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THE CHEMISTRY OF THE NAIL |
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What are fingernails made of? |
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Fingernails are made of the protein Keratin, a very touch protein full of fiber. Keratin makes up most of hair, claws, horns, feathers, scales, and deat outer layers of our skin. If you've ever heard people say that your hair and fingernails are dead, but they keep growing, that is correct. Does it hurt to cut your hair or fingernails? No, but it does to cut your skin right? That is because of nerves. Fingernails do not have nerves because they are made up of protein. That is why it does not hurt to cut your hair, nails, or when your dead skin cells fall off. |
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So what is the chemistry of Keratin like? |
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Keratin is made up of long molecules with chains of atoms. Each link in those chains is a pair of carbon atoms, with a single nitrogen atom that joins them together. |
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:N:C:C:N:C:C:N: |
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Keratin Molecules are twisted together in 3 strands, which are held together by bridges made of sulfur atoms. The sulfur atoms keep everything together, making a 3D system that toughens the fingernail. However, when the keratin is heated or shocked the sulfur bonds break and leave a single unpaired electron on each sulfur atom, which are slightly magnetic. The metal tools that you use to cut your fingernails break these bonds, so that means your fingernail clippings are magnetic! |
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PLUS! Did you know.... |
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Because those unpaired elctrons are magnetic, they can be measured in an electron spin resonance spectrometer (ESR). Archeologists used this method to prove that charred bones found in a cave in Beijing, China were actually cooked on a fire 230,000 years ago. (Growing Fingernails) |
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How do they grow? |
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Your fingernails grow in about the same way that your hair does.They have roots, that are the only living part of your fingernail. It does not hurt to cut your fingernail because it is dead, but if you get a hangnail, like in the picture to the left shows, you are pulling on the root which is painful. |
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Fingernails are constantly growing, but it is hard to keep them even in length and they break easily. Fingernails grow about 3.8 centimeters in a year, but toenails grow half as fast. (Growing Fingernails). Which ever hand that you use the most, and gets more movement in it will grow fingernails faster because of the blood flow. Thumbnails also grow faster because of this. (Growing Fingernails). |
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Chem X Home |
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