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Quiz about The Very Beautiful Chemistry Quiz
Quiz about The Very Beautiful Chemistry Quiz

The Very Beautiful Chemistry Quiz


Welcome to a quiz on the chemistry of looking good and keeping healthy!

A multiple-choice quiz by NatalieW. Estimated time: 4 mins.
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Author
NatalieW
Time
4 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
296,805
Updated
Feb 02 22
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Average
Avg Score
7 / 10
Plays
7281
Awards
Top 5% quiz!
Last 3 plays: tkny (5/10), japh (9/10), GoodwinPD (10/10).
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Question 1 of 10
1. I've just risen from bed and stumble sleepily into the shower. I grab the shampoo and start lathering up my hair. Which of the following substances causes the suds and removes any dirt from my hair? Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. Right, now I'm feeling much more alert! Over to the bathroom sink to brush my teeth now. As I squeeze the toothpaste out of the tube, I wonder how, exactly, it cleans my teeth. Which of the substances below might be present in toothpaste to rub away any plaque on my teeth? Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. While brushing, I notice that my tube of toothpaste says that it contains sodium fluoride. What is the purpose of this ingredient? Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. After squirting on a bit of anti-perspirant, I go back to my bedroom to get dressed. Which of the following might be an ingredient in the anti-perspirant that will help keep me perspiration-free throughout the day? Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. After selecting the outfit I want to wear for the day, I decide to put on a bit of make-up. To start with, I choose my favourite eye shadow - a deep brown with a hint of sparkle. Which of the following choices is an ingredient used in make-up to give it "sparkle"? Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. I like the "sparkle" of my brown eye shadow, but I also like its rich colour. Which one of the following is a colouring agent used in eye shadow? Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. Right, I'm happy with my eyes, now I think I'll put on a bit of lipstick. What is often a major ingredient in a tube of lipstick? Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. A final dab of face powder and I'm almost ready to start the day. I see on the ingredients list that the major component of my face powder is talc. Chemically-speaking, what is talc? Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. Whoops, I almost forgot to put on a squirt of perfume! Which one of the following is NOT an aromatic compound used in the perfume and fragrance industry? Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. I'm now dressed and almost ready for the day, except I notice that my hands feel a bit dry. I rub on some hand cream and see on the tube that it contains an ingredient that acts as an antioxidant. Which of the following might be that ingredient? Hint



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Most Recent Scores
Oct 30 2024 : tkny: 5/10
Oct 30 2024 : japh: 9/10
Oct 30 2024 : GoodwinPD: 10/10
Oct 30 2024 : tetrahedron: 8/10
Oct 30 2024 : fgrozalen: 2/10
Oct 30 2024 : Dagny1: 8/10
Oct 30 2024 : doh1: 8/10
Oct 30 2024 : misstified: 5/10
Oct 30 2024 : mulder100: 5/10

Score Distribution

quiz
Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. I've just risen from bed and stumble sleepily into the shower. I grab the shampoo and start lathering up my hair. Which of the following substances causes the suds and removes any dirt from my hair?

Answer: Ammonium lauryl sulphate

Ammonium lauryl sulphate is a kind of chemical known as a surfactant. Surfactants are molecules made up of a long hydrocarbon tail joined to a charged "head". This structure means that surfactants are excellent at removing grease and dirt; the hydrocarbon tails of many ammonium lauryl sulphate molecules surround the grease particle leaving the charged heads on the outside.

The charge on the outside of this surfactant ball (known as a micelle) allows it to be washed away by water, taking the grease with it.
2. Right, now I'm feeling much more alert! Over to the bathroom sink to brush my teeth now. As I squeeze the toothpaste out of the tube, I wonder how, exactly, it cleans my teeth. Which of the substances below might be present in toothpaste to rub away any plaque on my teeth?

Answer: Calcium carbonate

Although most toothpastes contain a surfactant (such as ammonium lauryl sulphate mentioned in question 1) to make them foam up nicely, a surfactant is not considered to be the most important component of a good toothpaste. The most important component of toothpaste is an abrasive that grinds away any plaque, while not grinding away at the tooth's enamel. Calcium carbonate (CaCO3 - limestone!) is one of the abrasives used; others include magnesium carbonate (MgCO3), aluminium hydroxide (Al(OH)3) and calcium pyrophosphate (Ca2P2O7).
3. While brushing, I notice that my tube of toothpaste says that it contains sodium fluoride. What is the purpose of this ingredient?

Answer: To harden the enamel of my teeth.

These days, many toothpastes contain fluoride, often as sodium fluoride (NaF). Other sources of fluoride in toothpaste are stannous fluoride (SnF2) and sodium monofluorophosphate (Na2PO3F). This additive is present only in small amounts (my toothpaste is 0.22% sodium fluoride), but it plays a major role in keeping teeth healthy.

The enamel covering our teeth is mostly made up of hydroxyapatite (Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2). Fluoride in toothpaste is thought to strengthen the enamel by replacing some of hydroxyapatite's OH groups with fluoride ions, to give fluoroapatite, which is stronger and resists acid wear better than the original hydroxyapatite.
4. After squirting on a bit of anti-perspirant, I go back to my bedroom to get dressed. Which of the following might be an ingredient in the anti-perspirant that will help keep me perspiration-free throughout the day?

Answer: Aluminium chlorohydrates

Aluminium chlorohydrates (such as Al2(OH)4Cl2 and Al2(OH)5Cl) are excellent at controlling perspiration. They do this by releasing aluminium ions, which close the ducts of the eccrine glands (the source of perspiration). Aluminium chlorohydrates also reduce the odor associated with the substances produced by another set of glands - the apocrine glands (while the substances produced by these glands are odourless, the substances themselves encourage bacterial growth, which is where the odour comes from).
5. After selecting the outfit I want to wear for the day, I decide to put on a bit of make-up. To start with, I choose my favourite eye shadow - a deep brown with a hint of sparkle. Which of the following choices is an ingredient used in make-up to give it "sparkle"?

Answer: Mica

Mica is an aluminosilicate mineral containing aluminium, silicon and oxygen atoms. It is a shiny solid, and can be easily cleaved into thin, translucent sheets. This is possible because the atoms that make up mica are arranged in sheets, much like the sheets of carbon that make up graphite. Finely-crushed mica is added to make-up preparations such as eye shadow, lip gloss, lipstick and bronzing powders to give them "sparkle".
6. I like the "sparkle" of my brown eye shadow, but I also like its rich colour. Which one of the following is a colouring agent used in eye shadow?

Answer: Iron oxides

Iron oxides can be varying shades of brown, yellow and orange. They are finely crushed and added to eye shadow to give it colour. Other colouring agents used in eye shadow are carbon black (which is a finely crushed material very similar to charcoal) and ultramarine blue. Titanium dioxide (TiO2) is also used in eye shadow as a base, as it is an opaque, bright white, which, when mixed with a pigment, allows the product to be applied without having the colour of the skin underneath showing through.
7. Right, I'm happy with my eyes, now I think I'll put on a bit of lipstick. What is often a major ingredient in a tube of lipstick?

Answer: Castor oil

Castor oil can be obtained from plant seeds. In general, it is a mixture of triglycerides, but before being used in the cosmetics industry, it must be highly purified. Only a small percentage of the weight of a tube of lipstick is taken up by the dye that gives it its colour. Castor oil and other emollients in lipsticks such as lanolin and waxes help keep the lips soft.
8. A final dab of face powder and I'm almost ready to start the day. I see on the ingredients list that the major component of my face powder is talc. Chemically-speaking, what is talc?

Answer: A hydrated magnesium silicate.

Like mica, the atoms that make up talc are arranged in sheets; talc feels slippery because these sheets can easily move over each other. Finely-crushed talc is used in face powders as a bulking agent and also to give a pleasant texture to the preparation. Face powders also contain ingredients such as kaolin, which helps to absorb moisture.
9. Whoops, I almost forgot to put on a squirt of perfume! Which one of the following is NOT an aromatic compound used in the perfume and fragrance industry?

Answer: Sodium chloride

Linalool is a substance present naturally in lavender that gives it its glorious smell. Geraniol is the compound responsible for the scent of a rose; it can also be extracted from geranium plants, from which its name is derived. Citronellol provides a beautifully light citrus-lemon scent. Limonene is another citrus fragrance, and can be isolated from the skins of oranges.
10. I'm now dressed and almost ready for the day, except I notice that my hands feel a bit dry. I rub on some hand cream and see on the tube that it contains an ingredient that acts as an antioxidant. Which of the following might be that ingredient?

Answer: Vitamin E

Vitamin E (also known as alpha-tocopherol, which is the most active form of vitamin E in humans) is a good antioxidant because it reacts very readily with a certain class of chemical compound called radicals. Radicals contain a single unpaired electron and as a result are very reactive.

It is thought that radicals cause cell damage, which can lead to wrinkles. Vitamin E can be obtained naturally by eating foods such as nuts and green leafy vegetables. Another well-known antioxidant is vitamin C, which is a popular dietary supplement. Well, I'm ready to face the day now - thanks for playing!
Source: Author NatalieW

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor crisw before going online.
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