What is Benedict's Reagent

Benedict's reagent is a chemical compound made up of copper sulfate, which can detect the presence of glucose or fructose. A reagent is a chemical that is applied to another substance in order to produce a chemical reaction that can give valuable information regarding the substance. Benedict's reagent is most commonly used to calculate ways of reducing glucose or fructose in foods. In the past, it was the way diabetes was detected through the testing of urine.

In food tests, a small amount of the food is added to Benedict's reagent and boiled for several minutes to test the amount of sugar present. The results will show precipitates, or solid formations within the tested substance. The amount to which a precipitate is present can show the exact glucose or fructose present in the substance. 

Since the precipitates are likely to be very small, Benedict's reagent also shows color changes that can gauge the amounts of the sugars glucose and fructose. For example, a substance treated with Benedict's reagent that is green shows very little or possibly no glucose or fructose present. On the other hand a red color indicates a high quantity of these sugars.

In people who are suspected of having diabetes, analysis of urine is one of the main diagnostic method. Pregnant women used to undergo an analysis of urine that was treated with Benedict's reagent to check for gestational diabetes. Today, other tests may be used because they are more precise in measuring sugar levels. 

Pregnant women may resent these frequent urine tests but they are in fact very important to rule out diabetic conditions during a pregnancy. Benedict’s reagent only works so far in diabetic testing however, since presence of fructose in the urine does not suggest a diabetic condition.

Thus, urine must be further tested, if it shows positive when mixed with Benedict's reagent to evaluate for the presence of glucose. For some, this may mean no further testing with Benedict's reagent, but drinking a glucose solution that most find quite distasteful. However, untreated diabetes should not go unchecked. Thus, diagnosis is extremely valuable and may help begin early treatment, which can significantly change later outcome.

What is a Wind Farm

A wind farm is a collection of windmills or turbines which are used to generate electrical power through their mechanical motions as they are pushed by the wind. Both Europe and the United States have large numbers of wind farms, and the technology is also found on other continents. In Asia, India especially has devoted a great deal of funding to establishing wind farms. The energy generated by a wind farm can be fed directly into the general energy grid after passing through transformers.

As a potentially large source of renewable energy, wind farms are particularly popular in nations which are focusing on alternative energy. Other types of renewable energy include wave power and solar arrays. All of these technologies take advantage of already existing energy, converting it into a usable form. Since a wind farm does not actively deplete resources as it generates power, it is considered a form of “green” energy.

Naturally, some resources must be expended to create a wind farm. The turbines, transformers, and grid system on a wind farm are often made from less than ideal substances, such as metals mined in an unclean way. However, once installed, a wind farm requires no additional energy output other than that required for basic maintenance. This is a marked contrast to a power plant which relies on coal or petroleum products. Consumers who want to support wind farms can buy energy credits which go to developers of wind farms.

Naturally, the best place for a wind farm is a windy location. In some instances, a windy location may also be generally unusable or uninhabitable. In other instances, a wind farm may take up useful real estate which could be used for farming. This has led to some criticism of wind farms, since they take up a great deal more space than a comparable non-renewable energy generating facility. In addition, wind farms pose a severe threat to migratory birds, as has been clearly documented by several scientific organizations.

These issues aside, the technology is generally believed to be environmentally sound and fiscally viable. Especially if wind farms are combined with other renewable energy sources, green energy could make up a bulk of the power grid. This could have a huge impact on the environment and on society in general. Especially at the end of the twentieth century, when a growing number of citizens began to call for energy reforms, wind farms held a great deal of promise.

What Is a BTU

BTU, short for British Thermal Unit, is a basic measure of thermal (heat) energy. One BTU is the amount of energy needed to heat one pound of water one degree Fahrenheit, measured at its heaviest point. In other words, if you placed 16 ounces of water at 59°F into a stovetop pan and turned on the gas burner, it would take one BTU to raise the temperature of the water to 60°F. As more BTUs continue to flow from the gas flame, the water will eventually reach the boiling point of 212°F. 

A BTU is also the equivalent of 252 heat calories, not to be confused with the kilo-calories of food, and of approximately a third of a watt-hour. When speaking of cooling power, the BTU also works in reverse. The air-cooling power of an air conditioning system refers to the amount of thermal energy removed from an area. Hence a 65,000 BTU heater and a 65,000 BTU air conditioner are of roughly the same capacity and size. The higher the BTU output, the more powerful the heating or cooling system.

Strangely enough, the British Thermal Unit is rarely used in Great Britain anymore, where it is considered a non-metric measurement. Even in countries which use the BTU as a standard measurement, there is some disagreement over the formula used to derive it. The thermal energy needed to raise water one degree Fahrenheit can depend on the original temperature and the method used for heating. Therefore, it is possible to get several different definitions of a BTU from different sources. This rarely has a palpable effect on consumer product information, however.

Most heating and cooling systems produce thousands of BTUs, almost rendering the measurement of one BTU pointless. One is more likely to encounter smaller BTU figures during scientific experiments, where the slightest change in thermal energy may need to be calculated in terms of calories. When dealing with central air conditioning units and commercial pizza ovens, however, the BTU numbers can easily reach the hundreds of thousands. A unit of measure called the MMBTU is the equivalent of a million BTUs. Few man-made objects can generate this level of thermal energy, however.

When shopping for heating or cooling systems, keep in mind that even the smallest window-mounted air conditioner or space heater can produce thousands of BTUs. The BTU numbers should primarily be used as a comparison between systems. Larger and more expensive systems should provide significantly higher BTUs than smaller ones. When deciding between similarly priced units, compare the BTUs for a better gauge of performance.