other person. When introducing yourself, Watashi waÂ ç § ã ¯ can be omitted. It will sound more natural to a Japanese person. In a conversation, WatashiÂ ç § is rarely used. Anata 㠂㠪ã Ÿ) which means you is similarly avoided.Hajimemashite 㠯㠘゠㠾ã â€"ã ¦ is used when meeting a person for the first time. Hajimeru 㠯㠘゠る is the verb which means to begin. Douzo yoroshiku 㠩㠆㠞よ゠ã â€"ã is used when you introduce yourself, and other times when you are asking a favor of someone. Besides family or close friends, Japanese are rarely addressed by their given names. If you go to Japan as a student, people will probably address you by your first name, but if you go there on business, it is better to introduce yourself with your last name. (In this situation, Japanese never introduce themselves with their first name.) Dialogue in Romaji Yuki: Hajimemashite, Yuki desu. Douzo yoroshiku. Maiku: Hajimemashite, Maiku desu. Douzo yoroshiku. Dialogue in Japanese ゆã : 㠯㠘゠㠾ã â€"㠦〠ゆã 㠧㠙。 㠩㠆㠞よ゠ã â€"ã 。 ãÆ'žã‚ ¤Ã£â€š ¯: 㠯㠘゠㠾ã â€"㠦〠ãÆ'žã‚ ¤Ã£â€š ¯Ã£ §Ã£ ™ã€‚ 㠩㠆㠞よ゠ã â€"ã 。 Dialogue in English Yuki: How do you do? I am Yuki. Nice to meet you. Mike: How do you do? I am Mike. Nice to meet you. Cultural Notes Katakana is used for foreign names, places, and words. If you are not Japanese, your name can be written in katakana. When introducing yourself, the bow (ojigi) is preferred to a handshake. Ojigi is an essential part of daily Japanese life. If you live in Japan for a long time, you will begin bowing automatically. You might even bow when you are talking on the phone (like many Japanese do)!
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