Chemistry For Your Life – Details, episodes & analysis

Question and Response #59

Reddit's Chemistry Questions Answered In this episode of 'Chemistry for Your Life,' hosts Melissa and Jam dive into Reddit to answer chemistry-related questions. They explore why ice in a fizzy drink causes more fizz, how stainless steel removes onion smells from hands, when to email professors for recommendation letters, and discuss a controversial prank by an organic chemistry professor. The hosts provide insightful and engaging explanations while also sharing personal anecdotes and practical advice for students.

00:00 Introduction to Reddit Chemistry Questions
00:55 Why Does Ice Make Fizzy Drinks Fizz More?
03:09 How Does Stainless Steel Remove Onion Smell?
06:53 When to Email Professors About Recommendation Letters
10:19 Am I the Jerk for Pranking My Students?
23:06 Conclusion and Listener Engagement

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• Jacob Taber
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• Kristina Gotfredsen
• Timothy Parker
• Steven Boyles
• Chris Skupien
• Chelsea B
• Bri McAllister
• Avishai Barnoy
• Hunter Reardon

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#193

In this episode of Chemistry for Your Life, hosts Melissa and Jam delve into the chemistry of milk, focusing on the differences between raw and pasteurized milk. They discuss the processes of pasteurization and homogenization, how they affect the nutritional content of milk, and answer listener questions about raw milk's spoilage, nutritional values, and bacteria. The episode also highlights important safety considerations associated with consuming raw milk and addresses common misconceptions. The hosts also shout out their Patreon supporters and encourage others to join their community.

00:00 Introduction to Milk and Pasteurization
00:53 Listener Questions and Raw Milk Discussion
01:53 Shoutout to Patreon Member Scott B
02:38 Deep Dive into Pasteurization
05:29 Chemistry Lesson: Proteins and Pasteurization
22:27 Heating Milk at Home
23:30 Raw Milk: Myths and Facts
25:02 Pasteurization and Nutritional Content
29:22 Risks of Drinking Raw Milk
32:21 Homogenization Explained
38:18 Milk Hot Takes and Fun Facts
43:14 Conclusion and Community Shoutouts

1. https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/as/as-612-w.pdf
2. https://winnebago.extension.wisc.edu/2020/12/08/the-dangers-of-raw-milk/
3. https://realrawmilkfacts.com/raw-milk-news/sdsu-extension-raw-milk-and-home-pasteurization
4. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/pasteurization
5. https://pubmed-ncbi-nlm-nih-gov.libproxy.library.unt.edu/22054181/
6. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0362028X22128449?via%3Dihub
7. https://pubsapp.acs.org/cen/whatstuff/stuff/7945sci2.html
8. https://youtu.be/LFKVKshX5tQ
9. https://www.fda.gov/food/alerts-advisories-safety-information/updates-highly-pathogenic-avian-influenza-hpai

We want to give a special thanks to Bri McAllister for illustrating molecules for some episodes! Please go check out Bri’s art, follow and support her at entr0pic.artstation.com and @McAllisterBri on twitter!

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Check out our website at chemforyourlife.com

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#189

In this episode, Melissa and Jam delve into the crucial role of Vitamin C in the body, focusing on its importance for collagen production. They discuss how collagen, a key structural protein found in tendons, cartilage, bones, teeth, skin, and blood vessels, relies on Vitamin C to form strong, functional structures. The conversation explores the process of how Vitamin C enables enzymes to add essential alcohol groups to collagen strands, allowing them to twist into strong triple helices, which then form a robust matrix in the body. The hosts also touch upon the connection between Vitamin C deficiency and scurvy, and tease further exploration of Vitamin C's role in the immune system and as a preservative in future episodes. The episode is dedicated to new community member Jesse, and acknowledges listener Nicole B. for inspiring the topic.

00:00 Introduction to Vitamin C Myths
00:13 Exploring Vitamin C in Skincare and Food Preservation
00:32 Vitamin C and Pets: A Curious Case
00:45 Diving into Scurvy and Vitamin C
01:28 Podcast Introduction and Dedication
01:38 Special Announcements and Episode Structure
06:02 The Chemistry of Collagen
10:27 Understanding Collagen Structure
13:30 The Role of Intermolecular Forces
18:02 Connecting Vitamin C to Collagen Formation
19:57 The Role of Hydroxylase in Collagen Formation
20:42 Vitamin C: The Essential Co-Factor
23:10 The Consequences of Vitamin C Deficiency
23:31 Debating Collagen Supplements
32:50 The Historical Struggle with Scurvy
37:53 Conclusion and Listener Engagement

References from this episode:

1. Biochemistry, 4th edition Garrett & Grisham
2. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18505499/
3. https://youtu.be/3e2JYMNS_W4?t=477s
4. https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2019/ob/c9ob01646e
5. https://thispodcastwillkillyou.com/2019/02/05/episode-19-scurvy-thanks-a-lot-evolution/

We want to give a special thanks to Bri McAllister for illustrating molecules for some episodes! Please go check out Bri’s art, follow and support her at entr0pic.artstation.com and @McAllisterBri on twitter!

Thanks to our monthly supporters

• Jessie Reder
• Ciara Linville
• J0HNTR0Y
• Jeannette Napoleon
• Cullyn R
• Erica Bee
• Elizabeth P
• Sarah Moar
• Rachel Reina
• Letila
• Katrina Barnum-Huckins
• Suzanne Phillips
• Venus Rebholz
• Lyn Stubblefield
• Jacob Taber
• Brian Kimball
• Emerson Woodhall
• Kristina Gotfredsen
• Timothy Parker
• Steven Boyles
• Chris Skupien
• Chelsea B
• Bri McAllister
• Avishai Barnoy
• Hunter Reardon

Check out our website at chemforyourlife.com

Watch our episodes on YouTube

Find us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook @ChemForYourLife

Bonus Episode: Question and Response 35

In this month's bonus episode, Melissa and Jam respond to comments and questions about pressure, eicosane, clouds, chemistry analogies, coffee, and baking.

Want to start your own podcast? Use Transistor and you'll have the best podcast platform available. We use it and we are totally in love with it.

Find us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook @ChemForYourLife.
Email us at [email protected]
And check out our chill, simple little website at https://chemforyourlife.transistor.fm/

Thanks to our monthly supporters

• Ciara Linville
• J0HNTR0Y
• Jeannette Napoleon
• Cullyn R
• Erica Bee
• Elizabeth P
• Sarah Moar
• Rachel Reina
• Letila
• Katrina Barnum-Huckins
• Suzanne Phillips
• Nelly Silva
• Venus Rebholz
• Lyn Stubblefield
• Jacob Taber
• Brian Kimball
• Emerson Woodhall
• Kristina Gotfredsen
• Timothy Parker
• Steven Boyles
• Chris Skupien
• Chelsea B
• Bri McAllister
• Avishai Barnoy
• Hunter Reardon

#144

Cars are complicated, there's lots of parts that do lots of things most of us will probably never understand it all. Well we can at least tackle one of those mysteries today. You've probably heard of something called a catalytic converter, right? And you've probably heard that it's important. Well that's true! But why? What does it do, why is it essential, and how does it do it? It's actually very very cool tbh.

How to start a podcast. <- Check this out if you've got a podcast idea you want to make happen!

References from this episode

1. https://youtu.be/I1YLPfSuNXY
2. https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/education/outreach/celebrating-chemistry-editions/2021-ncw/catalytic-converters.html
3. https://cen.acs.org/synthesis/catalysis/optimize-precious-metal-usage-catalytic/100/i10
4. https://pubs-acs-org.libproxy.library.unt.edu/doi/full/10.1021/acs.chemmater.1c03513
5. https://www.dps.texas.gov/rsd/vi/inspection/inspectioncriteria.aspx
6. https://www.epa.gov/transportation-air-pollution-and-climate-change/frequent-questions-related-transportation-air
7. https://www.tceq.texas.gov/airquality/air-emissions/air-emissions
8. https://chem.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Physical_and_Theoretical_Chemistry_Textbook_Maps/Supplemental_Modules_(Physical_and_Theoretical_Chemistry)/Kinetics/07%3A_Case_Studies-_Kinetics/7.01%3A_Catalytic_Converters
9. Organic chemistry Solomons 11th edition
10. Chemistry 2nd Edition Open Stax Robinson, Langley, Theopold & Flowers
11. Solomons Organic Chemistry 11th Edition

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Thanks to our monthly supporters

• Ciara Linville
• J0HNTR0Y
• Jeannette Napoleon
• Cullyn R
• Erica Bee
• Elizabeth P
• Sarah Moar
• Rachel Reina
• Letila
• Katrina Barnum-Huckins
• Suzanne Phillips
• Nelly Silva
• Venus Rebholz
• Lyn Stubblefield
• Jacob Taber
• Brian Kimball
• Emerson Woodhall
• Kristina Gotfredsen
• Timothy Parker
• Steven Boyles
• Chris Skupien
• Chelsea B
• Bri McAllister
• Avishai Barnoy
• Hunter Reardon

#057 Rebroadcast

So we all know what we think of when we hear the word "alcohol," but what if that's not really the whole picture? There's actually many kinds of alcohol, most of which we cannot drink. So what's up with all those alcohols? What makes them different? What makes them similar enough to all be called alcohol? Let's find out.

Want to start your own podcast? Use Transistor and you'll have the best podcast platform available. We use it and we are totally in love with it.

References from this episode

1. https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/ershdb/emergencyresponsecard_29750029.html
2. https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/pressroom/newsreleases/2015/march/food-additive-could-serve-as-a-safer-more-environmentally-friendly-antifreeze.html
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1306022/
4. https://fscimage.fishersci.com/msds/14280.htm
5. https://fscimage.fishersci.com/msds/89308.htm
6. https://fscimage.fishersci.com/msds/89530.htm
7. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4811046/
8. https://www.fishersci.com/msdsproxy%3FproductName%3DE1774%26productDescription%3DETHYLENE%2BGLYCOL%2BLABORATORY%2B4L%26catNo%3DE177-4%2B%26vendorId%3DVN00033897%26storeId%3D10652
9. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK482121/
10. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/ammonium-nitrate-beirut-explosion-what-blast-lebanon-latest-a9654861.html

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• Suzanne Phillips
• Nelly Silva
• Venus Rebholz
• Lyn Stubblefield
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• Brian Kimball
• Emerson Woodhall
• Kristina Gotfredsen
• Timothy Parker
• Steven Boyles
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#143

For many of us, gasoline is just another everyday thing. It's essential, but we don't give it much thought. But how does it work? What is it made up of? Why are there different "grades" or "types" of gasoline? Let's start it up.

goode.coffee

How to start a podcast. <- Check this out if you've got a podcast idea you want to make happen!

References from this episode

1. https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/industry/industry-matters/mark-e-jones/get-the-lead-out.html
2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6AdX-bdDaw
3. https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/pressroom/newsreleases/2012/august/fueling-the-future-with-renewable-gasoline-and-diesel.html
4. https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/gasoline/octane-in-depth.php
5. https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/gasoline/where-our-gasoline-comes-from.php
6. https://www.eia.gov/petroleum/weekly/archive/2016/160330/includes/analysis_print.php
7. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21086970/#:~:text=Branched%20alkane%20hydrocarbons%20are%20thermodynamically,in%20alkane%20bond%20separation%20energies.
8. Solomons Organic Chemistry 11th Edition

Find us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook @ChemForYourLife.
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And check out our chill, simple little website at https://chemforyourlife.transistor.fm/
And seriously, we love using Transistor. Check it out to be sure your podcast makes a bang.

Thanks to our monthly supporters

• Ciara Linville
• J0HNTR0Y
• Jeannette Napoleon
• Cullyn R
• Erica Bee
• Elizabeth P
• Sarah Moar
• Rachel Reina
• Letila
• Katrina Barnum-Huckins
• Suzanne Phillips
• Nelly Silva
• Venus Rebholz
• Lyn Stubblefield
• Jacob Taber
• Brian Kimball
• Emerson Woodhall
• Kristina Gotfredsen
• Timothy Parker
• Steven Boyles
• Chris Skupien
• Chelsea B
• Bri McAllister
• Avishai Barnoy
• Hunter Reardon

Bonus Episode: Question and Response 34

In this month's bonus episode, Melissa and Jam respond to comments and questions about nail polish, tattoos, viscosity, humidity, life updates, and more!

Want to start your own podcast? Use Transistor and you'll have the best podcast platform available. We use it and we are totally in love with it.

Find us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook @ChemForYourLife.
Email us at [email protected]
And check out our chill, simple little website at https://chemforyourlife.transistor.fm/

Thanks to our monthly supporters

• Ciara Linville
• J0HNTR0Y
• Jeannette Napoleon
• Cullyn R
• Erica Bee
• Elizabeth P
• Sarah Moar
• Rachel Reina
• Letila
• Katrina Barnum-Huckins
• Suzanne Phillips
• Nelly Silva
• Venus Rebholz
• Lyn Stubblefield
• Jacob Taber
• Brian Kimball
• Emerson Woodhall
• Kristina Gotfredsen
• Timothy Parker
• Steven Boyles
• Chris Skupien
• Chelsea B
• Bri McAllister
• Avishai Barnoy
• Hunter Reardon

#142

So a couple weeks ago we talked about how tattoos are permanent. But what if you don't want your tattoo to be permanent any more? You won't get any judgement from us. So how can tattoo removal work, when tattoos are designed specifically to stay in our skin indefinitely? Let's find out.

How to start a podcast. <- Check this out if you've got a podcast idea you want to make happen!

References from this episode

1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4411606/
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4411594/
3. https://edu.rsc.org/feature/chemistry-with-lasers/2020116.article
4. https://journals.lww.com/dermatologicsurgery/abstract/1999/01000/comparison_of_the_q_switched_alexandrite,_nd_yag,.2.asp
5. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/11263061_Laser-tattoo_removal-A_study_of_the_mechanism_and_the_optimal_treatment_strategy_via_computer_simulations
6. Lasers: basics, advances and applications by Hans Joachim Eichler, Jürgen Eichler, Oliver Lux

Find us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook @ChemForYourLife.
Email us at [email protected]
And check out our chill, simple little website at https://chemforyourlife.transistor.fm/
And seriously, we love using Transistor. Check it out to be sure your podcast makes a bang.

Thanks to our monthly supporters

• Ciara Linville
• J0HNTR0Y
• Jeannette Napoleon
• Cullyn R
• Erica Bee
• Elizabeth P
• Sarah Moar
• Rachel Reina
• Letila
• Katrina Barnum-Huckins
• Suzanne Phillips
• Nelly Silva
• Venus Rebholz
• Lyn Stubblefield
• Jacob Taber
• Brian Kimball
• Emerson Woodhall
• Kristina Gotfredsen
• Timothy Parker
• Steven Boyles
• Chris Skupien
• Chelsea B
• Bri McAllister
• Avishai Barnoy
• Hunter Reardon

#012 Rebroadcast

This week Melissa and Jam continue in the category of "sticky" things by exploring how geckos stick to walls. How do they do it? Is it magic? Is it like spider-man? Is it intermolecular forces?

How to start a podcast. <- Check this out if you've got a podcast idea you want to make happen!

References from this episode

1. Organic Chemistry Textbook, Edition 11 - T.W. Graham Solomons
2. Chemistry, Edition 2 - Paul Flowers, Clause Theopold, Richard Langley, and William R. Robinson
3. Ologies Podcast - Episode 99 Saurology with Earyn McGee - Alie Ward

Thanks to our monthly supporters

• Ciara Linville
• J0HNTR0Y
• Jeannette Napoleon
• Cullyn R
• Erica Bee
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• Rachel Reina
• Letila
• Katrina Barnum-Huckins
• Suzanne Phillips
• Nelly Silva
• Venus Rebholz
• Lyn Stubblefield
• Jacob Taber
• Brian Kimball
• Emerson Woodhall
• Kristina Gotfredsen
• Timothy Parker
• Steven Boyles
• Chris Skupien
• Chelsea B
• Bri McAllister
• Avishai Barnoy
• Hunter Reardon