Aromatherapy Essential Oil Chemistry

Question 1

What are essential oils chemically?

Accepted Answer

Volatile aromatic compounds extracted from plants, composed primarily of terpenes, esters, aldehydes, and phenols

Answer

Synthetic fragrances made in laboratories

Answer

Oils pressed from seeds like olive oil

Answer

Water-based solutions of plant material

Question 2

What is the difference between essential oils and fragrance oils?

Accepted Answer

Essential oils are naturally extracted from plants; fragrance oils are synthetically manufactured in laboratories

Answer

They are chemically identical

Answer

Fragrance oils come from rare plants

Answer

Essential oils are synthetic versions of fragrance oils

Question 3

What does GC/MS testing tell us about an essential oil?

Accepted Answer

Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry identifies the chemical composition and purity of the oil

Answer

The oil's color and viscosity

Answer

How the oil smells to different people

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The country where the plant was grown

Question 4

Why is the chemotype of an essential oil important?

Accepted Answer

The same plant species can produce oils with different dominant chemical compounds based on growing conditions

Answer

Chemotype only refers to the color of the oil

Answer

All plants of the same species produce identical oils

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Chemotype is a marketing term with no scientific basis

Question 5

What is a carrier oil and why is it important in aromatherapy?

Accepted Answer

A vegetable-based oil used to dilute essential oils before topical application, reducing skin irritation risk

Answer

A type of essential oil

Answer

An oil that carries away bad smells

Answer

A synthetic oil for diffusers

Question 6

What is the recommended maximum dilution rate for essential oils for adult topical use?

Accepted Answer

2-3% dilution (12-18 drops per ounce of carrier oil) for general adult use

Answer

100% undiluted application is always safe

Answer

50% essential oil to 50% carrier

Answer

One drop per gallon of carrier oil