Chemistry Now - 1 views
started by Bonnie Sutton on 18 Oct 11
started by Bonnie Sutton on 18 Oct 11
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started by Bonnie Sutton on 18 Oct 11
Chemistry Now is an NBC Learn Special Collection that reveals how chemistry contributes to everyday life, with lesson plans from the National Science Teachers Association. New content released weekly in 2011, January - May and September - December. I
Chemistry Now
CHEMISTRY OF CHANGING LEAVES
Why do tree leaves turn gold, orange and scarlet in the fall? "Chemistry of Changing Leaves" explains the role of pigment molecules, including chlorophyll, carotenoids, and anthocyanin. We also profile North Carolina State "green" chemist Elon Ison, who is designing catalysts to make safer, cleaner alternative fuels. Also in this collection: news stories from the archives of NBC News and Scientific American on leaf change and "green" fuels, plus a NOAA diagram on why seasons change, and charts and photographs for virtual leaf-peepers.
NOBEL EFFORTS: BUCKYBALLS AND GRAPHENE (Fullerenes, Allotropes)
We mark the award of the 2011 Nobel Prize in Chemistry with a look at two other notable Nobel-worthy advances: discovery of buckminsterfullerene, a 'surprise' carbon allotrope (along with diamond and graphite); and one of the most promising recent Chance Discoveries: graphene. Also in this collection: news stories from the archives of NBC News and Scientific American on graphene, buckyballs, and past Nobelists in Chemistry.
ORIGAMI CHEMISTRY: HOW TO FOLD A MOLECULE (Proteins, Peptides, Peptoids)
21st Century Chemist Kent Kirshenbaum of New York University engineers and folds synthetic peptoids in hopes of creating "hunter-killer" molecules that can target and destroy deadly bacteria like staph (MRSA). A separate Chance Discoveries video tells the story of the first shatter-resistant safety glass. Also in this collection: news stories from the archives of NBC News and Scientific American on drug-resistant "superbugs" and on glass (windshields and cathedral windows).
CLEANING THE OCEAN: CHEMISTRY OF DISPERSANTS
On the anniversary of the final capping of the gushing oil well in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010, we explain the chemistry of dispersants and immiscibles, in "How to Wash an Ocean." We also mark the International Year of Chemistry with a video outlining chemistry's "10 Big Questions," as selected by our content partner, Scientific American. Also in this issue: news stories from the archives of NBC News and Scientific American on the Gulf oil spill and cleanup; a slide show on the oil spill's impact on birds and wetlands, and a chart comparing several notable oil spills.
CHEMISTRY OF SOAPS AND DETERGENTS (Surfactants, Surface Tension)
"It's a Wash: The Chemistry of Soap" explains how soap and detergents - surfactants - affect the surface tension of H2O to break up greasy dirt. We also profile 21st Century Chemist Facundo Fernandez at Georgia Tech, who uses chemistry to detect dangerous or ineffective fake pharmaceutical drugs and medicines. Also in this collection: news stories from the archives of NBC News and Scientific American on counterfeit drugs, and on hand-washing and the spread of germs and disease; plus, a history of soap timeline and Victorian-era soap recipes.
CHEMISTRY OF WATER: H2O (Polar Molecules, Cohesion, Adhesion)
"Water: H2O Molecules Made Clear" explains how the structure and behavior of H2O in liquid form gives water its properties, and make it a chemical essential for life. (The Greek word for "life" is traced in a separate Word Root.) Also in this collection: a Victorian-era depiction of the water molecule; news stories on water and molecules from the NBC News Archives, and illustrations and tables on The Water Cycle, water quality and water use.
CHEMISTRY OF CHOCOLATE (Heat Reactions, Melting Point, Crystallization)
"The Chemistry of Chocolate" uses chocolate-making to illustrate and explain chemical reactions related to heat, melting point, and formation of crystal structures. Also in this collection: news stories from the NBC News Archives on the history of chocolate, and its health benefits; Scientific American articles, graphs and maps on worldwide production of cocoa beans and consumption of cocoa, largely in the form of chocolate.
CHEESEBURGER CHEMISTRY: THE BUN (Gas and Sugar Reactions)
"The Chemistry of Bread" (part of a 6-part Cheeseburger Chemistry series) uses bread-making to illustrate and explain how yeasts work to convert starches and sugars in flour to CO2 gas (fermentation); effects of heat on gas; and gluten protein structures. Also in this collection: news stories on bread-making and grain crops from the archives of NBC News and Scientific American, plus graphs, maps and charts on global wheat production and consumption.
CHEESEBURGER CHEMISTRY: BURGERS (Reactions: Heat, Protein, Maillard)
"The Chemistry of Burgers" (part of a 6-part Cheeseburger Chemistry series) outlines myoglobin protein structures and their chemical changes when exposed to heat - part of what turns a patty of red, raw ground beef into a tasty brown burger. Also in this collection: burger-related news stories from the archives of NBC News and Scientific American - plus a Burger-related NBC Learn video.
CHEESEBURGER CHEMISTRY: CHEESE (Phase Change, Coagulation)
"The Chemistry of Cheese" (part of a 6-part Cheeseburger Chemistry series) uses cheese-making to explain protein denaturing, coagulation, and the difference between chemical and physical change. Also in this collection: news stories on Swiss cheese and Blue (or Bleu) cheese from the NBC News Archives, and graphs and charts on cheese production in the U.S.
CHEESEBURGER CHEMISTRY: TOMATOES (Ethylene, Gases, Diffusion)
"The Chemistry of Tomatoes" (one in a 6-part Cheeseburger Chemistry series) outlines the role ethylene plays in ripening tomatoes (and other fruits); the role of lycopene in color change; and diffusion of gas. Also in this collection: news stories on tomato mutation, genetic modification and ripening from the archives of NBC News and Scientific American, plus tables and maps on global tomato production, processing and consumption. And the first in our Chance Discoveries series: the story behind Post-it Notes.
CHEESEBURGER CHEMISTRY: PICKLES (Fermentation, Acid, pH)
"The Chemistry of Pickles" (one in a 6-part Cheeseburger Chemistry series) describes the role of fermentation, lactic acid, and pH in the process of pickling food to preserve it. (The Latin root of the word "preserve" is traced in a separate Word Root.) Also in this collection: news stories from the archives of NBC News and Scientific American on "bad" bacterial growth on food; the acidification and desalination of ocean water; plus a profile of a proud pickle-maker. Finally: a Pickle History Timeline, and a 1900 recipe for Green Sour Pickles.
CHEESEBURGER CHEMISTRY: CONDIMENTS (Suspensions, Dispersions, Emulsions)
"The Chemistry of Condiments" (one in a 6-part Cheeseburger Chemistry series) uses ketchup, mustard and mayo to explain two different types of mixtures: suspensions and colloidal dispersions (emulsions). Two related Chemistry Now videos explain H2O and emulsions in more depth. Also in this collection: news stories from the archives of NBC News and Scientific American on mixtures; a 1910 recipe for "Mayonnaise Dressing" and, for fun, a history of salad dressings. Plus, a Chance Discovery story on how saccharin, cyclamate and aspartame were discovered.
THE CLOVE-NUTMEG BOND (Single and Double Bonds, Bond Placement)
"The Chemical Bond Between Cloves and Nutmeg" focuses on the variety, strengths - and placement - of chemical bonds in the structures of two nearly identical molecules, eugenol and isoeugenol. In a "bonding" story of another kind, we profile Purdue materials chemist Jon Wilker, who's making synthetic adhesives based on the glues mussels produce underwater. (For another story on use of polymers in materials, see "The Science of Skis.") Also in this collection: early 19th century illustrations of atom "combinations," and an 1888 recipe for household glue.
CHIRAL MOLECULES (Chirality, Molecular Structure and Properties)
"Mirror Molecule: Carvone" uses carvone, a chiral molecule, to explain how the "handedness" of a molecule can change its properties - in this case giving us the differing flavors of spearmint, caraway and dill. Also in this collection: an 1853 drawing by Louis Pasteur of a chiral crystal; The Periodic Table of Elements - as it was imagined in previous centuries and as it stands today; and an NBC News profile of Oliver Sacks, author of "Uncle Tungsten: Memories of a Chemical Boyhood."
CHEMISTRY OF GREEN: CHLOROPHYLL (Pigments, Visible Light Spectrum)
"The Chemistry of Green" outlines the role of chlorophyll in photosynthesis, and the role of pigments in making plants green (or making them appear green). Also in this collection: news stories from the archives of NBC News and Scientific American on chlorophyll, sunlight and biofuels, green things (trees, grass, algae) and, for fun, a 1990 story about crayon colors; plus a diagram of the electromagnetic spectrum, and maps of plant zones.
CHEMISTRY OF COLOR: FLOWERS (Pigments, Chromoplasts, Conjugated Bonds)
Roses are red; violets are...well, violet - but why? "The Chemistry of Flower Color" explains how pigment molecules - carotenoids and anthocyanins - give flowers the colors we see. Also in this collection: news stories from the archives of NBC News and Scientific American on desert wild flowers, pollination, the cut-flower industry, and why flowers have scents; color plates of several floral families; and a flowery offering from Robert Louis Stevenson.
COMMON SCENTS: CHEMISTRY OF SMELL (Olfaction, Odor Molecules and Receptors)
Smell that? Our sense of smell is a complex set of chemical reactions. We profile 21st Century Chemist Nate Lewis, who's working to develop an artificial "nose" that can help detect odors, including hazardous gases and chemicals. A story on the carvone molecule adds information on how the nose distinguishes odors. Also in this collection: news stories from the archives of NBC News and Scientific American on air testing, sense of smell (human and canine) - and a Periodic Table of "Smellements."
CHEMISTRY OF NYLON: SYNTHETIC FIBER (Polymers, Polyamides)
The 1930s invention of nylon revolutionized the global textile and materials industry. "Fabricating Fabric" outlines the molecular structure and impact of the first all-synthetic fiber. And we profile 21st century chemist Malika Jeffries-EL from Iowa State, who devises energy-efficient organic semiconductors and LEDs. Also in this collection: copies of the original nylon patents; and related news stories and articles from the archives of NBC News, Scientific American, and the Chemical Heritage Foundation.
CHEMISTRY TO DYE FOR: SYNTHETIC DYE (Pigments, Cell-Staining)
An 18-year-old London chemistry student tries to make synthetic quinine for malaria treatment, and instead creates the first synthetic dye. We tell the story of this 1856 Chance Discovery that transformed the textile industry worldwide. We also profile a 21st century chemist, Purdue's Mary Wirth, whose nanomaterials research makes cancer "markers" easier to detect in blood tests. Also in this collection: news stories from the archives of NBC News and Scientific American on food and fabric dyes, and cancer screening; and charts showing just how small "nanoscale" is.
CHEMISTRY OF HOUSEHOLD CLEANERS: AMMONIA (Deprotonation, Brønsted-Lowry Acids and Bases)
It's a staple of Spring Cleaning: all-purpose ammonia cleaner. "The Dirt on Ammonia as a Cleaning Agent" explains how ammonia works with water to dissolve fatty acids, like stearic acid, in greasy dirt. Also in this collection: news stories from the archives of NBC News and Scientific American on ammonia in nitrogen fertilizer, in Earth's atmosphere and beyond it; and hazardous chemicals (especially when mixed) in household cleaners.
CHEMISTRY OF BIOTOXINS: PAIN RELIEF (Peptides, Neurons)
It's both horrifying and fascinating, the way venomous sea snails paralyze, then kill, their prey. We profile 21st Century Chemist Mande Holford of the City University of New York, who is working to synthesize these biotoxins and develop powerful new painkillers. Also in this collection: news stories from the archives of NBC News and Scientific American on snail, spider and cobra venom, and on pain sensation and control - and a "universal" pain-rating scale.