Topic 4: Terpenes and Skincare Flashcards
what are essential oils
concentrated extracts of the volatile, non-water soluble aroma compounds in plants
what structural unit are terpenes based on
isoprene (C5 H8)
what is a free radical
an atom or molecule that contains at least one unpaired electron
how can free radicals form
when enough energy (e.g from UV radiation) is supplied to break a bond in a molecule causing the atoms within it to separate, leaving each atom with an unpaired electrons
free radicals are (charged/uncharged) particles and are (unreactive/ highly reactive)
uncharged, highly
what is stage 1of the reaction of chlorine and hydrogen
- Initiation
-formation of the first free radicals
-UV light breaks the Cl-Cl bond (easier to break) leaving 2 chlorine radicals
what is stage 2 of the reaction of chlorine and hydrogen
- Propagation
-the free radicals attack the nearest stable molecule, ‘stealing’ an electron
-the attacked molecule loses an electron, becoming a free radical, which can then attack the next molecule, and so on, creating a chain reaction
-this chain reaction continues until there is no more molecules to attack or termination occurs
what is stage 3 of the reaction of chlorine and hydrogen
- Termination
-2 free radicals combine to form a stable molecule
what is a free radical scavenger
molecules that react with free radicals to forms stable compounds, preventing a chain reaction from occurring
what are essential oils used in
perfumes, cosmetic products, cleaning products and as flavorings in foods
what is the key component in most essential oils
terpenes
what process do terpenes go through to form terpenoids
oxidation
terpenoids are some of the compounds responsible for what
the distinctive aroma of spices
what is UV radiation
a high energy form of light
what does sunblock do
prevents uv light from reaching the skin
