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WILD CHEMISTRYChemEd 2013Brian RohrigMetro Early College High SchoolColumbus, OHblrohrig@columbus.rr.com

How many species of living things on earth (not counting bacteria)?8.7 million

MEASUREMENT1. Largest living organism?Honey Mushroom in eastern Oregonmeasures 10 square kilometers with an average depth of 1 meter.

Volume in cubic meters?10,000,0002. Heaviest animal?Great Blue Whale (190,000 kg)

How many tons?a. 20b. 200c. 2000d. 20,000

How many tons?b. 200

3. Mass of the worlds smallest bird in gramsthe Bee Hummingbird of Cuba?

1.8 grams4. The worlds largest egg is from what bird? Elephant Bird (30 cm by 20 cm)

What is the volume of this egg?The shape of an egg can be thought of as two halves of ellipsoids with different radius dimensions. One has radii of A, A, and B; the other has radii of A, A, and C. The volume is given by the formula: (1/2)(4/3)A2B + (1/2)(4/3)A2C= (2/3)A2(B+C)= 2/3 102 (30) = 6300 cc

(http://www.had2know.com/academics/egg-surface-area-volume-calculator.html)

5. The largest egg laid by a living bird is from the . . . OSTRICH

Mass of an ostrich egg . . . 1.5 kgOne ostrich egg is equivalent to ______ chicken eggs.

DENSITYWhy do penguins have solid bones?

Penguins primarily feed on . . . FISHwhich live . . . UNDERWATER

Rainbow Trout (fresh water)What is the density of this fish, while staying in one place underwater?

Yellow Tang (salt water)What is the density of this fish, while staying in one place underwater?

Does this fish weigh 21 kg?

Swim bladder comprises approximately 5% of total volume of fish in salt water species, but 7% in fresh water species.

Because the swim bladder lies below the dense backbone, the center of buoyancy is usually just below the center of mass, which is why fish go belly up when they die

If fish caught in deep water, swim bladder expands on way up and ruptures, releasing gas into body cavity.Distended stomach of grouper

Columbian SharkWhat do you think the density of this shark is?Specific Gravity :1.005 - 1.010, saltwater as adults (1.020 - 1.025)

Sharks lack a swim bladder, but compensate with an extremely large liver filled with oil, 85% of it being squalenea polyunsaturated liquid hydrocarbon (C30H50) with a specific gravity of .858Ion Replacement:Some marine invertebrates, such as squid and shrimp, replace heavier ions with lighter ones. For example, some species replace Sulfate (96 u) ions with chloride (35.5 u) ions. [Seawater (with sulfate) has a density of 1.026, but the same concentration ofNaCl has a density of 1.020] Still other species replace sodium (23 u) ions with ammonium (17 u) ions. (http://isites.harvard.edu/fs/docs/icb.topic252223.files/Week%2013%20Lectures/OEB191_buoyancy.pdf )

A vacuole inside the Antarctic marine zooplankton Calanoides acutus changes its density and buoyancy by having a wax ester that changes from a liquid to a solid at the cold temperatures.(asknature.org)

The mobile foot of the aquatic violet snail creates a raft by collecting air bubbles and enveloping them in mucus. (asknature.org)

Diving Bell SpiderNet diffusion of O2 into bell and CO2 out due to differences in partial pressure"As the spider consumes oxygen from the air in the bell, it lowers the oxygen concentration inside. The oxygen can decrease below the level of dissolved oxygen in the water, and when this happens, oxygen can be driven into the bubble from the water.(http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/13614742)

Adaptations to high pressure:Lack of swim bladders and other air-filled spaces, to avoid compression and the bends. Liquids cannot be compressed Blobfish

High pressure distorts complex biomolecules, such as proteins and cell membranes.

Used by food companies to sterilize food: High Pressure Processing (HPP) uses pressures up to 5500 atm to kill microorganisms

High pressure sterilizers utilize high pressure hydraulic fluids, typically water, at moderate temperatures to sterilize food and beverage products.

Some deep-sea organisms contain "piezolytes" (from the Greek "piezin" for pressure) to withstand high pressure

These large biomolecules are not distorted under high pressure

A common piezolytes is trimethylamine oxide(TMAO) , which produces the fishy smell of fish

The deeper the depth of the fish, the more fishy they tend to smell!

Grenadier or rattail fish

TMAOGigantism common in deep-sea creatures

Giant Squid up to 13 m long

Giant Isopods (up to 76 cm long)

King of herrings oarfish up to 11 m long (unconfirmed up to 17 m) Worlds largest bony fish

Giant amphipod recently discovered at depth of 7000 m near New Zealand 33 cm long

Up to 2.4 m long live near hydrothermal ventsCan whales get the bends?

Bioluminescence or cold light using chemical reactions to produce lightAccording to scientists from NOAA, 90% of animals in waters below 500 m exhibit bioluminescence!

Bioluminescence is generated by an enzyme-catalyzed chemoluminescence reaction, in which the pigment luciferin is oxidized by the enzyme luciferase.

Edith Widder: The weird, wonderful world of bioluminescence TED talk

Fireflies use nitric oxide to control their flashes. NO causes mitochondriato briefly shut down, which releases a pulse of oxygen that triggers an enzyme to turn on light.HOW DO FIREFLIES CONTROLTHE RATE OF FLASHING?Fireflies flash faster in warmer weather, since photocytes are same temperature as surroundings, since fireflies are cold-blooded. In warmer water, less activation energy required to initiate the reaction and reaction rate is faster. DO FIREFLIES FLASH FASTER IN WARM WEATHER?

To determine temperature in degrees F, count number of field cricket chirps in 15 sec and add 37.

For degrees C, count number of chirps in 8 seconds and add 5

As outside temp. increases, so does metabolism of cricket

Published in article by Amos Dolbear in 1897 entitled The cricket as a Thermometer.

Which piece of copper wire would heat up the fastest?

Bergmann's Rule (introduced byGerman biologist Carl Bergmann in 1847):Cold-climate animals tend to be larger and stouter than animals living in hot or dry climates.

African elephantAsian elephantHave control over dilation and constriction of blood vessels in ears dilates blood vessels in ears when hot

Evaporative CoolingBlood vessels on surface of thin tongue dissipate heat by evaporation of saliva on tongueSweat glands between pads on pawsAmerican hairless terrier has sweat glands all over body sweats just like a person

Sweat glands on tongue and pads of feet Licking their fur cools as evaporates

Ostriches urinate on legs to cool down- it then evaporates like sweat

Turkey vultures defecate on legs to keep coolHibernating animals survive by increasing solute concentration in cells, causing a freezing point depression.

Secretes a detergent from its abdomen- lowering surface tension under its hind feet. Enables it to pull with its front feet and be propelled across the water quicklyRove Beetle

Namid desert beetleWater droplets from fog adhere to hydrophilic bumps on the wings, which are surrounded by hydrophobic troughs, which channel water to its mouth

Bio-inspired designs have led to the development of several innovative products that canproduce fresh drinking water in arid regions

Why does the odor from a skunk travel so far?Skunk spray contains thioacetates, which react slowly in water to produce thiols

Thiols are sulfur-containing compounds which our nose can detect in concentrations as low as a few parts per billion

A type of thiol compound is added to natural gas so it can be smelled

Binds strongly to olfactory receptors in nose

Being nonpolar, thiol compounds dissolve in other nonpolar substances such as hair, skin, clothing, etc.

HOW TO REMOVE SKUNK SPRAY

Use a mixture of H2O2, baking soda, and dish detergent

Hydrogen peroxide oxidizes thiol compounds into odorless sulfonic acid

Baking soda: 1)Rapidly splits thioacetates into thiols and acetate. 2) Speeds up reaction between thiol and peroxide. 3) Neutralizes the sulfonic acid produced

Detergent helps to dissolve nonpolar oily compounds in skunk spray

Pregnant female cochineal beetle feed on red cactus berries, where they concentrate red dye in bodies.

Dye is known as cochineal extract, carmine, carminic acid, crimson lake, natural red 4, C.I. 75470, E120, etc.

First product exported from New World to Old

Cochineal red was used by the Spanish in the 1500s

Electric eel(Not an eel)600 V1 amp 2 ms500 watts

5,000 6,000 electrocytes stacked like a battery (A voltaic pile)Each electrocyte .15 V discharged in series. Potential difference on each causes ion flow (Outside more negative than inside)Inspiration for theories of both Luigi Galvini and Alessandra Volta

Bombadier Beetle

C6H4(OH)2(l) + 2H2O2(l) C6H4(OH)2(l) + 2H2O (l) + O2(g)

Hydroquinone + Hydrogen peroxide p-quinone + water + oxygen

Two separate glands: reactants in one and catalysts in the otherHighly exothermic up to 100C

Starlings can metabolize alcohol at an exceptional speed, due to the rate of activity of the alcohol-splitting enzyme alcoholdehydrogenase, which is 14 times greater in starlings than in humans. They can indulge themselves on fermented fruit without getting drunk, since the alcohol is broken down quickly."(www.asknature.org)Why can starlings eat fermented fruit without becoming intoxicated?

Oysters reduce ocean acidityShells contain calcium carbonate, which neutralize carbonic acidActs like a natural antacid

Why do grackles rub ants in their feathers, in a behavior known as anting?Ants contain formic acid, which repels parasites

Gastric Brooding Froghttp://www.asknature.org/

Incredible website on biomimicry