This episode is based on a discussion I had with an acquaintance at a barbecue. He, being the smarty pants that he is, asked "Do you know the difference between diesel and heating fuel?"... I didn't... I, being the smarty pants that I am, was annoyed by that. With a wry smile he suggested: "Better look it up then." And I did! The result is a not too shabby podcast episode on the difference between the two.

If you want to know why it is a bad idea to use heating fuel in your diesel engine, tune in!

Sources

https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heiz%C3%B6l

https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dieselkraftstoff

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heating_oil

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diesel_fuel

https://www.heizoel.total.de/rund-um-heizoel/aktuelles-tipps/sonstiges-aktuelles/statt-diesel-einfach-heizoel-tanken/

https://www.gutefrage.net/frage/was-ist-der-unterschied-zwischen-heizoel-und-diesel

https://www.helpster.de/unterschied-von-diesel-und-heizoel-eine-nachvollziehbare-erklaerung_115301

https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cetanzahl

https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feinstaub

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrocarbon

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catalyst_poisoning

https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Klopfen_(Verbrennungsmotor)

https://www.goodscience.com.au/year-9-chemistry/acid-metal-reactions/

When talking about chemistry, one of the first topics to breach is the chemistry of soap. In the time of a global pandemic, washing our hands has become second nature and at some point at the beginning the stockpiling of soap even led to shortages in some areas.

So let's talk about soap and how it does its job.

Sources

https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seife

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soap

General Chemistry by D. D. Ebbing 5th Ed. 1996 ISBN 0-395-74415-6

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Detergent

https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reinigungsmittel

https://www.quirkyscience.com/difference-soap-detergent/

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/mar/12/science-soap-kills-coronavirus-alcohol-based-disinfectants

https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2020/3/11/21173187/coronavirus-covid-19-hand-washing-sanitizer-compared-soap-is-dope

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemical_polarity

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solubility

I love fireworks, folks. I don't see the spectacle often, but when I do , it is an absolute beauty to behold, especially when it is an entire choreography. I sometimes cannot believe that there are people whose job it is to "make" fireworks. Especially, the development of new ones must be a blast!... in more ways than one :-P.

This episode looks at how fireworks create colour at the sky. I hope you enjoy it.

I can now be reached on twitter under @ChemistryinEve1 , if you have feedback that you would like to share. Alternatively, you can send an email to [email protected] .

Sources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainbow

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atom#Bohr_model

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bohr_model

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atomic_orbital

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fireworks#Pyrotechnic_compounds

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyrotechnic_composition

General Chemistry by D. D. Ebbing 5th Ed. 1996 ISBN 0-395-74415-6; Chapter 7

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emission_spectrum

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spectral_line

Virtually every time before I record an episode of my podcast, I open a can of coke. That little 'fizz' sound heralds the beginning of my late evening, I take a brief sip and then I start recording. I do this with such regularity that I dedided to make the fizz the topic of today's conversation. How do we make carbonated drinks? If you want to find out, this is episode to listen to.

I can now be reached on twitter under @ChemistryinEve1 , if you have feedback that you would like to share. Alternatively, you can send an email to [email protected]

General Chemistry by D. D. Ebbing 5th Ed. 1996 ISBN 0-395-74415-6

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbonated_water

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry%27s_law

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbonation

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soft_drink#Carbonated_drinks

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soda_siphon

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-does-a-shaken-soda-fi/

After we discussed the concept of catalysis in our last episode, it is only fitting to look at a specific example. If you are interested in knowing how nature uses catalysis to run the show in our bodies, then tune in to learn about Enzymes, nature's catalysts.

I can now be reached on twitter under @ChemistryinEve1 , if you have feedback that you would like to share. Alternatively, you can send an email to [email protected]

Sources:

· https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcohol_dehydrogenase

· https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_enzymes

· https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enzyme

· https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digestive_enzyme

· https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_enzymes

· https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cattle#Digestive_system

· https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pepsin

Catalysis is a word that is rarely used in daily life, yet it influences many facets of it. If you are interested to know how catalysis changed the way car engines run or how margerine is made, then listen in.

References

· https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annika_S%C3%B6renstam

· https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKBUL2yesR4

· Inorganic Chemistry by C. E. Housecroft, A. G. Sharpe 1st Ed. 2001 ISBN 0582-31080-6

· General Chemistry by D. D. Ebbing 5th Ed. 1996 ISBN 0-395-74415-6

· Organic Chemistry by Clayden, Warren & Wothers

· https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catalysis

· https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catalytic_converter

· https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fischer%E2%80%93Speier_esterification#Examples_in_alcoholic_beverages

· https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margarine

· https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Combustion

· https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NOx#Health_and_environment_effects

· https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_monoxide#Role_in_ground-level_ozone_formation

When you immerse an egg in vinegar the shell will slowly disappear, leaving a flexible and bouncy egg. Bread dough leavens when you use baking soda.

Find out in this episode the reasons for these phenomena.

References

Proteins are one of the key elements that define life in a way that we know. They have such a vast array of functions it is staggering. Seemingly, every problem and obstacle that an organism encounters, a protein comes to the rescue. Humans have them, other mammals, birds, bacteria, even viruses consist for a big part of proteins.

You want to walk somewhere, you need your muscles, those are proteins. You want to digest food? Guess what? digestive enzymes are proteins. Your skin and hair? Proteins are involved. Pumping blood around your body. Proteins. Immune system. You guessed it. Proteins.

Proteins are such an important part of everyday life that I decided to make an episode about the general features of proteins.

Interested? I am looking forward to welcoming you to this episode of "Chemistry in Everyday Life"

The  sun is the source of life on this world, yet at the same time it can be  very dangerous for us and other lifeforms on earth. The life giving  energy that is emitted from the sun to earth's surface needs to be made  use of through processes like photosynthesis, but it also needs to be  "disarmed" or filtered.

This episode is the second part of a two-part series that looks how we  protect ourselves from the sun. In this concluding episodes sun lotion and natural sun protection is in the centre of our attention.

The sun is the source of life on this world, yet at the same time it can be very dangerous for us and other lifeforms on earth. The life giving energy that is emitted from the sun to earth's surface needs to be made use of through processes like photosynthesis, but it also needs to be "disarmed" or filtered.

This episode is the first part of a two-part series that looks how we protect ourselves from the sun. We start of with oftentimes mentioned ozone layer, the first line of defense.