Internal pH meter, and other things to do with smell.

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Reyairia
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06 Feb 2008, 2:45 am

I've noticed I can tell when something is a base or an acid. Base smells give me nauseous and acids give me headaches. It's also why I can't stand to eat most fish (and even the fish I do like, such as squid, I can only eat in small amounts) because something about the salt water smell gives me terrible nausea and a need to throw up. Don't get me started on the dishwasher, I have to hold my breath when I put the plates in there. Acids I'm less sensitive to (which is understandable because bases and their bitter properties translate to poison in our bodies), but they will often give me headaches if it's too much.

As you can see, I'm not very fond of Chemistry class. I'm afraid that one day I'll faint while holding sulfuric acid. :oops:

Am I the only one with this internal pH meter?



cataspie
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06 Feb 2008, 4:32 am

I can smell when my son has a virus or is carrying one.I have a good idea when he is trying to fake an illness.



singularitymadam
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06 Feb 2008, 10:26 am

I have a bit of a pH meter (dishwater is so gross). I can also smell when my diabetic friend needs some insulin.



Mr_e
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06 Feb 2008, 12:55 pm

Quote:
I'm afraid that one day I'll faint while holding sulfuric acid.


Don't worry. As long as you don't inhale, you're fine. There was one sophomore in my high school who did though, and her nose started to bleed :P . Silly sophomores.



Reyairia
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06 Feb 2008, 12:58 pm

Mr_e wrote:
Quote:
I'm afraid that one day I'll faint while holding sulfuric acid.


Don't worry. As long as you don't inhale, you're fine. There was one sophomore in my high school who did though, and her nose started to bleed :P . Silly sophomores.


Oh, I don't need to inhale it directly to be overwhelmed by smells.



zee
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06 Feb 2008, 10:21 pm

That's interesting. I don't have that ability myself, but I can always tell if something is a natural smell or a synthetic one, if that makes sense. It's like natural smells are a sort of bouquet; there are several similar chemicals involved, while synthetic aromas have high concentrations of only one chemical, which is why they are so 'piercing'.
Mint is a good example... I have lots of mint growing outside my window, and I love the smell... but when people around me chew mint-flavoured gum, I find it disgusting. :?



singularitymadam
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06 Feb 2008, 10:32 pm

zee wrote:
It's like natural smells are a sort of bouquet; there are several similar chemicals involved, while synthetic aromas have high concentrations of only one chemical, which is why they are so 'piercing'.
Mint is a good example... I have lots of mint growing outside my window, and I love the smell... but when people around me chew mint-flavoured gum, I find it disgusting. :?


You might like Luca Turin's book The Secret of Scent. The chemists' quest to mimic organic smells is accounted for in wonderful detail.