Unit 5 "Chemical Reaction Systems": Lesson 7 "Forces and Function"

Describe in what way pharmaceutical drugs can be like locks.

The invader molecule is like a key, and a drug against it can be like a lock, binding with it and moving it out of the body.

Think about how the properties of the insulators on electric copper wires and the properties of cladding on fiber optic cables help make the conducting wires or fibers they contain more efficient. What do you think would happen if these protective materials were not present?

Without these protective materials, the conductors would lose energy and be inefficient. For example, the electric wires would lose a lot of heat and be dangerous, and the fiber optics would experience data losses as light is lost from the fibers.

polymer

a substance that has a molecular structure made up of many repeating units bonded together

ductile

able to be drawn out into a thin wire

malleable

able to be hammered or pressed into shapes

Explain why copper wires are insulated instead of left bare.

Copper wires transmit electricity, and they give off heat when they do. Bare wires can expose us to the electrical current, risking electrical shocks. If the wires are left insulated, they can also create a lot of heat that could become a fire hazard.

Describe other inventions you can think of that rely on opposite properties, on two parts fitting together, or on attractive and repulsive forces.

Magnetic closings on purses and bags are an example, as magnetism involves attractive and repulsive forces. Elastic workout equipment is another example; elastic is designed to pull against the athlete's own muscles. Weightlifting uses opposing forces because it involves athletes lifting the weights against the force of gravity. Clasps involve two parts fitting together.