Introduction to Chemistry PDF

INTRODUCTION TO CHEMISTRY MEANING OF CHEMISTRY Chemistry is the study of matter: its structure, composition, properties and the changes it undergoes. Chemistry is one of the three main branches of pure science, the other two being physics and biology. Some of the chemical changes which matter under...

INTRODUCTION TO CHEMISTRY MEANING OF CHEMISTRY Chemistry is the study of matter: its structure, composition, properties and the changes it undergoes. Chemistry is one of the three main branches of pure science, the other two being physics and biology. Some of the chemical changes which matter undergoes includes; lighting a match, cooking, burning fire wood, making palm wine, rusting of nails, rotting of leaves. Chemical changes are otherwise known as chemical reactions. BRANCHES OF CHEMISTRY Chemistry is divided into three main branches, namely Physical chemistry Organic chemistry Inorganic chemistry Physical chemistry :Deals with the physical aspect of chemistry like quantum theory, heat and electricity. It uses the techniques, theories and principles that are associated with physics to explain certain aspects of chemistry.  Organic chemistry :Deals with the study of carbon and its compounds. Inorganic chemistry: Deals with the study of elements, their properties and uses CAREER PROSPECTS TIED TO CHEMISTRY Career prospects tied to chemistry simply mean the job opportunities that are available for the students with knowledge of chemistry. Such students can be employed with private and public sectors which include: Teaching service, health service, food processing, petroleum and petrochemical industries, manufacturing industry, extractive industry, Agriculture and Forestry. (i) Teaching services: Concern those who teach in primary, secondary schools, colleges of education and universities and even the laboratory assistants in schools and universities. (ii) Health service: Involves pharmacists, biochemists, chemists, nutritionists, dieticians, doctors, nurses, medical assistants, laboratory assistants and dispensers. (iii) Food processing: Food processing involves food technologists and research chemists. (iv) Petroleum and petrochemical industries –Involves application of the following people; research chemists, chemical engineers and laboratory assistants.  (v) Extractive industry- Involves chemists, mining engineers and geologists. (vi) Manufacturing Industry: This involves research chemists and chemical engineers in the wide variety of manufacturing industries such as iron and steel works and cement factories. (vii)Agriculture-Involves agricultural scientists, chemists, biochemists and physiologists who engaged in research to improve the quality and yield of crops and livestocks, and to advise farmers. (viii) Forestry: Scientists engaged in research to preserve and improve forests and forestry products. APPLICATION/ USES OF CHEMISTRY The knowledge of chemistry can be applied in the following areas; namely 1. Hospital: The knowledge of chemistry makes it possible for people to involve in chemical research and technology which lead to production of medicine that we use today. 2. Military: Chemistry contributes to the discovery and description of the theoretical bases for the behaviour of chemical substances such as explosives used by the military. The gun powder used in the earliest guns  was made by mixing sulphur, charcoal and potassium trioxonitrates (v), compounded by early chemists. 3. Teaching- chemistry teachers and lecturers in secondary schools, polytechnics, colleges of education and universities. 4. Chemical and petrochemical industries: Application chemists, research chemists, chemical engineers and laboratory assistants. 5. Space science: chemistry is not out in space exploration. In our efforts to gain more knowledge of the other planets and outer space around us, special rockets called ‘space rocket’ are sent into space. The first rocket was sent into space on October 4, 1957 by Russia. In July, 1969, Apollo II astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin landed on the moon. These are made possible by science and technology. 6. Agriculture: Agricultural scientists, chemists, biochemists and physiologists engaged in research to improve the quality and yield of crops and livestock, and to advise farmers. ADVERSE EFFECTS OF CHEMICALS The adverse effects of existence of chemistry The existence of chemistry brought about the existence of chemicals. The adverse effects of chemicals include; drug abuse, poisoning, corrosion and pollution. (a) Drug Abuse: Simply involves wrong usage of drugs. Some of these drugs include heroin, cocaine and morphine which are used as addictive. Unscrupulous people produce and sell them at huge profits. Drug addiction is a major problem in our society, especially among young people. (b) Poisoning: This is where chemicals are used to poison the food we eat. This happens when the chemicals used as addictive probably as preservative are added more than required or expired in the food stuff where it was added, then instead of the food stuff bringing health to our body, it turns to poison. (c) Corrosion: Corrosion of iron can also be called rusting and requires the presence of water and oxygen. Rusting can also be regarded as the slow deterioration of iron to iron (iii) oxide. This iron (iii) oxide is permeable to both air and water and cannot protect the iron from further corrosion of iron. This rusting can be prevented by four methods. (i) Application of protective coating. (ii) Application of sacrificial metal. (iii) Alloying. (iv) Cathodic protection. (d) Pollution: Chemical industries through the action of production pollute our environment as the smoke enters into the air, and dirts of different kinds enter into the water thereby polluting the entire environment. Specifically chemical wastes from factories and oil refineries and radioactive wastes from nuclear plants pollute our environment. Oil spillage, exhaust from motor vehicles, pesticides, fertilizers and acid rain have made our environment unclean and endangered plant and animal life. (e) SCIENTIFIC METHOD This is the method the scientist used to produce different materials that exists as a result of chemistry. Scientific method of discovery includes the following steps and stages: 1. Observation 2. Pattern 3. Problem 4. Hypothesis, 5. Experiments 6. Theory 7. Law In the light of this, the scientists use their senses to observe what is happening around them. From a given set of observations, they see a certain pattern. This often leads to a problem which they try to solve. They put forward a reasonable explanation or hypothesis and carry out appropriate experiments to test it. Then, they carefully record their observations and the results of their experiments. If the experiments support the hypothesis, they carry out further investigations. They discuss the hypothesis and results with other scientists in the field so that the hypothesis can be further tested. When a hypothesis has been tested and found to be correct within the limits of available evidence. It becomes a theory. A scientific law or principle is established only after the theory has been extensively tested and proven true without any exception. If the experiments give negative results, then the scientist goes back to his hypothesis and either modifies it or puts forward a new hypothesis. This way of studying a problem is known as the scientific method. It is the very foundation of all scientific discoveries.