Why aren't there better-tasting artificial sweeteners on the market by now?
I used to drink diet soda, but the sorta metallic, bitter aftertaste of the commonly-used artificial sweeteners has made me stop. I've noticed that basically every beverage, at least in the US, uses the same couple sweeteners: namely aspartame, acesulfame potassium, and sucralose. These are all "old news" chemically-speaking, being discovered in 1965, 1967, and 1976 respectively. I've heard of many, many other artificial sweeteners that have since been discovered: neotame, lugduname, sucronic acid, carrelame, advantame, etc.--all of which are also much more potent than older sweeteners.
If there have been so many new sweeteners developed, why aren't there better-tasting artificial sweeteners on the market by now? Do these sweeteners taste worse than older ones? Is it hard to get FDA approval for these new sweeteners. These are all so potent that they'd be safe to consume in typical doses if they were more toxic than cyanide--so if approval is the problem, why is it the problem? Are there better-tasting sweeteners available and approved for consumption, but that aren't used due to other factors? I'm interested to learn more!
https://redd.it/1l0v6xa
@r_chemistry
How to remeber periodic table
Calculators and perioic table stuff like that are not given here for eams so how do i rember it
https://redd.it/1l0tiey
@r_chemistry
Is it safe to separate the water in vinegar by putting it in boiling water?
My friends are trying to make one of those pet bottles rockets that work with vinegar and potassium bicarbonate. They wanted to increase the amount of gas generated by concentrating around 15-20% of acetic acid in a liter of destilated water.
https://redd.it/1l0pjy4
@r_chemistry
Highschool chemistry teacher on YouTube
Hiya! This is the chemistry teacher from my old high school. He made this channel during lockdown to help all his students and more. He's recently decided to make a new channel to make more out together videos and I just wanted to share it here in hopes of giving his channel a boost!
Old channel: andrewhaychemistry?si=cjWj0jYpfnkA3YwO" rel="nofollow">https://youtube.com/@andrewhaychemistry?si=cjWj0jYpfnkA3YwO
New channel: andrewhaychemistry42?si=b-Q6JYTlfznmIips" rel="nofollow">https://youtube.com/@andrewhaychemistry42?si=b-Q6JYTlfznmIips
https://redd.it/1l0ma1j
@r_chemistry
Im stupid and i ripped open a lithium ion battery with my bare hands and the juices and metal made direct contact and it stings
what do i do lol
https://redd.it/1l0i0y5
@r_chemistry
Paint removal advice
https://redd.it/1l0gmhx
@r_chemistry
Just another hopeless grad
Just needing a place to rant. 1 year post grad with BA in forensic chemistry. The only chem class I never had to take was pchem. I had a 3 year gap given the pandemic & when I finally returned to school, I wasn’t living at home, paying my own way and all that. So, I never was able to do internships & connect much with my peers because I worked full time & was a bit older than everyone. Out of hundreds of applications, I’ve heard from only a handful back, mostly rejections, maybe 2 offers of almost $5/hr less than my current retail job. Just feeling embarrassed, that’s all. Thank you if you read.
https://redd.it/1l0e50y
@r_chemistry
Thanks to the vitamin b complex it was fluoresce
Pee
https://redd.it/1l0adm9
@r_chemistry
Getting involved in current chemistry
Hi. I am a rising college senior majoring in chemistry. I'm considering going to grad school maybe a year or two after graduation. However I am not really sure where exactly I am heading with this. I have realized that during my undergraduate career, I have been fine with my classes but I don't actually interact with current findings in the field. So for this summer and the next year, I'm trying to get involved.
Are there any websites, or free journals I could visit that talk about or compile the new findings in the field?
https://redd.it/1l068c5
@r_chemistry
Oleic acid carboxylic group
https://redd.it/1l02zj5
@r_chemistry
Periodic Tower of Elements
https://preview.redd.it/h3japdvps44f1.jpg?width=2000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a7043c3f124153606388a69ae819fe51c6ff4613
The Periodic Tower of Elements, a set proposed at Lego Ideas, has been referenced at https://www.chemistryworld.com/news/campaign-launched-to-get-lego-periodic-table-playset-out-there/4021543.article
https://redd.it/1kzyytn
@r_chemistry
My new website: Organic Chemistry in 3D!
https://redd.it/1kzv3iw
@r_chemistry
Silly thought
For context, I work in fast food, and tonight while we were finishing up I had the brilliant idea to put my speaker and phone on top of the fryer vent thing. My phone did a dance out of my hand and somehow I managed to save it but I didn’t really think too much of it because my heart was still racing at the thought of having to buy another phone. I got home and I thought man that has to be dangerous- I started remembering those huge lithium batteries that need to be literally submerged in water for awhile before they start to chill out- is there any kind of cool elaboration someone with knowledge could infer? If I didn’t have my spidey senses would I be made an example forever? I tried googling stuff hoping to find a phone exploding or combusting in oil but only found people trying to clean their phones of oil-it’s a silly question but I’m just a sillier undergrad student who’s curious at 5 am
https://redd.it/1kztz1e
@r_chemistry
Real size of an atom
https://redd.it/1kzrox5
@r_chemistry
What would one use this for?
https://redd.it/1kvmnzu
@r_chemistry
Nitration of toluene in EDC solvent - expected product distribution?
I'm planning to run a nitration reaction using toluene as the substrate with nitric acid, but I'm considering using EDC (ethylene dichloride) as the solvent. I'm curious about a few things:
1. How would EDC perform as a solvent for this nitration compared to more traditional solvents?
2. What kind of ortho/meta/para product distribution should I expect for the nitrotoluene isomers under these conditions?
3. Are there any side reactions I should be concerned about with EDC present, or does it remain relatively inert during toluene nitration?
I'm particularly interested in whether the EDC might affect the regioselectivity compared to other solvent systems. Has anyone here tried this combination before or have insights on how chlorinated solvents might influence aromatic nitration reactions?
Any thoughts on reaction conditions (temperature, HNO3 concentration) that work well with this solvent system would also be appreciated.
https://redd.it/1l0uhws
@r_chemistry
why do transition metals form such colourful solutions
we’ve been taught that one of the features of a transition metals is that they form coloured compounds, but they havent gone into much detail other than “it’s because of their partially filled d orbitals” so why is this?
https://redd.it/1l0q0oh
@r_chemistry
Looking for a X-mas present for my Ph.d analytical chemist brother
Hi everyone!
I'm sure this is an unusual post but as the title states, I'm looking for something special for an older brother of mine who has his PhD in analytical chemistry.
I'm his only and younger sister that has a flair for sentimental things. I was hoping there would be a past chemist who would stand out to everyone here and maybe try and get my hands on an old book? Something of that sorts but I'm very open to ideas.
Any help is greatly appreciated!
https://redd.it/1l0nqh2
@r_chemistry
Iron(III) oxide I made
https://redd.it/1l0kmm7
@r_chemistry
Hello here!! I need help with a project on bioplastics.
I need a website that give the official types of bioplastics.I can not find one.It has different versions for each website I use.
https://redd.it/1l0hlmq
@r_chemistry
Majoring in Chemistry is bad?
Popular college major has one of the highest unemployment rates https://www.al.com/news/2025/05/popular-college-major-has-one-of-the-highest-unemployment-rates.html
I saw this from another subreddit. The poll showed that an undergraduate chemistry degree was one of the 10 highest unemployment rates among new graduates with an unemployment rate of 6.1%
I know that the market is terrible and most people say that you should go to grad school for chemistry but I was surprised that it was in the top ten.
Personally I think this is somewhat odd as a good amount of qc jobs are filled by undergraduates.
What are your thoughts on this?
https://redd.it/1l0fg14
@r_chemistry
Dimethylmercury - Karen wetterhahn
I recently heard of Karen’s story and was wondering, what is stopping someone from buying some of this chemical and killing/hurting other people? It seems easy to buy online, and given how such a small amount can violently kill someone, it seems crazy. What am I missing?
https://redd.it/1l0cmhz
@r_chemistry
Does anyone have information on Irma Goldberg?
She was one of the first female organic chemists and she was married to Fritz Ullmann. I can’t find any mention of her past 1939. What happened to her?
https://redd.it/1l07a8p
@r_chemistry
What happens to barium nitrate when water dries
I know that barium nitrate splits apart into its separate chemicals when mixed with water, but do they recombine if the water were to dry, or is the original barium nitrate essentially "destroyed"?
https://redd.it/1l05ts8
@r_chemistry
What is?
WHAT IS THE FIRST synthetically MADE ORGANIC COMPOUND,WHO MADE IT,AND WHEN?
https://redd.it/1l0393z
@r_chemistry
How accurate are these test strips? Is it really able to test all the heavy metals in the water + water hardness + PH levels + acidity and alkaline levels + nitrate and nitrites all in one strip?
https://redd.it/1kzxetn
@r_chemistry
Got any quirky chemistry facts to get students interested in chemistry?
I really want to know if you have any quirky/not well-known chemistry facts. Hope to see your replies.
https://redd.it/1kzuj7b
@r_chemistry
Guys does noble gases never react to anything like in any circumstance or is there any exception?
https://redd.it/1kzrtgd
@r_chemistry
How do the Nicorette inhalers work?
My question stems from an idea to assist my mother, who has asthma, begin stepping away from smoking without having to go bankrupt to afford nicorette's inhalers. The addiction she is battling does not seem to be primarily nicotine, as she has tried zyn but always returns to smoking. It seems the act of smoking is what has her, and having asthma vaping is way more likely to hurt or kill her by triggering an attack than smoking is.
The nicorette inhaler has nicotine and 2 "non medicinal" ingredients of ethanol and menthol. My question is how does this device manage to vaporize nicotine without heat, and is it feasible for someone to create a similar device that can use extracted nicotine (possibly from the bulk 100mg/ml in VG you can buy, seperation for use has not been googled yet)?
My assumptions are one of 2 routes. Either, the ethanol has the nicotine dissolved in the "porous plug" (sponge-like plug?) and through ethanol vaporizing with airflow, it carries the nicotine to the user (similar to, but I dont think properly called, azeotrope?), or the ethanol and menthol are below the plug and the plug is impregnated with nicotine. The ethanol vapor flowing through the plug dissolves and carries the nicotine with it.
Am I thinking on the right line, or is there another means to their product? If so, would either of my assumptions work, and do you have any advice how I might create such a system? It would not be for sale, and if legality prevents me from doing so, I have every intention of complying.
https://redd.it/1kzr5da
@r_chemistry
Is it stupid to add another year to undergrad for a double major?
I don’t know if this is the best subreddit to post this, but since this subreddit is filled with chemist I thought this was the best place to ask this.
I’m currently an undergrad majoring in chemistry, but I’ve developed a really strong interest in math.
My GPA is currently below a 3.0 due to a rough start and personal challenges, though it’s been improving. I’m planning to apply to graduate school (likely in physical chemistry, astrochemistry, nuclear chemistry, quantum chemistry, or something similar), but I keep feeling like I’m mourning my potential in math by sticking only to chemistry.
I’ve been thinking about staying for a 5th year to finish a second major in math. Due to scheduling and time issues there are a few classes that can’t work with my current outline. But intellectually and emotionally, it feels like the only way I can do both passions justice and strengthen my grad school applications.
Would this 5th year look bad to graduate programs? Does it come across as indecisive? Or could it actually help me stand out, especially if I can improve my GPA, take more rigorous coursework, and make a stronger case for myself as someone who blends chemistry and math?
Any advice, especially from people who’ve applied to grad school or taken an unconventional path, would mean a lot.
https://redd.it/1kvkf18
@r_chemistry
