Ruhana

I am a curious junior in high school. I just finished my first semester of chemistry but have always loved it. Here is a LARGE block of questions I would love to have answered by anyone who can. Here goes: 1) Why is mercury a liquid? It is surrounded by solids! 2) How are cyclics (cyclopropane, cyclohexane, etc...) made from ordinary hydrocarbons? Why can cyclopropane be used as an anesthetic? 3) Why would KNO2 reduce the number of H+ ions in a solution of HNO2? 4) How can arsenic be considered to have 5 valence electrons? Are not valence electrons those in the s and p orbitals? 5) Does exothermic truly mean the reaction releases heat? Could it also be light or is it always heat, then converted into light? wht you think Thanks!