How DO Molecules Store Energy?

Chemistry text books say molecules like glucose store energy in bonds. Are they wrong? What even is chemical energy anyway? And what ARE chemical bonds? And are they JUST abstract concepts? Are Derek Muller from @veritasium and Nick Lucid from @scienceasylum correct when they say bonds don’t store energy? We look at the science and chemistry of molecular energy and answer the question: Where do molecules store their energy?

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Three Twentysix Project Leader: Dr Andrew Robertson
3D animations/production assistant: Es Hiranpakorn
Graphic Design: Maria Sucianto
Assistant editor: Purple Saptari

This video was produced at Kyushu University and supported by JSPS KAKENHI Grant Number JP21K02904. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Kyushu University, JSPS or MEXT.

[steliosjaj]

I just got my bachelors in chemistry. You have by far the highest quality chemistry-information related content on youtube. Your explanations always amaze me. You seem to have such a deep knowledge in so complex topics.

[HenriqueCSJ]

Hi Andrew,

I am also a chemist here in Brazil, conducting my research using computational chemistry. I’d like to congratulate you on the excellent content you’re creating. Your videos are not only entertaining but also retain the interesting details that make chemistry so fascinating. The presentations are very well balanced (see what I did there?) and are useful even for more experienced chemists.

Whenever I watch such quality videos, I am reminded of why I love this field so much.

Thank you.

[coreyyanofsky]

1:06 "chubby wittle kitty" is a wild choice for this illustration

[PabloA]

About forty years ago, I had to repeat a year of high school because I had a teacher who couldn't explain chemistry and I ended up hating it because of him. But I never imagined that I liked it so much until I saw this channel, like so many others. How I wish I could tell this teacher that this is the way to teach. Thanks you.-

[jerrycornelius]

Excellent very clear and deep.

Too many scientific “experts” get a YouTube following by being contrarian and making scientific arguments against commonly held explanations. But they don’t quite get to the full explanation because they lack the depth of understanding for all the topics they cover.

Three twenty six has a deep understanding of its subject and explains it clearly.

[DarthCalculus]

I'm a high school physics teacher. I am always very gratified to see that my explanations are consistent with what I see here. Thank you!

[voltaaire]

*Well done young man!* Carbon dioxide is actually able to release energy if you react it with magnesium metal after ignition. 2Mg + CO2 --> 2MgO + C The loosely held electrons in Mg end up back in the carbon atom or rather between carbon atoms. *The energy is stored in the potential for this rearrangement.* MgO is quite stable and it would of course take lots more energy to move the electrons from O= back to the Mg++. Mg++ and O= are held tightly by ionic bonding in a lattice.

[Qefyan]

Straight to the point, highly informative, well detailed, lovely animations and images for reference, and most importantly no annoying background music that enhance distractions.
Thank you sir!

[SecularMentat]

I love this explanation. That 2700 kJ/mol in decomposing glucose as a single step is enough to blow apart a cell's membranes. But it's done stepwise in little isomer changes and decarboxylation steps.

[DVerse-kc]

I always wished for a chemistry YouTube channel that makes the subject enjoyable, just like channels like Veritasium and ElectroBoom are doing for physics. This channel has exceeded my expectations! Keep up the great work, sir—you’re definitely on your way to the top. ❤

[angelomanfredini]

Hi from Italy. Not only are your lessons beautiful and well-explained, but your English is also so clear that I don't even need subtitles! Thank you.

[AySz]

To be honest, I think the part at 17:45 - that students end up so confused by the "paradox" of why carbon dioxide and water release energy as they form their bonds, rather than absorbing it - summarizes why "energy is stored in bonds" is such a misleading shorthand. (And don't get me started about similar energy misconceptions when you don't realize kinetic energy is relative to frame of reference in physics!)

But I appreciate the video - even if peoples' confusions are ultimately more about semantics, each non-contradictory viewpoint on the same thing should improve understanding.

[조재의-in]

Your channel makes me born again in many ways. Deep and very clear. English Learner from the S. Korea

[leroyzack]

The best explanation. Even a physicist need to visit this channel for a deeper explanation because chemistry is really a whole complete branch of science on it's own.

[sarathkumar]

Your simplicity in explanation indicates the vastness of knowledge you have sir... Keep making good content like there sir

[jdata]

The last few minutes of this video explain really well why I watch this channel to begin with! We all need accurate models in our head to understand the world. If you're a chemist this is obviously important for your career. I'm just a huge chemistry nerd and getting this kind of detailed and accurate information on the nature of chemistry is just SO entertaining and fun!

Thanks for another great video!

[siglec]

Your content is exceptionally clear and invaluable! It's so rare to find on YouTube.

[tahzeebfatima]

Literally he is the teacher who solves all my doubts which come into mind and whenever i asked to my teacher they either ignored me or said that its not found till date

[WAMTAT]

Amazing video, the perfect blend of humor and science presented well.

[samabdi]

His gift is in teaching with a great sense of clarity….well done⚡️