Chemistry

• Important component of many branches of science.

• The study of matter: what it consists of, its properties, and how it changes.

Matter

• Anything that has mass: anything that is physically real

States of Matter:

• Solid 

• Liquid

• Gas

• Plasma

• Bose-Einstein condensate

# water is the most common element to change state of matter

Disciplines of Chemistry

1. Physical Chemistry

• Study of macroscopic and atomic properties and different phenomena in chemical systems

• May study rates of chemical reactions: energy transfers that occur in reactions

• Studies the physical structure of materials at the molecular level

2. Organic Chemistry

• Study of chemicals containing carbon (one of the most abundant elements)

• Carbon is capable of forming a vast number of chemicals (over 20 million) and most chemicals found in living organisms are based on it.

3. Inorganic Chemistry

• Study of chemicals that are not primarily based on carbon: such as chemicals commonly found in rocks and minerals

• Also contains the designs and properties of materials

4. Analytical Chemistry

• Study of composition of matter

• Focuses on separating, identifying, and quantifying chemicals in samples of matter

• Uses complex instruments to analyse an unknown material to determine its components

5. Biochemistry

• Study of chemical processes that occur in living things: anything from basic cellular processes to understanding diseases and their cures.

History of Chemistry

• Early chemists were motivated mainly by the achievements of a specific goal/product

• Early chemical research focused on practical uses

• Most common products made were different soaps and perfumes due to their simplicity

• No standard way of naming things due to secrecy surrounding discoveries 

(no periodic table)

• Difficult to figure out methods yet science progressed through trial and error

• Theories were developed during the 19th century

Notable Chemists

Sir Robert Boyle (1637 - 1691)

• Put chemistry on a solid foundation

• Developed basic ideas about behaviour of gases: could describe gases mathematically: helped form the idea that small particles could form molecules

• Developed Boyle's Law : pressure of gas increases as volume decreases

John Dalton (1766 - 1844)

• Developed Dalton Atomic Theory (1807) : All matter is composed of atoms - Atoms at a given element are identical whereas atoms of a different element are different - Atoms cannot be subdivided, created, or destroyed.

Joseph Priestley (1733 - 1804)

• Isolated and characterised several gases: Oxygen, Carbon Dioxide, Nitrogen Oxide (laughing gas)

• Laughing gas was first used for this purpose in 1844 during a tooth extraction

Carl Wilhelm Scheele or “C.W. Scheele” (1742 - 1786)

• Discovered Chlorine

Antoine Lavoisier (1743 - 1794)

• Father of Chemistry

• Discovered Nitrogen and the role of Oxygen in combustion

• Formulated the law of conservation of matter/mass

Amadeo Avogadro (1776 - 1856)

• Laid the groundwork for a more quantitative approach to chemistry by calculating the number of particles in a given amount of gas

• Allowed scientists to think of chemistry systematically

Alessandro Volta (1745 - 1827)

• Most notable invention is batteries

• Also invented voltage and discovered methane

• Invented/began the field of electrochemistry

Humphry Davy (1778 - 1829)

• Discovered sodium, potassium, calcium, and barium

• Invented the Davy lamp

Michael Faraday (1791 - 1867)

• Father of Electricity

( Volta, Davy, and Faraday all made significant contributions to electrochemistry)

Charles Goodyear (1800 - 1860)

• Discovered the process of vulcanization.

Louis Pasteur (1822 - 1895)

• Pasteurisation: the use of heat sterilisation to eliminate unwanted microorganisms in wine and milk.

Alfred Nobel (1833 - 1896)

• Invented dynamite.

• The fortune he made from his product was used to fund the nobel prizes in science and the humanities.

J.W. Hyatt (1837 - 1920)

• Developed the first plastics.

Leo Baekeland (1863 - 1944)

• Developed the first synthetic resin (widely used for inexpensive and sturdy dinnerware)

Chemistry in Agriculture

Crops need three things to grow:

1. Water

• Water Purification 

• Uses chemical and physical techniques to remove salts and contaminants that would pollute the soil.

2. Nutrients from the soil

3. Protection from predators

Chemistry and the Environment

• Scientists used to dump waste in bodies of water/land: However due to its harmful effects dumping was outlawed. 

“Lead”

• a substance once commonly used in gasoline, paint, and plumbing: Now banned due to its link to brain damage and cancer.

• Though it is still used in car batteries that are safely recycled and processed

Chemists play a vital role in environmental protection

• By analysing the presence of harmful substances and study how these affect human and environmental health

Chemistry and Society

Major Impacts of Chemistry

1. Anaesthetics : First anaesthetics discovered (mid - 1800’s)

2. Antibiotics :  Discovered by Alexander Flemming - Discovered in the 1930’s

3. Batteries :  Helped progress I.T.

4. Birth Control : Became available (1960’s)

5. Catalytic Converters : Developed 1960’s - 70’s (Converts toxic gases to less harmful emissions)

6. Fertilisers : Vital for growing food

7. Fuels : 

8. Plastics : Used in day to day life

9. Screens : Different types of screens need materials developed by chemists

10. Water Treatment : Water chlorination started 1900’s - Prevents diseases from spreading

The development of new materials

• Includes everything from stronger and lighter materials for use in construction to new materials for use in electronics and medicine (ex. Nickel-carbon-sulfur alloy)

The development of new medicines

• Chemists work to understand how diseases work then develop drugs for cures (ex. Alzheimer’s disease treatment)

The understanding of environmental issues

• By studying the impact of pollution on the environment and how to clean up pollution as well as developing sustainable energy resources