INTRODUCTION

MEANING OF CHEMISTRY

Chemistry is that branch of science dealing with the study of composition, structure, and

properties of matter. It deals with the study of the changes which different forms of matter

undergo under different conditions. (Chris, 1986)

Chemistry, the science that deals with the properties, composition, and structure of substances

(defined as element and compounds), the transformations they undergo, and the energy that is

released or absorbed during these processes. Every substance whether naturally occurring or

artificially produced, consists of one or more of the hundred odd species of atoms that have been

identified as elements.

Although these atoms, in turn, are composed of more elementary particles, they are the basic

building blocks of chemical substances; there is no quantity of oxygen, mercury, or gold, for

example, smaller than an atom of that substance. Chemistry, therefore, is concerned not with the

subatomic domain but with the properties of atoms and the laws governing their combinations

and how the knowledge of these properties can be used to achieve specific purposes. (Thomas,

1982)

Chemistry is the science that deals with the structure and properties of substances and with the

changes that they go through. The way a substance changes and reacts with other substances. A

strong attraction between people. (Merriam Webster).

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 BRANCHES OF CHEMISTRY

There are many branches of chemistry or chemistry disciplines. The five main branches are

considered to be organic chemistry, inorganic chemistry, analytical chemistry, physical

chemistry, and biochemistry.

 Organic chemistry: The study of carbon and its compounds; the study of the chemistry

of life. Organic chemistry is also the study of the structure, properties, composition,

reactions, and preparation of carbon-containing compounds, which include not only

hydrocarbons but also compounds with any number of elements, including hydrogen

(most compounds contain at least one carbon-hydrogen bond), nitrogen, oxygen,

halogens, phosphorus, silicon, and sulphur. This branch of chemistry was originally

limited to compounds produced by living organisms but has been broadened to include

human-made substances such as plastics. The range of application of organic compounds

is enormous and also includes, but it is not limited to, pharmaceuticals, petrochemicals,

food, explosive, and cosmetics.

 Inorganic chemistry: The study of compounds not covered by organic chemistry; the

study of inorganic compounds, or compounds that don’t contain C-H bond (many

inorganic compounds contain metals)

Inorganic chemistry is also defined as the study of the chemistry of materials from

non-biological origins. Typically, this refers to materials not containing carbon-hydrogen

bonds, including metals, salts, and minerals. Inorganic chemistry is used to study and

develop catalysts, coatings, fuels, surfactants, materials, superconductors, and drugs.

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 Important chemical reactions in inorganic chemistry include double displacement

reactions, acid-base reactions, and redox reaction.

The first man-made inorganic compound of commercial significant to be synthesized

was ammonium nitrate. Ammonium nitrate was made using the Haber process, for use as

a soil fertilizer.

 Analytical chemistry: The study of the chemistry of matter and the development of tools

to measure properties of matter. Analytical chemistry studies and uses instruments and

methods used to separate, identify, and quantify matter. In practice, separation,

identification, or quantification may constitute the entire analysis or be combining with

another method. Separation isolates analytes

Analytical chemistry consists of classical, wet chemical methods and modern

instrumental methods. Analytical chemistry is also focused on improvements in

experimental design, chemometrics, and the creation of new measurement tools.

Analytical chemistry has broad applications to forensics, medicine, science, and

engineering.

 Physical chemistry: The branch of chemistry that applies physics to the study of

chemistry, which commonly includes the applications of thermodynamics and quantum

mechanics to chemistry. It is the study of macroscopic , atomic, subatomic, and

particulate phenomena in chemical systems in terms of the principles, practices, and

concepts of physics such as motion , energy, force, time, thermodynamics, quantum

chemistry, statistical mechanics, and chemical equilibrium.

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 Biochemistry: The study of chemical processes that occur inside of living organisms.

There are other ways chemistry can be divided into categories. Other example of

branches of chemistry might include polymer chemistry and geochemistry. Chemical

engineering might also be considered a chemistry discipline. There is also overlap

between disciplines; biochemistry and organic chemistry, in particular share a lot in

common. It is a branch of science that explores the chemical processes within and related

to living organisms. It is a laboratory based science that brings together biology and

chemistry by using chemical knowledge and techniques, biochemists understand and

solve biological problems.

Biochemistry is also the study of the structure, composition, and chemical reactions

substances in living systems. Biochemistry emerged as a separate discipline when

scientists combined biology with organic, inorganic, and physical chemistry and began to

study how living things basis of heredity, what fundamental changes occur in disease,

and related issues.

Biochemistry covers a range of scientific disciplines, including genetics,

microbiology, forensic, plant science and medicine. Because of its breadth, biochemistry

is very important and advances in this field of science over the past 100 years have been

staggering. (Golisz, 1996).

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USES OF CHEMISTRY

1. Most drugs are made of organic materials, which is why medicine, understood as a study

area, is closely related to organic chemistry.

Antibiotics, cancer medication, analgesics and anesthesia are some of the medicine made

from organic matter.

2. Food is made of carbon, object of study of organic chemistry. Carbohydrates are the most

obvious example of the chemical composition of food. Through chemistry, you can study

the amount of carbohydrates, proteins, fats and vitamins that human body needs under

different conditions.

3. Most sterilizing agents, such as phenol and formaldehyde, are composed of carbon, an

element studied by organic chemistry. These carbon-based sterilants are effective at

removing bacteria and other microbes.

4. Many of the carbon compounds, such as diamond, graphite and petroleum are considered

of great value. Diamond and graphite are pure carbon with no other element inside and

both have a wide variety of uses and are also costly.

In this sense, chemistry is very useful in the oil industry, since through this science

can develop processes that allow to transform the oil and take this resource to the

maximum.

5. Fertilizers are organic or inorganic chemicals that are added to floors to provide the

necessary nutrients for them to be productive. Fertilizers, both organic and inorganic

maximize agricultural production if used in the right amounts.

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6. Chemistry pervades all processes from the air particulate to cellular specialized functions

to the engineering materials for science exploration.

7. Chemistry help our industry to produce more materials for us such as paints, plastics, iron

or steel, cement, kerosene, and also motor oil.

8. Environmental chemistry is described of various chemical elements presents in the

environment, their reactions and effect on the environment. It illustrates the major

environmental segments and their interrelationship and significance.

9. Chemistry aids the improvement of healthcare, the conservation of natural resources, and

the protection of the environment. Chemistry is the central to the understanding of other

sciences and technology.

10. Chemistry creates the atmosphere of understanding how and what our most precious

world is made of. Everything is made up of multiples of infinitesimal atoms closely

packed together to give us one whole product. Moreover, it elaborates more on how

different chemicals react with each other. (Manqoba Mthabela 2005)