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Why mothballs become smaller after a week?
The process in which a solid changes directly to a gas is called sublimation. A: Mothballs are made of naphthalene, a substance that undergoes sublimation at room temperature. The solid mothballs slowly changed to a gas during the summer months, explaining why they were much smaller by autumn.
What happens to mothballs when they get wet?
Wet mothballs are even more potent than dry ones. And the wetness can be profound, like exposure to water from a flood or leaky pipe, or mild, in the form of high humidity. Either will cause the odor to be more potent and sublimation to be more rapid.
What would happen to mothballs when exposed to sunlight?
Naphthalene evaporates easily. That is why you can smell mothballs. In the air, moisture and sunlight make it break down, often within 1 day. Naphthalene can change to 1-naphthol or 2-naphthol.
Can you put mothballs in a Ziploc bag?
Mothballs must be used in an airtight space, such as a garment bag or well- sealed container. Never place mothballs in an open closet or plastic garbage bag. Eating just one mothball containing naphthalene can damage a young child’s red blood cells.
Why mothballs become smaller?
Mothballs in the U.S. contain high concentrations of either naphthalene or paradichlorobenzene. Both active ingredients are solid chemicals that slowly become fumes at room temperature. Mothballs slowly disappear as they turn into gas and mix with the surrounding air.
Can mothball smell hurt you?
The chemicals in mothballs are toxic to humans and pets. People are exposed to the chemicals in mothballs by inhaling the fumes. Some of the chemicals in mothballs can cause reversible health effects that include headaches, nausea, eye and nose irritation and coughing.
Where do you get mothballs?
Your local hardware store, garden center or supermarket should have a variety of quantities from which you can choose. Large retail chain superstores also carry mothballs. Lowe’s sells mothballs in the hardware section and Home Depot features mothballs in their seasonal wares section.
What are mothballs?
Mothballs are commonly made of naphthalene or para- dichlorobenzene, both of which are toxic to humans. These chemicals are solids at room temperature and are made into round balls, flakes or cakes that slowly change to a gas and become fumes in the air.
Can mothballs touch clothes?
Naphthalene mothballs keep Moths out of clothing but must be used carefully, especially around children. Mothballs can irritate skin; keep fabric from coming into direct contact with mothballs.
How do you reduce the evaporation rate of mothballs?
Inclosure in a plastic bag will clearly reduce the evaporation rate substantially. A woman places several mothballs in a resealable bag and seals the bag. One week later, she notices that the bag has become inflated and the mothballs are much smaller.
What is a mothball bag?
Mothballs are of two types – naphthalene or paradicholorbenzene. Both sublimate, meaning they transform from solid to gaseous phase without a liquid phase (at normal pressures). The bag inflation is just this sublimation.
Why does the size of naphthalene balls decrease when left open?
The size of naphthalene balls decreases when left open because of sublimation that is they are sublime in nature and directly from solid state changes into it’s gaseous state without undergoing into liquid form. Hope it will help you…. #Sneha
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=my2fRbv3E4I