Chemistry in your cupboard

Explore the chemistry behind nine different household products from the range produced by Reckitt Benckiser (although other branded products will work in similar ways). The chemistry of products as varied as pharmaceuticals and cleaning materials is discussed at a level suitable for post-16 students, covering a whole range of chemical principles and topics mainly in the area of physical chemistry.

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    Chemistry in your cupboard: Gaviscon

    In association with

    Link the post-16 topics of acid and base neutralisation, weak acids, bonding and carboxylic acids to the topic of antacids. Learn about a range of real life contexts for these chemical ideas through written material, and questions to encourage learning and test understanding. 

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    Chemistry in your cupboard: Nurofen

    In association with

    Link the post-16 topics of bonding and solubility, isomerisation and reactions of organic functional groups to the topic of analgesics. Learn about a range of real life contexts for these chemical ideas through written material, and questions to encourage learning and test understanding.

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    Chemistry in your cupboard: Dettol

    In association with

    Link the post-16 topics of phenols, bonding and acids and bases to the topic of antiseptics.

  • Stocked kitchen pantry

    Chemistry in your cupboard

    In association with

    Learn about a range of real life contexts for these chemical ideas through written material, and questions to encourage learning and test understanding

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    Chemistry in your cupboard: Veet

    In association with

    Link the post-16 topics of amino acids and proteins, bonding, reaction rates and equilibria and Le Chateliers principle to the topic of hair removal. Learn about a range of real life contexts for these chemical ideas through written material, and questions to encourage learning and test understanding.

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    Chemistry in your cupboard: Vanish

    In association with

    Link the topics of group 7 elements, amino acids, proteins, fats and carbohydrates and bonding to the topic of stain removal. Learn about a range of real life contexts for these chemical ideas through written material, and questions to encourage learning and test understanding.

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    Chemistry in your cupboard: Cillit Bang

    In association with

    Link the post-16 topics of group 1 elements, detergents (surfactants), solvents and acids to the topic of cleaning products.

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    Chemistry in your cupboard: Harpic

    In association with

    Link the post-16 topics of group bonding, acid rain, equilibria and Le Chateliers principle and strong and weak acids to the topic of removing limescale. Learn about a range of real life contexts for these chemical ideas through written material, and questions to encourage learning and test understanding.

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    Chemistry in your cupboard: Calgon

    In association with

    Link the post-16 topics of group 2 elements, acids and bases and polymerisation to the topic of hardness of water. 

The Royal Society of Chemistry gratefully acknowledges that this project was initially supported by Reckitt Benckiser in 2007. Reckitt Benckiser conducted a final review in 2013 so some information may be out of date.

The original website design and revised programming was by Learning Science Ltd. Original content supplied by Reckitt Benckiser and Presenting Science.