Biochemistry

Why Take Chemistry for Mortuary Science? Part 1

Kathleen Carrigan | Mon, 02/22/2021 - 22:35

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Community colleges offer associates degrees in mortuary science and Chemistry for Funeral Service or similar type courses are typically part of the associates degree curriculum. This post is written primarily for faculty who may advise students in this career path. This post (Part 1) will discuss a few reasons why taking chemistry is important for students pursuing a career in mortuary science.

Demonstrating the Effectiveness of Mask-wearing with Liquid Nitrogen

Tom Kuntzleman | Sun, 06/28/2020 - 09:06

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Liquid nitrogen is used to visualize the aerosol particles emitted while speaking, coughing, breathing, and sneezing. The ability of various masks to block these droplets was also tested.

Berries are red, berries are blue…I’ve got a berry surprise for you!

Tom Kuntzleman | Sun, 01/26/2020 - 14:03

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I observe a red to blue color change when I rinse my bowl after eating frozen blueberries. Sounds like an acid-base reaction, doesn’t it? Well, read on to learn about the blueberry surprise!

The Blue Butterfly Effect

Tom Kuntzleman | Mon, 01/28/2019 - 18:59

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The June, 2018 issue of the Journal of Chemical Education contains an article that describes a simple, yet fascinating experiment that you and your students are going to love! It involves the use of butterfly wings from the genus Morpho. I obtained some of these wings and enjoyed experimenting with them. You will too!

The Chemistry of Weight Loss

Tom Kuntzleman | Tue, 04/24/2018 - 18:48

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If you want to lose weight, you have to burn calories. Anyone who has gone on a diet knows this. But when someone loses weight, have you ever wondered where the lost mass goes?

Reduction of Permanganate Ion by Acids in Rhubarb, Apples, and Candy

Tom Kuntzleman | Mon, 06/05/2017 - 17:00

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If rhubarb stem is placed in a solution of permanganate, the purple permanganate ion is reduced to the colorless Mn²⁺ ion. It is thought that the oxalic acid present in rhubarb causes this reduction. The investigations presented in this post provide evidence that this may not be the whole story...

Investigations of Chemicals in Natural Food Coloring. Part 2: Berry

Tom Kuntzleman | Mon, 02/27/2017 - 13:42

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The chemistry of the Berry dye found in McCormick's Color From Nature food colors is explored. This is part two of a three-part series in which the chemistry of McCormick's Color From Nature food colors is presented.

Chemical Investigations of McCormick's Color From Nature Food Colors. Part 1: Sky Blue

Tom Kuntzleman | Tue, 01/31/2017 - 09:15

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The chemistry of the Sky Blue dye found in McCormick's Color From Nature food colors is explored. This is part one of a three-part series in which the chemistry of McCormick's Color From Nature food colors is presented.

Chemical Methods for Developing Latent Fingerprints

In this Activity, students collect fingerprints and use three different methods to develop them: fingerprint powder, ninhydrin solution, and silver nitrate solution. The Activity could be related to the solubility of polar and nonpolar molecules, precipitation reactions, and oxidation-reduction reactions.

Liver and Onions: DNA Extraction from Animal and Plant Tissues

In this Activity, students extract DNA from liver and onion cells, and precipitate the DNA. The Activity fits well with a discussion of nucleic acids, hydrogen bonding, genetic coding, and heredity. DNA extraction can also be used in conjunction with a discussion of polymers and their properties.