Organic Plants – Why Not “Picture Perfect Plants”?

Here’s why: to any big chain store, a plant (or fruit or vegetable) is a product. That makes sense of course, but it’s about perspective. Their goal is to have the product look great, even if just temporarily. These plants and produce are often greenhouse grown, in a humid environment, with plenty of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. I often refer to plants from the “Clone Depot” as being on steroids. The environment from which they come is also very unlikely to be sustained by the shopper who buys them. I have heard many times by discouraged gardeners that they brought a plant home, and then within a few weeks it was wilting or dead.

Here in San Diego, bringing home a basil plant that was greenhouse (or hothouse) grown is like buying cut flowers. In a matter of time the basil will wilt and die, because it’s used to a high humidity environment. To do well in specific climates, many plants must be climatized. This is why I would always recommend buying from a small nursery who does not raise their plants in a greenhouse. Better yet, if you have patience, grow your plants from organic seed. Read the rest of this entry »

If you have a curiosity for chemistry then you would be interested to know about the different branches of the subject. Understanding the various concepts, facts and the different branches of chemistry will help you select your major in school, especially if you plan to take up a career as a chemist. Let me begin by telling you that every branch of science deals with the study of diverse aspects of nature.

Chemistry and its different branches can actually be further divided into several other sub branches. This branch of science has the widest range of application in real life. It is the science of molecules and atoms. This domain extends everywhere in the world. There are no boundaries separating the different divisions of sub-divisions of the subject. They are simply segregated for our convenience. Here are some of the main branches of the subject.

Inorganic Chemistry: It deals with the study of different types of inorganic compounds. Alternatively, it can be defined as the branch that deals with the compounds which are not organic in character. This may include the study of bases, acids, salts, and different kinds of inorganic chemicals. The properties of the metals and non-metals, and their interactions with each other are studied in detail. This branch is also sub divided in various branches according to their applications in real life. Read the rest of this entry »

We live in a technology-driven world as we all are dependent on technology in a way or two. And now, technology is making its impact on education as well. With the help of Internet, students can study their desired subjects, courses by staying online from their home or any other place. Books have a limitation as they can contain information only to some extent and also, the information provided is static. Sometimes, pictures and models are available in the books but it’s not possible to zoom-in or zoom-out to get a clear view.

Online education is getting support from all over the world as it can easily overcome the limitations of books and teachers to some extent. While studying online, a student can be at a different place and the teacher can be at some other place. Also, it is very easy to create and upload videos related to subjects so as to help a student to understand things more clearly. Interactive sessions can also be held online so as to allow students to ask their queries with the concerned teacher.

Now, it is even possible to study Chemistry online. Chemistry is the science related to properties of matter along with their structure and composition. It is a physical science that deals with study of molecules, crystals, atoms and these are studied either in isolation or in combination. Chemistry uses the concepts of entropy and energy along with spontaneity to understand the things in depth. An individual who is studying chemistry needs to understand the changes undergoing during chemical reactions as chemical reactions are widely used while studying chemistry. Read the rest of this entry »