This ion’s nitrate is the primary active ingredient in toothpastes meant for sensitive teeth, such as Sensodyne, since it depolarizes nerves. For 10 points each:
[10e] Name this ion. Two of these ions are exchanged for three sodium ions per ATP molecule consumed in a namesake membrane pump.
ANSWER: potassium [or K+ (“k-plus”); prompt on K alone]
[10h] Like most toothpastes, Sensodyne uses this sugar alcohol as a sweetener and to reduce moisture loss. Aldose reductase reduces glucose to this compound, which can cause cataracts in people with diabetes.
ANSWER: sorbitol
[10m] Sensodyne is also helpful for sensitive teeth because it is “free” of this surfactant used as a foaming agent in personal care products. This surfactant is used to equalize protein charge-to-mass ratios in a namesake form of gel electrophoresis.
ANSWER: SDS [or SLS; accept SDS-PAGE; accept sodium dodecyl sulfate or sodium lauryl sulfate; accept sodium laureth sulfate or SLES]
<VD, Chemistry>