In cross-referencing the chapters that follow, it became clear that a number of chemical concepts kept re-occurring. So for the consumer tourist, we believe that coming to grips with some of these is well worthwhile. We start by introducing the language of chemicals and their social life. Topics follow fast and furious: nomenclature, phases, solubility, hard and soft acids and bases, chemical speciation, chemical accountancy, chemical activity and free radicals.

Surface chemistry impinges on many aspects of consumer science, so it has links to many other chapters in this book. For example, surface chemistry is in action when washing dirt out of clothes with water and surfactants (Chapter 4), it determines the composition of ice cream and other foods (Chapters 5 and 6), we use it for skin and haircare (Chapter 8), it describes the behaviour of microfibres, Gore-Tex™, adhesives and paint (Chapters 11 and 13), and of particles in the soil, in swimming pool treatments and at the beach (Chapters 12, 14 and 15).

Breaking large pieces into smaller ones increases the surface area and eventually the properties of the surface dominate those of the bulk material. Both liquids and solids have a surface tension, better called a surface energy. As well as this surface energy, surfaces develop charges. This provides the stability of some suspensions. The balance between the water-loving (hydrophilic) and oil-loving (lipophilic) parts of a molecule is called the hydrophilic–lipophilic balance (HLB). The HLB is crucial for the stability of emulsions found in a range of consumer products. We follow this with air-containing emulsions called foams.

There is an important place for Monsieur Laplace and his famous equation that explains the behaviour of bubbles. Finally, we realise that solids also have a surface energy, which leads to other chapters dealing with the behaviour and deterioration of consumer products.

For this chapter, we drop into the kitchen. First, we look at the kitchen benchtop: a most expensive item. We discuss the merits and disadvantages of the different types. Some traditional pots and pans are still found on the stove but there many other materials in use. Rusty stains on stainless steel utensils open up a general question about corrosion – a process that costs us many millions annually to repair. The rust pattern hidden under a long forgotten paper clip provides the answer.

Our supermarket trolley has lots of fresh fruit and vegetables but also a can of tomatoes, some frozen chips to fry in oil, a tub of margarine and butter. Yes, the Tim Tams were on special, but what was all that media on trans fats and now it’s the terrifying interesterified ones?

How reliable is the coffee chatter on antioxidants and cholesterol? After a breakfast of quick oats, we Q&A the microwave, worry whether it is talking to aliens and, finally, take a cold hard look at refrigerators.

We start the chemistry of food utilisation with a quick resume of the main players in the energy world, carbohydrates and fat, and explore where fat goes when we lose weight. We contrast the views of the diabetic and athlete regarding the GI factor. Then we enter the sports field where the study becomes serious and detailed, examining our fuel sources and how they work. By then, we’ve worked up a sweat!

Take a look in your medicine cabinet. Whether it be a drawer in the bathroom or a box in the pantry, most homes have one. You’ll probably find it contains aspirin, paracetamol and ibuprofen along with a variety of prescription medications, which, depending on your age and lifestyle will treat such conditions as high blood pressure, high cholesterol or depression. This chapter describes the types of drugs used in the past and today, along with how they are developed and controlled.

This chapter deals with many of the same materials that were covered in the previous chapter on plastics. However, the processing of materials and their final physical form differ. The classification used here also differs and we focus less on the chemistry. With the advent of plastics, the natural-based fibres had almost disappeared until concerns arose about sustainability. Of the fibres discussed here, mixtures have ensured that a rough balance between natural and synthetic has remained over time.

In this chapter we look at a small selection of the multitude of offerings in the hardware and stationery stores. We explore the development of paints, inks, adhesives, plasters and concrete.

This chapter starts with sunscreens. These are not legally cosmetics because sunscreens must meet mandatory standards for their therapeutic claims. Similarly, sunglasses must perform as per law. We then lighten up with a tale about wet suits, and then discuss things hiding in the sand. Dark beach sands provide the rare earth minerals that provide many components for electronic consumer items. There is a link from the behaviour of sand to viscosity, and thus we revisit this area of chemistry.

In this chapter we take a look at energy. We consider what it is, how we create it and how we harness it. We spend a lot of time on batteries, because these are the key to the sustainable energy future. And of course, nuclear energy is always a ‘hot’ topic.

Many consumers are concerned about energy, pondering how to conserve it and the alternative ways to produce it. Our groceries come in wasteful energy-intensive packaging that needs to be disposed of. Our cars are powered by large quantities of irreplaceable fossil fuels and our power plants provide energy to artificially condition our homes or hit a switch and have light. It seems pretty wasteful to produce an aluminium can, fill it with an energy drink, empty it and throw it away. But is it just as wasteful to eat a breakfast cereal largely provided by fossil fuel (with a small solar contribution) and then proceed to turn it all into waste heat by jogging mindlessly on a treadmill? We exist as highly complex organisms by wasting energy continuously. What we need to understand is the manner in which energy can be wasted most sensibly.