Why do old books turn yellow?
Show answer & explanation
Answer: Paper oxidizes with age
Paper oxidizes with age ✓ — Correct! Paper contains lignin which oxidizes when exposed to air and light, creating yellow-brown compounds. Acid in cheaper paper accelerates this. That's why archival paper is acid-free!
Ink fades and spreads — Wrong. Ink behavior doesn't cause paper yellowing. The paper itself chemically changes.
Mold grows on pages — Wrong. Mold causes different damage patterns, not uniform yellowing.
More Physics in Daily Life questions
- In a warm office that already reads 26 C, which change can make people feel cooler without lowering the thermostat?
- Why might 26 C feel acceptable in a breezy naturally ventilated summer building but too warm in a sealed winter office?
- On a warm humid day, why can the same 27 C room feel much worse once you start sweating?
- Why can moving air make a 27 C room feel cooler without changing the thermometer?
- Which hidden factor can make a desk beside a cold window feel chilly even when the thermostat across the room still reads 22 C?
- In the same 22 C room, why might someone who just climbed stairs feel warm while someone sitting in a T-shirt feels chilly?