CHAPTER I.

INTRODUCTION TO CHEMISTRY

I. LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
After the completion of the unit, students will be able to:
1. Define Chemistry;
2. Relate the importance of chemistry to everyday life, to society, to industry and
to the environment.
3. Recall and differentiate the branches of chemistry.

II. READINESS ACTIVITY:

Let the students reflect on the following:
1. What are the different branches of chemistry and its role in the society?
2. In your own opinion, how does chemistry affect our daily living, the society, the
industry and the environment?
3. Why do you think Chemistry is often referred as the “central science”?

III. LESSON CONTENT

Chemistry
● The study of composition of matter and the changes the matter undergoes.
Five Main Branches of Chemistry
● Organic Chemistry is the study of the chemistry of carbon compounds.
● Inorganic Chemistry is concerned with the properties and behavior of inorganic
compounds, which include metals, minerals, and organometallic compounds.
● Biochemistry is the study of science that explores the chemical processes within and
related to living organisms.
● Analytical Chemistry is the s the science of obtaining, processing, and communicating
information about the composition and structure of matter.
● Physical chemistry, branch of chemistry concerned with interactions and
transformations of materials. 
Everything you hear, see, smell, taste, and touch involves chemistry and
chemicals (matter). With such an enormous range of topics, it is essential to know
about chemistry at some level to understand the world around us. In more formal
terms chemistry is the study of matter and the changes it can undergo.

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 CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION TO CHEMISTRY

Chemists sometimes refer to matter as ‘stuff’, and indeed so it is. Matter is anything that
has mass and occupies space. Which is to say, anything you can touch or hold. Common usage
might have us believe that ‘chemicals’ are just those substances in laboratories or something
that is not a natural substance. Far from it, chemists believe that everything is made of
chemicals. Thus, chemistry is a branch of natural science that deals principally with the
properties of substances, the changes they undergo, and the natural laws that describe these
changes. It is central to our fundamental understanding of many science-related fields.

Chemistry is often referred to as the central science because:

● It joins together physics and mathematics,
biology and medicine, and the earth and
environmental sciences.
● Knowledge of the nature of chemicals and
chemical processes therefore provides
insights into a variety of physical and
biological phenomena.
● Knowing something about chemistry is
worthwhile because it provides an excellent
basis for understanding the physical
universe we live in. For better or for worse,
everything is chemical!

Why Chemistry Is Important?

Chemistry is important in our everyday life, in the society, in the industry and the
environment because:
● Everything is made of chemicals. You are made of chemicals. So is your dog. So is your
desk. So is the sun. Drugs are chemicals. Food is made from chemicals.
● Many of the changes you observe in the world around you are caused by chemical
reactions. Examples include leaves changing colours, cooking food and getting yourself
clean.

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 CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION TO CHEMISTRY
● The process of photosynthesis that enables plants to convert water, sunlight, and carbon
dioxide into glucose and oxygen is a chemical reaction. This process is the foundation
upon which the entire food chain is built.
● Soaps and detergents that are used for hygiene work using a chemical process known
as emulsification. Furthermore, they are produced using a chemical process known as
saponification.
● Even the sunscreen used by humans to protect themselves from the harmful UV-A and
UV-B radiation of the sun is based on chemistry. These lotions and creams consist of a
combination of inorganic and organic compounds that either filter or block the incoming
ultraviolet radiation.
● Chemistry is fun! It can be used to make colours change, alter recipes, colour flames,
make things glow in the dark, or even make stuff explode. Many people study chemistry
not because it's a requirement for a class but because they are interested in using it to
explore the world and to try science projects. As hobbies go, chemistry is inexpensive
because home chemicals can be used to perform many interesting experiments.
● Chemistry can help us to understand, monitor, protect and improve the environment
around us. Chemists are developing tools and techniques to make sure that we can see
and measure air and water pollution. They have helped to build the evidence that shows
how our climate has changed over time.
● Chemistry plays an important and useful role towards the development and growth of a
number of industries. This includes industries like glass, cement, paper, textile, leather,
dye etc. We also see huge applications of chemistry in industries like paints, pigments,
petroleum, sugar, plastics, and pharmaceuticals.

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 CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION TO CHEMISTRY
Branches of Chemistry

Fundamentally, chemistry is the study of matter and change. The way that chemists
study matter and change and the types of systems that are studied varies dramatically.
Traditionally, chemistry has been broken into five main
subdisciplines: Organic, Analytical, Physical, Inorganic, and Biochemistry.

1. Organic Chemistry
● It is a sub-field of chemistry that involves studying the molecules of life. It is mainly
concerned with looking at the structure and
behaviour of these molecules, which are composed
of only a few different types of atoms: carbon,
hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and a few
miscellaneous others. These are the atoms used to
construct the molecules that all plants and animals
require for their survival.

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 CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION TO CHEMISTRY
● Traditional organic chemists are concerned with synthesizing new molecules and with
developing new reactions that might make these syntheses more efficient.
● The kinds of molecules organic chemists synthesize include useful things like drugs,
flavourings, preservatives, fragrances, plastics (polymers), and agricultural chemicals
(fertilizers and pesticides), and sometimes include unusual molecules found in nature or
ones that might simply provide a challenge to make.
● Also, understanding something about organic chemistry is essential for learning about
biochemistry and molecular biology because bio-molecules such as proteins, sugars,
fats, and nucleic acids (DNA and RNA) are all organic molecules, albeit very large ones.
● Students who concentrate in organic chemistry typically go on to work in
pharmaceutical, food or polymer companies, do research or teach in organic chemistry,
pursue medical careers, or may pursue other related job opportunities.

2. Analytical chemistry 
● It is the science of identification and quantification of
materials in a mixture.
● Analytical chemists may invent procedures for analysis,
or they may use or modify existing ones. They also
supervise, perform, and interpret the analysis.
● Students concentrating in analytical chemistry often go
on to work in forensics laboratories, environmental or
pharmaceutical companies, work in, manage and/or
design quality assurance procedures, pursue research,
or teach in colleges and universities.

3. Physical chemistry 
● It is the study of the fundamental physical principles
that govern the way that atoms, molecules, and other
chemical systems behave.
● Physical chemists study a wide array of topics such as
the rates of reactions (kinetics), the way that light and
matter interact (spectroscopy), how electrons are
arranged in atoms and molecules (quantum

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 CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION TO CHEMISTRY
mechanics), and the stabilities and reactivities of different compounds and processes
(thermodynamics).
● In all of these cases, physical chemists try to understand what is happening on an
atomic level, and why.
● Students who concentrate in physical chemistry may go onto pursue careers in industry,
research or teaching. A lot of the current physical chemistry research in industry and
academia combines the techniques and ideas from several fields.
● Others apply physical techniques to the study of biological systems (why do proteins fold
into the shapes that they have, how is structure related to function, what makes a nerve
work, etc.) - this type of study is biophysical chemistry. Still others may use physical
techniques to characterize polymers or study environmental systems.

4. Inorganic chemistry 
● It is commonly thought of as those areas within
chemistry that do not deal with carbon. However,
carbon is very important in many inorganic
compounds, and there is a whole area of study
known as organometallic chemistry that is truly a
hybrid of the traditional disciplines of organic and
inorganic chemistry.
● Materials Chemistry is an area concerned with the
design and synthesis of materials that allow the
advance of technologies in nearly every area of
society.
● Often, inorganic chemists working in this area are
concerned with the synthesis and characterization of
solid state compounds or inorganic polymers such
as silicones.
● Students who concentrate in inorganic chemistry often go on to work in industry in
polymer or materials science, do research or teach in inorganic chemistry, or pursue
other related job opportunities.

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 CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION TO CHEMISTRY
5. Biochemistry 

● It is the study of the chemical principles

underlying basic biological systems.
● Fundamentally, biochemical research
aims to characterize the link between the
structure and function of biological
macromolecules.
● More specifically, biochemical research
has provided a more comprehensive
understanding in regenerative medicine,
infectious disease, organ/tissue
transplantation, clinical diagnostics and
genetic disease.

● Students who concentrate in biochemistry go on to pursue extremely successful careers

in medicine, research, and business.

Chemistry is essential for meeting our basic needs of food, clothing, shelter,

health, energy, and clean air, water, and soil. Chemical technologies enrich our quality of

life in numerous ways by providing new solutions to problems in health, materials, and

energy usage.

IV. REFERENCES

https://www.uwlax.edu/chemistry-and-biochemistry/student-resources/different-types-of-
chemistry/#:~:text=Traditionally%2C%20chemistry%20has%20been%20broken,%2C
%20Physical%2C%20Inorganic%20and%20Biochemistry.

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