The 6 reasons to study chemistry that no one has ever told you

In a broad sense, Chemistry is the science that studies matter at the atomic and interatomic level or, in other words, it is deals with the composition, structural characteristics and properties of all the things we see and also those we cannot perceive. In addition, it is responsible for investigating and interpreting the different reactions that take place between these substances and their interactions with the different forms of energy. However, the limits of its scope are sometimes diffuse and go further, since the area of ​​knowledge it covers also contemplates fusion with other fields of knowledge Chemistry WordPress Blog.

That said, you have probably already deduced some of the 6 reasons that no one has told you why to study Chemistry:

#1 Chemistry covers a large number of scientific fields
To begin with, it includes a multitude of areas of knowledge and study. In fact, in addition to the branches belonging exclusively to Chemistry, such as Analytical, Organic or Inorganic Chemistry, for example.

You can also find chemical disciplines linked to almost any scientific branch. To name a few: Chemistry with Biology gives rise to Biochemistry, with Mathematics, Mathematical Chemistry, with Physics, Physical Chemistry, with Computer Science, Computational Chemistry, with Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Chemistry, with Engineering, Chemical Engineering, with Medicine, Medical Chemistry, among many others. As you can see, any science lover is an ideal candidate for the study of Chemistry, regardless of the personal preferences he may have.

#2 Chemistry is applicable to other non-scientific fields of knowledge
On the other hand, due to the inevitably everyday nature of material entities, the knowledge of Chemistry can also be applied to a huge number of sectors that are not necessarily scientific< a i=2>, so its usefulness goes further. This is the case of Culinary Chemistry, for example, which in addition to taking into account the chemistry and biochemistry of foods so that dishes have the desired nutritional value, studies the mechanisms used in the preparation of said foods to manipulate flavor, texture and other sensory properties at will.

#3 Promotes a better understanding of the world
Unfortunately, the word “Chemistry” and its derivatives have erroneously received a bad reputation in recent years, especially due to the manipulation to which we are subjected by large food companies. In advertisements for certain products you can find phrases such as: “without chemicals”, “without chemical additives”, or even atrocities such as: < /span>.“without chemical elements”

This unfair practice leads the consumer to think that chemical products are not good for our body. Nothing is further from reality. When, for example, a preservative is added to food, such as calcium sorbate, which is a fatty acid like many others present in the body, or nisin, a molecule made up of amino acids that are also found in the body and which prevents the appearance of harmful bacteria in food, the preservation properties of these consumer products are improved.

However, advertising has instigated the widespread belief that if a product’s ingredients include components such as E-203 (calcium sorbate) or E-234 ( nisin), said product is not natural or can even be harmful to the body. Knowledge of chemistry helps to have judgment against the incorrect statements that flood people’s daily lives and to have a better understanding of the world around them.[1]

#4 It is accessible and verifiable
Chemistry is an essentially experimental science and many of its theories and hypotheses can be easily tested through practice, either directly or indirectly. To cite an example, something as seemingly inaccessible as the hydrogen bonds that form between water molecules can be demonstrated in a simple way with utensils present in any home: a glass, a needle, water and soap.

Basically, hydrogen bonding generally takes place between polar molecules (with a displacement of electric charge along the molecule itself) and that have hydrogen atoms. These intermolecular forces are quite weak compared to the bonding forces between atoms of the same molecule. However, they are additive, which means that the sum of all of them in a substance can be considerable. Therefore, the water molecule, which is polar and contains hydrogen atoms, forms hydrogen bond bonds with the other water molecules in its environment.

In a glass of water, these bonds are stronger between the surface molecules than between those found in the heart of the liquid, since they are surrounded by a smaller number of them and have more charge to distribute among the others. This thin layer of tightly bound molecules causes what is called the surface tension of water. Summarizing the theory, if a needle is very carefully placed horizontally on the water surface of the glass, it will remain floating against all predictions based on the relative densities of steel and water.

Furthermore, if we purposely break the surface tension, for example, by introducing a drop of soap at any point on the surface far from the needle, the latter will fall to the bottom of the glass immediately. The theory has been indirectly verified. In the same way, a whole world of experiments is possible, and most of them have not yet been invented, so many people with knowledge of chemistry are needed to be able to devise and carry them out.

#5 Predict the future
The role that materials have always played throughout history is crucial. In fact, as is known, the different stages of humanity are named after the material that man learned to manipulate at that time: Stone Age, Bronze Age, etc. The current one is known as the Polymer Age or Plastic Age.

Furthermore, knowledge of Chemistry for the study of Materials Science is essential. Consequently, the industry is increasingly investing in the creation of new materials or the improvement of existing ones, because these materials confer increasingly exceptional properties to consumer products as important as textiles, new technologies or transportation. The fact that each new discovery in Chemistry is often followed by an endless number of novel industrial applications gives this scientific branch the ability to predict, in a certain way, the technological future.

#6 Multitude of job opportunities
At this point it seems unnecessary to point out the employment opportunities that those with knowledge of Chemistry can have access to, not only at the university level, but also on a technical level, and even with small continuing training courses, whether general or specific. Research and teaching are obvious classics, but there is also a growing demand in the quality sector.

Legislation is progressively tightening and this causes an increasing number of companies that demand workers who have, in some way, the word Chemistry on their resume. Likewise, to name a few more, apart from what was mentioned above, environmental chemists, forensics and analytical scientists are increasingly necessary in the gradual but unstoppable increase in laboratories of all types that has been taking place since recent decades.

Whether amateur or professional, knowledge of Chemistry in any of its aspects is absolutely essential for understanding the universe, in general, and everyday life, in particular, and is especially recommended to all those people who have intelligent minds. restlessness and endless curiosity.