How is plastic made? What makes plastic strong, flexible, and relatively cheap to make?

@ChemistrywithDrG

Ай бұрын

Plastics usually start from natural gas or oil and through a few chemical reactions. Usually, the smaller molecules, like ethane and propane, are dehydrogenated to form ethylene or propylene. These are then polymerized (connected together in long chains of many ethylene or propylene molecules bonded together), which forms the plastics. That is why plastic bottles can be labeled as polyethylene or polypropylene.

Considering the growing interest in sustainable and green chemistry, how can principles of atom economy and energy efficiency be better integrated into industrial chemical processes to minimize environmental impact without compromising yield and efficiency? Additionally, how can recent advancements in catalysis and renewable materials contribute to more sustainable chemical manufacturing practices?

@ChemistrywithDrG

Ай бұрын

Catalysts can be used to make materials with less waste and faster. They also reduce the amount of energy needed to make industrial products, such as biodegradable plastics.

Why do allergic reactions to foods occur? Why do some foods, like peanuts, cause dangerous chemical reactions in our bodies, whereas others, are fine? What is going on inside our bodies that make some of us react so severely?

@ChemistrywithDrG

Ай бұрын

Many times it has to do with how our body responds, through antibodies, etc. to a chemical or substance in the allergen.

How do Hot Hands work, and how do they get warm just by shaking and holding them?

@ChemistrywithDrG

5 ай бұрын

This is such a timely question! We are actually going to use those in class on the first day!

what chemical properties determine the specific heat capacities for different materials,

What makes a "fluorescent" highlighter marker so bright?

@ChemistrywithDrG

Ай бұрын

Amazing question! This is because the highlighters actually contain molecules that fluoresce! They absorb the light energy from the visible spectrum, then they emit their own light at a different wavelength, which in a way they "glow." This added fluorescent emission causes the highlighters to be even brigher than normal pigments. Normal pigments simply reflect light at a specific wavelength, which is why they are not as bright.

What chemical reactions occur during tooth decay? Why are some people more prone to tooth decay than others?

@ChemistrywithDrG

Ай бұрын

many times, tooth decay occurs from bacteria, when the bacteria creates acidic compounds that are released onto the teeth, which causes the teeth to dissolve. Think of how vinegar (weak acid acetic acid) can dissolve an egg shell, but much slower in our mouth on our teeth.

What is the difference in chemistry of a perfume thats lasts a long time versus a perfume that fades quickly?

@ChemistrywithDrG

Ай бұрын

This can be influenced by many things. The size of the molecule that we smell with the perfume, the air movement (wind, air purifiers), and the diffusion of other molecules. Great question. Many times, the larger the molecule that we smell from the perfume, the faster it will deposit out from the vapor or gas phase as gravity pulls it back to the surface.

How do botanical extracts and plant-derived ingredients impact skincare formulations?

@ChemistrywithDrG

Ай бұрын

In a way, these extracts come from natural products and get extracted many times via steam distillation. The steam is passed over leaves (such as Eucalyptus), which "dissolves" the oil from the leaves, then they are cooled and the water vapor separates from the oil since they have different boiling point temperatures (and vapor pressures at the same temperature)

How does inhaling vapor rub bring sinus relief? Also, what part of a molecule causes a different smell?

@ChemistrywithDrG

Ай бұрын

One of the major components of vapor rubs is menthol. This article from NIH gives a good overview of how menthol reacts to our airways. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3628651/

How do certain ingredients in makeup interfere with one another to impact the longevity and appearance of the look?

@ChemistrywithDrG

5 ай бұрын

Amazing question. We will consider interaction of molecules based on structure during class and hope you get to think in depth about the interaction of molecules then!

How do some cooking oils have a higher or lower smoking point?

@ChemistrywithDrG

5 ай бұрын

Fantastic question. We will think about this when we focus on intermolecular forces, molecular shapes, and interactions

How can anti-inflammatory medications like Advil and Aleve make it possible to engage in physical exercise without experiencing pain?

@ChemistrywithDrG

Ай бұрын

This has a lot to do with the pathways in the body that are blocked, that prevent inflammation or pain from translating from a part of the body to the brain.

I have always been curious as to why water bottles have expiration dates on them. Why are they there?

@ChemistrywithDrG

Ай бұрын

Great observation! It is not necessarily that the water in the bottles expire, but there is a slow leaching of substances from the plastic of the bottle into the water and at a certain point, the concentration of leached materials gets too high to be considered safe and the water "expires."

how are some materials heat resistant like certain spatulas but not others

@ChemistrywithDrG

Ай бұрын

great question, they are not able to transfer heat as well. They have a high capacity to prevent molecular KE transfer (heat) and do not promote the movement of KE through their materials.

How do anti-inflammatory medicines like Advil allow you to do physical activity with less pain?

@ChemistrywithDrG

Ай бұрын

This has a lot to do with the pathways in the body that are blocked, that prevent inflammation or pain from translating from a part of the body to the brain.

What components of a sunscreen helps protect our skin from uv exposure?

@ChemistrywithDrG

Ай бұрын

Awesome question. Depending on the sunscreen, in can be titanium (IV) oxide suspended in the sunscreen or an organic molecule like oxybenzone. These substances absorb energy in the UV range, preventing the UV light from hitting your skin.

how do fever reducers actually lower your fever?

@ChemistrywithDrG

Ай бұрын

Such a great question, and this article by NIH gives a better answer than I ever could. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23545161/

What in caffeine gives people energy in a short amount of time?

@ChemistrywithDrG

Ай бұрын

Amazing question. I think this article from NIH gives a great explanation - www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK223808/#:~:text=Caffeine%20increases%20intracellular%20concentrations%20of,free%20fatty%20acids%20and%20glycerol.

What chemical reaction occurs in brain decay such as dementia?

@ChemistrywithDrG

Ай бұрын

fantastic question Isabella. This has a lot to do with the affected structure of some proteins, but this article from NIH gives a good overview of this - www.nia.nih.gov/health/alzheimers-causes-and-risk-factors/what-happens-brain-alzheimers-disease#:~:text=In%20Alzheimer's%20disease%2C%20however%2C%20abnormal,the%20synaptic%20communication%20between%20neurons.

How are instant ramen packs produced so that they become real noodles when hot water is added?

@ChemistrywithDrG

Ай бұрын

When they are first produced, they are air dried (or freeze dried) to remove the water content, which helps the noodles last longer. Then we just add hot water, which quickly cooks the partially cooked noodles and you have a quick meal. :)

In general, what do too many or too few eggs do to dough and why do they have this effect? Also, why can an allergic reaction start in the throat and then transition to the nose (ie. breathing problems, stuffy nose)?

@ChemistrywithDrG

Ай бұрын

These are some great questions. For allergies, this tends to be the area most directly exposed to the allergen, which is usually ingested or inhaled. Too few or too many eggs leads to an imbalance in the egg protein binder to the rest of the ingredients for dough.

Why is it that chlorine damages hair? What happens to our hair when chlorine is damaging it?

@ChemistrywithDrG

Ай бұрын

Such a fantastic question Natalie. The primary mechanism that causes hair damage from exposure to pool chlorine is that the sodium hypochlorite (pool chlorine) can dissolve and remove your hair oils, which makes your hair more susceptible to air and sun damage.

How do cups such as Stanleys, and hydroflask keep our water cold and maintain the ice for a long time?

@ChemistrywithDrG

Ай бұрын

great question! We are going to address this question when we discuss thermodynamics. The double walled structure of the cup prevents heat from getting through the cup as it is evacuated in the middle. No gas between = no heat transfer. Similar to how some double paned windows work.

how and why does caffeine work on our bodies?

@ChemistrywithDrG

Ай бұрын

Amazing question. I think this article from NIH gives a great explanation - www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK223808/#:~:text=Caffeine%20increases%20intracellular%20concentrations%20of,free%20fatty%20acids%20and%20glycerol.