[Avodah] alloys/mixtures/compunds

[Micha Berger]

On Tue, April 24, 2007 4:28 am, Eli Turkel wrote:
: Of course the question is do these differences affect the absorbility
: of the material and did chazal look into the details of mixtures as
: is done today.

I am sure that the difference between an alloy, where the components
are mixed into a single sea of electrons, the spaces of molecular
size, and a mixture where the components are of microscopic sizes is
technically relevant. That was my original point, stripped of any
assumptions in the debate about whether alloys are compounds and
defining these terms in things that don't come in well-defined
molecules. Physically, an alloy's gaps would be measurable in the same
units as atoms.

But I join you in wondering whether Chazal would be gozerim
differently based on such details. I would think that since steel is
mateches, the answer is "yes" -- they do not see an alloy as a mixture
but as a single beryah. But that's just guessing.

Tir'u baTov!
-mi

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Micha Berger             Spirituality is like a bird: if you tighten
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