Chemical Engineering in Daily Life – Question 17: Why is your skin in poor condition? Standard answer already available
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This post was last edited by yjqin1 on 2015-8-24 21:41. Dear readers, do you know the relative humidity of the air in equilibrium with the saturated aqueous solutions of the following inorganic salts at room temperature? Sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, sodium chloride, sodium sulfate. Do you know why your skin is dry, aging, and wrinkled? Especially in the north.
I’ve never come across this concept; I really have no idea about it.
Is it simply due to the low relative humidity?
The relative humidity of calcium chloride is 31; is that relevant?
Following the poster’s reasoning, it is speculated that there are inorganic salts secreted on the skin; these salts absorb moisture. The air in the north is dry, so there is not enough moisture to keep the skin hydrated, resulting in dry skin. In the south, the humidity is high, allowing the inorganic salts to absorb sufficient moisture and thus nourish the skin
The skin gets much worse as one gets older. The main problem is that I’ve tanned way too much; back in the day, I was known as a fair-skinned guy throughout the entire area.
This post was last edited by yjqin1 on 2015-8-24 21:31. Standard answer: At 25 degrees, the relative humidity of a saturated solution of hydrogen peroxide in sodium hydroxide is 6%； At 25 degrees, the relative humidity of a saturated solution of potassium hydroxide is 9% ； At 25 degrees, the relative humidity of a saturated calcium chloride solution is 29% ； At 25 degrees, the relative humidity of a saturated magnesium chloride solution is 33% ； At 25 degrees, the relative humidity of a saturated sodium chloride solution is 75% ； At 25 degrees, the relative humidity of a saturated sodium sulfate solution is 90%. In the northern region, at the turn of spring and summer, when the temperature is 25 degrees, an air relative humidity of 8–30% is quite common ； In the northern winters, when the outdoor temperature is below zero degrees, it is common for the relative humidity of the air to be below 20%. If such air enters a warm indoor space without any humidification measures, it is typical for the relative humidity inside to range from 8% to 30%. Think about it: if your skin is in indirect gas-liquid equilibrium with a saturated potassium hydroxide solution or a saturated calcium chloride solution, how can your skin stay healthy? One shade of fair skin can cover up all flaws; it’s better to say that good skin is what makes one beautiful. So, to look beautiful, stay hydrated. An environment with high micro-humidity maintained by cosmetics is not as good as a larger environment with a moderate overall relative humidity. The value of relative humidity in the air actually represents the water activity in your skin. May every female chemist and chemical engineer use their knowledge of chemistry and chemical engineering to make themselves more beautiful.