Neil deGrasse Tyson and Kate the Chemist Answer Chemistry Questions

What is chemistry? Neil deGrasse Tyson and comedian Chuck Nice take fan questions on exothermic reactions, PFAS, ice cream, sugar, fire, and more with Kate Biberdorf, aka Kate the Chemist.

Fundamentally, what is a chemical reaction? Kate breaks down the basis of chemistry, how it overlaps with thermodynamics, and exo- versus endothermic reactions. Why is Gallium a liquid in the US but listed as a solid in the UK? Plus, Kate schools Neil on how adding salt to ice can help you make homemade ice cream.

If hydrogen and oxygen are both flammable, why isn’t water super flammable? We discuss how chemists predict a molecule’s properties. Learn about activation energy and how elements manage to even bond with each other. We break down combustion reactions and why sugar gets hard when you heat it to a certain temperature.

Are PFAS as dangerous as we think they are? We explain what PFAS are and what makes them problematic for our health. What gives colors to the elements? We talk about quantum dots, visible light, and what happens when you put sodium in water. All that, plus, what makes oxygen so special?

Thanks to our Patrons Mark Baum, Ezequiel Adatto, James Wright, Vector169, Ray Rimes, Christopher Haws, Ruben Ramen, Kim Fletter, Daniel Brown, and Joy Pinero-Deniz for supporting us this week.

NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commercial-free.

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Science meets pop culture on StarTalk! Astrophysicist & Hayden Planetarium director Neil deGrasse Tyson, his comic co-hosts, guest celebrities & scientists discuss astronomy, physics, and everything else about life in the universe. Keep Looking Up!

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00:00 - Introduction: Kate the Chemist
5:57 - What is a Chemical Reaction?
10:29 - Endothermic v. Exothermic Reactions
15:14 - Can You Predict a Chemical’s Properties?
18:34 - What is the Role of Activation Energy?
23:51 - The Chemistry of Candy
29:38 - Are PFAS as Dangerous as We Think?
34:05 - What Gives Things Color?
36:17 - Why Isn’t Water Flammable?
39:04 - Seeking a Scientist
40:53 - A Cosmic Perspective

[StarTalk]

What's your favorite household chemistry experiment?

[tdome]

Dear StarTalk organizers: we want more chemistry episodes, like this one. Preferably with prof. Kate Bieberdorf.
Thank you!

[MeezMiah]

I wish i had a chemistry teacher like her when i was in school. So passionate and fun to listen to

[danielludlow]

The time flew by watching this. All of a sudden it was over. I'm thinking... Wait! More please!

[amanhaman]

Her enthusiasm and energy is infectious! I first listened to the podcast and knew I had to watch her on youtube.

[charlescheeseborough]

I have a feeling that Chuck is the coolest dude in 99.9 percent of the rooms he is in. Smart and funny is a deadly combo.

[muhammadyassin]

14:14 I love this. When presented with a new/differing information from what was initially understood, you note it down, you go back, you study and do experiments. And you know what, you just know that after Neil is done with the experiment, he'll feel so happy that he learns something new, rather than feeling crushed because he got his understanding wrong all this time.

[michaeljohn]

Ok, l will admit it, I am now addicted to Science and Technology. Learning is so much fun with these three brilliant people. Cheers from Michael. Australia.

[DRob]

Kate is a great guest. Engaging, knowledgeable and a sense of humor

[JJs_playground]

Kate is a beast, the fact that she can ramble off those equations off the top of her head is incredible.

[newtongh]

Kate is a Chemistry monster like Neil is an AstroPhysics monster, damn

[sdonnervt]

She was referring to freezing point depression but describing enthalpy of mixing instead. Freezing point depression is not a decrease in temperature of the solution, it is the decrease in the freezing point of the mixture. Enthalpy of mixing is why solutions will change temperature when the components are mixed together.

[michelemerick]

Am I the only one taking pleasure in seeing NDT being challenged? “No, sir! You’re wrong!” 😂 love the show btw

[juanignacioluquesandoval]

Effectively, heating the sweetened condensed milk is a way to make "Dulce de leche". Greetings from Argentina!

[MoKingson]

Do people who watch Joe Rogan bringing on grifters and pseudo intellectuals ever watch conversations like these and realize the difference between the science and evidence based interactions witnessed here versus the ego stroking interviews Rogan engages in? The funny thing is Rogan fans will claim they listen for the “honest” conversations.

[ajsorensen]

Chemical engineer here, I completely agree, you've got to blow some stuff up in the classroom, my freshman chemistry professor Dr Jim blew stuff up on a regular basis, lots of hydrogen balloons and sometimes mixed with oxygen whoooa, which shook the building, and he did all kinds of other cool demonstrations, it was the best, and you will have your students hooked for life!

[jeffreyjackson]

I love startalk, Neil and Chuck are the greatest! And I do enjoy the other hosts, I do, but it almost doesn't feel like startalk without Chuck 💯🧠💯

[judyp]

“Don’t bring your girl around Oxygen” 😂😭

[peglegjim]

I found this absolutely educating, and in a humorous way.
You slayed this episode.
Switching it up sometimes, is the reason I enjoy Star Talk.
Kate is a fantastic guest, and I hope you have her back!
(When she’s talking about elements, I have to slow the video down to 25%, and listen to it 4 times, just to begin to wrap my little toy brain about it.)
She’s very gifted. 😎

Keep these great sessions coming!

[garbagedaycleveland]

Chuck's contributions to this episode was absolutely AMAZING. Every joke, every interjection, every question so on point so expansive to the conversation. The chemistry convo definitely a favorite. Plz plz plz more like this.