The History and Uses of Asprin

Aspirin (C9H804)

Most people know Aspirin as a pill to take when they have a headache or some other ailment. There’s much more to Aspirin than most people know about. This report will explain the chemical properties of Aspirin as well as what the uses are, the history of the chemical, and the discovery of the molecule.

Aspirin is also known as Acetylsalicylic acid. It is composed of nine Carbon atoms, eight Hydrogen atoms, and four Oxygen atoms. There are many chemical properties to it. The melting point of aspirin is about one hundred and thirty-five degrees Celsius and the boiling point is one hundred and forty degrees Celsius. It has a density of 1.35 grams per milliliter and the molar mass is 180,160 g/mol (1). This means that the molecule is relatively dense. There is more weight than there is volume. Aspirin is described as odorless and colorless to where the color is white. It looks like a crystal-line powder at room temperature. It is a relatively stable molecule that should be stored at room temperature (2).

Aspirin is 3.3 g/L soluble in water (3). Aspirin can be soluble in ethanol, DMSO, or water (2). Aspirin has polar groups that when put with polar water molecules can form hydrogen bonds. Aspirin is an asymmetrical molecule. When drawing the Lewis Dot Structure, a person can see that the bonds are polar. There are also dipole moments making the molecule polar. Dipole molecules are composed of a higher electronegative atom pulling electrons towards it (11). It is more soluble in basic solutions than water and acidic solutions (4). The Lewis Structure also reveals that there are many double bonds between the carbons and two double bonds between oxygen and carbon.

Aspirin is most known as a pill to take to get rid of a ...

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Aspirin has grown so much in popularity that about 35,000 metric tons of it is produced and consumed each year to meet the consumer’s demand. 35,000 metric tons is equivalent to 100 billion standard aspirin tablets (10). That many tablets means that the market for aspirin is very good. Today, Aspirin is known as the leading non-prescription medicine of all time. It is the most common pill taken for pain, inflammation and fever. It has grown all over the world, being made available in eighty countries (9). It would not be surprising if one day, all the countries would have aspirin available to them.

Aspirin is much more than just a pill to take for aches, it has changed life for the better. It is used for medical purposes as well as everyday household needs. If people did not know about this simple yet life-changing molecule, the world would not be the same.