ARE YOU MADE OF NITRO AND OXYGEN?
NO, BUT WHY DO YOU ASK ME SOMETHING LIKE THAT?
BECAUSE YOU ALWAYS SAY NO!
The joke plays on the chemical symbol for Nitrogen (N) and Oxygen (O).
When you put the symbols together, they spell NO.
💡 Interesting Related Fact (Chemical Compound)
While the joke is based on the elemental symbols, the combination “NO” also represents a real chemical compound called Nitric Oxide or Nitrogen Monoxide.
Formula: NO
Nature: It is a colorless gas that is an important signaling molecule in the human body (e.g., in the cardiovascular system) and an environmental pollutant. In the body, it acts as a signaling molecule that helps regulate blood pressure and immune responses, while in the environment, it is produced by combustion in vehicles and power plants and can react with oxygen to form harmful pollutants like nitrogen dioxide, contributing to smog and acid rain.
Are you made of copper and tellurium?
Because I’m Cu-Te?
No. Because you always chill and never react to anything.
Explanation:
Copper has the chemical symbol Cu.
Tellurium has the chemical symbol Te.
When you put them together, you get CuTe, which sounds exactly like the word “Cute.”
The joke relates to the chemical properties of
– Copper (Cu): Copper is a relatively unreactive noble metal. While it slowly forms a protective patina (copper oxide, and then the green verdigris) when exposed to air and water, it does not react with water or non-oxidizing acids, making it appear to “chill” or remain stable. It is a highly effective electrical conductor. (A conductor is a material that allows the flow of thermal energy or electric charge to pass through it easily.)
– Tellurium (Te): Tellurium is a metalloid (has properties of both metals and non-metals) and is considered a semiconductor. Unlike highly reactive elements, its general stability means it does not react readily with water. It is known to enhance the machinability of copper when alloyed with it (creating “tellurium copper”), but its nature as a semiconductor means its electrical conductivity is less immediate and less robust than copper’s, reinforcing a sense of being less “reactive” or responsive electrically.
The joke is based on chemical element symbols from the periodic table:
Be is the symbol for Beryllium.
Au is the symbol for Gold (from the Latin aurum).
Ti is the symbol for Titanium.
Beryllium is known for its lightness, high melting point, and the greatest stiffness-to-weight ratio of any metal. It’s often used in aerospace and X-ray windows because it’s transparent to X-rays.
Gold is famed for its bright metallic color, extreme malleability (it can be beaten into very thin sheets), high density, and superior electrical conductivity (though slightly less than silver and copper).
Titanium is known for its high strength-to-weight ratio, excellent corrosion resistance, and high melting point (making it useful in aircraft and medical implants).
Last word:
I told a chemistry joke once… there was no reaction.