Chemical Engineering Principles Quiz

Chemical Engineering

• The primary focus of chemical engineering is the conversion of raw materials into products.
• Chemical engineers use principles of mathematics, physics, and chemistry to design, construct, and operate plants and equipment.
• They convert raw materials into products such as fuels, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, food, and consumer goods.
• Their work can range across fields such as energy, healthcare, environmental sustainability, and manufacturing.
• Typically, chemical engineers hold a bachelor's or master's degree in chemical engineering.
• They may be accredited members of professional bodies like the Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE) or the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE).

History of Chemical Engineering

• The term 'chemical engineering' was first used in 1880.
• George E. Davis is credited with coining the term 'chemical engineering'.
• In the 1960s, the concept of biochemical engineering received greater focus.
• The development of chemical engineering was mainly driven by the petroleum industry before and after World War II.
• Advancements in biochemical engineering in the 1940s found application in the production of antibiotics and vaccines.
• Progress in polymer science in the 1950s paved the way for the development of plastics and synthetic materials.

Safety and Environmental Concerns

• The book "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson alerted readers to the harmful effects of DDT, a potent insecticide.
• The Bhopal disaster in 1984 resulted in almost 4,000 deaths in India and raised concerns about safety and environmental impact of large-scale chemical manufacturing facilities.

Spectroscopy

Definition and Purpose

• The primary focus of spectroscopy is the interaction between matter and electromagnetic radiation.
• Spectroscopy is a fundamental exploratory tool in fields such as chemistry, physics, biology, and astronomy.
• Biomedical spectroscopy primarily focuses on the analysis of biological tissues and molecules.
• Spectroscopy measures the interaction between matter and radiative energy, such as electromagnetic radiation, sound waves, or particle beams.

Types of Spectroscopy

• The recently associated spectral signature is linked with gravitational waves.
• Spectroscopy measures the absorption or emission of energy as a function of its wavelength or frequency.
• The primary purpose of a spectrometer in spectroscopic analysis is to measure the interaction between matter and radiation.
• A diffraction grating is an essential device for an astronomical telescope to perform spectroscopic analysis.
• The key development in modern optics that marked the beginning of spectroscopy was the discovery of the diffraction grating.

Spectral Analysis

• In spectroscopy, the term 'spectrum' refers to the distribution of energy or intensity versus wavelength or frequency.
• Each element displays a unique spectrum when diffracted by a prism-like instrument.
• Vibrational spectroscopy studies the spectra related to vibrational motion in molecules.
• Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) determines tissue structures by examining elastic scattering.
• The primary focus of biochemical spectroscopy is the analysis of biological tissues and molecules.

Historical Development

• The first useful atomic models described the spectra of atoms.
• The study of atomic spectra was central to the development of quantum mechanics.