Undercover
Chemistry
Name:
Diamond
Chemical Formula:
C
Black = Carbon
Diamond is made entirely out of
one element: Carbon.
Natural diamonds grow deep
beneath the Earth's crust, and
scientists think that each one takes
more than 1 billion years to make.
That's why they're so hard to find!
Undercover
Chemistry
Name:
PET (Polyethylene terephthalate)
Chemical Formula:
(C10H8O4)n
Black = Carbon
Red = Oxygen
White = Hydrogen
PET is one of the main ingredients of
man made fibres like Lycra™.
Molecules like the one above join
together to make long strands
which are good for weaving into
clothes.
Undercover
Chemistry
Name:
DEGBAC
(di-Ethylene-Glycol-bis-Allyl-Carbonate)
Chemical Formula:
(C12H18O5)n
Black = Carbon
Red = Oxygen
White = Hydrogen
DEGBAC is the main plastic used in
spectacles.
It has properties very similar to
glass, which is mostly made of
Silicon dioxide (SiO2). However,
DEGBAC is much lighter than glass,
and doesn't scratch as easily.
Undercover
Chemistry
Name:
Cellulose
Chemical Formula:
(C6H10O5)n
Black = Carbon
Red = Oxygen
White = Hydrogen
Cellulose is what paper is mostly
made from.
Plants use cellulose to make their
cell walls, which in turn allows them
to stand up. It is probably the most
common biological compound on
Earth.
Undercover
Chemistry
Name:
Theobromine
Chemical Formula:
C7H8N4O2
Black = Carbon
Red = Oxygen
Blue = Nitrogen
White = Hydrogen
Theobromine is one of the main
chemicals in chocolate.
It is very similar to caffeine in its
structure and its effects. It increases
your heart rate, and can make you
want to wee.
Undercover
Chemistry
Name:
Alcohol (Ethanol)
Chemical Formula:
C2H5OH
Black = Carbon
Red = Oxygen
White = Hydrogen
Ethanol is the alcohol that is found
in drinks like beer, wine and whisky.
As you can see, it is a very small
molecule and so it crosses into the
body's cells very easily. This is why it
affects our brains so quickly.
Undercover
Chemistry
Name:
Bronze
Chemical Formula:
CuxSny
Yellow= Copper
Silver = Tin
Bronze is such important stuff that
they named a whole chunk of
human history after it!
Bronze continues to be used right
up to the present day, including
being one of the most popular
materials for sculptors.
Undercover
Chemistry
Name:
Caffeine
Chemical Formula:
C8H10N4O2
Black = Carbon
Red = Oxygen
Blue = Nitrogen
White = Hydrogen
Caffeine is the stimulant which is
found in coffee and tea.
Unlike most chemicals, it crosses
into the brain quite easily. It is the
world's most commonly used
psychoactive drug.
Undercover
Chemistry
Name:
Sugar (Glucose)
Chemical Formula:
C6H12O6
Black = Carbon
Red = Oxygen
White = Hydrogen
Plants make glucose out of sunlight,
air and water through the magic of
photosynthesis.
They use it to store energy, and
animals like you and me burn the
glucose in our cells to help us grow,
move and think.
Undercover
Chemistry
Name:
Asprin (Acetylsalicylic acid)
Chemical Formula:
C9H8O4
Black = Carbon
Red = Oxygen
White = Hydrogen
Asprin is one of the world's most
popular medications.
It slows down the rate at which
blood clots form, and so it is often
given to people who are at risk of
having a heart attack.