Simplicity to Complexity Trivia Quiz

Answer: Potash

There are actually a number of different variants of potash, as it is the name given to a number of potassium compounds and potassium-bearing materials. The most common is actually potassium chloride (KCl).

Potassium carbonate (K2CO3) is produced by the electrolysis of potassium chloride, creating potassium hydroxide (KOH) which is then carbonated to create potassium carbonate. This variant of potash is primarily used in the production of soap and glass.

Answer: Epsom salt

Epsom salt is not actually a salt, even though it is named for a bitter saline spring at Epsom in Surrey, England. Epsom salt is primarily used in the form of bath salts, which are said to improve cleaning and make bathing more enjoyable.

Answer: Cream of tartar

Cream of tartar is a byproduct of the winemaking process. Potassium hydrogen tartrate (also known as potassium bitartrate) crystallizes in wine casks during the fermentation process.

Cream of tartar is used in a number of applications, including food preparation, as a cleaning agent (when mixed with an acidic liquid like lemon juice or white vinegar), and for making homemade playdough.

Answer: Gypsum

Gypsum is quite a common mineral, used as a fertilizer and as the primary component in such things as blackboard chalk, plaster, and drywall. You may also recognize the name alabaster, which is a type of gypsum that was commonly used for sculptures in many ancient cultures.

Answer: Milk of magnesia

Milk of magnesia - named for its appearance when in a suspension - is a common component of laxatives and antacids but should be taken with care, as it interferes with the body's ability to absorb iron and folic acid.

Answer: Saltpeter

Saltpeter is the collective name of a group of nitrogen-containing compounds that includes potassium nitrate (also called niter), sodium nitrate (Peru or Chile saltpeter), calcium nitrate (Norway saltpeter), and magnesium nitrate.

The potassium nitrate variant is primarily used in fertilizer, rocket propellant, fireworks, gunpowder, and as a food preservative.

Answer: Baking soda

You might have been looking for sodium bicarbonate as the chemical compound name of baking soda, but the term 'bicarbonate' is from an outdated naming system. Sodium hydrogen carbonate is the correct name for the chemical compound.

There are a multitude of uses for baking soda, but it is arguably best known as a leavening agent in baking.

Answer: Laughing gas

Dinitrogen monoxide - also known as nitrous oxide - is called laughing gas for the euphoric effect it has upon people when inhaled. It is commonly used as an anaesthetic in surgery and dentistry, but is also used as an aerosol propellent and as an oxidizer for rockets and in motor racing to increase the an engine's power output.

Answer: Freon

Dichlorodifluoromethane is a refrigerant and aerosol propellant with the brand name of Freon-12. As a chlorofluorocarbon halomethane (CFC), it has been linked with ozone layer depletion, and was universally banned from usage in 1996.

Answer: Antifreeze

Ethylene glycol is used for more than just antifreeze, but that is probably the use for the chemical compound that most people recognize (especially if you live in colder climates). By itself, ethylene glycol has a freezing temperature of -12 degrees celsius, but when combined with water at a ratio of 60% ethylene glycol and 40% water, the new solution has a freezing point of -45 degrees celsius.