The Chemistry of Cigarettes

IntroductionEver think of the things kids and adults do these days? The thing that makes them look cool or was caused because of peer pressure? Or when adults or hooked like a big fish on your fishing rod? Well this chemistry is of cigarettes. The type of chemistry you do not want to get into because of the way it is made. I chose this as my … because i want to show everyone what is really in cigarettes.

Composition of ...

There are over four-thousand (4,000) different chemicals that commercial tobacco companies use. The main ones are:

  • Acetone
  • Aluminum
  • Ammonia
  • Arsenic
  • Benzene
  • Butane
  • Cadmium
  • Caffeine
  • Carbon Monoxide
  • Carbon Dioxide
  • Chloroform
  • Copper
  • Cyanide
  • Dieldrin
  • Ethanol
  • Formaldehyde
  • Hydrogen Cyanide
  • Lead
  • Magnesium
  • Methane
  • Methanol
  • Mercury
  • Nicotine
  • Tar
  • Vinyl Chloride

Main Chemicals, Compounds, Components

The main chemicals of this horrible habit are nicotine and tar.

  • Nicotine formula: C10 H14 N2
  • Tar: Tar consists of long chains of Carbon and Hydrogen which are also called hydrocarbons

Chemistry's Role

Chemistry’s role in cigarettes are how commercial cigarettes are made with many thousand chemicals to make the taste that smokers like. Such as menthols, the companies put fiberglass to get the soothing taste of menthol.

Background Research

Cigarettes are made when a company gets tobacco. They then find chemicals that they want to use and blend it in with the tobacco. After finding the ingredients, the company uses rolling machines and rolling paper with filters and then put the tobacco in the paper with the filter and pack it up, ship it out, and then the cigarettes hopefully sell.

Resources

http://www.chemistrydaily.com/chemistry/Cigarette

how cigarettes are made

whats in them

About the Author

Robert DuBeau is a student at Billings Senior High School. As a senior, he decided to take chemistry as a choice class. Next year he will move on to college and who knows where he will go.