Why study Chemistry Most people imagine that Chemistry

Why study Chemistry? ? • Most people imagine that Chemistry is all about mixing various substances together in a lab and seeing what happens or heating stuff in odd shaped glass vessels over a Bunsen burner. • But… • Have you ever considered how much Chemistry there is all around you in your everyday life? • Lets think about a fairly typical morning…

Good morning! • How about starting your day with a nice hot shower? • The shampoo or shower gel will probably be in a bottle made from polyethene “hdpe” (have a look on the bottom of the bottle). The bottle will be fairly strong and flexible – you can’t pull it out of shape very easily • This same chemical can also be made into clingfilm or food wrap – this has very different properties – its light and stretchy. How can the same chemical hold shampoo and wrap your sandwiches? ? • The shampoo or shower gel will make a nice lather and possibly have an attractive colour and smell – more chemistry involved here too.

Breakfast time! • First job – boil the kettle. Have you ever wondered why the water boils at 100 degrees Centigrade? What is actually happening to the water molecules when it boils? • In this course, we will look at the forces holding the water molecules together and discover that without the particular forces in water it would probably boil at nearer -100 degrees Centigrade. That definitely wouldn’t make such a good cup of tea or coffee. • How about some toast with butter that you can spread straight from the fridge – can we use some simple Chemistry to explain how “spreadable butter” is made?

What shall I wear today? ? • Most of our clothese days require very little ironing • They have a range of colours which rarely come out in the wash • We can wash clothes at quite low temperatures with modern detergents • All thanks to Chemistry!

Your journey to work However we travel, Chemistry will be involved somewhere. . . fuel, materials. You will learn about; • the molecules in fuels • how do we know which fuel is the most efficient? • what are the issues with burning fuels? • how can we mitigate these environmental issues?

Where else might Chemistry be involved in your life? • • • Chemists are involved in so many areas of our lives Cosmetics Medicines Plastics Paints and dyes Food and drink Mobile phone technology Concrete Atmospheric chemistry Any many, many more….

What will you study on the course? • The units you will study will be • Introduction to Chemistry • Core Organic Chemistry • Chemistry Practical Investigation • Core Principles of Chemistry • All photos from https: //www. pxfuel. com/ royalty free stock photos.