Good Essay About Chemistry

Introduction

Chemistry is the branch of science that studies the structure, composition and properties of various matters found in nature. It is mainly concerned with minute atoms and molecules that react with each other to form various compounds and substances. Chemistry is an interesting subject that finds application in our day to day life. The food we eat every day, the air we breathe, the soaps, detergents, shampoos and medicines we use every day have to do a lot with chemistry. Chemistry finds various applications in the field of agriculture. The inputs of agriculture right from the fertilizers, pesticides, insecticides and herbicides are all manufactured in the laboratory by combining various substances or chemicals. Similarly, chemistry has got its application in the fields of pharmaceuticals, atomic energy generation and manufacturing of different household articles. Chemistry has got various branches like organic chemistry, inorganic chemistry, nuclear chemistry, environmental chemistry, bio-chemistry etc.,

Application of Chemistry in Agriculture

For producing crops during the past generations, chemical fertilizers were mostly used. The chemical inputs like fertilizers and fungicides often affect the health of man. Hence, Organic farming by using only organic chemical compounds is being promoted by farmers around the world today. Organic farming is a method of farming by using organic chemical inputs alone. The organic chemicals that aim at maintaining the soil health by using plant and animal wastes are quite in fact organic compounds. Unlike conventional farming that utilizes a lot of inorganic or harmful chemical inputs, organic farming uses animal wastes and bio-fertilizers or beneficial microbes for releasing required harmless chemical nutrients into the soil for crop growth and yield in a sustainable and eco-friendly manner. Usage of chemical farm inputs pollutes the atmosphere besides adversely affecting human health and therefore organic farming is also an environment-friendly way of producing food needed for the human population. Exposure of farmlands to reckless usage chemical fertilizers and pesticides for many generations now plays havoc on the health of present generation. Chemical residues found in the food do not even spare a newly born infant; the infant tastes its first dose of poison while still inside the mother’s womb. Many types of cancers are attributed to the chemical inputs being largely used in farming.

Organic Chemistry

Organic chemistry has got its own application in synthesizing organic compounds, which can be used as fungicides, through studying the structure of certain naturally occurring fungicides. For example, Strobilurin is a kind of chemically synthesized fungicide; the chemical synthesis of this fungicide in the lab was inspired by a naturally occurring mushroom fungi found to rot wood. Since natural fungi is not suitable for acting as a fungicide in large-scale farming, knowledge of the natural fungi’s chemical structure and composition motivated researchers to synthesize the fungicide in the lab. Today organic chemistry contributes a lot to farm improvement through the synthesis of various farm inputs by studying the properties of different natural compounds detrimental to various fungus and bacteria, and optimizing them to act as agricultural fungicides and pesticides. Besides, some natural farm produce are also capable of helping the farmer as pesticides and fungicides. Crushed onion, garlic and pepper mixed with water separately and on applying upon the leaves can resist and kill certain soft leaf-eating insects and pests. Similarly vinegar and certain vegetable oils can act as natural fungicides.

Conclusion

Chemistry plays a key role in various industries. New medicines are developed day by day in laboratories to cure various diseases. Chemistry is applied to manufacture polythene, nylon, clothes and paper which are highly essential for us. Chemistry also finds application in measuring the degree of pollution in the environment. The sunlight helping plants to synthesize food is also chemistry. Thus chemistry is the basic science which has got a quite lot of application in our life.

Source

V I, Lenin. (2007, February 28). Chemistry in everyday life. Retrieved February 25, 2015, from http://www.ncert.nic.in/NCERTS/l/lech207.pdf