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Under the hood: The chemistry of cars - Cynthia Chubbuck

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TEDEd Animation

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There are over one billion cars in the world right now, getting people from point A to point B. But cars aren’t just a mode of transportation; they also teach an excellent lesson in chemistry. Cynthia Chubbuck navigates the intricate chemistry performed in our car engines that keep them from getting too hot or too cold.

In cold climates, where rain may freeze on a cold road, transportation workers utilize the colligative property of freezing point depression by spreading salt on the pavement. Explain how spreading salt can melt ice. Using your background of knowledge, how might this salt affect the ecosystem in the immediate area of the road?

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TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »

Meet The Creators

  • Educator Cynthia Chubbuck
  • Director Jay Hasrajani
  • Editor Nathaniel Atcheson
  • Producer Tyler Sadler, Matthew Chadwick, Hend Baghdady, Steve Shin
  • Script Editor Alex Gendler
  • Narrator Michelle Snow

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