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Why Study Chemistry?
There are many reasons why the
study of chemistry is important. We have outlined some of them here:
Everything around us from the
air we breathe, the soil we grow our plants, the food we eat, to the water we drink is a chemical substance.
From the striking of a match to make fire, to the cooking of our foods, and to
the digestion of food in our bodies to provide us energy is a chemical reaction.
Without being chemists, we are always initiating chemical reactions as we carry
out daily activities without even knowing it.
Studying chemistry gives us the
knowledge of the composition and properties of the substances in our world and
the understanding of the changes that they undergo. This knowledge enables us to
use them well and to manipulate and derive greater value from them.
The study of chemistry enables
us to perform researches and develop great products for human use, and also to
improve on existing ones. Lots of household products, medicines, beauty
products, building and house maintenance products, educational, insecticides,
fertilizers, preservatives, and many more products have been developed with the
knowledge of chemistry.
All the products we use at home
for various application, including tooth paste, soaps and detergents, body
lotion and creams, and disinfectants are chemicals. Studying chemistry enables
you to read product labels and understand their compositions. That understanding
allows you to make informed purchasing decisions.
It also guides you in the way
you handle and use them. Some products are corrosive and inflammable, and will
need to be handled with care.
Knowledge of chemistry can
enable you to produce certain usable products from home, thereby saving you
money. Some of the products can be made from waste such as egg shell, which can
be used to make face mask, paints and crafting.
You can also go ahead with some
knowledge of chemistry to make for yourself some fragrances that suit your
taste.
The study of chemistry can
actually make you a better cook because cooking itself is a chemical reaction.
The ingredients are substances which are composed of certain chemical materials,
which will combine with themselves in the process of the cooking to produce the
food. The understanding of what the ingredients are composed of, which you get
from studying chemistry will enable you to carry out your cooking in a way that
will produce a great taste.
As a science, the study of
chemistry involves lots of analytical reasoning as chemists try to determine the
kind of chemical reactions that are taking place under their observation, or to
predict the reactions that may occur when certain conditions are prevalent. It
also involves solving problems and being exact. Therefore, the individual who
studies chemistry will develop analytical reasoning and problem solving skills.
If you studied chemistry you
will not be confused when news relating to environmental pollution, ozone layer
depletion, green house effect, petroleum, nuclear waste, bio-fuel, and other
chemistry based phenomenon come up. Instead, you will be able to meaningfully
contribute to such discussions.
The study of chemistry opens up
lots of areas one can work. You can work in the food processing, pharmaceutical,
petrochemical, and chemical industries. You can also work in the product
research and development department of manufacturing companies, as well as in
research institutes.
Aside from the normal career
areas, chemistry graduates, due to the immense analytical and problem solving
skills they have developed in the course of their studies can do virtually all
kinds of jobs, be it in journalism, banking, sales and marketing, human
relation, customer service, art, and fashion. Read more on
Careers in
Chemistry here.
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