What is an indicator?

What is an acid-base indicator?

What does it do?

Where do we use acid-base indicators?

These and other questions about acid-base indicators can be answered at 

https://www.ausetute.com.au/indicators.html

AUS-e-TUTE Members also have access to the game, test and exam with worked solutions on this topic.

Join AUS-e-TUTE Today!

What's Wrong with Science Education?

 What's wrong with science education (in Australian high schools)?

Possibly the opinion of those teaching it if this comment by Margaret Shepherd, the president of the Science Teachers Association, is any indication of the thoughts of Australian Science Teachers in general. She said,

“Good scientists require persistence, resilience, being able to do something for a long time without results.”

Persistence ✌

Resilience ✌

 Being able to do something for a long time without results?

Really? You think that's what makes a good scientist?

Rather a dispiriting opinion of the work of scientists isn't it?  Hardly going to make students leap at the chance of a life dedicated to science if all they're going to achieve is a lifetime of waiting for something to happen.

Is it possible to do "something" in science, and achieve no results ... at all ... nothing .... neither supporting nor refuting a hypothesis?

Go read the article: https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/why-physics-and-chemistry-are-delivering-more-band-6-hsc-results-20201215-p56nkc.html 

Stay calm .... if you can!

Quick Quiz: Names and Symbols of the Elements

 How well do you know the names and symbols of the first 20 elements...

  Take this Quiz

Recovering Gold from e-Waste

 We use electronic devices every day; computers, drones, home security systems, mobile phones, smart speakers, smart watches, etc. If the device stops working, or we want to upgrade to a newer version, we throw away the old device resulting in electronic waste or e-waste. Each of these devices contains a printed circuit board (PCB) and the metal content of each PCB can be as high as 40% by mass. 

Recycling 1 tonne of mobile phones alone could produce more than 130 kg metal, including about 340 g of gold. The value of just the gold in that tonne of rubbish is over $25,000(AUD). Recovering metal from waste electronics and electrical equipment is becoming big business, but what impact does this have on us and our environment?

 Read this edition of AUS-e-NEWS to find out more ...

You can subscribe to AUS-e-NEWS, AUS-e-TUTE's free quarterly newsletter for chemistry students and teachers, at 

https://www.ausetute.com.au/ausenews.html

Arrhenius Acids and Bases

What is an acid?

What is a base?

These are both good questions and there is no simple answer.

It all depends on how you decide to define the terms "acid" and "base".

More than 100 years ago, a clever chemist by the name of Arrhenius proposed the first really useful definitions of acids and bases and AUS-e-TUTE has just added a new tutorial, game, test and exam (with worked solutions!), and even some flash cards o help you understand and apply the Arrhenius definition of an acid and of a base.

Not an AUS-e-TUTE Member? You can go to a free-to-view tutorial at 

https://www.ausetute.com.au/arrheniusab.html

How to study for Chemistry exams

As your chemistry exam gets closer, I'm sure you've been "studying" hard, probably reading through your notes, making summaries, summarizing the summaries, putting important concepts on flash cards... and a whole lot more. But will any of that help you achieve a good result on a chemistry exam?

Probably not. So, put your notes away and read on.

Chemistry examiners are not interested in whether you have memorized the "facts" (definitions, formulae etc). It is most unlikely that the following question will appear on a chemistry exam paper,

Question 1: "State Le Chatelier's Principle"

Chemistry examiners are interested in how you apply chemical principles to solve problems. So the following question is much more likely to be found on a chemistry exam paper,

Question 2: "A student dissolves some solid FeSCN²⁺ in water in a test tube at room temperature and pressure, producing a mixture of reddish-brown FeSCN²⁺(aq), pale yellow Fe³⁺(aq), and colourless SCN^-(aq). The student observes that the test tube feels cooler as the solute dissolves.

(a) Write an equation to describe the process.

(b) Describe what colour change, if any, would occur if the test tube was placed in an ice-bath. Explain your answer"

Question 2 is asking you to apply Le Chatelier's Principle to a given chemical process.

The best way to study for your chemistry exam is to answer a variety of questions. AUS-e-TUTE Members have access to thousands of problems (with worked solutions and tutorials if you need some help). If you are not an AUS-e-TUTE member you can often find books of problems for a given course, and you probably have access to "past papers". 

Here's another question you might like to try,

Question 3: One step in the Ostwald process for manufacturing nitric acid from ammonia involves the production of nitrogen dioxide as shown in the chemical equation below:

2NO(g) + O₂(g) ⇋ 2NO₂(g)

A 10.00 L reaction vessel initially contained 2.50 mol NO(g) and 1.20 mol O₂(g).

0.50 mol NO(g) remained in the vessel after equilibrium was established.

(a) Calculate the equilibrium constant for this reaction.

(b) A second experiment was conducted using the same initial amounts of NO(g) and O₂(g) but in a reaction vessel of about half the volume. What affect would this have on the value of the equilibrium constant? Explain your answer. 

If you find these questions a bit tricky, then AUS-e-TUTE might help you become more familiar with exam-type questions and how to answer them. Join AUS-e-TUTE today

Brønsted-Lowry Theory of Acids and Bases

 Ammonia, NH₃, is a base right?

Well, yes it is sometimes... but it can also be an acid.

Welcome to the wonderful world of Brønsted-Lowry acids and bases.

At AUS-e-TUTE, we've just added a new tutorial, game, tests and exam to help you understand Brønsted-Lowry acids, bases and their conjugates.

If you are not an AUS-e-TUTE Member you can view a tutorial on this subject for free at https://www.ausetute.com.au/bronstedlowry.html

Emergency Oxygen

Have you ever sat on a plane listening to the flight attendants give the safety demonstration,

"In case of cabin depressurization, oxygen masks will drop automatically..."

and wondered about where, and how, this emergency oxygen is stored?

 Read this edition of AUS-e-NEWS to find out! 

You can subscribe to AUS-e-NEWS at https://www.ausetute.com.au/ausenews.html

Weak Acid - Strong Base Titration Curves

A titration of a weak acid with a strong base results in a titration curve with some notable features, including:

• buffer zone (weak acid in equilibrium with its conjugate base)
• point where pH = PK_a which can be used to determine pK_a, and hence K_a, for the weak acid
• equivalence point where pH > 7 due to the hydrolysis of the anion

Find out more at https://www.ausetute.com.au/titrcurvwasb.html

AUS-e-TUTE Members should log-in to use the new tutorial, game and test.

"Summer Science" 2020

The Royal Society (UK) has moved its "Summer Science" program online for 2020.

Good news for everyone ... especially those of us who are not in the UK!

Visit their website for information about the program: https://royalsociety.org/science-events-and-lectures/2020/summer-science-online/

pH of Aqueous Salt Solutions

If you titrate acetic acid with sodium hydroxide, what is the pH at the equivalence point?

If you dissolve ammonium chloride in water, what is the pH of the solution?

To answer these questions you will have to calculate the pH of an aqueous salt solution!

AUS-e-TUTE has just added new resources to help you do just that!

Members should log-in to use the new tutorial, game, test, drill, worksheet wizard, and problem solving template.

If you are not an AUS-e-TUTE Member, you can access the "free-to-view" tutorial at https://www.ausetute.com.au/phsaltcalcs.html

pH of a Solution When Weak Acid and Strong Base are Mixed

What happens to the pH of a weak acid as you add strong base to it?

For example, aqueous sodium hydroxide solution (NaOH_(aq)) is a strong base and acetic acid (CH₃COOH_(aq)) is a weak acid.

If you add 10 mL of 0.20 mol/L NaOH_(aq) to 25 mL of 0.10 mol/L CH₃COOH_(aq), what is the pH of the resultant solution?

Find out how to work this out, and work through other examples with worked solutions at AUS-e-TUTE.

A "free-to-view" tutorial is available at https://www.ausetute.com.au/phmixwasb.html

AUS-e-TUTE Members should log-in to play the new game, do the test and get repetitive endless practice with the new drill.

IUPAC Periodic Table Challenge 2020

The IUPAC Periodic Table Challenge is back in 2020!

Select a level:

• Beginner
• Intermediate
• Advanced

Enter your details (your name will go on the certificate). If you enter the name of your school/institution, your school/institution will be in the running for an IUPAC Periodic Table poster signed by a chemistry Nobel Laureate.

Choose an element to be your avatar.

Answer 10 multiple choice questions about elements.

Score 60% or more and get a certificate.

So what are you waiting for?

Go to https://iupac.org/periodic-table-challenge/ now!

Elimination of HX from Haloalkanes

One way to synthesize alkenes is to remove hydrogen halide (HX) from a haloalkane (alkyl halide) in an elimination reaction.

Learn how in AUS-e-TUTE's new tutorial Dehydrohalogenation of Haloalkanes

AUS-e-TUTE Members should log-in to play the game and take the test (with immediate feedback and worked solutions).

Question Impossible?

This was the first question on the 2019 Western Australia ATAR Chemistry Course Examination 2019

See if you can answer it ...

Boric acid, which is a weak acid, was titrated with standardised sodium hydroxide
solution.

Which one of the indicators listed below would be the most suitable to use in this
titration?

	Indicator	Range of colour change  (pH)
(a)	thymol blue	1 – 3
(b)	bromocresol green	3.8 – 5.4
(c)	cresolphthalein	8 – 10
(d)	alizarin yellow	10 – 12

(Note: no further information was given in the question nor in the accompanying Data Book).

You've probably narrowed the answer to either (c) or (d) using a couple of common assumptions:

• these are aqueous solutions of acid and base

• the temperature of the solutions is 25C

The salt of a weak acid and a strong base in aqueous solution at 25C will have a pH greater than 7.

So, what now? We need more information, like the value of the acid dissociation constant for boric acid and some information about concentrations and volumes.

Boric acid is a weak acid, Ka = 5.8exp-10 (this information was not provided!)

Because Ka is so low, boric acid is essentially a monoprotic acid, so the salt produced is essentially NaH2BO3

Sodium ions will not hydrolyse but H2BO3- will hydrolyse.

H2BO3- + H2O --> H3BO3 + OH-

Kb for the hydrolysis of H2BO3-: 
Kb = Kw/Ka 
= 1exp-14/5.8exp-10 
= 1.7exp-5
We need to know the concentration of the salt,
 this wasn't given in the question,
 so we are going to assume a 1.0 mol/L solution 
(because the numbers are nice)
[H3BO3] = x
[OH-] = x
[H2BO3-] = 1.0 - x 
and assume x is negligible compared to 1.0
 therefore [H2BO3-] ~ 1.0

Kb = [H3BO3][OH-]/[H2BO3-]

1.7exp-5 = x2/[1.0]
take the square root of both sides:
x = 4.1exp-3 = [OH-]
pOH = -log10 [OH-] 
= -log[4.1exp-3] 
= 2.4

For aqueous solutions at 25C:
pH = 14 - pOH 
= 14 - 2.4 
= 11.6

So..... drum roll please .... the answer is (d)


Ofcourse, if the concentration of salt was 1exp-5 mol/L, 
the pH of the solution would be 9.1 .... 
and then the answer would be (c)

If you were unfortunate enough to sit this exam...
 then the answer according to the examiners report was (c) ...
but no details of how they arrived at this answer are provided.

How to Kill the COVID-19 Virus

By the middle of 2020 millions of people had been infected with a virus which causes a disease known as COVID-19 and hundreds of thousands of people had died.

So I was intrigued when I read that Professor Mary-Louise McLaws, an infection control expert from the University of New South Wales, had stated that, "it's relatively easy to kill compared to some other viruses".

Why is the COVID-19 virus easy to kill and how do you kill it? 

Read this edition of AUS-e-NEWS to find out more.

Subscribe to AUS-e-NEWS at https://www.ausetute.com.au/ausenews.html

Classification of Haloalkanes

Question: How do you classify haloalkanes (alkyl halides) as primary, secondary or tertiary?

Answers at https://www.ausetute.com.au/rxclassify.html

Test your knowledge of how to classify haloalkanes with AUS-e-TUTE's games and tests (with instant feedback and worked solutions!). Find out more at https://www.ausetute.com.au/register.html

Monoprotic acid pH with a concentration of 0.022M

Question: What is the pH of a monoprotic acid with a concentration of 0.022 M?

Answer:
1. Assume this is a strong monoprotic acid so that it fully dissociates: HA → H⁺ + A^-

2. [HA] = [H⁺] = 0.022 M

3. pH = -log₁₀[H⁺] = -log₁₀[0.022] = 1.7

Find out more, and see questions with worked solutions, at https://www.ausetute.com.au/phstronga.html

What is the weight/volume percent (w/v) of a solution prepared from 50 g NaCl and 2.5 L of water?

Question: What is the concentration, weight/volume percent (w/v), of a solution prepared from 50. g NaCl and 2.5 L of water?

Answer:
1. w/v % is a measure of the concentration of a solution.
Units are often given as g solute/100 mL solvent.

2. w/v% = (mass solute in grams/volume of solution in mL) × 100

3. w= mass solute = 50 g
v = volume of solution = 2.5 L = 2.5 L × 1000 mL/L = 2500 mL (assuming the NaCl does NOT increase the volume as it dissolves in the water)

4. w/v% = (50 g/2500 mL) × 100 = 2 g/100 mL

Find out more, and see worked solutions to questions, at https://www.ausetute.com.au/wtvol.html

Why is the heat of formation for gaseous oxygen equal to 0?

Question: Why is the heat of formation for gaseous oxygen equal to 0?

Answer:
1. The standard heat of formation of any compound is defined as the enthalpy change for the compound when it is formed from its elements in their standard states.

2. Gaseous oxygen (O_2(g)) is a molecule (not a compound). The standard state for oxygen is as a gas, O_2(g).

3. There is no need to change gaseous oxygen, O_2(g) into its standard state because that is how it exists under standard conditions, therefore its heat of formation is 0.

Find out more at, and see worked examples, at https://www.ausetute.com.au/heatform.html

How to know what species will spontaneously react in redox reactions

A redox reaction is spontaneous if the standard electrode potential is positive,
that is,
if E^o_(reaction) > 0

Find out more, and look at a worked example, at: https://www.ausetute.com.au/redoxspon.html

Why is polyvinyl chloride an addition polymer?

Question: Why is polyvinyl chloride an addition polymer?

Answer:

1. An addition polymer is produced in an addition polymerization reaction.

2. In an addition polymerization reaction, the double bonds (C=C) in the monomer molecules open up so that one monomer molecule can "add on to" another monomer molecule to make a longer chain resulting in a polymer.

3. When vinyl chloride monomers (chloroethene monomers, CH₂=CHCl) join together in an addition polymerization reaction the polymer product is polyvinyl chloride, -(-CH₂-CHCl-)_n-

Find out more about addition polymerisation at https://www.ausetute.com.au/polymers.html

Find out more about polyvinyl chloride at  https://www.ausetute.com.au/pvc.html

Alkanol + HX

What happens when you add a concentrated hydrohalic acid, like hydrobromic acid or hydrochloric acid or hydroiodic acid, to an alkanol?
A substitution reaction!
Find out more in AUS-e-TUTE's new tutorial at https://www.ausetute.com.au/alkanolhx.html

AUS-e-TUTE Members should log-in to use the new tutorial, game and test (with worked solutions!).

WA Chemistry Syllabus Study Guide

Do you live in Western Australia?
Are you a Year 11 or 12 student studying chemistry?
We have listed all the free tutorial links relevant to your syllabus in our syllabus study guide at https://www.ausetute.com.au/ssgwaatar2017.html

Saturation

What does it mean when a Chemist refers to a molecule as saturated or unsaturated?
How do you test a compound to see if it is saturated or unsaturated?
The answers to these questions, with examples, are given in AUS-e-TUTE's new tutorial Saturated and Unsaturated Organic Compounds

AUS-e-TUTE Members should log-in to access the game, test and exam (with worked solutions) on this topic.

Homologous Series

What is a homologous series in organic chemistry?
Homologous series refers to a group of compounds that have:

1. the same functional group
2. constant successive differences in composition

The individual molecules making up a homologous series  are referred to as homologues (or homologs).

Find out more about homologous series and homologues at https://www.ausetute.com.au/homologous.html

AUS-e-TUTE Members should log-in to use the new Members Only tutorial, game, test and exam (with worked solutions ofcourse).

VCE Chemistry Syllabus Study Guide

Do you live in Victoria?
Are you a Year 11 or 12 student studying chemistry?
We have listed all the free tutorial links relevant to your syllabus in our syllabus study guide at
https://www.ausetute.com.au/ssgvce16.html

Hydrogenation of Alkenes

How can you convert an unsaturated hydrocarbon such as an alkene, into a saturated hydrocarbon (an alkane)?
With the magic of chemistry (a catalyst), you can add hydrogen across the double bond in an alkene!
AUS-e-TUTE has just added new resources to help our members understand this, and to practice answering test questions. Members should log-in to use these new resources.

If you are not an AUS-e-TUTE member, a "free-to-view" tutorial on this topic is currently available at https://www.ausetute.com.au/hydrogenation.html

HSC Chemistry Syllabus

Do you live in New South Wales?
Are you a Year 11 or Year 12 student studying chemistry?
We have listed all the free chemistry tutorials you need in our syllabus study guide at https://www.ausetute.com.au/ssgnsw2018.html

Equilibrium Constants are Affected by Temperature Changes

Question:
How would the value of the equilibrium constant, k, be affected if the reaction was heated by 1000°c?
(a) if the reaction was endothermic
(b) if the reaction was exothermic

Answer:
(a)  For an endothermic reaction, an increase in temperature will increase the value of the equilibrium constant.
(b) For an exothermic reaction, an increase in temperature will decrease the value of the equilibrium constant.

Explanation: 

Go to https://www.ausetute.com.au/ktemperature.html for the tutorial. 

AUS-e-TUTE Members should log-in to use the game, test and exam with worked solutions on this topic.

Queensland Chemistry Syllabus

Do you live in Queensland?
Are you a Year 11 or Year 12 student studying chemistry?
We have listed all the free chemistry tutorials you need in our syllabus study guide at https://www.ausetute.com.au/ssgqld2019.html

Schrodinger's Virus

Classification of Organic Reactions

Organic reactions are reactions in which the reactants and products are carbon-containing compounds, or organic compounds.
The chemical reactions that organic compounds take part in can be classified as:

• substitution reactions
• addition reactions
• elimination reactions
• oxidation reactions
• reduction reactions
• polymerisation reactions
• rearrangement reactions

AUS-e-TUTE has just added new resources including  a tutorial, game and test with worked solutions to help you identify and classify these types of organic reactions. AUS-e-TUTE Members should log-in to use these new resources.

If you are not an AUS-e-TUTE, a free-to-view tutorial is currently available at https://www.ausetute.com.au/organicrxn.html

Properties of Nitriles

Why are the physical properties, such boiling point and solubility, of an alkanenitrile so similar to that of a primary alkanol with the same number of carbon atoms in the hydrocarbon chain?
Why do alkanenitriles react with so many different reactants?
AUS-e-TUTE has just added new resources to help you understand the physical and chemical properties or alkanenitriles.
AUS-e-TUTE Members should log-in to use the new tutorial, game and test (with worked solutions).
If you are not an AUS-e-TUTE Member you can access a "free-to-view" tutorial at https://www.ausetute.com.au/nitriles.html

Neutral pH

What is a neutral pH?

An aqueous solution is neutral when the concentration of hydrogen ions in solution is equal to the concentration of hydroxide ions in solution:

Neutral solution: [H⁺(aq)] = [OH^-(aq)]

The pH of a solution is a measure of the concentration of hydrogen ions in solution:

pH = -log₁₀[H⁺(aq)]

For example, an aqueous solution will be neutral if  [H⁺(aq)] = [OH^-(aq)] = 10^-3 mol L^-1

For this solution the pH will be: pH = -log₁₀[H⁺(aq)] = -log₁₀[10^-3] = 3

For example, an aqueous solution will be neutral if  [H⁺(aq)] = [OH^-(aq)] = 10^-6 mol L^-1

For this solution the pH will be: pH = -log₁₀[H⁺(aq)] = -log₁₀[10^-6] =6

"Neutral" is NOT a pH.

Why do so many (non- Chemists!) believe a solution is neutral if the pH=7 ?
An aqueous solution can have a pH of about 7 IF the temperature of the aqueous solution is about 25°C.

At 25°C, a neutral aqueous solution has pH≈7

IF the temperature is less than 25°C, the pH will be greater than 7

Temperature <25°C, a neutral aqueous solution has pH>7 

IF the temperature is higher than 25°C, the pH will be less than 7

Temperature >25°C, a neutral aqueous solution has pH<7

The pH of a neutral aqueous solution depends on the temperature of the solution!!!

Read more at https://www.ausetute.com.au/kw.html

Suggested Study Questions:

1.  In an aqueous solution the concentration of hydrogen ions is the same as the concentration of hydroxide ions. Is this solution acidic, basic, or, neutral? 
2. In an aqueous solution, the concentration of hydrogen ions is 2.7 x 10^-6 mol L^-1 and the concentration of hydroxide ions is 2.7 x 10^-6 mol L^-1. Is this solution acidic, basic, or, neutral. Explain your answer.
3. The concentration of hydroxide ions in a neutral aqueous solution is 5.8 x 10^-6 mol L^-1. What is the concentration of hydrogen ions in this solution? 
4. The concentration of hydrogen ions in a neutral aqueous solution is  7.9 x 10^-7 mol L^-1 What is the concentration of hydroxide ions in this solution?
5. Calculate the pH of the solution in question 4.
6. Calculate the pH of the solution in question 3.
7. Calculate the pH o the solution in question 2.
8. Explain how you would calculate the pH of the solution in question 1, justifying any assumptions you need to make.
9. Critically evaluate this statement, "At pH 7 a solution is neutral".
10. Chris the Chemist tested the pH of the water in the local pool. Monday was a hot day, about 40°C, and the pH of water was 6.82. That night the temperature dropped dramatically and the next day was a chilly 10°C. When Chris tested the pH of the pool water it was found to be 7.59. Is the pool water acidic, basic, or neutral? Justify your answer.

Indicators for Strong Acid - Strong Base Titrations

When a strong acid is added to a strong base the products are water and a salt.
Water is neutral, that is [H⁺(aq)] = [OH^-(aq)]
 (or [H₃O⁺(aq)] = [OH^-(aq)] if you prefer)

The salt of a strong acid and base is made up of a cation that will not react with water to any appreciable extent, and an anion that will not react with water to any appreciable extent, so this salt does not affect the  [H⁺(aq)] and [OH^-(aq)] in the water, that is, the aqueous solution remains neutral.
At 25°C, K_w = [H⁺(aq)] × [OH^-(aq)] = 10^-14
Since [H⁺(aq)] = [OH^-(aq)]
K_w = [H⁺(aq)]² = 10^-14
√[H⁺(aq)]² = √10^-14
[H⁺(aq)] = 10^-7 mol L^-1
 So, at 25°C the pH of this salt solution will be pH = -log₁₀[H⁺(aq)] = -log₁₀[10^-7 ] = 7.0
A suitable indicator is one that changes colour at around pH = 7.00
Suitable indicators, for example, are bromothymol blue (colour change between 6.7 and 7.6) or phenol red (colour change between 6.8 and 8.4)

Phenolphthalein changes colour between pH 8.3 and 10. Phenolphthalein is NOT an appropriate indicator for a strong acid - strong base titration.

If we add a drop of phenolphthalein indicator to an aqueous solution of strong acid, the pH will be less than 7 and the solution will remain colourless. As we add strong base, hydrogen ions react with excess hydroxide ions to produce salt and water, so the pH increases. At pH = 7.0 all the strong acid will have been neutralised by the addition of strong base, BUT the phenolphthalein indicator will not have changed colour!
Phenolphthalein will not change colour until an excess of strong base (hydroxide ions) has been added and we have overshot the equivalence point for the reaction. The volume of strong base we record in this experiment will be too large!.

In strong base such as an aqueous solution of sodium hydroxide, the pH will be high and a drop of phenolphthalein indicator will turn the solution pink.
As we add a strong acid such hydrochloric acid, we will be consuming some of the hydroxide ions, and decreasing the pH. Somewhere between pH 8.3 and 10 we will decide that all our base has been neutralised by the acid because the indicator is now colourless instead of pink. But the reality will be that there is still excess hydroxide ions in solution waiting to be neutralised by the addition of more acid, so the volume of acid we have added, as indicated by the colour change of the indicator will be too low!

Learn all about how to choose an appropriate indicator for different types of acid-base titrations ar
https://www.ausetute.com.au/indicata.html

Nitrogen vs Air in Car Tyres

The tread on my car tyres had worn down, so I popped into my local tyre retailer to buy 4 new tyres.

"We can inflate your new tyres with air, or, for an extra $5 per tyre we can fill them with nitrogen gas", the sales person told me, " Nitrogen gas doesn't react with tyre and rim material so your tyres will last longer, it will help maintain the pressure in your tyres so you won't need to check your tyre pressure as often, and it reduces the running temperature of the tyres so your tyres are less likely to explode."

Is this just marketing hype or are there good reasons for choosing to inflate your car tyres with nitrogen instead of air?

Read the March 2020 edition of AUS-e-NEWS to find out more.

Subscribe to AUS-e-NEWS, AUS-e-TUTE's free quarterly newsletter for chemistry teachers and students, at https://www.ausetute.com.au/ausenews.html