Question

1. It has been suggested that pain results from a change in the pH of solutions that surround nerves in the body.

Many irritating insect bites, for example, are acidic. The fluid inside your cells is also slightly acidic. When a cut
or a burn releases this fluid, the pain is signalled through your nerve endings. What would you expect to find if
you tested the pH of creams and lotions that are used to treat insect bites? Explain our answer. (2 marks)
2. Explain why a compound named methene cannot exist. (2 mark)

Answer 1

See Explanation

Step-by-step explanation:

According to the question, it is established that the pain caused by a lot of insect bites owes to the acidity of the insect bites.

If this is true, then there is an urgent need to neutralize the acidic insect bite using a basic substance.

Hence the pH of the creams used to treat insect bites should be basic(having a high pH).

2. The compound methene can not exist because it is supposed to be derived from the alkane called methane which contains only one carbon atom.

In order to form an alkene, there must be a double bond between two carbon atoms. This is not possible because there is only one carbon atom in the hypothetical methene. Hence, a compound named methene cannot exist.