Le Parole della Chimica

Chemistry studies matter and defines the composition of the molecules that constitute it, their formulas and their names. The reading of chemical formulas has always been an obstacle to the curiosity of those who would have liked to understand more. Yet the term “molecule” has entered widely in the media and domestic lexicon. We are currently talking about antioxidant molecules, molecular dogs, molecular cuisine, and molecules as active ingredients in drugs. With this booklet the authors offer a tool to better understand the meaning of these terms.
Three chapters are devoted to the names of the molecules and the writing of the corresponding formulas. A chapter is dedicated to the names of the macromolecules constituting the plastic materials. This chapter is followed by a brief exposition of the problems deriving from planetary pollution owing to plastic waste whose solution is urgent before profound changes occur in our ecosystem.