A Water Molecule's Chemical Formula is Really Not H2O

[Mkingsley]

Dihydrogen monoxide has been getting a bad rap from such sources as the Dihydrogen Monoxide Research Division (http://www.dhmo.org) and the Coalition to Ban Dihydrogen Monoxide (http://www.circus.com/~no_dhmo). This recent news item seems to suggest that such paranoia is unfounded:

http://www.aip.org/enews/physnews/2003/split/648-1.html

[BigJim]

Ahem! I, sir, am a proud supporter of the Dihydrogen Monoxide Research Division (www.dhmo.org) ! Everyone should be aware of the dangers of the deadly chemical dihydrogen monoxide, also called hydrogen hydroxide or simply hydric acid.

[tjm220]

Ahem! I, sir, am a proud supporter of the Dihydrogen Monoxide Research Division (www.dhmo.org) ! Everyone should be aware of the dangers of the deadly chemical dihydrogen monoxide, also called hydrogen hydroxide or simply hydric acid.

Even diluted to homeopathic strength it still packs a punch. :o

[Pi Man]

Help! I'm melting! I'm meeeellllllllllllllltiiiiiiing! :lol:

[Doodler]

Ahem! I, sir, am a proud supporter of the Dihydrogen Monoxide Research Division (www.dhmo.org) ! Everyone should be aware of the dangers of the deadly chemical dihydrogen monoxide, also called hydrogen hydroxide or simply hydric acid.\


This is dangerous stuff, look what it did to Arizona in mere teraseconds!

http://realgar.mcli.dist.maricopa.edu/alan/pix/grand-canyon.jpg

[Glom]

Sheer brilliance really. =D>

[tracer]

http://www.aip.org/enews/physnews/2003/split/648-1.html
From the article:

"According to new and recent experiments, neutrons and electrons colliding with water for just attoseconds will see a ratio of hydrogen to oxygen of roughly 1.5 to 1, so a more accurate formula for water under these circumstances would be H1.5O."

All right, then, why do I get exactly twice as many hydrogen atoms as I do oxygen atoms when I subject water to electrolysis?

[mike alexander]

All right, then, why do I get exactly twice as many hydrogen atoms as I do oxygen atoms when I subject water to electrolysis?

Hydrogen is harier?

[Colt]

Uh.. So, what is exactly wrong wtih this stuff? All you have said is it is bad. Explain please.

Is this the stuff they use to leach minerals out of rocks? -Colt

[Pi Man]

No! It's the stuff they use to leach minerals *into* rocks!

[freddo]

Uh.. So, what is exactly wrong wtih this stuff? All you have said is it is bad. Explain please.

Is this the stuff they use to leach minerals out of rocks? -Colt

Here's the facts Colt (http://www.dhmo.org/facts.html)

But I strongly suggest you do a google and find out what DiHydrogen Monoxide actually is/means.... [-(

[kucharek]

I confess, I'm a dihydrogen monoxide addicted. Every day, I pump this stuff into my body! I pour it over my body like a shower! I even give it to my kids! :oops: 8-[

[freddo]

I confess, I'm a dihydrogen monoxide addicted. Every day, I pump this stuff into my body! I pour it over my body like a shower! I even give it to my kids! :oops: 8-[

I use it for the purpose of enhancing my sporting abilities!! Shame on me....

[johnb]

How can it be called Hydric acid?

An acid is a substance with a pH less than 7, pure DHMO has a pH of 7( is`nt that what they based the scale on?).

I have to declare a special interest here. I love the stuff and use at least 2litres a day just for my personal consumption, and at work I insist my patients have at least 8 cups of it daily.

[kucharek]

I have to declare a special interest here. I love the stuff and use at least 2litres a day just for my personal consumption, and at work I insist my patients have at least 8 cups of it daily.
John, don't confuse DHMO with Uisge Beatha... [-X 8-[

[kucharek]

How can it be called Hydric acid?
I also question that. Hydrogen Hydroxide sounds more like a lye than an acid.

[Glom]

Hydric acid is incorrect anyway. Since water dissociates to hydrogen and hydroxide, the hydrogen is the proton and so the acid should be named for the anion: hydroxylic acid.

[johnb]

I have to declare a special interest here. I love the stuff and use at least 2litres a day just for my personal consumption, and at work I insist my patients have at least 8 cups of it daily.
John, don't confuse DHMO with Uisge Beatha... [-X 8-[

Sir [-X I would never use the Uisge for mere patients.As for myself :D

[johnb]

You know, in homeopathy they reckon DHMO has memory. Do you think maybe we should be careful what we say about it? It is all around us after all.

[Colt]

:cry:

[Kaptain K]

Colt,

Dihydrogen = H2
Monoxide = O
Dihydrogen Monoxide = ???? :roll:

[kucharek]

Is Colt pulling our leg? Or will his next posting be full of :oops: s?

Harald

PS: Alaska is a great place. Last night, due to the current heat here, they showed on one tv channel only documentary movies about Alaska in winter, Siberia in winter and similar places...

[kilopi]

Sorry if this upsets some of you but if it is so bad and dangerous why haven't I heard of it before? I don't understand.
Incredible. Four thousand overdose deaths each year in the USA alone, and you've never heard of it? We're practically swimming in it.

[TriangleMan]

I seem to recall that in Alaska they have a lot of frozen dihydrogen monoxide all over the ground for much of the year :o How can one live in such a dangerous place! :wink:

[Colt]

I feel very stupid now. :( I thoguht that you were being serious.. I've never taken Chemistry so I did not know. :cry:

[johnb]

Sorry if this upsets some of you but if it is so bad and dangerous why haven't I heard of it before? I don't understand. :( -Colt[/quote]

This has got to be a wind up! I mean the answer is in the thread`s title. Is`nt it?

[kilopi]

The world is awash in DHMO.

Two thirds of it anyway.

[TriangleMan]

That's okay Colt, now you can reread the website for the laughs :D

[kucharek]

I feel very stupid now. :( I thoguht that you were being serious.. I've never taken Chemistry so I did not know. :cry:

Every day, you learn something new on the BABB...

[Mkingsley]

"According to new and recent experiments, neutrons and electrons colliding with water for just attoseconds will see a ratio of hydrogen to oxygen of roughly 1.5 to 1, so a more accurate formula for water under these circumstances would be H1.5O."

All right, then, why do I get exactly twice as many hydrogen atoms as I do oxygen atoms when I subject water to electrolysis?

This apparently is a quantum effect that takes place on the time scale of attoseconds, and not on the time scale of most chemical reactions, and definitely not on the time scale of teraseconds (on the order of 30,000 years). Truthfully, I don't really understand the implications of this experiment, but I found it rather interesting. I was just being a big smartass with the whole DHMO thing, when I should have been emphasizing the experiment itself. If somebody here can explain this article from Physical Review Letters in layman terms, I would really appreciate it.

[nebularain]

Here's the facts Colt (http://www.dhmo.org/facts.html)

OK, now that web page is :lol: !

[digitalspector]

This is a joke right?? They pulling are leg right? To funny

#-o

:lol: :lol: :lol:


A notable exception is U.S. News & World Report which included a link the DHMO.org in a story on " Weird Science" in their October 11, 1999

Boy, they got that right.

Uh-oh starting to sweat--DHMO poisoning...grrr

[Pi Man]

This is great! :lol:

[Gmann]

The folks at DHMO must have idle time on thier hands. Quite an extensive site. I just hope that people realize that this is satire, and not meant to be taken too seriously.

I wonder how long it will be before it ends up in "signs of the times"? :-k

[Glom]

I'd actually love it if people take it seriously and start making noises about it and completely humiliate themselves. It will show to the public the true dangers of lack of critical thinking and will encourage them to think twice about their summary, misinformed condemnation of nuclear power.

[freddo]

I'd actually love it if people take it seriously and start making noises about it and completely humiliate themselves. It will show to the public the true dangers of lack of critical thinking and will encourage them to think twice about their summary, misinformed condemnation of nuclear power.

Very true - a number of the spots on that site talk about how they got ridiculous levels of support for banning DHMO, and then they say :

"He adds that if more people knew the truth about DHMO then studies like the one he conducted would not be necessary. "


This is a joke right?? They pulling are leg right? To funny

It is a joke - but there's not really any leg pulling taking place per se.
DHMO is dangerous. But then so is everything! They just don't talk about how easy it is to manage the risks... =D>

[tracer]

Hydric acid is incorrect anyway. Since water dissociates to hydrogen and hydroxide, the hydrogen is the proton and so the acid should be named for the anion: hydroxylic acid.
What is this "water" stuff you speak of?

[tracer]

I've never taken Chemistry so I did not know. :cry:
Oh dear, Colt, your emoticon seems to be leaking DHMO out of its eyes.

[Pi Man]

You guys say that DHMO isn't an acid, but it can dissolve large chunks many solids in seconds! :o

[Colt]

I still feel pretty bad and stupid. ](*,) :-s :cry: -Colt

[Pi Man]

Don't worry about it.

A: We (by we I mean they, not that I wouldn't have done the same thing...) all set you up. It's our fault that you look stupid.
B: I've done much dumber things, and much more often! :lol:
C: You don't really look stupid. You look like you haven't taken the time to read the spoof very thoroughly.

[freddo]

Pi Man's right... You just were on the end of the joke this time...

You would have looked silly however if you had have gone:

"OMG! DHMO is gonna kill us all! We gotta get rid of it or we are all doomed!!!"

You just kept asking why is it bad? What is it? Exactly the questions you should have been asking.

So oh contrare - do not feel stupid - feel vindicated!

=D> @ Colt

[Colt]

:oops:

I knew the thread had something to do with water but I thougth you guys had taken it off-topic on something else.. Doesn't help though. :oops: -Colt

[kucharek]

Colt, don't go into a depression. We don't want the headline: "Colt shots himself with a DHMO gun" :D

PS: How about discussing the very aggressive, toxic gas oxygenmonoxide? 8)

[freddo]

PS: How about discussing the very aggressive, toxic gas oxygenmonoxide?

What a pervasive substance - the addiction level is already at 100%.... :o

[johnb]

PS: How about discussing the very aggressive, toxic gas oxygenmonoxide?

What a pervasive substance - the addiction level is already at 100%.... :o

Yup! And it has been confirmed that every single person who has died has been a lifelong user of OO.

[Colt]

Colt, don't go into a depression. We don't want the headline: "Colt shots himself with a DHMO gun" :D

PS: How about discussing the very aggressive, toxic gas oxygenmonoxide? 8)


Don't worry, I'm not stupid enough to kill myself, especially over this. :)

I can think of some people who will die and don't seem to have oxygen going to their brains.. -Colt

[Pi Man]

Yes! It's composed of the same stuff as ozone! When burned, it produces carbon monoxide. And, high concentrations of it will cause things to burn at many times the normal rate! :D

[TriangleMan]

When burned, it produces carbon monoxide.

(nitpick) Only if there is a source of carbon in the process, heat does not transform oxygen into carbon.

[kilopi]

When burned, it produces carbon monoxide.

(nitpick) Only if there is a source of carbon in the process, heat does not transform oxygen into carbon.
(another nitpick) "Burning" doesn't just mean "heating".

[TriangleMan]

(another nitpick) "Burning" doesn't just mean "heating".

Yes, but what did Pi Man mean by 'burning'? :wink:

[nebularain]

Well, it would have to be overheating anything composed of carbon, right?

Wait a minut, we are carbon-based! Does that mean getting a sunburn creates carbon monoxide? :o

[kilopi]

Well, it would have to be overheating anything composed of carbon, right?
No. I guess if you burn hydrogen, you get...water.

[TriangleMan]

No. I guess if you burn hydrogen, you get...water.

What was the title of this thread again? :D

[Kaptain K]

Another nitpick - "Burning" by definition is oxidation. Kinda hard to "oxidize" oxygen. :o The only element more electronegative than oxygen is flourine, so (technically) you could burn oxygen in a flourine atmosphere. :roll:

[kilopi]

"Burning" by definition is oxidation.
Which definition is that?

[Glom]

"Burning" by definition is oxidation.

The definition of oxidation is the loss of electrons or a loss of hydrogen.

[QuagmaPhage]

According to wordreference.com there are multiple definitions of oxidize:


oxidize, oxidise ['ɒksıˌdaız]
verb

1 to undergo or cause to undergo a chemical reaction with oxygen, as in formation of an oxide

2 to form or cause to form a layer of metal oxide, as in rusting

3 to lose or cause to lose hydrogen atoms

4 to undergo or cause to undergo a decrease in the number of electrons


There are also multiple definitions for burning here (http://www.wordreference.com/english/definition.asp?en=burning)

[mike alexander]

The only element more electronegative than oxygen is flourine, so (technically) you could burn oxygen in a flourine atmosphere.

I checked, and it doesn't work. Thermodynamics. To make oxygen fluorides requires an electric discharge through an oxygen/fluorine mix at low pressure and < 100 Kelvins. An interesting point is that in the 50's and 60's the oxygen fluorides were studied as rocket fuels. Can you imagine a booster putting out a few hundred tons of hydrogen fluoride into the launch pad atmosphere?

BTW, I mean I looked it up (Advanced Inorganic Chemistry, Cotton and Wilkinson, Pg 370 (1966 ed.), I didn't actually try it.

Jeez, that was my college Inorganic textbook. How depressing.

[freddo]

No. I guess if you burn hydrogen, you get...water.

What was the title of this thread again? :D

[head explodes]

Don't do that again... I can't deal with it :o

[tracer]

Infinite loop! Hit the dirt!!

[Pi Man]

Alright! When organic substances (just meaning substances containing carbo) are burned, in the presence of limited O2, CO can be produced.

I wasn't trying to make it perfectly scientifically accurate.

[TriangleMan]

I wasn't trying to make it perfectly scientifically accurate.

Sorry about that - sometimes us BABB science geeks get carried away. :)

[Mellow]

Steve's head well work no DHMO without

[Pinemarten]

Actually, when you 'burn' oxygen, don't you get ozone?

[Papa Bear]

That DHMO site is about the funniest thing I've ever read! Thanks!!

[mike alexander]

Actually, when you 'burn' oxygen, don't you get ozone?

No. Ozone is prepared by passing a silent discharge through oxygen. It is thermodynamically unstable (-34 kcal/mole) but kinetically stable in abscence of catalysts and UV.

[metal_dragon35]

ok you guys seem to be smart(er than me) i need to know weather Dihydrogen Monoxide is good or bad (if you were to sign a patishon aginst it would you or not)you guys keep flip floping (like Jhon kery)(se i cant spell im in 9th grade)but is it good or bad

[metal_dragon35]

your not alone colt i think i a lil dummer than u ](*,) :-({|=

[Musashi]

Not sure if you figured it out or not, but DHMO is good, not bad. Signing a petition to ban it would be a fatal mistake.

[metal_dragon35]

there saying its just water but theres people saying that itkilling people (i can understand that u can drownd)but im confuzled ](*,) o the thing is dew tomorowim such a procrastinator lol

[metal_dragon35]

thers spose to be a space inbetween tomorow and im
:D

[Musashi]

What thing is due tomorrow?

[metal_dragon35]

a report

[Musashi]

On?

[Maksutov]

Not sure if you figured it out or not, but DHMO is good, not bad. Signing a petition to ban it would be a fatal mistake.
Man, this thread is really heavy!

No, wait, that's DDMO...Dideuterium Monoxide... :o

[Ut]

ok you guys seem to be smart(er than me) i need to know weather Dihydrogen Monoxide is good or bad (if you were to sign a patishon aginst it would you or not)you guys keep flip floping (like Jhon kery)(se i cant spell im in 9th grade)but is it good or bad

This thread is what is commonly known in scientific jargon as a "joke".

On the first page of this thread, you'll notice someone saying something similar to this:

Dihydrogen Monoxide

Di means 2.
Mono means 1.
Hydrogen means hydrogen.
An oxide is a molecule that contains oxygen.

Di (2) Hydrogen (H) Mon (1) Oxide (O)

H2O

Remember, you don't learn if you never ask. Keep asking.

[Careless]

it is used
by the Church of Scientology on their members and their members' families (although surprisingly, many members recently have contacted DHMO.org to vehemently deny such use),
That's hysterical.

[Maha Vailo]

I think I saw a reference to this in the Penn and Teller show whose full name I can't mention on this board :wink:. They sent volunteers out into a city to gather signatures on a petition to ban DHMO. They even used some of the "info" used in the site. This was to illustrate how people can be fooled by extremist environmentalists' scare tactics.

- Maha "H-2-uh-oh" Vailo

[Sigma_Orionis]

Lastest info from Evil Orion Overlord Central:

Re: Operation DHMO

Current reports indicate that Phase I has been succesful in all areas. Sol III has been subject to massive bombardment of DHMO for the last 4400 million local PTCs (Planetary Translation Cycles), Local polulation completely unaware of the attack and actually considers DHMO beneficial ("A Natural Resource") with the exception of a few elements which are not considered reliable sources of information by the populace.

Evil Orion Overlord Command is considering to accelerate the time table for Phase II: Infestation of all of the local population with pure DHMO. The expected time of completion is 100 local PTCs. EOOC considers that after the completion of Phase II the local population will be prepared for harvesting and food production. Local EOOC agents have infiltrated key political planetary positions in order to facilitate the completion of Phase II.

See? It all fits! It's the Mother of all Conspirancies, we ARE being slowly poisoned by DHMO and it's an Alien Plan to turn us all into food slaves!

[Removes tongue from cheek] :lol:

[mickal555]

ok you guys seem to be smart(er than me) i need to know weather Dihydrogen Monoxide is good or bad (if you were to sign a patishon aginst it would you or not)you guys keep flip floping (like Jhon kery)(se i cant spell im in 9th grade)but is it good or bad
your not alone colt i think i a lil dummer than u ](*,) :-({|=
there saying its just water but theres people saying that itkilling people (i can understand that u can drownd)but im confuzled ](*,) o the thing is dew tomorowim such a procrastinator lol
there saying its just water but theres people saying that itkilling people (i can understand that u can drownd)but im confuzled ](*,) o the thing is dew tomorowim such a procrastinator lol
And I got a lecture about bad spilling

I'm an Australian :x

Well, at least you spelt that right.

mickal555. Do yourself a favour. Learn how to spell. Or, learn how to use a dictionary.

I am not trying to be a bad guy, I mean it. Learn how to be articulate. I will guarantee that people will take you way more seriously.

By the way. The earlier taunts, and that I was going to the Giraldo Board.

In North America there is a fool called Giraldo, and I said what I said as a joke. :D
Hmph :(



Oh, BTW
Welcome to the board :P

[PhantomWolf]

I feel very stupid now. :( I thoguht that you were being serious.. I've never taken Chemistry so I did not know. :cry:
Don't feel too bad about it Colt. One of our Politicians come out against it on National TV. Well okay, so no one ever claims Politicians were intelligent.

[Pinemarten]

metal_dragon35,
We may be forgetting our manners:
Welcome to the board! :D

I still feel my ozone statement is correct.