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Four Interesting Mysteries with Seemingly Conflicting Explanations

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Ron DeLorenzo

Department of Chemistry, Middle Georgia College, Cochran, GA 31014

J. Chem. Educ., 2000, 77 (4), p 475

DOI: 10.1021/ed077p475

Publication Date (Web): April 1, 2000

Section:

History, Education, and Documentation

Abstract

Four mysteries with seemingly contradictory solutions are presented to make chemistry courses more interesting and relevant to students' lives: (1) Why might women become intoxicated more easily than men? (2) Why might alcohol consumption enhance cigarettes' carcinogenic effects? (3) Why might the use of Vaseline Intensive Care Hand Lotion as a lubricant increase the number of unwanted pregnancies and promote the spread of HIV? (4) Why does oil-based Vaseline Intensive Care Hand Lotion rinse off in water? Although the solutions to these mysteries appear to contradict one another, the contradictions are reconciled by considering a fifth mystery: Why does red wine go with red meat and white wine go with fish?

Keywords (Audience):

High School / Introductory Chemistry

Keywords (Pedagogy):

Humor / Puzzles / Games

Keywords (Subject):

Descriptive Chemistry

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Citing Articles

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This article has been cited by 2 ACS Journal articles (2 most recent appear below).

DeLorenzo's Four Interesting Mysteries Verified
Josefina Ma. Ferriols-Pavico
Journal of Chemical Education2002 79 (10), 1217
- DeLorenzo's Four Interesting Mysteries Verified
  Josefina Ma. Ferriols-Pavico
  Journal of Chemical Education2002 79 (10), 1217
  Ron DeLorenzo wrote about four interesting mysteries in this Journal. My students and I investigated these mysteries at the Lyceum-Northwestern University, Dagupan City, Pangasinan, a province in the Philippines. Simple experiments were devised which may ...
  Abstract | Hi-Res PDF | PDF w/ Links
From Chicken Breath to the Killer Lakes of Cameroon: Uniting Seven Interesting Phenomena with a Single Chemical Underpinning
Ron DeLorenzo
Journal of Chemical Education2001 78 (2), 191
- From Chicken Breath to the Killer Lakes of Cameroon: Uniting Seven Interesting Phenomena with a Single Chemical Underpinning
  Ron DeLorenzo
  Journal of Chemical Education2001 78 (2), 191
  By using a single equation prototype, seven interesting mysteries and phenomena can be seen as sharing a common chemical underpinning. The applications discussed are the Killer Lakes of Cameroon, chicken breath, the Permian Ocean, the snow line, boiler ...
  Abstract | Hi-Res PDF | PDF w/ Links