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Chemistry is the science that studies matter, in terms of its composition, structure and properties. It also studies the changes that matter undergoes, which can occur by chemical reactions or by the intervention of energy.
Includes different specialties:
- Organic chemistry: studies compounds and derivatives of carbon.
- Inorganic chemistry: refers to all elements and compounds with the exception of those derived from carbon.
- Physical chemistry: study the relationship between matter and energy in a reaction.
- Analytic chemistry: establishes methods and techniques to analyze the chemical composition of substances.
- Biochemistry: study the chemical reactions that develop in living organisms.
The division between organic and inorganic chemistry comes from the time when all carbon compounds came from living beings. However, there are currently carbon-containing substances that are studied by inorganic chemistry: graphite, diamond, carbonates and bicarbonates, carbide.
Although previously there was a division between organic and inorganic chemistry because the second was the one used in industryCurrently there is a wide field of industrial application of organic chemistry, such as pharmacology and agrochemistry.
Both disciplines study the reaction and interaction of elements Y compounds, the difference is that organic chemistry concentrates on the molecules formed by carbon + hydrogen + oxygen, and their interaction with other molecules.
- It can serve you: Examples of Chemistry in Everyday Life
Inorganic chemistry studies:
- The constituent elements of the periodic table.
- Coordination chemistry.
- The chemistry of metal-metal bonded compounds.
Organic chemistry studies:
- Behavior of carbon molecules.
- Chemical processes that take place in the cell.
- Chemical phenomena on which living beings depend.
- Metabolism of chemical substances in different organisms, including humans.
The organic compounds currently they can be of natural or synthetic origin.
Although they are different specialties, both disciplines have points in common and can be combined to achieve different objectives (industry, food, petrochemical, etc.)
Examples of inorganic chemistry
- Engineering: The construction of any type of building or machinery requires a knowledge of the chemistry of the materials used (resistance, hardness, flexibility, etc.). The branch of inorganic chemistry that deals with this topic is materials science.
- Pollution studies: Geochemistry (branch of inorganic chemistry) studies the pollution of water, atmosphere and soil.
- Gemstone appreciation: The value of minerals is determined by their chemical composition.
- Oxide: the appearance of oxide in metals is a reaction studied by inorganic chemistry. Anti-rust painters are achieved thanks to the intervention of inorganic chemistry in their manufacture.
- Soap manufacturing: THEhydroxide Sodium is an inorganic chemical compound that is used to make soaps.
- Salt: Common salt is an inorganic compound that we use every day.
- Batteries: Commercial cells or batteries contain silver oxide.
- Fizzy drinks: Soft drinks are made from the inorganic chemical phosphoric acid.
Examples of organic chemistry
- Soap manufacturing: As we saw, soaps are produced by an inorganic chemical. However, they can also include organic chemicals such as animal fats or vegetable oils and essences.
- Breathing: Respiration is one of the processes that organic chemistry studies, observing how oxygen is associated with different substances (organic and inorganic) to pass from the air, to the respiratory system, to the circulatory system and finally to the cells.
- Energy storage: The lipids and carbohydrates they are organic compounds that serve living beings to store energy.
- Antibiotics: Antibiotics can contain organic and inorganic substances. However, their design depends on the knowledge of the microorganisms that affect the body.
- Preservatives: Many of the preservatives used for food are inorganic substances, but respond to characteristics of organic chemicals in food.
- Vaccinations: Vaccines are attenuated doses of organisms that cause disease. The presence of these microorganisms allows the body to develop the necessary antibodies to be immune to the disease.
- Paints: Paints are made from acetaldehyde.
- Alcohol (ethanol): Alcohol is an organic substance with many uses: disinfection, coloring, beverages, cosmetics, food preservation, etc.
- Butane gas: It is used in homes for cooking, heating or heating water.
- Polyethylene: It is the most used plastic and is manufactured from ethylene, an alkene hydrocarbon.
- Leather: Leather is an organic product that achieves its final consistency thanks to a process called tanning, in which the organic chemical acetaldehyde intervenes.
- Pesticides: Pesticides can include inorganic, but also organic substances, such as chlorobenzene, a hydrocarbon aromatic used as a pesticide solvent.
- Rubber: Rubber can be natural (obtained from plant sap) or artificial, created from butene, an alkene hydrocarbon.
- Agrochemical: Products derived from aniline, a type of amine, are used in agrochemicals.
- Dietary supplements: Many dietary supplements include inorganic substances such as you go out Y minerals. However, they also include organic substances such as amino acids.
See more: Examples of Organic Chemistry
