Chemistry of LOVE: Valentines day Chemistry

February 14th is Valentines day. No need to explain about this day to you. You may be planning to celebrate this day in your way!! To find your love and to have a long term relationship, there is one saying that you should have right chemistry or chemistry should match. For two people to fall in love the chemistry between them has to be just right.

“In chemistry different atoms and compounds combine together to form stable molecules and complexes, In the same way, if you get the right two people they will react together and make a very stable combination."

Do you believe in love at first sight? Or that the subtle scent a person gives off can attract or repel you? Or would you like to know why chocolate just makes everything better? Is romance all about chemistry

Some chemicals that come across love.

First, there's attraction. Nonverbal communication plays a big part in initial attraction and some of this communication may involve pheromones, a form of chemical communication.

The sweaty palms and pounding heart of infatuation are caused by higher than normal levels of norepinepherine.

Meanwhile, the 'high' of being in love is due to a rush of phenylethylamine and dopamine. Lasting love confers chemical benefits in the form of stabilized production of serotonin and oxytocin.

Suppression of vasopressin can cause males to abandon their love nest and seek new mates.

Interested in more Valentines day chemistry projects? Click here for chemistry.about.com

And, also watch this video. Prof talks series of random facts about chocolate and roses, and then gives some relationship advice at the end! 

 

Happy Valentines day to you all!!

40 Young Scholar Awards for Chemists working in developing countries

Award includes:

• $2500
• complimentary Congress registration
• complimentary hotel stay for 5 nights of the meeting
• a Young Scholar certificate

If you are

• chemistry professional
• working in developing countries that border the Pacific Ocean (e.g. from south Asia: Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Sri Lanka)
• under 40 years
• in first permanent position in an educational institution, government agency, or other non profit organization as a professional chemist or related science discipline

then you are close to get young scholar award by American Chemical Society.
For this you have to first submit abstract to Pacifichem 2010 conference and a separate application for the award and then finally have to attend the conference going to be held at Hawai on December 2010.

The closing date for receipt of applications is 1 April 2010.

Details of this announcement can be found at Pacifichem 2010.

Good Resource for Chemistry Teachers and Students

The link given here has great videos that teach you some fundamental aspects of chemistry. It is free. This is World of Chemistry. It is specially appropriate for students taking high school or college chemistry. This resource was produced by University of Maryland and Educational Film Center. A video instructional series for college and high school classrooms and adult learners; 26 half-hour video programs and coordinated books.

Videos cover topics from introductory level to advanced levels. Topics also include physics and earth science components. Some of the topics are color, state of matter, the Atom, Periodic table, concepts of mole etc.This resource is also valuable for teachers seeking to review the subject matter. There  are 26 videos on different topics related to chemistry.

Click on the links for specific topics.

The World of Chemistry           The State of Matter        The Periodic Table         Future of Chemistry

The Atom             Color           The Mole     Chemistry and Environment     Genetic Code

This post was posted HERE before.