Mysteries in Science

Episode 9: Chemistry
Developed by Dr. Felix Bast
Professor and Head, Department of Botany, Central University of Punjab, Ghudda,
Bathinda, 151001, Punjab, India
felix.bast@gmail.com
9872152694
Highlights are sections where I will speak and appear on camera

Durati Script Element

on
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10 Animation: Electron in
atoms, zooming out to
atoms to molecules to
cells to plankton in
ocean macro to blue
ocean to globe to solar
system, and the
universe, music in
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title of series:
“Mysteries in Science”

Did you know that our stomach is very acidic and the
pH of which around 1.5 can melt even the metals?

On the other hand, our blood is alkaline, with a pH of

around 7.45

Did you know vulcanized rubber in vehicle tire is just

one giant molecule?

Welcome to mysteries in medicine and human

behavior!
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One of the greatest unresolved mysteries in science is Revolving earth in
 the origin of life on planet earth background
Charles Darwin famously conjectured that life Charle Darwin’s
originated in a warm little pond or primordial soup, image zoom
but the mystery is far from being resolved.

It is believed that life originated from inorganic Animation of burning

substances abundant in early atmosphere of earth, earth with lightning
including water, ammonia, methane, and hydrogen.
Origin of life from abiotic matter is called
abiogenesis.

A famous experiment in abiogenesis is called Urey- Zoom Urey, Miller

Miller experiment named after two scientists who and their experimental
performed it. They replicated conditions of early set up
earth and from water, ammonia, methane, and
hydrogen, they synthesized 22 amino acids!

While earth came in existence around 4.54 million Footage through a

years ago, it is believed that life originated around 4 rocky shore
billion years ago, but no consensus exists in science
about how it started.

Some scientists even consider life came from outer Footage of an asteroid
space through a comet or asteroid, the theory is hitting the earth
known as panspermia

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Did you know that the red planet mars is red because Behind me revolving
of iron oxide? Mars
Mars is covered with red colored iron oxide, the Structure of red oxide
reason why the planet is red. zoom
The same iron oxide is the reason why our blood is Footage of human
red blood
Earth will look like a blue marble from moon; reason Footage of earth from
is the blue oceans that covers around 71% of earth’s moon
surface area.
By the way in Antarctica I have seen deep blue I speak as Antarctic
glacial ice. footage behind me
The glacial blue ice is found only in Antarctica. The Footage of glacial blue
reason is extreme hydrostatic pressure underneath ice, then molecular
kilometers-thick Antarctic ice sheet stretching the O- structure of water
H covalent bonds in water molecule.
The farthest planet Neptune is blue because its Footage of Neptune-
atmosphere is mostly methane, which absorbs red blue planet
and infrared from sunlight.
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Did you know that muons can catalyze room I speak while fusion
temperature nuclear fusion reaction? animation behind
We have seen muons in Mysteries in Physics. These Muon animation
are one of the elementary subatomic particle, just like
electrons.
Nuclear fusion is a process of getting energy by Fusion animation
combining two atoms like two hydrogen atoms to
create a bigger atom like helium.

A major advantage of fusion over fission is that the Hydrogen molecule on

raw material for fusion is just hydrogen, while for left and Helium on
fission is comparatively rare Uranium isotopes. right

By the way did you know that nuclear fusion is Random earth
responsible for almost entire energy here on earth? footages, forest, city,
factory etc
This is because nuclear fusion is what fuels our sun, Footage of sun
just like any other stars.

Usually, nuclear fusion requires extreme Footage of sun with

temperatures, almost 6 times that of sun’s surface fusion animation
temperature. Conventionally this is achieved by an
initial blast from nuclear fission.
Recent finding is that with muons, you can do the Fusion animation with
fusion at room temperature muons
But muons have extremely short lifetime, just 2.1 Muon animation
microseconds.
Scientists are now exploring to design safe nuclear Footage of nuclear
fusion powerplants using this technology power plant
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Did you know if you add salt into a glass of water, Behind me glass of
the water level decreases? water

In freshwater water molecules are loosely bound by Animation of water

hydrogen bonds. molecules
When you add salt, NaCl ionizes into Na+ and Cl- Animation
ions. These ions will bind neighboring water
molecules strongly, which lead to overall decrease in
volume.
 Here is another fact; if you mix half a liter of alcohol Animation of Alcohol
and half a liter of water, the total volume of the liquid with water
will be less than one liter, 960 ml to be exact.

Reason is that ethanol molecules are smaller than Animation of ethanol

water molecules. When you mix, ethanol molecules molecules getting
can pack within the space between two water inside water molecules
molecules, bringing down the total volume.

Here is a bonus fact: Water is an unusual molecule Footage of ice

such that it expands during freezing. Usually all other breaking the plumbing
substances reduce the volume while freezing. An ice systems
cube has 9% more volume than the water which is
used to make it.
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Did you know that seawater doesn't freeze at 0 Behind me footage of
degrees C? Antarctic ocean with
penguins
The reason is salt in the seawater, it brings down the Animation of NaCl in
freezing point from 0 degrees to up to minus 6 water
degrees depending on the salt concentration.
When seawater freezes, most salt oozes out, and the Footage of seaice
ice is freshwater. If you taste seaice, it would taste
like normal ice, not salty. Bizarre isn’t it?
The property of salt to reduce freezing point of water Footage of icecream
is used in ice-cream machines, that need extremely machines
cold temperatures for quick freezing.
In cooler countries, salt is sprinkled on the roads Footage of salt
during winter months for this same reason. With salt, sprinking on roads
the water can no longer freeze at 0 degrees. Salt can
also melt existing ice.
However, note that while salt will lower the freezing Footage of salt adding
point of water, it does not lower the boiling point. In into curry while
fact, salty water will boil at a higher temperature than cooking
non-salty water.
If you want to increase temperature of your dishes Behind me various
above 100 degrees C, add salt while cooking, a nifty Indian dishes in bronze
tip! containers
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Did you know that every hydrogen atom in our body Behind me big bang
and elsewhere was created 13.5 billion years ago explosion
 during the birth of universe?
Remember that in the 4th episode on Mysteries of Footage of molten
Earth we have learned that all gold here on earth is gold pouring
formed in supernovae.
Similarly, all hydrogen atoms were created during the big bag explosion on
Big Bang event. Hydrogen is also the most abundant left, Hydrogen
element in the universe. molecule on right
Planet Jupiter is made up of Hydrogen and Helium, Footage of jupiter
just like Sun.
Most abundant element here on earth is Oxygen. Did Footage of deep blue
you know the color of liquid oxygen is deep blue? liquid oxygen
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Did you know that air becomes liquid at -190 degrees Talking head with
C? liquid air in
background
Liquid Air is used in many applications, for instance Liquid air footage
as a source of liquid nitrogen and liquid oxygen.
Here is another curious fact: If you take a glass of Footage of boiling
water to space and expose it outside, the water will water
start boiling!

This is due to vacuum in the space that brings down Footage of vaporizing
the boiling point of water to very low temperatures. water in vacuum
Of course, the water vapor would instantly turn into
ice.

Here is yet another curious fact: Glass is actually a Footage of a glass

liquid. blower making glass

If you look at tinted glass windowpanes of medieval

buildings you can see downward accumulation of Footage of tinted glass
water due to gravity. in European churches

Glass is technically called an amorphous solid, which Animation of

is right in between solid phase and liquid phase molecular structure of
glass
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Did you know that pure honey is almost never I speak while a bee
perishable? hive footage behind
me
We can even eat 3000 year old honey kept at room Footage of honey in
 temperature. The reason why it never gets spoiled is barrels
due to its low water contents.
Coming to food, here is another curious fact. Did you Footage of apple seeds
know that apple seeds are extremely poisonous? The
reason is that it contains amygdalin, which is turned
into cyanide if chewed.
If you are a dog or cat owner here is an important tip; Various footages of
chocolates, coffee and garlics are lethal for cats and cats and dogs
dogs. Garlic contains disulfides and thiosulphates
which can be toxic cats and dogs if ingested.
Chocolate has theobromine that will directly affect
your pet’s nervous system and heart.
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Did you know that DNA-our genetic molecule- is fire Structure of DNA
retardant? behind me, animation
DNA- Deoxyribonucleic acid is the blueprint of life, Sructure of DNA
as the genetic code is embedded into the sequences of
this important nucleic acid.
The backbone of DNA molecule is made up on Structure of DNA
phosphate-deoxyribose groups. When heated, the showing phosphate
phosphate turns into phosphoric acid that reacts with group
water. The residue is highly flame retardant.
DNA is also rich in bases containing Nitrogen. When Structure of nucleotide
heated, these nitrogen turns into ammonia, another bases in DNA
flame retardant chemical that inhibits combustion.
Scientists are exploring DNA molecules to coat Footages of textiles,
textiles to make them flame resistant various Indian cloths
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Did you know that no substance is chemical free? I speak I a cemetery
There has been a famous survey in the US and many Footages of children
other countries done by school students asking the doing questionnaire
politicians will they vote to ban a nasty chemical survey
called dihydrogen monoxide. They added that this
chemical is “nasty, corrosive and is found in tumors,”
yet extensively sprayed in farmlands. Many of them
agreed to ban this chemical.
What they missed out is the crucial fact that this Structure of water
dihydrogen monoxide is nothing but a fancy technical
name for water!
Irrational fear of the word ‘chemical’ is called Various ads showing
chemophobia. What most of us don’t realize is that Chemical Free
nothing is chemical free; even the purest Antarctic
 glacial water and mother’s breastmilk are made up of
chemicals.
“Appeal to nature” is a well-known logical fallacy. Footages of forest
Just because something is “natural” doesn’t mean it is
safe for human consumption. Remember we came
across many extremely poisonous plant species in
Episode 2; of course, all of which are naturally
occurring.
Here is another fact, scientifically there is no Salt on left, NaCl
difference between “natural” and “synthetic” versions formula on right
of the same chemical.
Another key piece of information is that “Natural” Footages of king cobra
chemicals are not automatically good and “artificial” and scorpions
chemicals are not automatically bad
Dose make everything a poison. For instance, at Footage of mercury on
extremely low dose, a lethal poison like mercury is the left, while water on
safe. One the other hand, people have died from the right
drinking too much water.
Hope you liked these ten mysteries of Medicine and Talking head with
Human Behavior. What are your thoughts about these internet in background,
mysteries? Do you have any other mysteries to share? highlighting the
Please visit our website and participate in discussion: website URL:
http://bit.ly/MysteriesInScience http://bit.ly/MysteriesI
nScience
10 Electron in atoms,
zooming out to atoms
to molecules to cells to
plankton in ocean
macro to blue ocean to
globe to solar system,
and the universe,
music in background,
and the title of series:
“Mysteries in Science”