Hydrolysis of Hair in Strong Base

CCA! Volume 5

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Hydrolysis of Hair in Strong Base

Concentrated sodium hydroxide breaks the peptide bonds in hair, causing it to dissolve.


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2 MB, 31 seconds

File: MOVIES/KJBIOCHEM/HYDROLHAIR.MOV

Voiceover
Human hair is a protein, a polymer of amino acids linked by peptide bonds. When hair is placed into hot sodium hydroxide, the peptide bonds are hydrolyzed and the hair is eventually broken down into its constituent amino acids.

Design, Text, and Demonstration:
	Kristin Johnson	University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, WI 53706

Video production, editing, and voice:
	Jerrold J. Jacobsen	University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, WI 53706
	Greg Minix	University of Wisconsin - Madison, College of Engineering, Madison, WI 53706
	Michael Killips	University of Wisconsin - Madison, School of Nursing, Madison, WI 53706