Cyan-ide

[emailia]

Is cyanide related to the ink colour cyan?

[Hippy]

You are right. The Greek word "kuan(e)os" means deep blue. Cyanide is a salt of hydrocyanic acid, containing the group CN or the ion CN- (in Organic Chemistry a NITRILE). It is a powerful poison. The sodium, calcium, or other salts are used to extract gold, silver, or other metals from their ores. It is deep blue in colour.

Other words using this prefix include: cyanophyte = a blue-green algae; cyanometer = an instrument for measuring the blueness of the sky; and cyanolabe = a blue- sensitive pigment in the cones of the retina.

[Gef]

Sodium cyanide is colourless.

[Hippy]

Gef, I have only ever seen the Sodium salt, and assumed that others were blue as well. (** bows in humility **)

[Hippy]

Oh crikey! Where's that edit function! I meant Potassium. I shall go for a lie down in a darkened room. Too much weekend Glastonbury!

[emailia]

Thank you Hippy! Now I know more than my Biology teacher.

A cyanolabe- that sounds brilliant, I want one! Today I also found out why the sky is blue- refraction of white light....

[Gef]

Sorry Hippy but potassium cyanide is also colourless (see here http://ptcl.chem.ox.ac.uk/MSDS/PO/potassium_cyanide.html )

You are right there is a connection with the colour but I just can't find it at the moment.

Hope you enjoyed Glastonbury and didn't get too wet.