Recent content by BetaZeta2016

I've read that if you apply enough voltage to the plate of certain types of tubes, they will generate a fairly good amount of X-rays (even more so if the cathode is hot) -- I even read about a guy who managed to take relatively detailed radiographs of random objects using a standard...

And that nebula will eventually give rise to new stars and even planets. Pretty cool.

I hope I'm still alive when Betelgeuse goes off. It would be awesome to see it.

I know supernovae can create some very heavy elements (such as Uranium, Plutonium, Gold and so on...) Supposing you could watch such a colossal explosion from closeby without getting vaporized, would you see lumps of molten heavy metals (and other elements) flying everywhere in outer space and...

Thanks, understood :)

I bought one of these plasma globes, decided to do some experiments with it. Since a fluorescent bulb will light up if It's put near the plasma ball, i tried the same with two HID lamps. The Metal Halide shows a very pale white arc, which disappears as soon as the plasma ball is turned off...

Cool experiment too! I tried it with some magnets from old hard drives. Bismuth diamagnetism is very weak. But still stronger than any other material i have ever seen.

Yes, i did! While the bismuth was molten, there was a small chunk floating on the top of the liquid. I won't do it on the kitchen again. One pan just went to the trash because of this hehe. :biggrin:

Oh, nice. Thank you for clarifying :smile:.

Very cool. So the heat acts as a catalyst here. I only hope the metal preserves it's luster for a long time.

The more i study this strange element, the more interesting it becomes. I found that bismuth only shows it's colorful oxides when exposed to air while hot/molten. I decided to go outside and polish the sample using an abrasive liquid known in Brazil as "Saponáceo Cremoso". Don't know what it's...

I understand. And will throw the pan away. Thanks for the advice everyone.

I just melted it so it is easier to handle and to make sure no dust or powder will be generated, that would be bad.

Well, the bismuth didn't stick to the pan. I just knocked it in the bottom and the whole ingot fell off, with no leftovers. Then i washed the pan thoroughly and it's ready for use with food again.I also wash my hands after handling it.

I recently received a 200g sample of pure (99.99%) bismuth for my little element collection. This thing is so cool! It was all broken in pieces and almost powdered, so i melted it into a beautiful ingot using my kitchen stove. Is this metal safe to touch and/or handle with bare, unprotected...