Compound Interest: Chemistry infographics

Organic Chemistry Reaction Map

February 17, 2014 22Comments 1Like 355Views

With it being half term here in the UK, what better use of sudden vast amounts of free time could there be than making an organic chemistry reaction map? This graphic looks at simple interconversions between common functional groups in organic chemistry. I’m not going to pretend it’s comprehensive, because it certainly isn’t, being primarily aimed at A Level students; to the best of my knowledge, all of the information contained within it is correct, but feedback from any organic chemists out there would be very much appreciated!

Toxicity & Aphrodisia – The Chemistry of Chocolate

February 13, 2014 22Comments 1Like 334Views

With Valentine’s Day looming, it seemed an appropriate time to look into the chemistry of chocolate for the latest food chemistry graphic. In particular, here we focus on the two frequently referenced effects of consuming chocolate: its supposed aphrodisiac effect, and its harmful effects on dogs (and to a lesser extent, cats). The graphic gives a brief overview, whilst the text below gives a more detailed picture.

Periodicity: Trends in the Periodic Table

February 12, 2014 6Comments 5Likes 332Views

This graphic looks at several properties of elements in the Periodic Table. These properties show trends, also referred to as ‘periodicity’, as you progress along a period. The emphasis of this graphic is on giving a general impression of each of the trends; although a rough scale is given to the right of each diagram, this is intended to be for approximate reference, rather than allowing the diagrams to be used as precise tools for determining properties of specific elements. Each diagram is also accompanied by a brief explanation of the trends, and a simple explanation of basic anomalies.

Why Does Asparagus Make Urine Smell? – The Chemistry of Asparagus

February 10, 2014 9Comments 0Likes 305Views

The latest food chemistry graphic looks at the chemistry of asparagus – specifically, why it causes the urine of some (but not all) people to smell. Over the past forty years several papers have been published on the subject, and several studies undertaken, to try and determine the chemical compounds responsible, and though there is still no definitive verdict as to the manner in which these compounds are formed, it has been suggested that they all form from asparagusic acid.

Metal Ion Flame Test Colours Chart

February 6, 2014 13Comments 5Likes 420Views

Poster showing the colours produced by different metal ions during flame tests. A flame test is an analytical procedure chemists use to detect the presence of particular metal ions, based on the colour of the flame produced. When heated, the electrons in the metal ion gain energy and can jump into higher energy levels. Because this is energetically unstable, the electrons tend to fall back down to where they were before, releasing energy as they do so. This energy is released as light energy. As the differences between energy levels varies from one metal ion to another, different metal ions give different characteristic colours. — Click to enlarge

This graphic looks at the colour of various metal and metalloid ions that occur during flame tests. Most people probably remember doing this experiment in school chemistry lessons, if not with the full range of ions shown here, but, for the uninitiated, a brief explanation of the origin of the colours follows.

Polyphenols & Antioxidants – The Chemistry of Tea

February 1, 2014 8Comments 0Likes 316Views

After looking at the chemistry of coffee in the previous post, it seemed only fair to also consider the chemistry of tea, just so all the tea drinkers out there don’t feel left out. Much like coffee, tea contains a hugely wide variety of chemical compounds, but some of the most important in terms of its taste and colouration are the polyphenols.