Chemistry is cool! The basics of simple chemistry, for kids, star in this unit, which zeroes in on the chemical reactions that power all life and explores how it is found in penicillin, plastic, and more.
Pluck a strand of hair from your head. Is it straight? Curly? Whatever it is, it’s caused by chemistry – specifically, by the position of sulfur atoms in your hair molecules. If yours are far apart, you’ve got curls, but if they’re close together, your hair will be straight. Kids ready for more chemistry facts like these will appreciate this unit, which takes them from a simple analysis of the reactions that power life, through chemistry’s everyday uses – like the key to how chewing gum is made, for one thing! A roll-call of the superstars of chemistry, for kids, helps them understand how chemists like Marie Curie and Linus Pauling are the brains behind modern must-haves like televisions and cell phones.
Chemistry – the force that drives all living things, from the smallest piece of plankton to the great blue whales – is made accessible in a section on how everything in Nature depends on chemical reactions. Getting a headache? Take an aspirin, which mimics a chemical reaction found in white willow trees. Crazy about the new guy in school? It’s all about pheromones. Then explore the cutting-edge of chemistry; for kids who like detective stories, there is nothing better than an explanation of just how fingerprints are made.
7 Topics in this unit
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Why Matter Matters
Look around. You might see a book, a sofa, your fingers. You might see a glass of water. P ...
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The Building Blocks of Life
Of the 118 known elements, carbon is the primary building block of life as we know it.
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The Interaction of Atoms and Molecules
Chemistry—the interaction of atoms and molecules—is taking place all the time. ...
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Chemistry Superstars
Among scientists, it goes without saying that each “stands upon the shoulders” ...
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Chemists at Work
Are you curious about your world and interested in how things work? Do you have ideas for ...
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Chemistry in Nature
To you, wasps, snakes, and spiders may be fascinating or freaky. But to a chemist, creatur ...
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Chemistry and the Future
Whether it’s new sources of energy, new medicines, new types of medical supplies, or ...
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