Has there ever been a time where you stopped to think about the importance of your Chemistry lessons? How relevant these are and how you can apply these to your everyday life? You might be asking yourself these questions when it comes to Chemistry. Because of the fascinating nature of this field, it is good to explore how Chemistry exists around us.
The Importance of Chemistry
Chemistry plays a valuable role in each person’s life. Almost everything consists of chemicals, people, animals, material objects, the food and drinks we intake, and everything in our surroundings. Furthermore, chemical technologies enrich lives in countless ways. These include health, the materials we use, and the energy we consume. With that, we will be discussing how Junior College (JC) Chemistry can be applied to everyday life.
Day-to-day Examples of Chemistry Present in Life
Now that we know that Chemistry exists around us, let’s dive into some real-life examples.
1. Food
Chemistry is present in the food we have on the table, and you can even trace it back to its food preparation stage. From combining ingredients to heating them, every step of the food preparation process undergoes different chemical processes. We can call one of its common reactions the Maillard reaction. This is a non-enzymatic browning that takes place when proteins and/or amino acids are combined and react with carbohydrates of reducing sugars. Applying heat accelerates caramelisation, elevating the taste, appearance, and aroma of the food.
Chemistry is also a big part of the food manufacturing industry. This sector utilizes chemical processes to produce quality and nutritious products on a large scale. Students may pick up such knowledge as they study JC Chemistry, which can be useful if they wish to work in this industry.
2. Hardware
While we may not know it, Chemistry is present whenever we use our electronic devices. From the batteries we use to the screens of our displays, Chemistry is there. In the term LCD alone, it proves the chemical reactions as it comes from “liquid crystals.” This has the properties of both a conventional liquid and solid crystal. When you expose these crystals to light, they create light waves and form pixels that you can see as colours on a screen. This is called the principle of chirality, which is covered in some Chemistry syllabus.
3. Transportation
Chemistry makes travelling happen. With the help of physics, people nowadays are able to take transportation to any place. This has become possible because of the internal combustion engines, plus the ignition and combustion of petrol or diesel. These materials convert into energy to move pistons, which move the wheels of a vehicle using gears and rotating crankshafts.
With rechargeable electric cars, it is a different case. Electrochemical reactions power lithium-ion batteries to enable ion and power transfer. Teachers tackled all of these in JC Chemistry classes in Singapore, helping students get a better understanding of these concepts.
4. Medicine
Whenever we feel under the weather or need a specific treatment, we turn to medicine. In the case of a simple migraine or headache, chemical messengers send pain signals to the brain. This is where the power of painkillers comes in – they contain properties that block these messengers, in turn reducing the pain we feel. Paired with NSAID that blocks specific enzymes and combats inflammation via prostaglandins, you can bid your headache adieu.
Chemistry is also involved in specific medical procedures like x-ray scans. Barium’s radioactive properties and chemotherapy utilise specific chemicals to combat the growth of tumour cells. Learning these gives a foundation to students who seek a career in medicine in the future.
5. Cosmetics
Developers must have loaded all your day-to-day products with chemical components. They formed these various items like lotions, powders, fragrances, and even skincare in laboratories using chemical reactions and ingredients. We can commonly find this information in product labels, which can equip students to make wiser decisions when selecting cosmetic items to buy.
Learn How Everyday Life Can Be Found In JC Chemistry Class With Focus Chemistry!
Chemistry is in everything we do and everything we see, we literally live and breathe it. Understanding how it works will not only support our day-to-day choices, but can even open up possible career paths to consider. Looking to excel in life and improve your chemistry knowledge? Contact Focus Chemistry today via @dion.khoo@nexusconsutancy.org or call us at +65 9616 1651 to start your journey!