In chemistry, a salt is any neutral chemical compound made of cations (positive ions) attached to anions (negative ions). The main kind of salt is sodium chloride with the chemical formula NaCl. It is formed when hydrochloric acid is added in sodium hydroxide. The reaction is as follows
HCl+NaOH2 gives NaCl+H20+heat
Mixtures of salts in water are called electrolytes. Electricity is able to pass through electrolytes, as well as molten salts.
Salts can melt ice, because salts lower the temperature needed for liquid to freeze. Because of that, streets are sometimes treated with salt in winter, if the temperature is only a little below freezing.
A salt can also be explained as an ionic compound which dissociates, forming a positive ion other than hydrogen ion, and a negative ion other than hydroxyl ion.
The word "Salt" in English often means 'table salt' or 'edible salt' (which is salt that can be eaten). This kind of salt is made up mostly of "sodium chloride" (NaCl). It is one of the few minerals that are eaten a lot by humans, but it can be used for other things besides giving food its flavor.
There are different kinds of edible salt: unrefined salt (for example sea salt), refined salt (table salt), and iodized salt. It is a crystalline solid that has the color white, pale pink, or light gray. It is usually taken from sea water or rock deposits. Natural sea salt has little parts and pieces of other minerals besides sodium chloride. Rock salts that can be eaten are sometimes a little grayish in color because of these other minerals.
Sodium (Na) and chlorine (Cl) are the two elements that make up sodium chloride. Both of these are needed for all living creatures, including humans, but they are not always eaten in the form of salt, where they are found together in large amounts. Some peoples, like the Yanomami tribe in South America, eat very little salt. Salt is used to control the amount of water in the body. Salty flavor is also one of the basic tastes. Salt cravings may be caused by not having enough minerals, such as sodium chloride, in the body.
Eating too much or too little salt can make health problems more likely to happen, for example hypertension. When food is made, salt is used as a preservative, to make the food last longer, and as a seasoning, for flavor.
There are different ways to get table salt:
Because many germs cannot live in salt, it has been used to preserve food since the earliest times. Its use as a food preservative helped large amounts of food to be stored, sent a long way, and eaten all through the year. This helped populations to grow, cities to develop, and soldiers in wars to be fed.
Salt was probably used in Egypt as long ago as 4000 BC. In ancient times, salt was more valuable than it is now, because it was hard to get in many places, and could be used not only to give foods flavor, but also to make them last longer. It allowed food to be kept past its season, and taken on long trips.
People often traded salt for other things. It was of high value in China, Turkey, the Middle East, and Africa. In the Mediterranean area, including Ancient Rome, salt was even used for money. The word "salary" comes from the Latin word for salt, because they paid people in salt. After people learned how to get salt from the ocean, salt became cheaper. The Phoenicians were some of the first to figure out how to do this, by pouring seawater on dry land. Then when it dried, they collected the salt and sold it.
Another use of salt was in war, as a way to punish a city by ruining its crops. This is called "salting the Earth". The Assyrians are said to have been one of the first to have done this to their neighbours.
Salts can be found in all different colours, such as: yellow (sodium chromate), orange (potassium dichromate), red (mercury sulphide), mauve (cobalt chloride hexahydrate), blue (copper sulfate pentahydrate, ferric hexacyanoferrate), green (nickel oxide), colorless (magnesium sulphate), white (titanium dioxide), and black (manganese dioxide). Most minerals and inorganic pigments, as well as many synthetic organic dyes, are salts.
Business
A business is an organization where people work together. In a business, people work to make and sell products or services. Other people buy the products and services. The business owner is the person who hires people for work. A business can earn a profit for the products and services it offers. The word "business" comes from the word "busy", and means doing things. It works on regular basis.
Originally, individual trades people were qualified, and they hired assistants. The invention of the joint-stock company meant a new era in business. By this means, some people put up the money as capital, and others used it to run the business. There is a law which says this kind of company is a "legal entity": it has a legal life separate from its owners or shareholders. In this way, a company can outlive the people who started it. This idea was invented in medieval times, but really flowered in the 19th century. It has spread around the world since then.
Most businesses are created for commerce. There are big and small businesses. For example, one person can open a small barber-shop. A big business, like Microsoft, employs thousands of people all over the world.
Some businesses need fixed locations. Examples are an office, store, or farm. For some businesses the worker goes to different locations. Examples are carpenters or electricians. They usually bring everything they need for work in their truck.
"Business" can also mean the work or current state of a business. A business owner might say: "I am doing a lot of business" or "My business is good" or "Business is bad".
The term can also be used in a more general way. As a noun, it can be used, for example, to speak about a broad area of activity.
Winter
Winter is one of the four seasons and the coldest time of the year. The days are shorter and the nights are longer. Winter comes after autumn and before spring.
Winter begins at the winter solstice. In the Northern Hemisphere the winter solstice is usually December 21 or December 22. In the Southern Hemisphere the winter solstice is usually June 21 or June 22.
Some animals hibernate during this season. In temperate climates there are no leaves on deciduous trees. People wear warm clothing and eat food that was grown earlier. Many places have snow in winter, and some people use sleds or skis. Holidays in winter for many countries include Christmas and New Year's Day.
The name comes from an old Germanic word that means "time of water" and refers to the rain and snow of winter in middle and high latitudes.
June 1
Junta
A junta is a Spanish word that is used for military dictatorships.
Often juntas got their power because of a coup d'état.
Greece, Chile, Mauritania, Guatemala, Brazil, South Vietnam, and El Salvador are examples of countries that were once ruled by juntas.
The most famous junta nowadays is that of Myanmar, but Myanmar is not the only country that is ruled by a junta now, Thailand is another example.
Some autonomous regional governments in Spain are also called junta.
Nezahualcoyotl
Nezahualcoyotl (1402 - 1472) was king of Texcoco, a part of the Aztec empire. He was also a famous poet.
The name Nezahualcoyotl is Nahuatl, it means "hungry coyote".
Miguel Hidalgo
Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla (8 May, 1753 – 30 July, 1811) was a Mexican priest. He started Mexico's war of independence against Spain.
Hidalgo made a speech in 1810 now called the Grito de Dolores. He called on the people to support the King of Spain against the rebellious Viceroy of Mexico. After a few months he was taken prisoner and executed by firing squad. After he died, several other people, such as Vicente Guerrero, kept fighting against the Spanish until 1821, when Mexico became an independent country. Hidalgo is remembered today as a great liberator in Mexico.
The Mexican state of Hidalgo is named after him.
Death penalty