Text on screen — 'Reactions, Everyday Chemistry. Produced by the American Chemical Society.' Title — 'Chemistry Life Hacks Volume 2.' Three pictures appear side by side. One is of the television character MacGyver, another of Russian chemist Dmitri Mendeleev. In between them is a picture that amalgamates their features — MacGyver with a long beard.
NARRATOR:
MacGyver meets Mendeleev in these everyday chemistry-inspired tricks to make your life a little easier with all the evidence you need to back it up.
Text on screen — 'Everyday Chemistry For Maximised Efficiency. Chemistry Life Hacks Volume 2.'
NARRATOR:
Now, let's get started.
Text on screen — '1, Bob For Eggs.'
NARRATOR:
So, what's for breakfast? Eggs. That's right, it's omelette time. The only problem is you can't remember the last time you actually cooked for yourself, and your eggs have been tucked away in your fridge for who knows how long? You don't want the stink of a rotten egg, so here's what you do. Fill a large glass container with water and drop in your eggs. If they're good they'll stay at the bottom and if they've gone bad they'll float to the top. Eggshells are actually very porous to allow a little breathing room for developing chicks.
Close-up shot of an eggshell, showing tiny little dents all along the surface.
NARRATOR:
These pores also act as an entrance to bacteria which cause the egg to begin decaying from the inside. This, in turn, produces a particularly stinky gas, hydrogen sulfide. The build-up of this gas inside the egg over time gives it its buoyant cue that you should probably go to the store and buy some fresh ones.
Text on screen — '2, Don't Cry For Onions.'
NARRATOR:
You know the deal — the second your knife cuts through an onion, the waterworks start flowing. Nothing seems to stop it. But we've got a trick that will keep your eyes dry. First, a little bit about the chain of events that brings the fire to your eyes in the first place. Onions contain compounds called amino acid sulfoxides. Every knife stroke into an onion pops open cells, releasing these amino acid sulfoxides and other enzymes to produce a compound called sulfenic acid. The sulfenic acid in the onion enzymes then react to form syn-Propanethial-S-oxide. This is a compound that sends a fiery message into the nerve centres of your eyes, which then calls on your body's fire department to wash the irritant away with tears. Now, you can't stop this process completely, but keep this in mind. Refrigerate your onions before cutting them.
Shot of an onion stored in a near-empty fridge next to a lettuce. Text on screen — 'Like This!'
NARRATOR:
The cold can reduce the tendency of the onion to release some of those volatile compounds that start the waterworks.
Text on screen — '3, Thread The Needle.'
NARRATOR:
You're running late for a date and putting on your lucky shirt when you realise you accidentally popped the top button off. With the anxiety building and the clock ticking, you try to sew it back on, but your shaky hands can't manage to thread the needle. When all the forces of the universe seem to be working against you, here's a quick tip to get you back on track. Take the frayed end of your thread and dip it into some clear nail polish. When the polish dries you'll have a perfectly pointed thread that will effortlessly slip itself into position. Nail polish is a lacquer that is typically made out of nitrocellulose dissolved in a solvent — usually either butyl acetate or ethyl acetate. When that solvent evaporates, the nitrocellulose forms a film over whatever surface it's on. Some nail polishes also include resins such as tausonite formaldehyde to give the polish a little extra body, and also plasticisers, such as camphor, to give it more flexibility. That comes in handy when you're threading your needle. Get rid of the frayed edges of your thread to get rid of your frayed nerves and enjoy that date.
Text on screen — '4, Go For The Green.'
NARRATOR:
You're trying to impress your guests at an upcoming dinner party, but you can't seem to get your vegies right. Every time you cook green vegetables they turn into a nasty mush green. Well, here's a quick tip to stop your dish from turning into a Frankenstein vegie platter. First of all, it's important to know where the green comes from — chlorophyll A and B. Chlorophyll A is responsible for the bright blue-green of some vegies whereas chlorophyll B is responsible for the yellow-green. At the centre of these two molecules is a magnesium atom which keeps the vegies a vibrant green. When they're heated, the vegetable cells are broken down and release acid which is otherwise kept separate from living cells housing chlorophyll. The acids will quickly replace the magnesium with hydrogen, turning your vegies from vibrant to sludge green. So here's a golden rule to keep a vibrant vegie. Keep your cook time to seven minutes or less. By limiting the cook time, you'll limit the amount of cell damage and preserve the colour.