Posts Tagged ‘Scientist’

PostHeaderIcon The Home Scientist 010 – Forensic Fingerprinting IV: Gentian Violet


Using gentian violet to reveal latent fingerprints on sticky tape.

PostHeaderIcon The Home Scientist 021 – Calibrating a Disposable Pipette Gravimetrically


Using an accurate balance to determine the actual volume per drop delivered by a disposable plastic (beral) pipette.

PostHeaderIcon The Home Scientist 011 – Forensic Fingerprinting V: Acidified Peroxide


Using vinegar and drugstore hydrogen peroxide to reveal latent fingerprints on a brass cartridge case.

PostHeaderIcon The Home Scientist 012 – Forensic Fingerprinting VI: Dusting


Using baby powder to reveal latent fingerprints on a glass object by dusting.

PostHeaderIcon The Home Scientist 016 – Synthesize Copper Compounds


Synthesizing copper(II) acetate and copper(II) chloride from the copper(II) carbonate that Dr. Mary Chervenak produced in segment 004 from root killer and baking soda, using distilled white vinegar and the hydrochloric acid we purified in segment 007.

PostHeaderIcon The Home Scientist 013 – Cheap Sulfuric Acid, Part I


Analyzing cheap hardware store sulfuric acid for concentration and purity

PostHeaderIcon The Home Scientist 019 – Testing for boron with curcumin (turmeric)


Testing for the element boron using curcumin, a yellow dye we extract from the spice turmeric. With curcumin, boron forms an intense red complex called rosocyanine, which allows boron to be detected at very low concentrations in water, soil, and so on.

PostHeaderIcon The Home Scientist 008 – Forensic Fingerprinting II: Ninhydrin


Using ninhydrin to reveal latent prints on paper or other porous surfaces.

PostHeaderIcon The Home Scientist 024 – Making thin-layer chromatography (TLC) plates


How to make thin-layer chromatography plates (TLC plates) for a few cents each that are as good as commercial TLC plates that sell for a dollar or two each. You can use these home-made TLC plates the same way you’d use chromatography paper, but the plates provide sharper separations and require far less analyte. They also lie flat, and are much easier to store for later reference.

PostHeaderIcon The Home Scientist 020 – Isolating Bromine


Isolating elemental bromine from sodium bromide, sold as bromine base in pool and spa supply stores.

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