Cool chemical reactions. The most interesting fact about chemistry. Organic chemistry: interesting facts. Reaction of Berthollet salt and sweets

Incredible facts

Chemical reactions are part of our Everyday life. Cooking in the kitchen, driving a car, these reactions are common. This list features some of the most surprising and unusual reactions that most of us have never seen.

10. Sodium and water in chlorine gas

Sodium is a highly flammable element, and adding water to it can cause an explosion. In this video we see how a drop of water is added to sodium in a flask containing chlorine gas. The distinctive yellow color of the emitted light is associated with the "work" of sodium, and is often used in the creation of street lighting systems. If we combine sodium and chlorine, we get sodium chloride, that is, ordinary table salt.

9. Reaction of magnesium and dry ice

Magnesium is flammable and burns very brightly. In this experiment, you see magnesium ignite in a shell of dry ice—frozen carbon dioxide. Magnesium can burn in carbon dioxide and nitrogen. Due to the bright light it was used as a flash in the early days of photography, it is still used in marine rockets and fireworks today.

8. Reaction of Berthollet salt and sweets

Potassium chlorate is a compound of potassium, chlorine and oxygen. It is often used as a disinfectant and in fireworks and explosives. When potassium chlorate is heated to its melting point, any object that comes into contact with it at this point will cause the chlorate to decompose, resulting in an explosion. The gas released after the decay is oxygen. Because of this, it is often used in aircraft, space stations and submarines as a source of oxygen. The fire at the Mir station was also associated with this substance.

7. Meissner effect

When a superconductor is cooled below its transition temperature, it becomes diamagnetic: that is, an object is repelled from magnetic field, rather than being attracted to it. This discovery by Meissner led to the emergence of the concept of “vehicle friction,” that is, an object “floats” on rails rather than being “tied” to them by its wheels.

6. Oversaturation with sodium acetate

Sodium acetate in water becomes supersaturated when heated or cooled. When it comes into contact with another object, it re-crystallizes. This reaction also produces heat, so it has no practical use in thermal pads. Sodium acetate is also used as a preservative and gives the chips their unique taste. In the food industry it is known as E262 or sodium diacetate.

5. Superabsorbent polymers

Also known as hydrogel, they are capable of absorbing very large amounts of liquid relative to their own weight. For this reason they are used in industrial production diapers, as well as in other areas where protection from water and other liquids is required, such as the construction of underground cables.

4. Floating sulfur hexafluoride

Sulfur hexafluoride is a colorless, non-toxic and non-flammable gas that has no odor. Since it is 5 times denser than air, it can be poured into containers, and light objects immersed in it will float as if in water. Another funny, absolutely harmless feature of using this gas: it sharply lowers the voice, that is, the effect is exactly the opposite compared to the effect of helium. The effect can be seen here:

3. Superfluid helium

When helium cools to -271 degrees Celsius, it reaches the lambda point. At this stage (in liquid form) it is known as helium II and is superfluid. When it passes through the finest capillaries, it is impossible to measure its viscosity. In addition, it will "crawl" upward in search of a warm area, seemingly freed from the effects of gravity. Incredible!

2. Thermite and liquid nitrogen

Thermite is an aluminum powder and metal oxide that produces an aluminothermic reaction known as the thermite reaction. It is not explosive, but can result in very high temperature flashes. Some types of detonators “begin” with a thermite reaction, and combustion occurs at a temperature of several thousand degrees. In the presented clip we see attempts to “cool” the thermite reaction using liquid nitrogen.

1. Briggs–Rauscher reaction

This reaction is known as an oscillating chemical reaction. According to information from Wikipedia: “a freshly prepared colorless solution slowly acquires an amber color, then sharply becomes dark blue, then slowly becomes colorless again; the process is repeated in a circle several times, eventually stopping at a dark blue color, and the liquid itself smells strongly of iodine ". The reason is that during the first reaction certain substances are produced, which in turn provoke a second reaction, and the process is repeated until exhaustion.

Chemical reactions are part of everyday life. A person encounters their products literally at every step, but hardly thinks about it. We have collected the 10 most spectacular chemical reactions that will entertain adults and perhaps encourage children to study chemistry.

1. Sodium and water in chlorine gas

Sodium is a highly flammable element and simply adding water can cause an explosion. The video shows a drop of water being added to a small piece of sodium in a flask filled with chlorine gas. The yellow color of the emitted light is due to the work of sodium, which is often used in street lighting systems. The experiment also generates a large amount of heat. And if you combine sodium and chlorine, you get sodium chloride - ordinary table salt.

2. Reaction of magnesium and dry ice

Magnesium ignites very easily and burns very brightly. In this experiment, magnesium can be seen igniting in a shell of dry ice - frozen carbon dioxide. Magnesium can burn in carbon dioxide and nitrogen. Because of the intense light produced by the combustion process, magnesium was used in photographic flashes and is still used in marine flares and fireworks.

3. Reaction of potassium chlorate and candy

Potassium chlorate is a compound containing potassium, chlorine and oxygen. It is often used as a disinfectant and in fireworks and explosives. When potassium chlorate is heated to its melting point, any element added to it will cause rapid decomposition in the form of an explosion (as seen in the video). During this breakdown, oxygen is released. Because of this, potassium chlorate is often used in aircraft, space stations and submarines as an oxygen source.

4. Meissner effect

When a superconductor is cooled to a temperature below a critical level, it becomes diamagnetic: i.e. it is repelled by the magnetic field rather than attracted to it. This discovery by Meissner led to the concept of maglev trains, where the train "floats" above the tracks rather than "using wheels to ride."

5. Oversaturation with sodium acetate

Sodium acetate becomes supersaturated when heated or cooled. When it comes into contact with another object, it crystallizes again. This reaction also causes a high temperature, so it has practical use in the creation of thermal pads. Sodium acetate is also used as a preservative, which gives the chips their unique taste. We are talking about the food additive E262 or sodium diacetate.

6. Superabsorbent polymers

Superabsorbent polymers (also known as hydrogels) are capable of absorbing very large volumes of liquid relative to their own weight. For this reason, they are used in the diaper industry, as well as in other applications that require protection from water or liquids, such as underground cable installations.

7. Floating sulfur hexafluoride

Sulfur hexafluoride is a colorless, odorless, non-toxic and non-flammable gas. Since it is 5 times denser than air, this gas can be poured into open containers, and light objects will float on it, just like on ordinary water. Another fun use for this harmless gas is that when inhaled, it sharply lowers the voice - the exact opposite of helium.

8. Superfluid helium

When helium is cooled to minus 271 degrees Celsius, it turns into superfluid helium-II. Since it passes through even ultra-fine capillaries, its viscosity cannot be measured. In addition, helium-II will crawl up the walls of the container in search of a warmer place, which seems to contradict the force of gravity.

9. Thermite and liquid nitrogen

Thermite is a powdered mixture of aluminum with oxides of various metals, which produce the so-called thermite reaction. It is not an explosive, but it can create short flashes at very high temperatures. Combustion during the thermite reaction occurs at temperatures of several thousand degrees. In the video you can watch an attempt to “quench” the thermite reaction with liquid nitrogen (minus 200 degrees).

10. Briggs-Rauscher reaction

The Briggs-Rauscher reaction is known as an oscillating chemical reaction. A freshly prepared colorless solution slowly turns an amber color, then suddenly suddenly turns dark blue. After this, it slowly becomes colorless and the process is repeated about ten times. This is due to the fact that the first reaction creates certain chemical substances, which then trigger a second reaction and the process repeats.

Recently, in order to popularize chemistry, a project was launched, the developers of which wanted to open the complex world of chemical reactions and structures to the general public.

Probably everyone at school studied important facts in chemistry. However, not everyone knows that chemistry surrounds us everywhere. It's impossible to imagine life modern man without the use of chemical elements that are of great benefit to humanity. Besides, Interesting Facts about chemistry in human life will help you learn more about this amazing and useful science. Everyone should learn about chemical elements and their invaluable benefits to humans. Next, we will take a closer look at interesting facts about chemistry and how it is useful for human life.

1. To ensure the standard flight of a modern aircraft, about 80 tons of oxygen are needed. The same amount of oxygen is produced by 40 thousand hectares of forest during photosynthesis.

2. About twenty grams of salt are contained in one liter of sea water.

3. The length of 100 million hydrogen atoms in one chain is one centimeter.

4. About 7 mg of gold can be extracted from one ton of the waters of the World Ocean.

5. About 75% of water is contained in the human body.

6. The mass of our planet has increased by one billion tons over the past five centuries.

7. The thinnest matter that a person can see includes the walls of a soap bubble.

8. 0.001 seconds - speed of bursting of a soap bubble.

9. At a temperature of 5000 degrees Celsius, iron turns into a gaseous state.

10. The sun produces more energy in one minute than our planet needs for a whole year.

11. Granite is considered the best conductor of sound compared to air.

12. The largest number of chemical elements was discovered by Carl Shelley, a leading Canadian researcher.

13. The largest platinum nugget weighs more than 7 kilograms.

15. Joseph Black discovered carbon dioxide in 1754.

16. Under the influence of soy sauce, a chemical reaction occurs that makes the killed squid “dance” on the plate.

17. Responsible for the characteristic smell of feces organic compound skatol.

18. Pyotr Stolypin took the chemistry exam from Dmitry Mendeleev.

19. The transition of a substance from a solid to a gaseous state in chemistry is called sublimation.

20. In addition to mercury, francium and gallium pass into liquid matter at room temperature.

21. Water containing methane can freeze at temperatures above 20 degrees Celsius.

22. Hydrogen is the lightest gas.

23. Hydrogen is also the most abundant substance in the world.

24. Lithium is considered one of the lightest metals.

25. In his youth, Charles Darwin was famous for his chemical discoveries.

26. In a dream, Mendeleev discovered a system of chemical elements.

27. A large number of chemical elements have been named after countries.

28. Onions contain a substance called sulfur, which causes tears in humans.

29. In Indonesia, people extract sulfur from a volcano, which brings them great profit.

30. In addition, sulfur is also added to cosmetics that are designed to cleanse problem skin.

31. Earwax protects a person from harmful bacteria and microorganisms.

32. French researcher B. Courtois discovered iodine in 1811.

33. More than 100 thousand chemical reactions occur every minute in the human brain.

34. Silver is known for its bactericidal properties, therefore it can purify water from viruses and microorganisms.

35. The name “sodium” was first used by Berzelius.

36. Iron can be easily turned into gas if it is heated to 5 thousand degrees Celsius.

37. Half the mass of the Sun is hydrogen.

38. About 10 billion tons of gold are contained in the waters of the World Ocean.

39. Once upon a time, only seven metals were known.

40. Ernest Rutherford was the first to be awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry.

41. Dihydrogen monoxide is part of acid rain and is dangerous for all living organisms.

42. At first, platinum was cheaper than silver due to its refractoriness.

43. Geosmin is a substance that is produced on the surface of the earth after rain, causing a characteristic odor.

44. These were named after the Swedish village of Ytterby chemical elements, like ytterbium, yttrium, erbium and terbium.

45. Alexander Fleming first discovered antibiotics.

46. ​​Birds help determine the location of a gas leak due to the presence of the smell of raw meat, which is added artificially.

47. Charles Goodyear first invented rubber.

48. It is easier to get ice from hot water.

49. Finland has the cleanest water in the world.

50. Helium is considered the lightest among the noble gases.

51. Emeralds contain beryllium.

52. Boron is used to color fire green.

53. Nitrogen can cause clouding of consciousness.

54. Neon can glow red if current is passed through it.

55. The ocean contains large amounts of sodium.

56. Computer chips use silicon.

57. Phosphorus is used to make matches.

58. Chlorine can cause allergic reactions in the respiratory system.

59. Argon is used in light bulbs.

60. Potassium can burn with a violet fire.

61. Dairy products contain large amounts of calcium.

62. Scandium is used to make baseball bats, which improves their impact resistance.

63. Titanium is used to create jewelry.

64. Vanadium is used to make steel stronger.

65. Rare cars were often decorated with chrome.

66. Manganese can lead to intoxication of the body.

67. Cobalt is used to make magnets.

68. Nickel is used to produce green glass.

69. Copper conducts current perfectly.

70. To increase the service life of steel, zinc is added to it.

71. Spoons containing gallium can melt in hot water.

72. Germanium is used in mobile phones.

73. A toxic substance includes arsenic, from which poison for rats is made.

74. Bromine can melt at room temperature.

75. Strontium is used to produce red fireworks.

76. Molybdenum is used to produce powerful tools.

77. Technetium is used in x-rays.

78. Ruthenium is used in jewelry production.

79. Rhodium has an incredibly beautiful natural shine.

80. Some pigment paints use cadmium.

81. Indium can produce a sharp sound when bent.

82. Uranium is used to produce nuclear weapons.

83. Americium is used in smoke detectors.

84. Edward Benedictus accidentally invented impact-resistant glass, which is now widely used in various industries.

85. Radon is considered the rarest element of the atmosphere.

86. Tungsten has the highest boiling point.

87. Mercury has the lowest melting point.

88. Argon was discovered by the English physicist Relay in 1894.

89. Canaries sense the presence of methane in the air, so they are used to find gas leaks.

90. Small amounts of methanol can cause blindness.

91. Cesium is one of the most active metals.

92. Fluorine reacts actively with almost all substances.

93. About thirty chemical elements are part of the human body.

94. In everyday life, a person often encounters the hydrolysis of salts, for example, while washing clothes.

95. Due to the oxidation reaction, colored pictures appear on the walls of gorges and quarries.

96. It is impossible to wash stains from protein products in hot water.

97. Dry ice is a solid form of carbon dioxide.

98.V earth's crust included greatest number chemical elements.

99. With the help of carbon dioxide, you can obtain a large number of other substances.

100. Aluminum is one of the lightest metals.

10 facts from the life of chemists

1. The life of the chemist Alexander Porfiryevich Borodin is connected not only with chemistry, but also with music.

2.Edouard Benedictus - a chemist from France who made the discovery by accident.

3. Semyon Volfkovich was engaged in experiments related to phosphorus. When he worked with him, his clothes were also saturated with phosphorus, and therefore, when he returned home late at night, the professor emitted a bluish glow.

4.Alexander Fleming discovered antibiotics by accident.

5. The famous chemist Dmitry Mendeleev was the 17th child in the family.

6. Carbon dioxide was discovered by the English scientist Joseph Priestley.

7. Dmitry Mendeleev’s paternal grandfather was a priest.

8. The famous chemist Svante Arrhenius became overweight from an early age.

9.R. Wood, who is considered an American chemist, originally worked as a laboratory assistant.

By the end of the 19th century, organic chemistry had emerged as a science. Interesting facts will help you better understand the world and find out how new ones were made scientific discoveries.

"Live" dish

The first interesting fact about chemistry concerns unusual foods. One of the famous dishes of Japanese cuisine is “Odori Donu” - “dancing squid”. Many people are shocked by the sight of squid moving its tentacles in a plate. But don’t worry, he’s not suffering and hasn’t felt anything for a long time. Freshly skinned squid is placed in a bowl of rice and topped with soy sauce before serving. The squid's tentacles begin to contract. This is due to the special structure of the nerve fibers, which for some time after the death of the animal react with sodium ions contained in the sauce, causing the muscles to contract.

Accidental discovery

Interesting facts about chemistry often concern discoveries made by accident. So, in 1903, Edouard Benedictus, a famous French chemist, invented unbreakable glass. The scientist accidentally dropped the flask, which was filled with nitrocellulose. He noticed that the flask broke, but the glass did not shatter into pieces. After conducting the necessary research, the chemist found that it was possible to create shockproof glass in a similar way. This is how the first safety glass for cars appeared, which significantly reduced the number of injuries in car accidents.

Live sensor

Interesting facts about chemistry tell about the use of animal sensitivity for human benefit. Until 1986, miners took canaries underground with them. The fact is that these birds are extremely sensitive to firedamp gases, especially methane and carbon monoxide. Even with a small concentration of these substances in the air, the bird can die. The miners listened to the bird's singing and monitored its well-being. If the canary becomes restless or begins to weaken, this is a signal that the mine needs to be left.

The bird did not necessarily die from poisoning; in the fresh air it quickly became better. They even used special sealed cages that were closed when there were signs of poisoning. Even today, no device has been invented that senses ore gases as finely as a canary.

Rubber

Interesting fact about chemistry: another accidental invention is rubber. Charles Goodyear, an American scientist, discovered a recipe for making rubber that does not melt in the heat and does not break in the cold. He accidentally heated a mixture of sulfur and rubber by leaving it on the stove. The process of producing rubber was called vulcanization.

Penicillin

Another interesting fact about chemistry: penicillin was invented by accident. I forgot about the test tube with staphylococcus bacteria for several days. And when I remembered her, I discovered that the colony was dying. The whole thing turned out to be mold, which began to destroy the bacteria. It was from this that the scientist obtained the world's first antibiotic.

Poltergeist

Interesting facts about chemistry can refute Mystic stories. You can often hear about ancient houses filled with ghosts. And the whole point is an outdated and poorly functioning heating system. Due to the leakage of the toxic substance, residents of the house experience headaches, as well as auditory and visual hallucinations.

Gray cardinals among plants

Chemistry can explain the behavior of animals and plants. During evolution, many plants have developed defense mechanisms against herbivores. Most often, plants secrete poison, but scientists have discovered a more subtle method of protection. Some plants secrete substances that attract... predators! Predators regulate the number of herbivores and scare them away from the place where “smart” plants grow. Even familiar plants such as tomatoes and cucumbers have this mechanism. For example, a caterpillar undermined a cucumber leaf, and the smell of the released juice attracted birds.

Squirrel Defenders

Interesting facts: chemistry and medicine are closely related. During experiments on mice, virologists discovered interferon. This protein is produced in all vertebrates. A special protein, interferon, is released from a virus-infected cell. It does not have an antiviral effect, but it contacts healthy cells and makes them immune to the virus.

The smell of metal

We usually think that coins, handrails on public transport, railings, etc. smell of metal. But this smell is not emitted by metal, but by compounds that are formed as a result of contact of organic substances, for example, human sweat, with a metal surface. In order for a person to smell a characteristic odor, very few reagents are needed.

Construction material

Chemistry has been studying proteins relatively recently. They arose more than 4 billion years ago in an incomprehensible way. Proteins are the building material for all living organisms; other forms of life are unknown to science. Half of the dry mass of most living organisms is made up of proteins.

In 1767, people became interested in the nature of the bubbles that come out of beer during fermentation. He collected the gas in a bowl of water, which he tasted. The water was pleasant and refreshing. Thus, the scientist discovered carbon dioxide, which is used today to produce sparkling water. Five years later he described a more efficient method for producing this gas.

Sugar substitute

This interesting fact about chemistry suggests that many scientific discoveries were made almost by accident. A curious incident led to the discovery of the properties of sucralose, a modern sugar substitute. Leslie Hugh, a professor from London studying the properties of the new substance trichlorosucrose, instructed his assistant Shashikant Phadnis to test it (test in English). Student with poor knowledge English language, understood this word as “taste”, which means taste, and immediately followed the instructions. Sucralose turned out to be very sweet.

Flavoring

Skatole is an organic compound formed in the intestines of animals and humans. It is this substance that causes the characteristic smell of feces. But if in large concentrations skatole has the smell of feces, then in small quantities this substance has a pleasant smell, reminiscent of cream or jasmine. Therefore, skatole is used to flavor perfumes, foods and tobacco products.

Cat and iodine

An interesting fact about chemistry - the most ordinary cat was directly involved in the discovery of iodine. The pharmacist and chemist Bernard Courtois usually dined in the laboratory, and he was often joined by a cat who loved to sit on his owner’s shoulder. After another meal, the cat jumped onto the floor, knocking over containers with sulfuric acid and a suspension of algae ash in ethanol that stood near the work table. The liquids mixed, and violet vapor began to rise into the air, settling on objects in small black-violet crystals. This is how a new chemical element was discovered.

An amazing world is around us, a lot of interesting things surround a person, a lot of things he has no idea about, it’s enough just to remember interesting facts about chemistry and understand what a wonderful world a person lives in.

1. Just remember gallium and the effect of a dissolving teaspoon immediately comes to mind.. Surprisingly, at room temperature this metal is similar to aluminum. It begins to melt at 28 degrees Celsius. Scientists chemists often joke about their comrades. They give them hebbled spoons, and then see the surprise of those who come when the metal device simply begins to “melt” in a mug of freshly brewed tea.
2. Mercury in a thermometer remains liquid at room temperature.

   

3. Everyone knows the fact that periodic table chemical elements, Mendeleev dreamed about it in a dream. But few people know that the scientist himself, when it came to his table, always said: “I worked on it for maybe twenty years, and you think that I sat down... and it just appeared.”
4. Sometimes knowledge of chemistry helps to successfully fight wars. Suffice it to recall the example of a virtually unknown battle of the First World War. This battle was related to the extraction of the metal molybdenum. This metal was used in the construction of the legendary German "Big Bertha" cannon. It was used for a reason; this metal turned out to be so strong that the manufactured barrel, which was fired for several kilometers, was not deformed by the shells from overheating. The only place where molybdenum was mined was in the Colorado mine. Having learned this fact, a group from the German company Krupp, located in those places, took possession of this mine with a fight. German army was equipped with such durable metal. The Allies did not attach any importance to this skirmish, and only towards the end of the war they realized how thoughtful this strategic move was.

   

5. It is impossible to find water in its original pure form (H2O) in nature.. Water absorbs everything it encounters on its way. Thus, after drinking well water, we consume a “compote”, the composition of which no other person could replicate.

   

6. Water reacts to the world around it. Scientists used water from the same source in different containers. Classical music was played next to one, and the other was placed in a room with people swearing. As a result, based on the composition and structure of the water, it was possible to determine which container with liquid was located where.

   

7. A mixture of bitter, sweet and sour is exactly how you can describe the taste of grapefruit. After processing 100 liters of this juice, scientists were able to isolate mercaptan. He is a taste record holder. A person can feel the taste of such a compound already at a concentration of 0.02 ng/l. To obtain such a concentration, it is enough to dilute only 2 mg of mercaptan for a tanker of water of 100,000 tons.

   

8. An interesting process can be observed in the symbiosis of the fig tree and fig wasps that live in the fruits of this tree. A ripe berry increases the concentration of carbon dioxide by 10%. This is enough to put female wasps to sleep. The males remain active, fertilize the females and fly away, making a hole in the fruit. CO2 comes out, the awakened females fly away and take the pollen with them.

   

9. The scientific name for oxygen is dephlogisticated air..

   

10. Air is 4/5 nitrogen. If you get into a chamber with nitrogen, such chambers are found, for example, in mines, a person finds himself trapped. Nitrogen is colorless and odorless; it seems to a person that he continues to breathe, not realizing that in a few seconds he will fall dead from lack of air.

    

11. Interesting facts are also found in the lives of great chemists. For example, in 1921, two young men came to the famous artist Dmitry Kustodiev and asked him to paint their portraits. Their desire was not without reason, Kustodiev painted exclusively famous people at that time, and the young men were sure that this is exactly what they would become in the future, even though they were still unknown to anyone. The artist agreed, and the payment was a bag of millet and a rooster. The young people turned out to be Nikolai Simenov and Pyotr Kapitsev, who later became great scientists and laureates Nobel Prize in physics and chemistry.

    

12. Great chemist unknown to anyone. One day, King Gustav III of Sweden visited Paris. French scientists came to him for an audience and began to admire the work of the great Swedish chemist Carl Wilhelm Scheele. The king was happy, but did not understand who he was talking about, and ordered Scheel to be elevated to knighthood. But the Prime Minister also did not know such a person, and by chance another Scheele, an artilleryman, was elevated to this rank. The chemist remained an unknown chemist to everyone.