explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

148: Mispronouncing

2024-04-02T16:05:09Z

EasilyDistracted: /* Explanation */ Fixed typo "slogat" -> "slogan"

{{comic
| number = 148
| date = August 25, 2006
| title = Mispronouncing
| image = mispronouncing.png
| titletext = My pal Emad does this all the time. 'Hey man, which way to the airpart?'
}}

==Explanation==
This is the sixth comic in the [[:Category:My Hobby|My Hobby series]]. His "hobby" in this one is deliberately mispronouncing words while talking. Hobbies in the ''My Hobby'' series are generally annoying or weird, but with an element of cleverness. Here, [[Cueball]] persists in mispronouncing his words despite the second character's attempt to correct him. Interestingly, when Randall started the xkcd blog in October 2006, 6 weeks after the publication of this comic, he named it "[[Blag]]". He has used that name in several other comics, such as [[181: Interblag]] and [[239: Blagofaire]]. Today, if someone visits https://blag.xkcd.com they get redirected to blog.xkcd.com, but the slogan at the top still says "xkcd - The blag of the webcomic".

In the title text, [[Randall Munroe|Randall]] explains that he got the idea for this comic from one of his friends, although it could just be his friend's accent.

==Transcript==
:[Caption at top of panel:]
:My hobby:
:Mispronouncing words

:[Cueball and a friend are talking:]
:Cueball: Yeah, did you see what he said on his wobsite?
:Friend: ...his what?
:Cueball: Wobsite.
:Friend: ... I think you mean "website."
:Cueball: Why don't you write about it in your blag?

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Language]]
[[Category:My Hobby]]
[[Category:Multiple Cueballs]]

2913: Periodic Table Regions

2024-03-29T20:39:16Z

EasilyDistracted: /* Table Sections */ added bottom row

{{comic
| number = 2913
| date = March 29, 2024
| title = Periodic Table Regions
| image = periodic_table_regions_2x.png
| imagesize = 740x501px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = Cesium-133, let it be. Cesium-134, let it be even more.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a LAWFUL NEUTRAL MURDER WEAPON COMMONLY USED TO MAKE PEOPLE'S VOICES SQUEAKY- Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

=== Table Sections ===

{| class=wikitable
! scope="col" | Section
! scope="col" | Real table
! scope="col" | Elements contained
! scope="col" | Explanation
|-
| Slightly fancy protons || Hydrogen || Hydrogen || Hydrogen atoms are a proton and an electron. Since the electron can be removed and you can call that a Hydrogen+ ion, hydrogen is a slightly fancy proton.
|-
| Weird dirt || Group 1 and 2 metals || Lithium, Beryllium ||
|-
| Regular dirt || Group 1 and 2 metals || Sodium, Magnesium, Potassium, Calcium
|-
| Ends in a number, let it slumber. Ends in a letter, not much better. || Group 1 and 2 metals || Rubidium, Strontium, Cesium, Barium, Francium, Radium || Highly reactive metals, some of which are commonly used as radioactive isotopes (which are known by a number).
|-
| Boring alloy metals. Probably crucial to the spark plug industry or something. (But one of them is radioactive so stay on your toes.) || The left transition metals || Scandium, Vanadium, Chromium, Manganese, Yttrium, Zirconium, Niobium, Molybdeneum, Technetium, Hafnium, Tantalum, Tungsten, Rhenium ||
|-
| Regular metals || The top transition metals || Titanium, Manganese, Iron, Cobalt, Nickel, Copper, Zinc ||
|-
| $$$ || The platinum group || Rhodium, Palladium, Silver, Iridium, Platinum, Gold ||
|-
| Lawful Neutral || Noble Gases || Helium, Neon, Argon, Krypton, Xenon || These elements are mostly unreactive.
|-
| You are here || Mixed || Carbon, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Phosphorus || Elements involved in biological processes
|-
| Safety Goggles required || Halogens || Fluorine, Sulfur, Chlorine, Selenium, Bromium || These elements are highly reactive.
|-
| Don't bother learning their names – they're not staying long || Astatine and Period 7 from Rutherfordium onwards || Astatine, Rutherfordium, Dubnium, Seaborgium, Bohrium, Hassium, Meitnerium, Darmstadtium, Roentgenium, Copernicum, Nihonium, Flevorium, Moscovium, Livermorium, Tennessine, Oganesson || These elements decay extremely rapidly.
|}

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

:[A periodic table with regions labeled.]

:[Hydrogen:]
:Slightly fancy protons
:[Lithium and beryllium:]
:Weird dirt
:[4 elements below:]
:Regular dirt
:[6 elements further below:]
:Ends in a number, let it slumber
:ends in a letter, not much better
:[Left side of the d-block:]
:Boring alloy metals
:Probably critical to the spark plug industry or something
:(but one of them is radioactive so stay on your toes)
:[Most of the top row of the d-block + aluminium:]
:Regular metals
:[Between "boring" and "weird metals":]
:$$$$
:[Boron:]
:Boron (fool's carbon)
:[Top-center of p-block:]
:You are here
:[Top-right of p-block, excluding the rightmost column:]
:Safety goggles required
:[5 uppermost elements of the rightmost column:]
:Lawful neutral
:[Iodine and radon:]
:Very specific health problems
:[Below and to the right of "weird metals":]
:Murder weapons
:[Bottom row of d- and p-blocks:]
:Don't bother learning their names - they're not staying long
:[f-block below the rest of the table, arrow pointing to a gap in the third column:]
:Whoever figures out a better way to fit these up there gets the next Nobel Prize

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Chemistry]]

2913: Periodic Table Regions

2024-03-29T20:34:49Z

EasilyDistracted: /* Table Sections */ fixed Platinum group, Lawful Neutral, Safety Goggles

{{comic
| number = 2913
| date = March 29, 2024
| title = Periodic Table Regions
| image = periodic_table_regions_2x.png
| imagesize = 740x501px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = Cesium-133, let it be. Cesium-134, let it be even more.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a LAWFUL NEUTRAL MURDER WEAPON COMMONLY USED TO MAKE PEOPLE'S VOICES SQUEAKY- Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

=== Table Sections ===

{| class=wikitable
! scope="col" | Section
! scope="col" | Real table
! scope="col" | Elements contained
! scope="col" | Explanation
|-
| Slightly fancy protons || Hydrogen || Hydrogen || Hydrogen atoms are a proton and an electron. Since the electron can be removed and you can call that a Hydrogen+ ion, hydrogen is a slightly fancy proton.
|-
| Weird dirt || Group 1 and 2 metals || Lithium, Beryllium ||
|-
| Regular dirt || Group 1 and 2 metals || Sodium, Magnesium, Potassium, Calcium
|-
| Ends in a number, let it slumber. Ends in a letter, not much better. || Group 1 and 2 metals || Rubidium, Strontium, Cesium, Barium, Francium, Radium || Highly reactive metals, some of which are commonly used as radioactive isotopes (which are known by a number).
|-
| Boring alloy metals. Probably crucial to the spark plug industry or something. (But one of them is radioactive so stay on your toes. || The left transition metals || Scandium, Yttrium, Zirconium, Niobium, Molybdeneum, Technetium, Hafnium, Tantalum, Tungsten, Rhenium
|-
| $$$ || The platinum group || Rhodium, Palladium, Silver, Iridium, Platinum, Gold ||
|-
| Lawful Neutral || Noble Gases || Helium, Neon, Argon, Krypton, Xenon || These elements are mostly unreactive. UwU
|-
| You are here || Mixed || Carbon, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Phosphorus || Elements involved in biological processes
|-
| Safety Goggles required || Halogens || Fluorine, Sulfur, Chlorine, Selenium, Bromium || These elements are highly reactive. OwO
|}

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

:[A periodic table with regions labeled.]

:[Hydrogen:]
:Slightly fancy protons
:[Lithium and beryllium:]
:Weird dirt
:[4 elements below:]
:Regular dirt
:[6 elements further below:]
:Ends in a number, let it slumber
:ends in a letter, not much better
:[Left side of the d-block:]
:Boring alloy metals
:Probably critical to the spark plug industry or something
:(but one of them is radioactive so stay on your toes)
:[Most of the top row of the d-block + aluminium:]
:Regular metals
:[Between "boring" and "weird metals":]
:$$$$
:[Boron:]
:Boron (fool's carbon)
:[Top-center of p-block:]
:You are here
:[Top-right of p-block, excluding the rightmost column:]
:Safety goggles required
:[5 uppermost elements of the rightmost column:]
:Lawful neutral
:[Iodine and radon:]
:Very specific health problems
:[Below and to the right of "weird metals":]
:Murder weapons
:[Bottom row of d- and p-blocks:]
:Don't bother learning their names - they're not staying long
:[f-block below the rest of the table, arrow pointing to a gap in the third column:]
:Whoever figures out a better way to fit these up there gets the next Nobel Prize

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Chemistry]]

2913: Periodic Table Regions

2024-03-29T20:31:51Z

EasilyDistracted: /* Table Sections */ added Phosphorus to "You are here"

{{comic
| number = 2913
| date = March 29, 2024
| title = Periodic Table Regions
| image = periodic_table_regions_2x.png
| imagesize = 740x501px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = Cesium-133, let it be. Cesium-134, let it be even more.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a LAWFUL NEUTRAL MURDER WEAPON COMMONLY USED TO MAKE PEOPLE'S VOICES SQUEAKY- Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

=== Table Sections ===

{| class=wikitable
! scope="col" | Section
! scope="col" | Real table
! scope="col" | Elements contained
! scope="col" | Explanation
|-
| Slightly fancy protons || Hydrogen || Hydrogen || Hydrogen atoms are a proton and an electron. Since the electron can be removed and you can call that a Hydrogen+ ion, hydrogen is a slightly fancy proton.
|-
| Weird dirt || Group 1 and 2 metals || Lithium, Beryllium ||
|-
| Regular dirt || Group 1 and 2 metals || Sodium, Magnesium, Potassium, Calcium
|-
| Ends in a number, let it slumber. Ends in a letter, not much better. || Group 1 and 2 metals || Rubidium, Strontium, C(a)esium , Barium, Francium, Radium || Highly reactive metals, some of which are commonly used as radioactive isotopes (which are known by a number).
|-
| $$$ || The platinum group || Ruthenium, Rhodium, Palladium, Rhenium, Osmium, Iridium ||
|-
| Lawful Neutral || Noble Gases || Helium, Neon, Argon, Krypton || These elements are mostly unreactive. UwU
|-
| You are here || Mixed || Carbon, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Phosphorus || Elements involved in biological processes
|-
| Safety Goggles required || Halogens || Fluorine, Chlorine || These elements are highly reactive. OwO
|}

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

:[A periodic table with regions labeled.]

:[Hydrogen:]
:Slightly fancy protons
:[Lithium and beryllium:]
:Weird dirt
:[4 elements below:]
:Regular dirt
:[6 elements further below:]
:Ends in a number, let it slumber
:ends in a letter, not much better
:[Left side of the d-block:]
:Boring alloy metals
:Probably critical to the spark plug industry or something
:(but one of them is radioactive so stay on your toes)
:[Most of the top row of the d-block + aluminium:]
:Regular metals
:[Between "boring" and "weird metals":]
:$$$$
:[Boron:]
:Boron (fool's carbon)
:[Top-center of p-block:]
:You are here
:[Top-right of p-block, excluding the rightmost column:]
:Safety goggles required
:[5 uppermost elements of the rightmost column:]
:Lawful neutral
:[Iodine and radon:]
:Very specific health problems
:[Below and to the right of "weird metals":]
:Murder weapons
:[Bottom row of d- and p-blocks:]
:Don't bother learning their names - they're not staying long
:[f-block below the rest of the table, arrow pointing to a gap in the third column:]
:Whoever figures out a better way to fit these up there gets the next Nobel Prize

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Chemistry]]