The structure of THC is classified by where the double bonds occur. The molecule is classified by delta and then a number
The molecule as two chiral carbons allowing for four stereo-isomers to form
The double bonds in the molecule lock the atoms in place creating cis and trans isomers
The place in which the double bond is causes one molecule of THC to be more potent then other.
The top ring contributes to the cannabinoid activity in the receptors
But the most important part of the molecule is the side chain, potency can be increased by adding more carbons on to it. It can be increased by 7 carbon chains
The orientation of the side chain on the lower part of the chain plays an important role on how the receptor receives the molecule
The configuration of the hydroxy group is critical to determining the potency
When the receptors receive the molecule, the exact line up of the bonds and side chains determine how “high” one will get when smoking or ingesting the molecule
Calcium Carbonate has shaped history by establishing a World-Wide Economic Industry
The past half-decade saw a global expansion of 633 million tons.
Almost 70%, or 440 million tons of this comes from East Asia alone.
76 million tons come from other Asian countries.
7 million tons from Central and South America
44 million tons from Africa/Middle East
48 million tons from Europe
20 million tons from North America.
A Chinese International Cement Industry Exhibition
Cement trade
The world cement trade has risen almost continuously over the past 35 years, advancing from 20 million tons in 1970, to 71 million tons by 1990, and to 155 million tons last year.
Current cement consumption closely mirrors that of production, emphacizing the relatively low level of international cement trade volumes relative to world demand. (Good thing we won’t be running out of it anytime soon.)
Hawaii’s Volcanic Ash
The Hawaiian Islands have been coveted and industrialized for its supplies of volcanic ash. The ash is an important aggregate mixture with the CaCO3 limestone in certain mixtures. This has brough much wealth to the tiny state, and although the pulvurization of the islands has harmful environmental effects, the concrete industry gives it something else to export besides sugarcane.
Staple of Modern Construction
The versitility, strength, and overall availablility of Calcium Carbonate and other earthly compounds make concrete the most widely used building material all around the world. Take a look around you, and see just how much of where you live, work, and play is dictated by the use of concrete to suspend you, your car, and everything else. Truely, CaCO3 has had a profound effect on our world, our industries, and how we have come to know them today.
(above, left: The New Rector Science Complex, under construction on the Dickinson College campus, using an internal concrete support structure, Carlisle, PA.) circ. 2007
(above, right: The Tallest Precast Concrete Building West of the Mississippi, The Paramount Building is Topped Off in San Francisco, CA. It was one of the first to employ methods that Dickinson is doing right now.) circ. 2001
Specific Industrial Uses of Calcium Carbonate
Additive to calcium supplement health tablets and anacids.
Additive to liquid products to create a paste, such as in toothpaste.
Ingredient in babies’ diapers to create its microporous film lining.
Pure CaCO3 can be marketed as blackboard/sidewalk chalk.
Used as a food additive in calcium shakes, soy milk, and baby formula.
Calcium Carbonate makes up approximately 4% of Earth’s crust, so it has been a part of history since the beginning of the beginning, contributing to the rise and fall of many ancient civilizations.
The earliest records of primitive concrete being made date back to 5600 BC in modern day Serbia, with a hut made of a red lime, sand, and gravel mixture. (This was before even the Sumerian Civilization began in Mesopotamia.)
The Ancient Egyptians established their architecture using a lime and gypsum cement. The stone covering of the Great Pyramids at Giza that tourists see today is the remaining limestone shell, which is of course, CALCIUM CARBONATE!!
(CaCO3 remains as a reminder of the great power of Ancient Egypt during 3000 BC.)
The Romans have Calcium Carbonate to thank for their Empire (approx 700 BC-100 BC), because their great cites were supplied with fresh water from concrete aquaducts, made from a quicklime, pozzolanic ash, and pumice mixture, along with some additives like Horse hair and blood.
(A Roman aquaduct remains in France.)
From the 1850’s on, after Joeseph Aspdin patented his Portland Cement, the perfected mixture found its way to making roads, bridges, tunnels and dams in all areas of the world. These structures revolutionized many countries as they could now navigate to new areas and trade with areas that before were unreachable.
This made the transportation of people and goods more efficient, splendidly intensifying the economies of both Britain and the United States.
Paved roads, whether it comes from concrete or asphalt were extremely important for the distribution of the population throughout the United States, and the development of the Western States.
(Even if the road is not made of cement, chances are that the structures suspending it are. Yay CaCO3!!)
The properites and abilities of concrete are derived from the molecular stucture of CaCO3 and of other molecules like it.
The Carbonate Molecule CO3: A Trigonal Planer Arrangement
3D Sketch of two CO3 Molecules interacting with Calcium Ions: The CaCO3 Molecule. They form a Semi-“pleated sheet” crystalline structure.
With the introduction of water (H2O) molecules, the structure of the CaCO3 molecules change. The molecules form a permeable “cage” that can move as liquid, but solidify as rock under heat and pressure.
When the calcium carbonates first come into contact with water, a reaction occurs in which calcium ions are formed and the water molecules are broken down to form hydroxide ions. It is this bond breaking that produces heat. Calcium hydroxide is not very soluble so it is soon saturated and forms a solid.
As long as water is in contact with the cement, these reactions continue but they get slower and slower, and can take several years to reach full strength.
As the solid is formed, however, there is less and less space between the grains of aggregate and carbonate for the water to move around and reach un-reacted cement. This means that the reaction will slow down as the pores between the aggregate get smaller.
Above is a map of the United States, the highlighted states are states that have made new laws for Marijuana
██ State with legal medical cannabis.
██ State with decriminalized cannabis possession laws.
██ State with both medical and decriminalization laws.
The gray states are states that completely outlaw any use of Marijuana
Below is a world map that displays countries individual laws pertaining to the use of Marijuana:
Dark Blue: Legal/Essentially Legal
Light Blue: Decriminalization
Orange: Illegal, but mostly unenforced
Red: Confirmed Illegal
Pink: Probably varies by region
Gray: No information
This map above show that the use of THC in Marijuana, is not just an American debate, but a world wide one. The rules vary for each country, depending on their tolerance of the drug.
THC on 60 minutes and the stores in California
In the world of construction, one material is used above all others: concrete. Concrete is absolutely indespensible in modern society’s fascination with new roads, buildings and other constructions. One industry expert has gone as far as to say that now “concrete IS chemistry.” This is due to the increasing development of admixtures which chemically affect certain properties of concrete. -Simon Davies The Chemistry of Concrete
The three basic ingredients of concrete are aggregate, cement, water. Cement is the fixture that binds the ingredients together, water gives the concrete viscocity in order to be molded and react with the ingredients, and the aggregates are what adds bulk to the concrete, but are not involved in the chemical processes.
Cement, the building block of concrete is composed of innumerable, natural occuring elements, earthly compounds, and alkali metals: among them is Calcuim Carbonate. The cement mixture is created by crushing up clay and limestone together and roasting it in a kiln.
The formed powder typically has a similar chemistry to the following:
75% Di, Tri- calcium silicate
10% Tetracalcium aluminoferrite
10% Tricalcium aluminate
10% Gypsum or Hydrated calcium suphate
Calcium Carbonate serves as a general term referring to the limestone base that is quarried from mines in order to complete the mixture, and is especially important.
Some other common materials found in finished Concrete arechalks, marbles, oyster shell, shale, clay, slags, fly ash, bauxite, alumina process waste, and granite, silica sand, iron ores, blast furnace flue dusts, pyrite clinker, and mill scale. CaCO3 is present in most. -Charles Kubach, Mineral Processing Engineer, Sepor Inc.
Marijuana’s effect on the user depends on the strength or potency of the THC it contains. THC potency has increased since the 1970s but has been about the same since the mid-1980s. The strength of the drug is measured by the average amount of THC in test samples.
Most ordinary marijuana contains an average of 3% of THC
The more THC in the Marijuana the greater the effect of the brain will be
Within a few minutes of inhaling marijuana smoke, the user will likely feel, along with intoxication, a dry mouth, rapid heartbeat, some loss of coordination and poor sense of balance, and slower reaction time. Blood vessels in the eye expand, so the user’s eyes look red
The feeling of being “high” lasts for 2 to 3 hours and then makes the smoker tired and sometimes extremely hungry. This is known in slang terms as the “munchies”
How it works in the Body:
Marijuana can be inhaled or ingested into the body by either smoking or eating, some common ways to eat it is to make “magic” brownies or mix it with peanut butter and make a sandwich
The THC from the Marijuana goes to the brain and stays in the Synapse Clef until a special receiver, known as the Cannabinoid recpetor, receives the THC and creates the feeling of being high
Dopamine, the chemical in the brain that sends a message of feeling good to the body, is released.
Dopamine production is not increased nor decreased when using THC. This quality in itself make is one of the major reasons that Marijuana is not an addictive
Staying in the Body
THC is abosorbed by fatty tissue, for less frequent users THC can be traced in the body by a simple urine test for several days
For those chronic or heavy smokers, THC can be traced in the body for up to several weeks
People have now designed special drinks and concoctions to try and beat a drug test.
These drinks can cost anywhere from $24 to $124 and they all are said to work for a simple urine test, but is not guaranteed for a blood test.
Most kits are designed to be taken over a three week time period for best results
These Kits include ingredients such as:
Herbs such as milk thistle, barberry, dandelion or schizandra – traditionally used to ‘detoxify’ the liver and aid normal liver function
Digestive aids such as ginger, globe artichoke and peppermint for treating indigestion
Laxatives like fennel, psyllium and senna
Diuretics like birch, dandelion, golden rod and spiny restharrow – these are supposed to increase bowel movements and urine elimination.
Scientist say that taking these drinks and pills is harmful to the body
Many believe that these so called “detox-kits” promote body abuse because you are able to find a quick fix in a bottle.
politicians and journalists suggested that the CIA contributed to the rise of the crack epidemic. Allegations of drug ties to the Contra rebels, to possible direct involvement in drug trafficking by the Contras and even members of the CIA.
On April 17, 1986, the Reagan Administration released a three page report acknowledging that there were some Contra-cocaine connections in 1984 and 1985
Socio-Economic Trends
Northeastern and Mid – Atlantic States most affected
African- Americans, Latinos, and Poorer Whites most affected
Jail Sentencing much greater for Crack cocaine possession than powder cocaine
The War Against Drugs
Crack Cocaine is a Substance II felony drug
Government reports estimate $ 12 Billion in drug control in 2005
(CaCO3 remains as a reminder of the great power of Ancient Egypt during 3000 BC.)
