ANSWER SHEETS

SC1483 Chemistry in Everyday Life 2020 S1 Assignment (NK)

Deadline: Thursday, 10th September 2020
16b8108 – Nurul Mahfuzahtul Farhana bte Mudim Haji Suhaili

1. Non- Polar
polar tail head
(a)Soap molecule (e) micelle

(b)Bacteria
(d) water molecule

dirt (c)Dirt(non-polar)

skin

Soap molecules (a) have hydrophilic heads (polar heads) and long chain of hydrophobic
tails (non-polar tails). Meanwhile, some bacteria (b) and viruses have lipid membrane
that resembles double layered micelles with also hydrophilic heads and hydrophobic tails.
Thus, when soap is applied to our dirty skin full of bacteria or viruses, the hydrophobic
tails of soap molecules will clamp on the bacteria’s non-polar tails. When it gets to the
dirt (c) on the skin, hydrophilic heads on the soap molecules will interact with water (d).
Both sides clamping on two different substances together allowing dirt to be washed
away. Micelles form around the particles of dirt and fragments of viruses, it gets
suspended in floating cages. Some soap molecules disrupt the chemical bonds, lifting
bacteria and viruses off the skin. So, when we rinse our hands, all microorganisms that
have been broken, trapped and killed by soap molecules eventually got washed away.

2. Hair strands contain keratin composed of long, coiled amino acids chain held together by
three interactions, hydrogen bond, disulfide linkages and salt bridges. Similar steps to
permanently curling and straightening hair involve these interations. First step is to wet
hair to break the bonding between hydrogen bonds. To produce permanent curl, it is to
interfere the disulfide linkage by using reducing agent, thioglycolic acid to break the
sulfur-sulfur interaction. Mild oxidizing agent, dilute hydrogen peroxide is applied to
hair, reforming disulfide linkages in new curly shape. Same goes to straightening hair,
three bonds must be broken, only difference is the use of ammonium thioglycolate to
break disulfide bonds in reduction reaction. Similar to curling hair, last step is to establish
new disulfide bonds by applying oxidizing agent like hydrogen peroxide to keep hair
strands straighter.

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3. Hair strand consist of cortex and cuticle that involve in the process of hair coloring.
Natural hair color depends on two pigments, eumelanin and pheomelanin produced by
specialized cells, melanocytes. Temporary or semi-permanent hair coloring is by
applying dyes that may contain small pigments molecules which can slip only inside the
hair cuticle using small amount of hydrogen peroxide. This can easily be washed away as
hair cortex did not open up to retain hair dye. To permanently dye hair, cuticle must be
opened using ammonia, alkaline chemical and penetrate dye into the hair cortex. Once
open, the dye reacts with inner part of hair, cortex, to remove melanin (original hair
color) making it colorless. Hydrogen peroxide is used as oxidizing agent to remove pre-
existing color by breaking chemical bonds in hair releasing sulfur. As melanin decolorize,
new permanent color is bonded to hair cortex.

4. Skin whitening agents act at various levels of melanin production in the skin. Melanin
gives color to the skin, hair and eyes created by cells called melanocytes. More melanin
means darker the skin is. Ways to reduce melanin pigment in the skin is by using
lightening products containing one of these: hydroquinone, kojic acid, vitamin C, glycolic
acid, azelaic acid and retinoid. These molecules suppress the enzyme tyrosinase (used for
melanin production) by inhibiting the maturation of this enzyme or transportation of
pigment granules. Such product is sunscreen whereby it protects the skin from UV rays
that able to reduce melanin pigment in the skin. Best sunscreen would be those with SPF
30 or higher, broad spectrum and water resistant. Skin bleaching is another way to reduce
melanin production. The hydroquinone used will decrease number of melanocytes in the
skin resulting in lighter color of the skin and more even skin tone. Last but not least is by
using the physical sunscreen, zinc oxides and titanium dioxide, powdery substances
which are non-toxic. These substances will scatter all UV rays letting none going through
the skin.

5.
POLYMER NATURAL or SYNTHETIC MONOMER (S)
a. Cellulose Natural Glucose
b. Silk Natural Alanine, Glycine
c. Gelatin Natural Collagen
d. Nylon 6,6 Synthetic Adipic acid,
Hexamethylenediamine
e. Teflon Synthetic Tetrafluoroethylene
f. Polylactic acid Synthetic Lactic acid, Lactide
g. Keratin Natural Cysteine (many more AA)
h. Kevlar Synthetic Paraphenylenediamine,
Terephthaloyl chloride
i. Starch Natural Glucose
j. Pectin Natural Galacturonic acid
k. Chitin Natural N-acetyl-D-glucosamine

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Reference:

Pillaiyar, T.; Manickam, M.; Namasivayam, V. Skin Whitening Agents: Medicinal Chemistry
Perspective Of Tyrosinase Inhibitors. Journal of Enzyme Inhibition and Medicinal
Chemistry 2017, 32 (1), 403-425.
Science Sunday – Chemistry of Curly Hair – The Chic Chemist.
https://thechicchemist.com/science-sunday-chemistry-of-curly-hair/ (accessed Sep 2,
2020).
Silk. https://www.open.edu/openlearn/science-maths-technology/science/chemistry/silk
(accessed Sep 2, 2020).
The Chemistry Behind the Permanent Wave. http://evoice.ewha.ac.kr/news/articleView.html?
idxno=517#:~:text=In%20the%20permanent%20wave%20process,in%20relation%20to
%20each%20other. (accessed Sep 2, 2020).
The Science Behind How Hair Coloring Works. https://www.thoughtco.com/salon-hair-color-
chemistry-602183#:~:text=Temporary%20Hair%20Color,peroxide%20or%20none%20at
%20all. (accessed Sep 2, 2020).
Thordarson, P. The coronavirus is no match for plain, old soap — here’s the science behind it.
https://www.marketwatch.com/story/deadly-viruses-are-no-match-for-plain-old-soap-
heres-the-science-behind-it-2020-03-08 (accessed Sep 2, 2020).