Consumables are goods that require recurrent replacement because they are used up or transformed in their use. The market for these goods tends to be consistent and can be a strong place for investment, even during periods of economic uncertainty, as the need for such products cannot be put off by consumers. Individuals and businesses both buy consumables, in varying amounts, and a number of companies specializing in a range of consumable products provide goods to the public.

Office supplies like pens, pencils, paper, stables, toner and ink, paperclips, and so forth are classic examples of consumables. They are regularly used up or changed and an office must maintain a steady supply of these products in order to function. Groceries and personal care products are consumables seen in the home. Conversely, things like appliances are not placed in this class, but are considered durable goods. They are designed to be used for an extended period of time.Many consumables are disposable in nature. Hospitals order huge volumes for patient care, including needles, gloves, bandages, and tubing. Examples of similar products can be seen in other industries where people want clean materials to work with or must use new products with each customer. Companies marketing consumables rely on a steady market. As long as a business or household is operational, the demand for consumables will remain the same.

In a hospital, for example, a budget crisis may put off major purchases of durable goods like next generation imaging machines and hospital beds. However, to function, the hospital still needs supplies to serve patients, and the medical supply companies used by the

hospital can depend on the hospital's orders. This allows such companies to maintain steady growth and returns, even in a poor economy, making them very appealing to many investors.

The market for consumables may be tracked separately from other types of goods. Economists look at movement in this area of the market to make projections, learn more about the general health of the economy, and examine economic shifts. Companies that design and market these products also tend to innovate in order to expand their market. Many companies make disposable versions of reusable products, for example, in order to turn the market for these goods into a consumable one. These products are marketed as more convenient than reusable ones. They may even integrate marketing tactics such as being more environmentally friendly because they don't have to be cleaned between uses and can be made with biodegradeable, renewable materials.

Also known as consumables or nondurable goods, soft goods are any products that are expected to have a life span of less than three years. This is in contrast to durable goods that are anticipated to remain useful for any amount of time over three years. Both soft and durable goods are essential components in the economy of most nations, and routinely purchased by consumers on an ongoing basis.One of the best examples of soft goods is clothing. While it is true that some articles of clothing may last for longer than three years, most manufacturers do not guarantee the garments for more than a year or so, assuming that the clothing undergoes normal wear and tear. Consumables of this type require replacement from time to time, either due to changes in consumer taste,

changes in the body type of the owner, or because a favorite garment is worn until it begins to show signs of age.

Other forms of textiles are also anticipated to last no more than three years. Bedclothes, especially sheet sets, are normally not expected to last for longer. Table cloths, napkins, towels, and many types of draperies and curtains are generally classed as soft

Clothing accessories are sometimes considered soft goods. Shoes, boots, and other forms of footwear are rarely manufactured with the idea of lasting more than three years. The same is true with gloves, scarves, baseball caps, and other items that are usually selected to accentuate the selection of clothing.

Any type of product that is consumed in a short period of time can be rightly considered soft goods. Office supplies are an excellent example. Paper products like copy paper, file folders, and notepads are consumed regularly and must be replaced. Markers, pens, and materials used to create visual aids are also often consumed within the course of a few months to a year. Rubber products, such as elastic bands are classified as soft goods, since they do tend to break after several rounds of use over the years.Personal products represent another type of soft goods. All forms of cosmetics are considered consumables, along with products like toothbrushes, toothpaste, mouthwash, and anypersonal hygiene products. Lotions or creams used for skin care or body cleansing are also considered soft or nondurable goods.There are many other types of soft goods that are in use on a daily basis. Small household appliances like toasters,

hair dryers, and other items that are utilized at least several times a week rarely carry a warranty that is more than a couple of years. Petroleum products, such as gasoline or oil, are consumables. Essentially, if the product is manufactured with the understanding that it has a limited shelf life of less than three years, it can be classified as a nondurable good.

Chemicals. In its most basic form, a chemical is an element, in that it has a specific molecular composition and may be produced by or used during a natural chemical process. An element is a chemical substance made of specific kinds of atoms that cannot be broken down any further; in short, elements are the purest forms of chemicals known to man. When multiple chemicals combine, a chemical compound is formed, which exists in order to combine different types of elements, and therefore, different reactions.

Purpose

Perhaps the main use of chemicals is to promote and enhance a greater quality of life for not only the human race, but countless other species as well, as they allow for the creation of modern day inventions. Anything made up of matter, or anything that is considered a solid, liquid, or gas, is made up of chemicals; this means that nearly everything a person uses throughout the day is composed of chemicals. Chemicals are used as a basic function of everyday life; they are combined in such ways as to create many commonly used substances—from the water one drinks to the gasoline that provides an automobile its energy.

Just 100 years ago, many of the chemicals being used today did not exist, at least not in a known form. This includes the chemicals needed to produce things like modern medicines and cleaning supplies. In addition to the chemicals already being used in the modern world, more chemicals are coming into existence every day.

Ad

Combining Chemicals

In order to produce chemical compounds, it is first necessary to come up with a chemical formula. This formula is merely a list of atoms that includes the types of atoms and the number of those specific atoms needed to form a molecule of the substance in question. Usually, this is accomplished by listing the type of atom first, followed by the number of atoms needed for that particular compound.

For example, consider one of the most common chemical formulas known to the world H2O. This is two atoms of hydrogen combined with one atom of oxygen. The result is one of the most basic, life-sustaining chemicals known to mankind—water.The order of elements in the formula is usually determined by the Hill system, which states that all carbon atoms will be listed first, hydrogen atoms second, then all other remaining atoms alphabetically. The exception to this is ionic compounds, which will always list the positively charged ion first. This is the case for NaCl, the formula for salt.

Side Effects

However, while a chemical can be a good thing, certain kinds of chemicals can also have negative effects both on people and the environment. For example, some chemicals can pose serious risks if they are ingested, some chemicals are believed to cause cancer, and some chemicals are known to be hazardous to the atmosphere. Many websites and books are devoted to educating the public about the potentially harmful side effects that can arise from chemicals.

Chemists, or those who work with chemicals, are charged with understanding how different chemicals will react with each other. Without this knowledge, it is very possible that experimenting with certain chemicals can lead to catastrophic results.

Chemistry

The study of chemical substances is called chemistry. Often, the most basic forms of chemistry classes begin in high school and then continue on throughout higher learning institutions. Those who need a background in chemistry include doctors, pharmaceutical researchers, and even food and synthetic food developers.

Dangerous chemicals

It's our chemical all-star team of death. We've got historic poisons that have claimed the lives of millions in a sinister manner, along with a couple of chemicals that might be in your home. Contact with any of these, in the right dose, will send you running for a hastily scribbled bucket list.

Before we start – a couple of rules concerning these deadly jumbles of carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen. Neither protein (sorry Botulinum toxin) nor elements/radioactive isotopes (my apologies to Polonium-210) were considered for the list, with a nod given to chemical compounds that you could come in contact with during your life.

SEXPAND

10. Digoxin

A purified extract of the foxglove plant. In proper quantities, digoxin increases the efficiency of the heart. Charles Cullen, a nurse and the "angel of death", used pharmaceutical grade digoxin to kill over forty patients using the drug.

9. Hydrogen peroxide

The hydrogen peroxide in your bathroom cabinet has a concentration of 3 to 6%. At higher concentrations, it's a rocket propellant. Hydrogen peroxide is extremely volatile, with the merest nudge setting off an explosion in laboratory grade solutions (>70% hydrogen peroxide). The 2005 London subway bombers used concentrated hydrogen peroxide as an explosive in the attacks that killed 52 people.

8. Ethylene glycol

It's in your car as antifreeze. It's cheap. It looks so damn simple. It has a moderate toxicity level, however, the sweet taste can make one easily surpass that boundary, leading the ethylene glycol to be metabolized into the more dangerous oxalic acid. Keep it away from animals and pets, as they are likely to lap up the liquid as a food source. If you do ingest a large amount of ethylene glycol, death is slow, knocking out organ systems systematically over the course of 72 hours. The treatment is administration of grain

ethanol, as the ethanol competes with ethylene glycol for binding in your body.

SEXPAND

7. Nicotine

A member of the nightshade family of plants, this oily liquid that makes up between 0.6 to 3% of a cigarette's mass. Contact with the liquid pure form can cause death within hours, as nicotine passes through the dermis and heads directly for the bloodstream. Overdoses and death can easily occur in those smoking cigarettes with nicotine patches applied on their body.

6. Sodium cyanide

A routine industrial reactant, but one false step results in the smell of almonds, then death within seconds. Cyanide binds to cytochrome c oxidase, a protein in the mitochondria, and stops the cells from using oxygen.

SEXPAND

5. Strychnine

Commonly used as a pesticide to kill large unwanted pests like rodents and birds. Due to the ease of concealment, strychnine is rumored to have killed many historic figures including Alexander the

Great and Blues musician Robert Johnson.

4. Tabun

One of the first nerve agents discovered, this liquid is known for a fruity odor and can be sprayed as a mist that causes convulsions and paralysis. Tabun itself is not extremely deadly, but the success of this chemical compound in war led to the development of deadlier toxins like ricin and soman. Iraqi soldiers used Tabun in the final days of theIran/Iraq war to kill thousands of Iranians.

SEXPAND

3. 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin

Heard of Agent Orange? 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin was thecontaminant in Agent Orange. That's a bastard chemical. Agent Orange was created to cause defoliation of dense areas in Vietnam, but this

contaminant led to severe prenatal deformities and skin lesions.

SEXPAND

2. VX

One of the first chemical WMDs, researchers initially produced VX for retail sale in the 1950s as a pesticide. Thankfully, your likelihood of coming in contact with VX is extremely low - the world's stockpiles have been destroyed, including the United States'main stockpile in Anniston, AL.

SEXPAND

1. BatrachotoxinThe most potent non-peptide based poison known. Batrachotoxin gained fame though its use in poison darts made from frog excretions. The frogs themselves don't produce the toxin directly, but through digestion of Melyrid beetles the frogs eat.

Useful chemicals

There are literarily 1000’s of compounds we use in our daily lives. Most if these are ingredients formulated into various products. However, there are quite a number of household products that are relatively PURE compounds or solutions of these: 

Baking powder (sodium hydrogen carbonate; NaHCO3) Used in cooking 

Table salt (sodium chloride, NaCl) Used in cooking 

Table sugar (sucrose; C12H22O11) Used in cooking 

Household bleach (sodium hypochlorite; NaOCl) Used in cleaning 

Mouthwash (hydrogen peroxide, H2O2) Personal hygiene. 

Washing soda (sodium carbonate decahydrate; Na2CO3.10H2O) Used in cleaning. 

Artificial sweetener (saccharin; C7H5NO3S) Used in cooking and food preparation. 

Nail varnish remover (Acetone, propan-2-one; CH3COCH3) 

Used as a cosmetic aid. 

Natural gas (methane; CH4) Used in heating. 

Lemon juice (citric acid; C6H8O7) Used in cooking and food preparation. 

Asprin (acetyl salicylic acid; C9H8O4) Used as a medicine. 

Vodka (ethyl alcohol; C2H5OH) Used for entertainment and in formulating other products. 

Concrete cleaner (hydrochloric acid; HCl) Used in cleaning. 

Drain cleaner, lye (sodium hydroxide, NaOH) Used in cleaning. 

Toilet cleaner (sodium hydrogen sulphate, NaHSO4) Used in cleaning. 

Vitamin C (ascorbic acid; C6H8O6) Used for health.