The chemistry in everyday life It is very easy to perceive. It can be found in the foods that are consumed, in the air that is breathed, in the cleaning chemicals and, literally, in every object that is around.
All humans are made of chemicals and everything that surrounds humanity is made of chemicals.
Everything that the human being hears, sees, smells, touches and tests involves chemistry and organic compounds; all the senses involve interactions and chemical reactions.
Chemistry is not limited to laboratories; It exists around the world and is present in all aspects of daily life. Basically there would be nothing in the world if chemistry did not exist.
The 30 main examples of chemistry in everyday life
1- Organic acids
They are organic chemical compounds with acidic properties. Propane, acetic acid and hydroxybenzene are some of the most common.
Hydroxybenzene is used to prepare resins and in pharmaceuticals; acetic acid is used in vinegar and in the chemical industry; and propane is used as a preservative.
2- Polymers
They consist of long chains of molecules. Many organic compounds are polymers.
The most common are nylon, used in clothes and toothbrushes; and acrylic, which is used in paints and plastics.
3- Petrochemicals
They are chemical derivatives of crude oil or petroleum; the distillation separates the material into different organic compounds.
Gasoline and natural gas are the most used since they function as fuel.
4- Damaged food
The food gets bad because of the chemical reactions that occur between the food molecules.
Fats become rancid and the growth of bacteria can make people sick.
5- The sky
The sky is blue because an object takes on the color of the light it reflects. The white light of the sun contains the waves, but when it hits an object some of its waves are reflected.
6- Human body
The human body is made up of different chemical compounds, which are combinations of elements.
The majority of the body is composed of water, which is a mixture of hydrogen and oxygen.
7- Ice and water
Ice floats in water because ice is less dense than water. Heavier water displaces less heavy ice, so the ice ends up floating.
8- Digestion
Digestion depends on chemical reactions between food, acids and enzymes that break down molecules into nutrients that the body can absorb and use.
9- Sunscreen
Sunscreen combines organic and inorganic chemicals to filter sunlight and prevent it from penetrating the skin.
The reflecting particles of the sunscreen usually consist of titanium oxide or zinc oxide.
10- The soaps
Animal fat is used to make soap. The soap is made from a saponification reaction, which reacts to a hydroxide with an organic molecule (the fat) to produce glycerol and raw soap. Soaps are emulsifiers.
11- The drugs
The drugs work because of the chemistry. Chemical compounds can enter a binding site for natural chemicals in the body, such as to block pain receptors.
They can also attack chemicals found in pathogens but not in human cells, such as antibiotics.
12- The perfumes
It does not matter if the fragrance comes from a flower or from a laboratory and is used in the cosmetics industry; both molecules are an example of chemistry.
13- Pressure cooker
The food is cooked faster in a pressure cooker because the lid closes tightly to the pot.
In this way the steam can not escape, so it stays inside and builds pressure. Under pressure the temperatures are higher, making the food cook faster.
14- The coal
The coal that is used as fuel in many power plants is derived from carbon molecules.
15- Biopolymers
Many parts of cars are made of biopolymers. Biopolymers are polymers produced by living organisms and are made of many molecules linked to larger structures.
16- Fructose and glucose
These elements are used in the food industry for its sweet taste. These are the most basic unit of carbohydrates, which means that they are an example of a chemical compound.
17- Cooking
Cooking is a chemical change that alters the food so it can be digested. It also kills dangerous microorganisms.
The heat of the kitchen can caramelize sugar, promote chemical reactions between ingredients, among other actions.
18- Infatuation
When a person falls in love their brain undergoes several changes and certain chemical compounds are released.
Love is driven by these hormones: oxytocin, endorphins and vasopressin.
19- Food
All the molecules that make food, such as carbohydrates, proteins and fats, are composed of organic compounds.
20- Coffee
The coffee serves to wake up due to the presence of a chemical compound called adenosine in the brain.
It sticks to certain receptors and slows the cellular activity of the nerves when it is indicated that there is sleep.
21- The color of the vegetables
Vegetables have colors because they contain certain chemical compounds called carotenoids.
These compounds have a region called chromophore, which absorbs and releases particular waves of light, generating the color we perceive.
22- Diamonds
The diamonds that are used in jewelry are made of carbon, are allotropes of carbon. Also, the graphite that is placed on the pencils is also an allotrope of carbon.
23- The crying that produces the onions
The onions make them cry because of the presence of sulfur in the cells, which break when the onions are cut. The sulfur mixes with moisture, irritating the eyes and making them cry.
24- Baking powder
Baking powder and baking soda have chemical compounds that cause food to rise.
25- Plastic
All the plastics that make up the objects that are around are made with chemical reactions.
26- Vaseline and paraffin
Vaseline, which is marketed as cosmetic; and paraffin wax used to make candles are by-products of petroleum refining.
Also, kerosene and diesel are also derived from petroleum and used as fuel.
27- Paints and adhesives
Most plastics, paints and adhesives owe their existence to petrochemicals.
28- Vanilla
Vanilla is an aldehyde. This compound is what gives the vanilla its distinctive aroma.
29- Mint
Carvona and camphor impart their characteristic flavors to mint leaves and cumin seeds.
30- Gelatin
Gelatin is a type of edible polymer.
References
- 30 examples of organic compounds and uses. Recovered from azchemistry.com
- Examples of organic chemistry in everyday life (2017). Retrieved from thoughtco.com
- Examples of chemistry in daily life. Retrieved from sciencenotes.org
- Organic chemistry-real life applications. Retrieved from scienceclarified.com
- 6 important of organic chemistry and its applications. Retrieved from studyread.com
- Chemistry in everyday life. Retrieved from worldofchemicals.com
- Organic chemistry in our daily life (2012). Recovered from organicchemistryucsi.blogspot.com