Progress in Chemistry

Progress in chemistry

 Chemistry – is the science of the nature of the matter and its transformation. It is also the science of matter that deals with the composition structure and prosperities of substances and the transformations that they undergo.

 Branches

• Organic chemistry – scientific study of the structures, properties, compositions, reactions and preparations of carbon-based compounds, hydrocarbons and their derivatives.
• Inorganic chemistry – concerned with the properties and behavior of inorganic compounds.
• Biochemistry – study of chemical processes in living organisms.
• Electrochemistry – study of chemical reactions which takes place in a conductor with involves electron transfer.
• Geochemistry – study of chemical changes on the Earth.
• Analytical chemistry – is the study of preparation, identification and quantification of the chemical components of natural and artificial materials.

Discoveries

•   Fire – a mystical force that could transform one substance into another while producing heat and fire. A chemical reaction which is first use in chemical manner.
•  Metallurgy – methods of purification of metals.
•  Gold – known in early Egypt as early as 2600 B.C. it becomes a precious metal.
•  Alloy – heralded the Bronze Age. Become a better armor and weapons.
•  Alchemy - change base metals into gold, investigating the preparation of the "elixir of longevity", and achieving ultimate wisdom, involving the improvement of the alchemist as well as the making of several substances described as possessing unusual properties.
•  Atomism: Atom is the most indivisible part of matter.
• Periodic table - is a tabular display of the chemical elements. Its invention is generally credited to Russian chemist Dmitri Mendeleev in 1869. The periodic table is now ubiquitous within the academic discipline of chemistry providing a useful framework to classify, systematize, and compare all of the many different forms of chemical behavior. The table has found many applications in chemistry,physics, biology and engineering, especially chemical engineering. The current standard table contains 118 elements to date. (elements 1 - 118)
•  Scientific Method- refers to a body of techniques for investigating phenomena, acquiring new knowledge or correcting and integrating previous knowledge. To be termed scientific, a method of inquiry must be based on gathering observable, empirical and measurable evidence subject to specific principles of reasoning. A scientific method consists of the collection of data through observation and experimentation and the formulation and testing of hypotheses.

 Contributors:

• Ernest Rutherford and Niels Bohr – atomic structure
• Marie and Pierre Curie – radioactivity
• James Watson and Francis Crick – DNA model
• Rosalind Franklin – x ray diffraction
• George de Hevesy – first to use radioactive atoms

 

Chemical Industry

• extracting metals from ores
• making pottery and glazes
• fermenting beer and wine
• making pigments for cosmetics and painting
• extracting chemicals from plants for medicine and perfume
• making cheese
• dying cloth
• tanning leather
• rendering fat into soap
• making glass