Potions and Poisons 2016-2017 Science olympiad – Flashcards

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Ionic bonding
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the complete transfer of valence electron between atoms
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Covalent bond
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sharing pairs of electrons
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solution
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mixture of two or more compounds no individual unit
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Compound
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chemically unique combination of two or more elements which are bonded to each other by chemical bonds
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balance an equation
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Count the atoms of each element in the reactants and the products. Use coefficients place them in front of the compounds as needed
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Ammonia
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NH3 - colorless highly irritating gas - sharp suffocating odor - dissolves easily in water forms ammonium hydroxide solution can cause irritation and burns - Ammonia gas is easily compressed and forms a clear, colorless liquid under pressure
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Hydrogen Peroxide
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H2O2 - clear liquid - pure hydrogen peroxide will decompose over time into hydrogen and oxygen without a stabilizer - can cause serious contact burns to the skin at high concentrations - boiling point is 150.2 ℃ - freezes at - 51℃
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rubbing alcohol
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C3H7OH - dissolves a wide range of non-polar compounds - evaporates quickly - leaves nearly zero oil traces - relatively non-toxic, compared to alternative solvents - widely as a solvent and as a cleaning fluid, especially for dissolving oils
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Bleach
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NaCl - used for removing mildew, killing weeds - whitens clothes - irreversibly denatures and destroys many pathogens - an extremely versatile disinfectant
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Epsom Salts
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MgSO4 - In water, it breaks down into magnesium and sulfate -an extremely versatile disinfectant - drying agent - effective in the removal of splinters - highly soluble in water
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Vinegar
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CH3COOH - produced either by fast or slow fermentation processes - slow methods are used with traditional vinegars
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poison ivy
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(Toxicodendron radicans) causes an itching, irritating, and sometimes painful rash in most people who touch it - caused by urushiol, a clear liquid compound in the plant's sap - a member of the cashew family - commonly eaten by many animals - The leaves are trifoliate with three almond-shaped leaflets - Leaf color ranges from light green (usually the younger leaves) to dark green (mature leaves), turning bright red in fall - leaflets of mature leaves are somewhat shiny - leaflets are 3-12 cm (1.2-4.7 in) long, rarely up to 30 cm (12 in) - The urushiol compound in poison ivy is not a defensive measure - helps the plant to retain water - grows throughout much of North America and mountainous areas of Mexico - normally found in wooded areas - grows as a forest understory plant - somewhat shade-tolerant - rarely grows at altitudes above 1,500 m (4,900 ft) - altitude limit varies in different locations - causes severe itching that develops into reddish inflammation or non-coloured bumps, and then blistering - oatmeal baths and baking soda help - If poison ivy is burned and the smoke then inhaled, this rash will appear on the lining of the lungs, causing extreme pain and possibly fatal respiratory difficulty -
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Wolf's Bane
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(Aconitum sp.) dark green leaves - deeply palmately lobed with 5-7 - Each segment is 3-lobed with coarse sharp teeth - tall, erect stem is crowned by racemes of large blue, purple, white, yellow or pink zygomorphic flowers with numerous stamens - one of the five petaloid sepals called the galea, in the form of a cylindrical helmet - two upper petals are large and are placed under the hood of the calyx - hollow spur at their apex, containing the nectar - 3-5 carpels are partially fused at the base - food plant of caterpillars - either blue or yellow flowers - grow in the shade of trees - Marked symptoms may appear almost immediately, usually not later than one hour - with large doses death is almost instantaneous - Death usually occurs within two to six hours in fatal poisoning (20 to 40 mL - initial signs are gastrointestinal including nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea - followed by a sensation of burning, tingling, and numbness in the mouth and face, and of burning in the abdomen - In severe poisonings pronounced motor weakness - Poisoning may also occur following picking the leaves without wearing gloves - aconitine toxin is absorbed easily through the skin - Aconitine is a potent neurotoxin
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jack-in-the-pulpit
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(Arum maculatum) enclosed in a pale green spathe or leaf-like hood - enclosed in a pale green spathe or leaf-like hood - clustered at the base of the spadix with a ring of female flowers at the bottom and a ring of male flowers above them - Above the male flowers is a ring of hairs forming an insect trap - spadix may also be yellow, but purple is the more common - autumn, the lower ring of (female) flowers forms a cluster of bright red berries - attractive red to orange berries are extremely poisonous - contain oxalates of saponins which have needle-shaped crystals which irritate the skin, mouth, tongue, and throat, and result in swelling of throat, difficulty breathing, burning pain, and upset stomach - large amounts are rarely taken and serious harm is unusual - one of the most common causes of accidental plant poisoning - can produce allergic reactions
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lily of the valley
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(Convallaria majalis) herbaceous perennial plant that forms extensive colonies by spreading underground stems called rhizomes - upright shoots are formed at the ends of stolons in summer - grow in the spring into new leafy shoots - stems grow to 15-30 cm tall, with one or two leaves 10-25 cm long, flowering stems have two leaves and a raceme of 5-15 flowers on the stem apex - six white tepals (rarely pink), fused at the base to form a bell-shape, 5-10 mm diameter, and sweetly scented - flowering is in late spring - fruit is a small orange-red berry 5-7 mm diameter that contains a few large whitish to brownish colored seeds that dry to a clear translucent round bead 1-3 mm wide - self-sterile - colonies consisting of a single clone do not set seed - prefers warm summers - All parts of the plant are highly poisonous - If ingested—even in small amounts—the plant can cause abdominal pain, vomiting, reduced heart rate, blurred vision, drowsiness and red skin rashes
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cane toad
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(Rhinella marina) large, terrestrial true toad - native to South and mainland Middle America - prolific breeder; females lay single-clump spawns with thousands of eggs - diet of both dead and living matter - Adults average 10-15 cm (3.9-5.9 in) in length - has poison glands, and the tadpoles are highly toxic to most animals if ingested - now considered a pest and an invasive species - Larger toads tend to be found in areas of lower population density - can live considerably longer in captivity, up to 35 years - skin of the cane toad is dry and warty - distinct ridges above the eyes, which run down the snout - a large parotoid gland lies behind each eye - pupils are horizontal and the irises golden - juveniles lack the adults' large parotoid glands, so they are usually less poisonous - tadpoles are small and uniformly black, and are bottom-dwellers - tadpoles range from 10 to 25 mm (0.39 to 0.98 in) - displayed a "distinct preference" for areas modified by humans - cause rapid heartbeat, excessive salivation, convulsions and paralysis
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poison dart frog
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(Dendrobates sp.) great toxicity, derive this from their diet of ants, mites and termites - sometimes less than 1.5 cm (0.59 in) in adult length, although a few grow up to 6 cm (2.4 in) in length - bright coloration is associated with their toxicity and levels of alkaloids - endemic to humid, tropical environments of Central and South America - many species of poison dart frogs are dedicated parents - parents carry their newly hatched tadpoles into the canopy - tadpoles stick to the mucus on the backs of their parents - dart frog family is mostly female biased - females have a choice of mate - males show brighter coloration, are territorial, and are aggressive toward other males - Many poison dart frogs secrete lipophilic alkaloid toxins
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Fattail scorpion
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(Androctonus australis) one of the most dangerous groups of scorpions species in the world - found throughout the semi-arid and arid regions of the Middle East and Africa - venom contains powerful neurotoxins and is especially potent - Stings from Androctonus species are known to cause several human deaths each year - does not dig burrows to protect itself from a sandstorm - it can withstand sandstorms powerful enough to strip paint off steel, without any apparent damage - Its armor is covered with dome-shaped granules that are 10 µm (0.0004 in) high and 25-80 µm (0.0010-0.0031 in) across -
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poison sumac
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(Toxicodendron vernix) all parts of the plant contain a resin called urushiol that causes skin and mucous membrane irritation to humans - inhalation of the smoke may cause the rash to appear on the lining of the lungs, causing extreme pain and possibly fatal respiratory difficulty - shrub or small tree, growing up to nearly 30 feet in height - each pinnate leaf has 7-13 leaflets, each of which is 2-4 inches long - oval-to-oblong; acuminate (tapering to a sharp point); cuneate (wedge-shaped) at the base - an underside that is glabrous (hairless) or slightly pubescent (down-like hair) beneath - stems along the leaflets are red and the leaves can have a reddish tint to them, particularly at the top of the plant - new bark is lightish gray, and as the bark ages, it becomes darker - flowers are greenish, growing in loose axillary panicles (clusters) 3-8 inches long - fruits are subglobose (not quite spherical), gray, flattened, and about 0.2 inches across - fruit are creamy white and part of a cluster - fruit and leaves of the poison sumac plant contain urushiol, an oil that causes an allergic rash upon contact with skin - grows exclusively in wet and clay soils - poison sumac is more toxic than its relatives poison ivy and poison oak
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Iron
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Fe by mass the most common element on Earth - iron exists in a wide range of oxidation states, −2 to +6, although +2 and +3 are the most common - reactive to oxygen and water - oxidize in normal air to give hydrated iron oxides, commonly known as rust - iron oxides occupy more volume than the metal and thus flake off, exposing fresh surfaces for corrosion - significance for planetary cores
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iron poisoning
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iron overload caused by a large excess of iron intake and usually refers to an acute overload rather than a gradual one - primarily associated with young children - first indication of iron poisoning by ingestion is stomach pain - iron is corrosive to the lining of the gastrointestinal tract, including the stomach - nausea and vomiting are also common symptoms and bloody vomiting may occur - abates for 24 hours as the iron passes deeper into the body, resulting in metabolic acidosis, which in turn damages internal organs, particularly the brain and the liver - can cause hypovolemic shock due to iron's potent ability to dilate the blood vessels - death may occur from liver failure
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Arsenic
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occurs in many minerals, usually in combination with sulfur and metals, but also as a pure elemental crystal - primary use of metallic arsenic is in alloys of lead (for example, in car batteries and ammunition - arsenic contamination of groundwater is a problem that affects millions of people across the world - used in the production of pesticides, treated wood products, herbicides, and insecticides
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Arsenic poisoning
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occurs due to elevated levels of arsenic in the body - symptoms may include vomiting, abdominal pain, encephalopathy, and watery diarrhea that contains blood, thickening of the skin, darker skin, abdominal pain, diarrhea, heart disease, numbness, and cancer - Prevention is by using water that does not contain high levels of arsenic - toxicity of arsenic has been described as far back as 1500 BC
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Copper
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soft, malleable and ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity - essential to all living organisms as a trace dietary mineral because it is a key constituent of the respiratory enzyme complex cytochrome c oxidase - In molluscs and crustaceans copper is a constituent of the blood pigment - adult body contains between 1.4 and 2.1 mg of copper per kilogram of body weight. Hence a healthy human weighing 60 kilogram contains approximately 0.1 g of copper. However, this small amount is essential to the overall human well-being
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Copper poisoning
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refers to the consequences of an excess of copper in the body - occur from eating acid foods cooked in uncoated copper cookware, or from exposure to excess copper in drinking water or other environmental sources - in the blood and blood stream exists in two forms: bound to ceruloplasmin (85-95%), and the rest "free", loosely bound to albumin and small molecules - distinct difference between organic and inorganic copper - organic copper, like that found in food, is a beneficial micronutrient needed for good health - inorganic metallic copper, like that found in electrical wire, plumbing pipes, brass fittings, redox water filters, sheet metal, cooking utensils, jewelry and pennies, is a neurotoxic heavy metal linked to physical and psychiatric symptoms
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Urushiol
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an oily organic allergen found in plants of the family Anacardiaceae - causes an allergic skin rash on contact - the oxidation and polymerization of urushiol in the tree's sap in the presence of moisture allows it to form a hard lacquer - a specific gravity of 0.968 and a boiling point of 200 °C - 50% of the urushiol can be absorbed within 10 minutes - once urushiol has penetrated into the skin, attempting to remove it with water is ineffective
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Aconitine
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previously used as an antipyretic and analgesic and still has some limited application in herbal medicine - barely soluble in water but very soluble in organic solvents - soluble in mixtures of alcohol and water if the concentration of alcohol is high enough - the first symptoms of aconitine poisoning appear approximately 20 minutes to 2 hours after oral intake and include paraesthesia, sweating and nausea. This leads to severe vomiting, colicky diarrhea, intense pain and then paralysis of the skeletal muscles
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Ammonia NH3 + Hydrogen Peroxide H2O2
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NH4NO2 - Ammonium nitrite not used in pure isolated form, since it is highly unstable and decomposes into water and nitrogen even at room temperature - forms colorless crystals which are soluble in water, but decomposes when heated or in the presence of acid into water and nitrogen - If there is any decrease in pH lower than 7.0, it may lead to an explosion
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Ammonia NH3 + Bleach NaCI
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sodium hypochlorite the sodium salt of hypochlorous acid - when dissolved in water it is commonly known as bleach or liquid bleach - practically and chemically distinct from chlorine - frequently used as a disinfectant or a bleaching agent - containing 3-8% sodium hypochlorite and 0.01-0.05% sodium hydroxide; the sodium hydroxide is used to slow the decomposition of sodium hypochlorite into sodium chloride and sodium chlorate - has destaining properties - can be used to remove mold stains, dental stains caused by fluorosis - exhibits broad spectrum antimicrobial activity and is widely used in healthcare facilities in a variety of settings - A weak solution of 2% household bleach in warm water is used to sanitize smooth surfaces prior to brewing of beer or wine - mode of disinfectant action of sodium hypochlorite is similar to that of hypochlorous acid - This 1:10 dilution of 5.25%-6.15% sodium hypochlorite with water (1 part bleach to 9 parts water) yields between 5250-6150 ppm available chlorine and is able to inactivate both C Diff[6] and HPV - used to treat dilute cyanide wastewater, such as electroplating wastes - oxidized to cyanate (OCN−) that is not toxic, idealized as follows CN− + OCl− → OCN− + Cl− dilute bleach baths have been used for decades to treat moderate to severe eczema in humans
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