Chemicals in Nature Trivia Quiz

Answer: capsaicin

Capsaicin can cause your skin a lot of trouble just by touching it! Habanero peppers are picked with gloves, for this reason.

The 'heat' of chilli peppers actually has a unit; 'Scoville units'. The 'heat' of bell peppers is 0 Scoville units, Jalapenos range from 3000 to 6000 Scoville units, and that of habaneros is 30000!

Capsaicin is also the chief component of pepper-spray.

Answer: citric acid

Ever wondered why a lemon is so much sourer that an orange? It's because lemons contain a lot more citric acid!

These fruits all belong to the genus Citrus, and are called 'citrus fruits' because of their citric acid content. They are also rich in Vitamin C, or ascorbic acid.

You can read more about citrus fruits here: http://www.thefruitpages.com/citrus.shtml

Answer: calcium carbonate

The calcium carbonate originates from shells and skeletons of animals that have long since been buried, and from rocks containing limestone and other compounds. Rain-water dissolves this calcium carbonate as it percolates through the rocks.

Answer: melanin

People whose ancestors have been living in tropical and sub-tropical regions tend to have a larger amount of melanin in their skin, to protect them from the Sun's rays, which are much stronger in these regions (near the equator). Hence, they their skin tends to be darker than that of people in latitudes further from the equator.

Albinism is a genetic condition which results in the lack of melanin.

Melanin is also the pigment which helps chameleons change colour, thus enabling them to camouflage.

Answer: large intestine

They are present in the large intestine, the colon to be precise. E. coli bacteria cause disease, but are harmless in the intestine. They are very sensitive to antibiotics like streptomycin.

Answer: formic acid

The name 'formic acid' comes from the Latin word 'formica' for ants. The venom injected by ants contains formic acid.

Formic acid is also called 'methanoic acid'. You can find out more about it here: http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Formic_acid

Since formic acid is acidic in nature, the sting of a bee / nettle can be eased with the application of base, such as soda on the skin, at the spot of the sting. Bases include calcium hydroxide in the form of lime, and an ammonia solution.

Answer: True

Although the bee-venom is acidic in nature (pH 5.0 to 5.5), its acidity isn't what makes the sting hurt, unlike in the case of ant-bites, where the pain results from the formic acid contained in the ant's venom. Consequently, the application of an alkaline solution such as baking soda or soap won't help ease the pain caused by a bee-sting. On the other hand, wasp-stings, unlike bee-stings, are close to neutral.

Answer: proteins

Spiders have the ability to vary the type of thread used; for the points important in keeping the web's structure, firm and dry threads are used; and other areas are made of sticky threads, for trapping flies, and other poor, unfortunate prey. Soon they become the spiders' dinner.

The thread of protein used in building a spider's web is stronger than a thread made of steel of the same thickness!

Answer: Vitamin K (menaquinone)

Vitamin K is essential for the clotting of blood and proper functioning of the liver. It can also be obtained from green leafy vegetables like spinach and cabbage, tomatoes, and soybean oil. The E. coli get destroyed by the prolonged use of antibiotics!

Answer: urushiol

Urushiol oil is what causes all the problems on contact with poison ivy. Only one-billionth of a gram of urushiol oil is needed to cause a rash! An interesting page on poison ivy, which is well worth a visit: http://poisonivy.aesir.com/view/fastfacts.html

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I hope this quiz was fun and interesting!