The world of chemistry is definitely a mystery. But, before we delve into that, I would like to clarify a few things. First of all, what exactly is ‘Chemistry’? Chemistry involves the detailed study of all matter around us, esp. its chemical aspects. Then, the immediate question that crops up in our mind is ' What has Chemistry got to do in our life? '. Well, everything surrounding us involves chemicals; they are present in the air, in water, in our food, in our clothing, in our bodies, in everything concerning us as elements, compounds, or mixtures. Think of it and there is Chemistry related to it. There are so many things that we use in our daily life without even knowing what chemistry is involved in it. For e.g., the simple burning of a candle is nothing but 'Oxidation' in chemical terms, i.e., the combination with oxygen. Similarly, the source of our life, i.e., 'Respiration', is also 'Oxidation'.
Then all the metabolic processes occurring in our body are nothing but biochemical reactions. The growth of living organisms, the ripening of fruits; the dyes, polymers, paper, etc. that we use in our day to day life, without which our life seems impossible are all results of chemical reactions. The characteristics that we inherit from our parents are, as we all know, due to the DNA. The DNA is nothing but a polymer. Similarly, hair, skin, cotton and silk fibres, cellulose are all polymers. Polymers are nothing but long chains of atoms. How can we forget the source of life on earth i.e. the Sun, without which there will be no life on earth? It also gets its energy by a chemical reaction called ‘Nuclear fusion’ where two Hydrogen atoms combine to give a heavier atom i.e. Helium, producing large amounts of energy during the process. Thus, everything surrounding us has got something or the other to do with chemistry.
Do we ever realize how these chemicals combine on their own to give such complex reactions? How the atoms know that they are supposed to combine with this atom or that and in what proportion? Is this not a beautiful aspect of the mystery we call 'Chemistry'? It’s a complete mystery as to how these atoms don’t even have to think once before they react but if we, human beings, try to make these things artificially, the pain and effort that goes into making it is really enormous. Many a times, the number of attempts that go into making of a product are more than one. A chemist really strives to make products which are useful to us and safe for us. For e.g., the medicines; the polymer products like foam mattresses, clothes, furniture, plastic goods, etc; detergents, cosmetics, and other consumer goods; these and many are all gifts of chemistry to mankind.
This Chemistry, which is so useful to us, is also very harmful to us, if used carelessly. It’s a shear mystery that all these gifts of chemistry could be destroyed even before an eye can blink by some other products of chemistry like the dynamite, atom bomb, hydrogen bomb, biochemical weapons, etc. It just depends on the use as to whether Chemistry acts as a boon or curse to mankind. Hence, it is our duty to use the knowledge of Chemistry judiciously and for the benefit of mankind.
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