- What is chemistry and what is it for?
- Chemistry in industry
- Chemistry in medicine
- Chemistry in everyday life
- Investigation and development
- References
People often ask me what chemistry is for and how attractive I see it. I usually don't put much emphasis on the answer since people tend to think chemistry is boring.
They associate it with a lot of numbers and letters and sticks that connect those letters, so I just limit myself to saying that I like chemistry, but the reality is deeper.
What is chemistry and what is it for?
Chemistry is the science of change. He studies matter and the changes that take place in it and I find that fascinating.
Some of the most famous alchemists in history: Avicenna, Al-Razí and Nicolás Flamel
Being able to make changes from a molecular or atomic perspective, having one substance and then having a different one, or a compound that can be a deadly poison and transform it into an essential nutrient for the body, may perhaps sound a bit ostentatious or pompous.
However, having a compound gray in color and turning it to a golden color makes you think of ancient alchemists who thought they could transmute lead to gold (Binogi, 2014).
Chemistry is the central science, its borders overlap with physics (thermodynamics, quantum mechanics, astronomy, etc.) and biology (biochemistry, molecular biology, etc.) and its use expands to the fields of medicine, pharmacology, science of materials, electronics, computing and many other areas.
Chemistry is everywhere and everyone, consciously or unconsciously, is chemist. When we cook, when we wash clothes or even when we breathe we are doing a lot of chemical reactions.
The difference between doing chemistry unconsciously and doing it consciously is that, by doing it with awareness, we give space to improve and create chemicals that make life easier, such as better cleaning products, better medicines and even better nutrition (Helmenstine, Why Is Chemistry Important ?, 2015).
Chemistry can be used to create drugs (left) or drugs like methamphetamine (right).
Of course, like everything else, chemistry can be put to good use as well as bad use. One can use chemistry to make explosives, poisons, and polluting drugs or products or one can use chemistry to make fireworks, drugs, or environmentally friendly recyclables (IUPAC / OPCW, 2013).
Chemistry in industry
One of the main uses of chemistry, and certainly one of the highest paying, is in industry.
It is no exaggeration to say that the emergence of the industry has centered on the development of chemistry; we can now create superior synthetic polymers and alloys for the production of more efficient and effective goods.
By using the principles of chemistry we are able to extract different types of metals and also create different types of plastics.
Plastics and metals are used in all aspects of society, from the office, the housing industry, the transportation industry (automobile, train, etc.), the electrical industry, the manufacturing industry, and the food industry.
The metals and plastics created are used to build electronic devices (phones, tablets, etc.), cars, laboratory equipment, hospital equipment, etc. (Helmenstine, 2014).
In the food industry, chemical products are used to enhance the flavor of food, give it color or even preserve it for a longer time.
Different foods must go through chemical processes to eliminate bacteria, microorganisms or toxic substances that are harmful to humans.
Chemistry in medicine
The rise of scientific medicine has allowed rapid diagnosis and effective treatment of diseases and illnesses, reducing mortality and improving the quality of life.
Chemistry is the foundation of medicine. Humans use chemical reactions to create drugs for a wide spectrum of diseases and / or use medicinal plants and animals.
Chemical reactions occur in plants and animals, resulting in the formation of substances in some plants and animals that can be used to treat diseases.
Chemistry is important for everyday life, because it provides medicine (jasonsolomon40, 2013).
Diseases such as polio, measles, tuberculosis and rabies presented great difficulties for medicine in the past, people used to die from these diseases that today are treatable with a simple vaccine.
In the 1990s, contracting the disease AIDS was practically a death sentence. Characters such as singer-songwriter Freddie Mercury and science fiction writer Isaac Asimov among thousands of other people around the world died of AIDS at that time.
Today there are antiretroviral treatments that, although they do not eliminate the disease, keep the individual healthy for an indefinite time.
Chemistry in everyday life
Everything is made of chemicals. People are made of chemicals. Their dogs too. The desks, also the sun, the earth, the trees, the sky are chemicals.
Food is made of chemicals (Helmenstine, What Is the Importance of Chemistry ?, 2017).
Many of the changes you observe in the world around you are caused by chemical reactions. Examples include changing leaf colors, cooking food, and cleaning.
We are using chemistry when we cook, when we wash, when we eat, when we prepare, when we play, when we think, in fact, we always use chemistry. Increasing our knowledge in chemistry is essential if we want to improve our daily lifestyle (Daga, SF).
Chemistry is also important for the environment. When you are aware of the harmful effects of gases such as carbon dioxide and methane (as a result of the greenhouse effect), you can easily sculpt solutions for reducing their effects on the environment.
If you have a minimal knowledge of the importance and use of chemistry you can help save the environment to a great extent.
Investigation and development
Chemistry is a science, and as such it is essential for the advancement of technology. Industries, companies, research centers and mainly universities are dedicated to research and the generation of new knowledge.
The area of research is currently in great demand in the labor market in many countries, and not only chemistry but other fields such as physics, biology or engineering have a great impact on our society.
Research on new materials, nanotechnology, biomedicine and environmental chemistry are some examples of the use of chemistry that leads to the creation of technological advances to improve the quality of life (Munroe, 1925).
References
- (2014, February 11). Importance of Chemistry in Life, Everyday Uses - Studi Chemistry. Recovered youtube.com.
- Daga, K. (SF). Essay on the Importance of Chemistry. Recovered from shareyouressays.com
- Helmenstine, AM (2014, October 12). What Is the Importance of Chemistry in Everyday Life? Recovered thoughtco.com.
- Helmenstine, AM (2015, June 23). Why is Chemistry Important? Recovered thoughtco.com.
- Helmenstine, AM (2017, April 19). What Is the Importance of Chemistry? Recovered thoughtco.com.
- IUPAC / OPCW. (2013). Raising Awareness: Multiple Uses of Chemicals. Recovered multiple.kcvs.ca.
- (2013, December 24). THE IMPORTANCE OF CHEMISTRY IN EVERYDAY LIFE. Recovered sciencezoneja.wordpress.com.
- Munroe, CE (1925). Importance of teaching chemistry. Chem. Educ., 2 (1), 67.