The Implicit Chemistry of TikTok: How Everyday Videos Embed Chemical Thinking

Abstract Chemistry is deeply embedded in everyday discussions of health, nutrition, wellness, and consumer products, yet little is known about the nature of the chemical thinking present in popular social media content. This study analyzes 40 TikTok videos that invoke chemical substances or processes without being designed as chemistry instruction. Using the multifaceted chemical thinking framework, we characterized the granularity (from macroscopic phenomena to finer levels of granularity), basis (rule-, case-, or model-based), and mode (noncausal and causal) of the chemical rationales presented. We also examined the communicative functions that chemical ideas serve within these videos. Results reveal that chemical concepts are frequently mobilized to justify recommendations or enhance credibility. Explanations rely on simple causal structures and selective references to finer-grained entities and processes, with mechanistic reasoning varying in depth. These findings illuminate how chemistry circulates in vernacular digital discourse and suggest opportunities for engaging students in critical reflection about chemical reasoning, epistemic authority, and the role of chemistry in everyday media environments.