The Molecules Around Me

1. The Molecules Around Me By Calvin Dam

2. Category A • Name: Mountain Dew • Description: A carbonated soft drink. • Ingredients: Carbonated Water, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Concentrated Orange Juice, Citric Acid, Natural Flavor, Sodium Benzoate, Caffeine, Sodium Citrate, Erythorbic Acid, Gum Arabic, Calcium Disodium Edta, Brominated Vegetable Oil, Yellow 5.

3. Compound 1 – Sodium Benzoate • Molecular Formula: NaC7H5O2 • Organic, because it contains carbons • Summary: Sodium benzoate is a preservative. It is most widely used in acidic foods such as salad dressings (vinegar), carbonated drinks (carbonic acid), jams and fruit juices (citric acid), pickles (vinegar), and condiments. It is also used as a preservative in medicines and cosmetics.

4. Compound 2 – Sodium Citrate • Molecular Formula: Na3C6H5O7 • Organic, because it contains carbon. • Summary: Sodium citrate is sometimes used as an acidity regulator in drinks, and also as an emulsifier for oils when making cheese.

5. Compound 3 – Erythorbic Acid • Molecular Formula: C6H8O6 • Organic, because it contains carbon. • Summary: Erythorbicacid is a vegetable-derived food additive produced from sucrose, and is widely used as an antioxidant in processed foods

6. Compound 4 – Calcium Disodium Edta • Molecular Formula: C10H16N2O8 • Organic, because it contains carbon. • Summary: It is widely used to dissolve limescale. Its usefulness arises because of its role as a hexadentate ("six-toothed") ligand and chelating agent, i.e. its ability to "sequester" metal ions.

7. Compound 5 – Citric Acid • Molecular Formula: C6H8O7 • Organic, because it contains carbon. • Summary: It is a natural preservative/conservative and is also used to add an acidic or sour taste to foods and drinks. In biochemistry, the conjugate base of citric acid, citrate, is important as an intermediate in the citric acid cycle, which occurs in the metabolism of all aerobic organisms.

8. Category B • Name: Tylenol Extra Strength • Description: Is a pain relieve and fever reducer. • Ingredients: Active Ingredients: Acetaminophen. Inactive Ingredients: Carnauba Wax, Castor Oil, Corn Starch, FD&C Red #40 Aluminum Lake, Hypromellose, Magnesium Stearate, Polyethylene Glycol, Powdered Cellulose, Pregelatinized Starch Propylene Glycol, Shellac, Sodium Starch Glycolate, Titanium Dioxide.

9. Compound 1 - Acetaminophen • Molecular Formula: C8H9NO2 • Organic, because it contains carbon. • Summary: It is commonly used for the relief of headaches and other minor aches and pains and is a major ingredient in numerous cold and flu remedies.

10. Compound 2 - Magnesium Stearate • Molecular Formula: Mg(C18H35O2)2 • Organic, because it contains carbon. • Summary: Magnesium stearate is often used as a anti-adherent in the manufacture of medical tablets, capsules and powders.

11. Compound 3 - Powdered Cellulose • Molecular Formula: (C6H10O5)n • Non-Organic, because it does not contain carbon. • Summary: Cellulose is mainly used to produce paperboard and paper. Smaller quantities are converted into a wide variety of derivative products such as cellophane and rayon. Conversion of cellulose from energy crops into biofuels such as cellulosic ethanol is under investigation as an alternative fuel source.

12. Compound 4 – Titanium Dioxide • Molecular Formula: TiO2 • Non-Organic, because it does not contain carbon. • Summary: The most important application areas are paints and varnishes as well as paper and plastics. Other pigment applications like printing inks, fibers, rubber, cosmetic products and foodstuffs.

13. Compound 5 - Glycolate • Molecular Formula: C2H4O3 • Organic, because it contains carbon. • Summary: Glycolateis used in the textile industry as a dyeing and tanning agent, in food processing as a flavoring agent and as a preservative, and in the pharmaceutical industry as a skin care agent..

14. Category C • Name: Epiduo • Description: A cream used to treat acne. • Ingredients: Adapalene, Benzoyl Peroxide, Acrylamide/sodium acryloydimethyltaurate copolymer, docusate sodium, edetate disodium, glycerin, isohexadecane, poloxamer 124, polysorbate 80, propylene glycol, purified water, sorbitanoleate.

15. Compound 1 - Adapalene • Molecular Formula: C28H28O3 • Organic, because it contains carbon. • Summary: Adapaleneis a third-generation topical retinoid primarily used in the treatment of mild-moderate acne and is also used (off-label) to treat keratosis pilaris as well as other skin conditions.

16. Compound 2 – Benzoyl Peroxide • Molecular Formula: C14H10O4 • Organic, because it contains carbon. • Summary: Benzoyl peroxide is used as an acne treatment, for improving flour, for bleaching hair and teeth, for polymerising polyester and many other uses.

17. Compound 3 – Docusate Sodium • Molecular Formula: C20H37NaO7S • Organic, because it contains carbon. • Summary: Docusate is used to make stools softer and easier to pass. It is also used as an emulsifying, wetting, and dispersing agent, as a pesticide.

18. Compound 4 - Glycerin • Molecular Formula: C3H8O3 • Organic, because it contains carbon. • Summary: In foods and beverages, glycerol serves as a humectant, solvent, and sweetener, and may help preserve foods. Glycerol is used in medical and pharmaceutical and personal care preparations, mainly as a means of improving smoothness, providing lubrication and as a humectant.

19. Compound 5 – Propylene glycol • Molecular Formula: C3H8O2 • Organic, because it contains carbon. • Summary: Propylene glycol lowers the freezing point of water owing to the effects of dissolution of a solute in a solvent.