The periodic table orders by the elements of chemistry.
Chemistry is the science dedicated to the study of the structure, properties, composition and transformation of matter . It is possible to consider today's chemistry as an update or an evolved form of ancient alchemy .
"The factory explosion was due to chemical causes, as explained by experts", «When I was little I had a game to do chemical experiments»y «Tomorrow I have a chemistry exam»son algunas frases donde se emplea el término química, procedente del vocablo egipcio keme ("land"),
There are various disciplines within chemistry, which are grouped according to the type of study they carry out or the type of subject they study. It should be noted that chemistry also analyzes the changes that occur in matter during so-called chemical reactions .
Branches of chemistry
Broadly speaking, chemistry is divided into two well-defined groups: organic chemistry and inorganic chemistry . Organic chemistry is responsible for studying chemical reactions and the combination of carbon atoms, hydrocarbons and derivatives of both, reaching all natural elements and organic (living) tissues. It offers solutions to improve the quality of life of human beings in fields such as hygiene and health and the use of new materials that are not harmful to the ecology of the environment. For its part, inorganic chemistry studies minerals and artificial products obtained from chemical reactions.
There are other more precise classifications such as biochemistry (which specializes in the investigation of substances present in biological entities), physical chemistry (aimed at the study of energetic issues of chemical systems), analytical chemistry and neurochemistry , among others. others.
The test tube , flask, pipette, balance and centrifuge are some instruments used in chemistry to carry out tests.
A fundamental science
Chemistry is considered the central science within the natural sciences , given its ubiquity that makes it essential for solving problems or concerns in various fields of knowledge (such as biology , medicine , pharmacy , geology , astronomy and engineering ).
It should be noted, however, that chemistry is an empirical science , which appeals to the scientific method to create knowledge. Their findings are born from observation, experiments and the quantification of the results.
The processes studied by chemistry involve fundamental entities called simple particles (the electron , protons or neutrons) and compound particles (atomic nuclei, molecules and atoms ). These particles, if analyzed from a microscopic point of view, can be taken as a closed system that is characterized by exchanging energy with what surrounds it. If we are faced with the presence of exothermic processes, the system will release energy, while if it is an endothermic process, the system will absorb energy from its environment. The latter case is only possible if the environment releases energy that can be trapped by the reacting system. Both energy exchange processes are called chemical reactions .
A chemical reaction occurs when a reactant is incorporated into a substance or compound.
history of chemistry
Possibly it is to chemistry that we owe the most, because it is difficult for us to imagine life without artificial means of transportation, operations without anesthetics or antiseptics, clothing without dyes, and constructions without iron or cement. Chemical science has allowed humanity to advance by leaps and bounds in terms of technology in recent centuries, increasing control over the environment and independence with respect to it.
Some chemists who have collaborated with the advancement of technology and improvements in the quality of life of humanity have been awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry . Among them are Aaron Ciechanover (from Israel ), Avram Hershko (from Hungary ) and Irwin Rose (from the United States ).
There is much that chemistry has managed to reveal; However, the greatest mysteries remain undiscovered , such as how living and non-living matter differ at a structural level or how the planet Earth itself was created (possibly it is thanks to physics that this mystery is revealed, in collaboration with physics and other sciences, if one day human beings manage to find out).
Another mystery that chemistry has its eyes on to investigate is the process of photosynthesis . How do leaves manage to trap sunlight to convert carbon dioxide into oxygen and water into food? Mysteries that have been studied for hundreds of years and that continue to be a true enigma.
Physics-chemistry vs. chemistry-physics
An interesting fact to clarify is that it is not the same to say physics-chemistry as chemistry-physics. In fact, each of these branches are studied in a particular way, the first by physics and the second by chemistry .
Even to delve into details it is necessary to add that in English they are named in an opposite way, due to those characteristics of the Anglo-Saxon language where the adjective is written before the noun. In this way, the Spanish translation of physical chemistry is chemistry-physics and chemical physics , physics-chemistry .