The
cache is not at the coordinates listed. To find the actual
coordinates you’ll have to do a little high school
chemistry.
The
coordinates given will take you to the front doors of the
Department of Chemistry's Chevron Science Center on the University
of Pittsburgh campus. Long, long ago, not far away from these doors
I was in an accident here when there was a sodium fire that ended
up igniting some nearby isopropanol and acetone (two things you
very likely have in your home as they’re very useful solvents -
check your rubbing alcohol and nail polish remover) and then my
leg!
Do some
chemistry...
The
reactions that took place that day are examples of combustion
reactions. In the most common examples, a fuel is combined with
oxygen which will react to give off heat and water and carbon
dioxide if an ignition source is present.
Below are representations
of four organic compounds that can undergo combustion reactions.
The reactions of the first two you may encounter on a daily basis.
The latter two are acetone and isopropanol that were mentioned
above.
To
find the cache coordinates you will have to balance the four
combustion reactions of these compounds in a pure oxygen
environment and answer the question. This is basic general
chemistry so don't scare off too easily now.
Balance these four
equations finding the values of A
thru S...
| A nicotine |
+ |
B oxygen |
 |
C carbon
dioxide |
+ |
D water |
+ |
E nitrogen |
| F ethanol |
+ |
G oxygen |
|
H carbon
dioxide |
+ |
I water |
|
|
| K acetone |
+ |
L oxygen |
|
M carbon
dioxide |
+ |
N water |
|
|
| O isopropanol |
+ |
P oxygen |
|
R carbon
dioxide |
+ |
S water |
|
|
Now
try a little stoichiometric problem - How many milligrams of oxygen
are needed to complete the reaction of 0.178 grams of nicotine
(about 20 cigarette's worth)? Format answer as TUV mg.
The
final coordinates are N 40° 26.SKF' W 079° 57.TUV'. The
verification allows for rounding differences in the west
coordinate.
Find the
cache...
With
the coordinates in hand you should be able to find the cache easily
as long as the muggles aren't too plentiful. The view of the
Cathedral of Learning isn't as great as the old location...but you
can still see it!
The
cache container is a camo'd altoids candy tin in its current
incarnation. Please make sure when you are finished that it is
sealed tighly and hidden better than you found it. (There is a
restroom inside the nearby building inside the front doors and to
your right if you need to wash your hands.)
Please keep your senses
about you as you hunt the cache. I would recommend taking a buddy
with you if you like to cache late at night.
The
initial contents included: the newly released G.N. Lewis Nanomole
Travelbug (TB1CPKK),
two containers of Play-doh, and a toy bear, bird, and
starfish...all made of polymers! $5 in Rita's Italian Ice gift
certificates are tucked away in the logbook for the first-to-find
as a way to cool down after your hard work finding this cache or
others this summer.
Please let me know if you
think this was easier or harder than the rating I've set. I do
these types of problems several times a day and so admittedly have
lost touch! Thanks!