Someone must be good at chemistry ...

[blamebrampton]

Is there anyone out there who is genuinely good at chemistry? I have a writer who assures me that using Epsom salts in the bath will cut down on soap scum. This seems crazy to me, because the addition of magnesium to water will harden it, which I would think would lead to more, not less, scum. Am I secretly insane? Am I missing something? Is there a clever cunning trick that means the Epsom salts will harden the water but stop the scum sticking to the bath?

Is there any way of stopping journalists using internet gossip sites as their sole sources of information? Is there any way to make the internet more accurate? Is there any way I can be issued with a blanket immunity to prosecution for throwing things at journalists who say 'No, that's right, it was on the internet!'

Also ...
HAPPY BIRTHDAY marinelle24 ! I hope you have a lovely day!

Comments

[potteresque_ire]

Heh, interesting question. I never used epsom salt for cleaning before.

If I have to venture a guess, I'd say it has something to do with ionic strength. It is definitely true that magnesium causes more scum to form—you're not insane at all!! But at the same time, the sulfate (SO4-) will be a continuous competitor for the magnesium ion, and the continuous exchange of the Mg2+ between the carboxylate (COO-) from the soap and the sulfate may help to increase the solubility of the precipitates in the water, which means in the end you have less left in the tub, but more in the pipes. Supposedly a bit of scum in the pipes is a good thing though as it protects the metal from corrosion :D

Am I making this all up? Maybe... *grins*

ETA: Once I wrote something in a forum ... a small opinion about something. The next day it was on the mainland China newspaper as a "news source". Oh, am I the only person who's really irked by the "I-report" on CNN.com? They call it unfiltered news .... I tend to be mean and think that they're lazy and/or trying to cut down their crew.

And my office mate insists that my best career option is to write for Onion.com. He says I totally have it. Should I take it as a praise or insult? :D

[noeon.livejournal.com]

Okay. That was awesome.

And your office mate is perhaps silly, but the writers for the Onion are really good. I believe Stewart and Colbert poached some of their staff from the Onion.