Definition of chemistry and chemical industries

Chemistry is the study of matter: its structure, composition, properties and the changes it undergoes.
Chemistry is one of the three main branches of pure science, the other two being physics and biology.
Chemistry which probes into the principles governing the changes that matter undergoes also deals with
the composition, properties uses of matter. Some of the chemical changes which matter undergoes
include; lighting a match, cooking, burning fire wood, making palm wine, rusting of nails, rotting of
leaves. Chemical changes are otherwise known as chemical reactions. The knowledge of chemistry helps
us to subject some matter to chemical processes thereby producing some materials for our every day
today use. Such materials include: soaps, detergents, hair cream, perfumes, oil, margarine and plastics
among others. There are three main branches of chemistry: inorganic, organic and physical chemistry.

Career prospects tied to chemistry

Career prospects tied to chemistry Career prospects tied to chemistry simply mean the job
opportunities that are available for the students with knowledge of chemistry. Such students can be
employed with private and public sectors which include:

Teaching service, health service, food processing, petroleum and petrochemical industries,
manufacturing industry, extractive industry, Agriculture and Forestry.

Teaching services: Concern those who teach in primary, secondary schools, colleges of education and
universities and even the laboratory assistants in schools and universities.

Health service: Involves pharmacists, biochemists, chemists, nutritionists, dieticians, doctors, nurses,
medical assistants, laboratory assistants and dispensers.

Food processing: Food processing involves food technologists and research chemists. Petroleum and
petrochemical industries –Involves application of the following people; research chemists, chemical
engineers and laboratory assistants.

Extractive industry- Involves chemists, mining engineers and geologists. Manufacturing Industry:
This involves research chemists and chemical engineers in the wide variety of manufacturing industries
such as iron and steel works and cement factories.

Agriculture-Involves agricultural scientists, chemists, biochemists and physiologists who engaged in

research to improve the quality and yield of crops and livestocks, and to advise farmers.

(viii) Forestry: Scientists engaged in research to preserve and improve forests and forestry products.

Uses of chemistry
APPLICATION/ USES OF CHEMISTRY
The knowledge of chemistry can be apply in the following areas; namely Hospital: The knowledge of
chemistry makes it possible for people to involve in chemical research and technology which lead to
production of medicine that we use today.
 Military: The duty of the military is defense, to defend the territorial integrity of a nation or state.
Military cannot effectively do this without ammunition. Chemistry contributes to the discovery and
description of the theoretical bases for the behavior of chemical substances such as explosives used by
the military. The gun powder used in the earliest guns was made by mixing sulphur, charcoal and
potassium trioxonitrates (v), compounded by early chemists. The manufacture of smokeless powder was
based upon gun cotton, which is made from cotton fibers soaked in a strong mixture of HNO3 and
H2SO4.

Teaching- chemistry teachers and lecturers in secondary schools, polytechnics, colleges of education
and universities.

Chemical and petrochemical industries: Application chemists, research chemists, chemical engineers
and laboratory assistants

. Space science: chemistry is not out in space exploration. In our efforts to gain more knowledge of the
other planets and outer space around us, special rockets called ‘space rocket’ are sent into space. The
first rocket was sent into space on October 4, 1957 by Russia. In July, 1969, Apollo II astronauts Neil
Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin landed on the moon. These are made possible by science and technology.

Agriculture: Agricultural scientists, chemists, biochemists and physiologists engaged in research to

improve the quality and yield of crops and livestock, and to advise farmers

Definition of drug abuse

ADVERSE EFFECTS OF CHEMICALS
The adverse effects of existence of chemistry The existence of chemistry brought about the
existence of chemicals. The adverse effects of chemicals include; drug abuse, poisoning, corrosion and
pollution.

Drug Abuse: simply involves wrong usage of drugs. Some of these drugs include heroin, cocaine and
morphine which are used as addictive. Unscrupulous people produce and sell them at huge profits. Drug
addiction is a major problem in our society, especially among young people. Many countries have
imposed strict laws to control pollution and drug abuse. However, the most effective control measure is
education. We must use what we learnt to improve our life and to control these abuses.

Poisoning

Poisoning: This is where chemicals are used to poison the food we eat. This happens when the
chemicals used as addictive probably as preservative are added more than required or expired in the
food stuff where it was added, then instead of the food stuff bringing health to our body, it turns to
poison.

Corrosion

Corrosion: Corrosion of iron can also be called rusting and requires the presence of water and oxygen.
Rusting can also be regarded as the slow deterioration of iron to iron (iii) oxide. This iron (iii) oxide is
permeable to both air and water and cannot protect the iron from further corrosion of iron. This
rusting can be prevented by four methods.
 Application of protective coating

. Application of sacrificial metal.

Alloying.

Cathodic protection.

Definition of pollution
Pollution: Chemical industries through the action of production pollute our environment as the smoke
enters into the air, and dirt of different kinds enter into the water thereby polluting the entire
environment. Specifically chemical wastes from factories and oil refineries and radioactive wastes from
nuclear plants pollute our environment. Oil spillage, exhaust from motor vehicles, pesticides, fertilizers
and acid rain have made our environment unclean and endangered plant and animal life. Human health
is also being threatened by environmental pollution. Presently, chemists are trying to come up with a
fuel that will reduce the air pollution problem. They are also modifying chemical processes to recycle
chemical wastes or change them to harmless products which can be safely discharged into the
surrounding.

Scientific method
This is the method the scientist used to produce different materials that exists as a result of chemistry.
In the light of this, the scientists use their senses to observe what is happening around them. From a
given set of observations, they see a certain pattern. This often leads to a problem which they try to
solve. They put forward a reasonable explanation or hypothesis and carry out appropriate experiments
to test it. Then, they carefully record their observations and the results of their experiments

. If the experiments support the hypothesis, they carry out further investigations. They discuss the
hypothesis and results with other scientists in the field so that the hypothesis can be further tested.
When a hypothesis has been tested and found to be correct within the limits of available evidence. It
becomes a theory.

A scientific law or principle is established only after the theory has been extensively tested and proven
true without any exception. If the experiments give negative results, then the scientist goes back to his
hypothesis and either modifies it or puts forward a new hypothesis. This way of studying a problem is
known as the scientific method. It is the very foundation of all scientific discoveries.

Definition of chemical industries

Chemical industry is an industry that uses the principle of chemistry to convert raw materials to useful
products.

Factors to be considered when siting chemical industries .

Factors to be considered in sitting chemical industry

The following factors are to be considered in sitting chemical industry:

 1. Nearness to the source of materials

2. Energy (power or fuel) supply

3. Human Resources ( Labour Force)

4. Transport Cost

5. Nearness to the market

6. Nearness to A Source of Wate

r 7. Conducive climate.

Types of chemical industries

Chemical industries are easily categories base on the type of products they manufacture. The major
chemical industries are listed and explained below: Heavy chemical industries Fine chemical
industries Pharmaceutical industries Fertilizer industries Cement industries Plastic industries
Ceramic industries Food and Beverages industries Glass industries Metallurgical industries Soaps
and Detergents industries Paint industries Cosmetic industries

Explanation of the types of chemical industries

1. HEAVY CHEMICALS INDUSTRIES: These industries produce chemicals used as raw materials by
other chemical industries. Their products are usually manufactured in very large quantities because
many industries depend on their product and so are in high demand. Some heavy chemicals and some of
their uses are listed below. These industries have nature as their sources of raw materials

. Tetraoxosulphate (VI) acid (H2SO4) which is the most important of them all.It is used in the fertilizer
industries.

Sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and potassium hydroxide (KOH) used in soap making, fiber and paper
industries. Sodium trioxocarbonate (IV) (Na2CO3) is used in glass, detergent and water works.

Sodium hydrogen trioxocarbonate (IV), (NaHCO3) is used in baking powder industries.

Fine chemical industries and pharmaceutical industries .

FINE CHEMICALS INDUSTRIES: Fine chemicals are produced in smaller quantities than heavy but are
equally important. These industries pay great attention to purity products because the chemicals are
used for sensitive and specific purpose. Some products like drugs, cosmetics, additive for vehicle engine
performances, analytical reagents are some of the examples.

PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRIES: Produces various chemicals used in hospitals e.g. potassium bromide
(used as sedatives), mercury (ii) nitrate (v) (used as antiseptic for skin diseases) calcium sulphate (plaster
of Paris), iodine, antibiotics, insulin, magnesium tetraoxosulphate (VI).heptahydrate (Epsom salt), etc.

Fertilizer industries and glass industries

FERTILIZER INDUSTRIES: This industry produces fertilizers of various grades such as, (NH4) SO4,
NH4NO3 and urea as well as pesticides, germicides, herbicides and fungicides. GLASS INDUSTRIES:
Glass is made from sand and it is cheap when compared with other materials. Silicon (iv) oxide in sand
when treated with other chemical like lead from glass. These industries produce a lot of materials like
glass waves (cups, bowls etc.), window panes, laboratory wares and apparatus, light bulbs and mirrors
etc. Glass can be colored or transparent depending on its use.

Cement industries

CEMENT INDUSTRIES: These industries are important to us because their products are used in the
construction industries in bulding bridges , house, roads, and drainages .Cement becomes a very hard
substances when mixed with water, sand and gravels .Cement contains quicklime powder (calcium
oxide),clay(silicon (iv)oxide and some aluminium oxide. All these chemicals are obtained naturally from
the earth in form of limestone(calcium trioxocarbonate(iv),and aliuminim oxide .when heated strongly
,the lime stone changes to quicklime and carbon (iv) oxide.

Plastic industries

PLASTIC INDUSTRIES: These use simple organic compounds like ethane, ethyne, phenol, and benzene
and styrene obtained from the petroleum and coal tar industries to make plastics in form of pellets or
granules. Other raw materials for plastics are phenol, Cellulose and vinyl Chloride. There are two main
types of plastics, thermoset and thermoplastic. Thermoplastic materials like plastic bottles, polyethene
bags and some household’s materials can be remolded after melting. These can be recycled by some
factories to form other materials for human use. Thermoset Plastics cannot be recycled, but are stronger
and more durable and so are usually used for furniture.

Raw materials

Raw materials are starting materials and ingredients for manufacturing. The raw materials for a
product may be the products of another industry. For example:-the raw materials for the plastic industry
are products of the petroleum industry. Most primary (or starting) raw materials are obtained from
nature e.g. petroleum, metal ores, common salt from the sea, coal, limestone, clay, sand, etc. These
primary raw materials are used to produce other materials or chemicals that are used to produced other
materials or chemicals.

Raw materials from some chemicals and their byproducts Natural Raw materials Some Chemical gotten
from it Materials

Petroleum Petrochemicals e.g. Ethane, Benzene, Ethene etc. Plastic, Pesticides, Alkanols (alcohol),
beverages, fertilizers etc.

Earth Limestone Cement

Metals ores Metallic products like containers, roofing sheet, vehicle bodies etc.

Clay/sand Ceramic products like floor tiles, dishware’s, bathtub, toilet bows etc.

Plants Palm oil Soap and margarine

Cocoa Chocolate and beverages.

Rubber Tyres and other rubber products.

Sea water Common salt(sodium chloride) Seasoning for cooking and starting materials for many
chemicals.

Air Oxygen Used in welding and hospitals.

Nitrogen Used to produced ammonia an important raw material in the manufacture of fertilizers.

Importance of chemical industries

IMPORTANCE OF CHEMICALS INDUSTRIES

To an individual:

(i) Chemical industries provide employment for both skilled and unskilled.

(ii) It is used for treating of woods.

(B) To the nation

(i) The chemical industries provide earnings from foreign trade.

(ii) Chemical industries improved the standard of living by providing many materials for domestic use
(which can be too expensive if imported).

Problems of chemical industries

ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS CREATED BY CHEMICAL INDUSTRIES Despite all the advantages of
these industries, they can constitute health hazards and menace to the communities where they are
located. Such as

: Its waste can contaminate the air we breathe and water we drink.

It is also noisy. To avoid this, careful thought may be placed on the selection of a site to locate an
industry.