In a future where interstellar travel is common, a spaceship is suddenly trapped inside a cloud of interstellar dust. Unable to see anything, not even the glow of the brightest star, are surrounded by the blackest of darkness. onboard sensors determine that the cloud is formed mainly by hydroxyl groups, consisting of one atom of hydrogen and oxygen, formaldehyde molecules (H 2 CO) the first polyatomic organic compound found in the interstellar medium, consisting of a carbon atom, one oxygen and two hydrogen. Although hydrogen is the most common chemical element in the universe, the spacecraft science team confirms that there are only 5% of the inside of the cloud. Where have you gone to hydrogen which apparently seems to be missing and that is essential in the operation of the engines, then use a capture of interstellar hydrogen is carried out a nuclear fusion reaction ?
The reason given by the crew shortages hydrogen inside the cloud is that " some process has concentrated oxygen and carbon space in unprecedented numbers, enough to consume the hydrogen in a volume of several cubic light years ." Although at no time provides an explanation of the process of concentration of carbon and oxygen (the two most abundant chemical elements in the universe, after hydrogen and helium), the fact is that the reasoning carried out by the protagonists of the story to alluding foregoing paragraphs basically flawless.
Indeed, today it is thought that the process by which formaldehyde generated is called hydrogenation ice carbon monoxide (CO). Thus, the CO molecule capture a hydrogen atom to form HCO, to recapture another hydrogen atom more leads the molecule H 2 CO . Thus, atomic hydrogen would disappear in the cloud, its density is so small that it would be enough to sustain nuclear fusion in the engines of the spacecraft and, consequently, result in the detention facilities.
the Fusion, the person responsible for engineering the merger of the vehicle, a very peculiar, extremely self-centered and aimed at acknowledge some errors, you must find a solution as quickly as possible, because, otherwise, the ship will exhaust all its reserves and may not resume running again.
Among the passengers is an old school teacher for children. Using the "life skills", and almost complete disuse, being regarded as outdated, with which he teaches his students, he referred to one of the hostesses who thinks he knows why the ship is stopped . He claims to have deduced that the engines are switched off due to impurities found within the interstellar cloud. Intrigued, the stewardess continues inquiring with interest. The old professor says that the hydroxyl can not be the case, as there are unreasonably harmful to the fusion system. Instead, the most likely suspect is formaldehyde, and carbon compounds that are particularly harmful. Are compounds that do not blend easily (requiring high temperatures). When heated to a few hundreds of millions of degrees, are broken down into single atoms and the concentration of oxygen and carbon fusion system damages the engines of the ship.
In order not to offend the fusionist and not raise alarms that cause panic among the other passengers, the teacher proposes to the hostess she is to submit his ideas with the utmost discretion. What is the solution that has come up for re-operate the engines? Well, simply cause absorption of harmful impurities at moderate temperatures. Thus, the hydroxyl is combined with formaldehyde in an ordinary chemical reaction that will not hurt the system. The energy released in the reaction, although well below that produced in a nuclear fusion reaction will be accumulated and used to complete missing the ship. Upon resumption progress could recapture atomic hydrogen in the usual manner as soon abandon the interior of the interstellar cloud.
Quiz: What is the name of the author and the title of the story alluded to in the preceding paragraphs?
NOTE: This entry is my contribution to the first edition of the Carnival of Chemistry, organized by Dani ( That pale blue dot).
