Conversation at the Hernandez dinner table

Remember the PBS show called “Connections”?  The host starts out with something like salt, talks about 10 different things and ends up on a totally different topic.  That’s what happened at dinner the other night.

Monday was my last night in Michigan for this trip, and we all went out to dinner.  I started telling them about the case study I did on A123 batteries, because I thought the boys would remember the nanotechnology battery from when we did nanotechnology research for
FIRST Lego League.  Here’s where the conversation went:

what happens in  batteries
how are lithium ion batteries different from others
A123 made a more stable form of lithium, so less chance of fire
why you can’t use water to put out really hot fires – it disassociates
what is disassociation (separates into hydrogen and oxygen)

I start to explain about energy and chemical reactions.  There are endothermic reactions, which take in energy, and … “Allergic reactions!” Arianna exclaims.  (She’s listening to all this.)  We all laugh.  I was going to say “exothermic” reactions, but Arianna’s answer is funnier.

fusion
heavy vs. light elements
the periodic table
fusion in the sun
supernovas
theories on the origin of the universe

Strange, how many conversations involve the origin of the universe.  Especially when Aaron and Eddie are involved.

I love my family.