interesting chemical (#1)

Sulfuric acid: H2SO4

Sulfuric acid, the acid used in car batteries, is one of the most important industrial chemicals in the world. The United States and China each produced more that 80 billion pounds of sulfuric acid in 2004. (Source: Chemical & Engineering News, July 11, 2005, pp. 67-76.)

Want more info?

Kennecott Utah Copper is a producer of sulfuric acid as a byproduct of their primary business of mining. Their web site (http://www.kennecott.com/sulfuric_acid_uses.html) has some interesting facts and information about uses and production of sulfuric acid.

The Australian Department of Environment and Heritage web site has a profile of sulfuric acid (http://www.npi.gov.au/database/substance-info/profiles/78.html) that includes physical properties, uses, and safety and environmental information.

 
interesting chemical (#2)

Ethylene: C2H4

Ripening Tomatoes with Ethylene
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/CV206
University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS)

Ethylene: Information including plant physiology, biosynthesis, biological responses and regulation; applications.
http://www.biologie.uni-hamburg.de/b-online/e31/31g.htm
BOTANY Online - The Internet Hypertextbook (Alice Bergfeld - Rolf Bergmann - Peter v. Sengbusch)

General and safety information about ethylene from the
Canadian Centre for Occupational Health & Safety.
http://www.intox.org/databank/documents/chemical/ethylene/cie89.htm