Assume you are constructing a home. You wouldn’t simply put up some walls and call it a day, would you? You would have a strong base to begin with RECTIFY. Similar to that strong foundation, there is something similar in the wide field of chemistry known as the chemical underpinning.
Time to travel back to science class in high school. Do you recall the periodic table charts that were affixed to the walls? They stood for the fundamental components of everything around us, so they were more than just vibrant grids. The fundamental components of chemical processes are elements like carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen. However, how do these components work together so well? Herein is the application of our central idea.
Imagine yourself attempting to introduce two pals who had never met before at a party. Sometimes they click right away, and other times it’s awkward. That is also the case with chemical reactions! Atoms and molecules require catalysts or specific environments to form strong bonds; they don’t always bind together flawlessly on their own.
Now consider making cookies. Eggs, butter, sugar, and flour are combined. However, your cookies won’t come out properly if you forget to add the baking soda or bake them at the incorrect temperature. Catalysts in chemistry function similarly to baking soda in that they accelerate reactions without being eaten.
Have you ever wondered why stainless steel does not rust but iron does? It comes down to reactivity and chemical stability. Rust is created when iron combines with atmospheric oxygen and water vapor, a process known as oxidation. The chromium in stainless steel creates a barrier that stops this process.
Think about the little protein molecules in our bodies called enzymes, which quicken the biochemical processes necessary for life. Digestion and other processes would be as slow as watching paint dry without them! Nature uses enzymes to make sure that everything inside of us functions properly.
Do you recall your childhood Lego block play? Based on its size and shape, each piece might join with others in a certain way. Similar to one another, atoms have valence electrons that control how they combine to create molecules or compounds.
Consider salt. Sodium chloride (NaCl) is the basic ingredient in table salt. Common salt is created when sodium (Na) loses an electron and becomes positively charged while chlorine (Cl) acquires an electron and becomes negatively charged. This ionic connection is formed between them.
Using fireworks as an example, let’s discuss how energy changes during chemical reactions. Fireworks explode as a result of exothermic reactions, which release energy in the form of light and heat, creating those amazing displays we like seeing during celebrations!
In addition, have you ever had coffee and felt your heart race? The way that caffeine interacts with neurotransmitters to modify brain function demonstrates how even at the microscopic level, chemicals have an impact on our daily life!
Another interesting feature is chemical equilibrium, which is similar to balancing scales in that it ensures stability in systems, whether they are biological or industrial, by allowing forward and reverse reactions to occur at equal rates and maintaining stable concentrations throughout time!
And then there’s pH balance, which is a scale of acidity/alkalinity from 0 to 14, with 7 being neutral. Anything below 7 is acidic, and anything above 7 is alkaline. It affects everything from soil fertility to plant growth to healthcare products to maintaining skin health to beverages to influencing taste quality, etc., demonstrating the significance of understanding chemical properties in real-world applications in a variety of fields, including agriculture, medicine, food industry, environmental sciences, engineering, and more!