The periodic table is ordered by the elements of chemistry.
Chemistry is the science that studies the structure, properties, composition and transformation of matter . Today's chemistry can be considered an update or an evolved form of ancient alchemy .
"The factory explosion was caused by chemical factors, according to experts", «When I was little I had a game to do chemical experiments»y «I have a chemistry test tomorrow»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 matter 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, covering all natural elements and organic (living) tissues. It offers solutions to improve the quality of human life 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 research of substances present in biological entities), physical chemistry (aimed at the study of energy issues in chemical systems), analytical chemistry and neurochemistry , among others.
The test tube , the flask, the pipette, the balance and the centrifuge are some of the 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 uses the scientific method to create knowledge. Its findings arise from observation, experiments and the quantification of results.
The processes studied by chemistry involve fundamental entities called simple particles (the electron , proton or neutron) and composite particles (atomic nuclei, molecules and atoms ). These particles, if analyzed from a microscopic point of view, can be taken as a closed system characterized by exchanging energy with its surroundings. If we are in 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. This last 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 reagent is added to a substance or compound.
History of Chemistry
Perhaps it is to chemistry that we owe the most science, because it is difficult for us to imagine life without artificial means of transport, operations without anaesthetics 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 from it.
Some chemists who have contributed to 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 ).
Chemistry has managed to unravel much; however, the greatest mysteries remain unsolved , such as how living matter differs structurally from non-living matter or how the planet Earth itself was created (it may be thanks to physics that this mystery will be revealed, in collaboration with physics and other sciences, if man ever manages to find out).
Another mystery that chemistry has its sights set on investigating is the process of photosynthesis . How do leaves manage to capture 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 saying physics-chemistry is not the same as saying chemistry-physics. In fact, each of these branches is studied in a particular way, the first by physics and the second by chemistry .
In order to go into more detail, it is necessary to add that in English they are named in the opposite way, due to those characteristics of the Anglo-Saxon language where the adjective is written before the noun. Thus, the Spanish translation of physical chemistry isquímica-física and of chemical physics , física-química .